Diapers? Yes, diapers. Not clean the diapers...clean WITH diapers. That's part of what our curatorial staff is doing during these winter months, when the public's little (and big) feets aren't traipsing through our halls.

In your own house you might use an old tee-shirt for a cleaning rag but here we have to be certain to use materials that wont harm the furniture, don't have lint, and are easy to launder - white cotton diapers are just the thing.

Check out this video for a glimpse at how we clean curatorial objects at Sunnyside.

A class from Belleville High School in Belleville, N.J. recently visited Washington Irving's Sunnyside to take advantage of one of the site's many educational programs. After the students returned to the classroom, their teacher asked the students to write letters to their family and friends describing what they had learned on their field trip, an exercise we recommend as part of this kind of field trip. 

The result: each letter and sketch represents a fascinating translation of history through the mind of a student. Below is one student's noteworthy interpretation of a classic Irving story coming to life at Sunnyside. I think it's pretty impressive stuff!

On this Fourth, you  can celebrate our country's independence by actually becoming a part of it. Whether you're a history buff, a sports fan, nature lover, or family of nine you will find something to fit your tastes at either of this years July 4th events at Historic Hudson Valley. 

First decide whether you'd like to travel 150 or 200 years into the past to experience a more traditional celebration of America's independence. (Don't worry, you can do both!)

Independence Day 1809 is at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. Packed like a cannon with traditional celebrations including a reading of the Declaration of Independence, historic reenactments, and hands-on activities that will have you experiencing your very own military camp. You might forget you are in the year 2009.  If that's not enough, there's a parade that marches the entire property in all its glory.

At Independence Day 1859 at Washington Irving's Sunnyside in Tarrytown, visitors will be welcomed with period style music and dancing and can play "Town Ball," a traditional version of baseball from the 19^th century. If the sun becomes too much, dip into Irving's cottage for a tour or help churn ice cream the old fashioned way. 

If you visit today, let us know and send us some pics!

HVBlogger has just learned of some interesting new additions to the more than 60 children's book authors and illustrators who will be taking part in Celebrate Children's Book Day at Washington Irving's Sunnyside on Sunday, Sept. 28.

Joining an already impressive roster of expected attendees will be Brian Selznick. He is the author/illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, for which he won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for 2008.

The Caldecott is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. It was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Together with the Newbery Medal, it is the most prestigious American children's book award.

Two other late-breaking additions to Book Day are Howard Whitehouse, author of The Island of Mad Scientists, and Maria Carluccio, author/illustrator of The Sounds Around Town. Both will be participating in the event for the first time.

It's definitely going to be a can't-miss event for children's book fans.

Yes, those of us in the digerati generation enjoy blogging and Facebooking and Twittering and yes, we spend way too much reading about random things online like frozen-food reviews and rants from angry journalists, but we nonetheless love books. I mean, really love books, and yes, I mean the dead-tree variety that you can actually hold, spill coffee on, and impress your friends with when said books are sufficiently large and/or esoteric and arranged just so on the living room table.

And back when the TRS-80 was just a mere gleam in our young and soon-to-be pixel-stuffed and dry eyes, we spent hours and hours and days with books.

It's a part of growing up that has not changed, despite the ability to download an entire season of Family Guy onto a device the size of a slice of melba toast.

On September 28, the community at Washington Irving's Sunnyside, our "founding father of literature" will be celebrating children's books with an event called (fittingly) Celebrate Children's Book Day. It's an annual occurrence and it's hugely popular, proving that reports of the death of books are greatly exaggerated.

Sunnyside will be hosting more than 60 children's book authors and illustrators, so young fans get to interact with them and get their favorite books signed.

I just learned that new participants this year will include Hudson Talbott, author/illustrator of United Tweets of America, Jerry Smath, author/illustrator of But No Elephants, Jerry Craft, author/illustrator of Mama's Boyz, Leslie Kimmelman, author of Everybody Bonjours!, Elise Broach, author of Shakespeare's Secret, Robert Casilla, illustrator of A Picture Book of Jackie Robinson, Ida Pearle, author/illustrator of Child's Day, and Daniel Mahoney, author/illustrator of A Really Good Snowman.