Summer Vacation

Most of us can't seem to remember if we turned off the coffee pot before leaving the house. Yet, when it comes to summer memories from our childhood, we have total recall. We can describe, to the very last log in the fireplace, the layout of the Adirondacks cabin our parents rented every summer until we were out of braces. Or the name of our favorite clam shack during Cape Cod vacations, in addition to the home state of the waitress. For an upcoming Travel section, we are looking for your summer vacation stories: Tell us about...

A former chef at the Virginia governor's mansion asked a judge Monday to dismiss embezzlement charges against him, arguing that state Attorney General Ken T. Cuccinelli II has a series of conflicts of interest that have tainted the proceedings. Attorneys for chef Todd Schneider say that he told state and federal authorities more than a year ago that a major campaign donor of Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) had paid $15,000 to cater the wedding of McDonnell's daughter ,...

WOLFEBORO, N.H. — This weekend, Mitt Romney is starting his annual summer vacation on his lakefront compound here — a week of fun and family, though not entirely carefree. The Romneys, 30 in all these days, spend their time away from the stresses of everyday life — like, say, wrapping up the Republican nomination for president — by following a highly orchestrated, highly competitive regimen of sports and games known as the "Romney Olympics. " The Romney Olympics have long included a...

After summer vacation in Canada, I briefly mourned the loss of colored bills in my billfold. But the gloom was short-lived. On my drive home, I took a detour to Ithaca, N.Y., which I'd heard has its own currency. By day's end, my wallet swelled again with delightfully colorful money. In place of notes adorned with images of dead presidents, there were playful bills with pictures of salamanders and steamboats. It's only fitting that this town — as dense with brainpower as it is with composting bins...

Prepare garden beds for your vacation, business trip or other absence by pulling weeds, breaking up soil crust with a cultivator, watering deeply and covering with a temporary, thick mulch of straw. Soil that has been enriched annually with finished compost and chopped leaves will hold nutrients and moisture better than unimproved earth. — Adrian Higgins

Where will your summer travels take you? Whether it's to the neighborhood pool or someplace exotic, such as the southern African nation of Namibia, we want you to take KidsPost with you and then have someone take your picture. Brothers Maxim Vallerand-Parisi, 9, and Remy Vallerand-Parisi, 14, traveled all the way from their home in Alexandria to the eerie (but very cool) "moon landscape" area of Namibia. This rocky desert was formed as long as 500 million years ago. Once you've...

W ith constant pressure to have kids do more in school, and do it sooner, parents who spent their own summers playing outside until the streetlights came on might feel compelled to push academics over free play. Good news: You can do both at the same time. Keeping your child's mind sharp in July and August doesn't have to mean sitting at a table doing work sheets or flashcards. Educators recommend that parents incorporate learning into play and plan fun day trips to give kids a chance to stretch their minds...

During the worst moments of her ordeal last month, her mouth gaping as wide as possible into an oxygen mask in a labored effort to keep breathing, Nancy Szokan remembers wishing she could just pass out. "I couldn't stand it anymore," recalled Szokan of the several hours she spent in the emergency room of tiny North Country Hospital in Newport, Vt. "I was that frightened. " Szokan could no longer speak. She could see that her husband was visibly alarmed by the strangulated, high-pitched sound of her...

A former chef at the Virginia governor's mansion asked a judge Monday to dismiss embezzlement charges against him, arguing that state Attorney General Ken T. Cuccinelli II has a series of conflicts of interest that have tainted the proceedings. Attorneys for chef Todd Schneider say that he told state and federal authorities more than a year ago that a major campaign donor of Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) had paid $15,000 to cater the wedding of McDonnell's...

Summer vacation officially ends today for public school students in Northern Virginia, with kindergarten through 12th-grade classes returning in all area school districts. Public schools in Maryland and the District have been opening over the past two weeks, but traditionally schools in the commonwealth wait until after Labor Day. -- Tom Jackman

" Calvin Coconut: Man Trip " by Graham Salisbury has a lot in common with "Summer of the Gypsy Moths," in that Calvin gets to spend summer vacation with a very special adult. In this book, perfect for kids age 7 and older, Calvin is going on a deep-sea fishing trip with his mom's boyfriend, Ledward. This is especially great for Calvin, who sometimes feels overwhelmed by being the only male in the house with his mom and younger sister. While on the fishing trip, Calvin learns an important lesson about the natural world...

WOLFEBORO, N.H. — This weekend, Mitt Romney is starting his annual summer vacation on his lakefront compound here — a week of fun and family, though not entirely carefree. The Romneys, 30 in all these days, spend their time away from the stresses of everyday life — like, say, wrapping up the Republican nomination for president — by following a highly orchestrated, highly competitive regimen of sports and games known as the "Romney Olympics. " The Romney Olympics have long included a...

After nearly four years as president, Barack Obama remains a mystery. Supporters and detractors alike ask: Who is this guy? Where did he come from? A new book by our colleague David Maraniss explains the latter question and, in so doing, helps very much to explain the former. "Barack Obama: The Story" is your typical Maraniss book: beautifully written, meticulously researched, a serious effort to understand a complex character. The goofy political canards of the "Muslim Kenyan" — so much fun for the...

For the first family in an election year, even that most innocuous of institutions — the summer vacation — has become rabidly political. Which means the Obamas probably won't be relaxing on the scenic shores of Martha's Vineyard this year, as they've done in years past . The White House is keeping mum about the plans, but it wouldn't do, after all, for voters to see pictures of the president licking ice cream cones and riding bikes...

Mr. Leonard has done what a man needs to do to fortify himself for what lies ahead. By 7:45 on Monday morning, he has shaken off the remnants of his Saturday night birthday celebration and driven 30 minutes from his house in Prince George's County. He has purchased his customary oatmeal from the McDonald's a couple of blocks away. He has achieved a good parking spot on Jonquil Street, in the Washington neighborhood just across the Maryland border from Silver Spring. Mr. Leonard is 42 years old, a...

W ith constant pressure to have kids do more in school, and do it sooner, parents who spent their own summers playing outside until the streetlights came on might feel compelled to push academics over free play. Good news: You can do both at the same time. Keeping your child's mind sharp in July and August doesn't have to mean sitting at a table doing work sheets or flashcards. Educators recommend that parents incorporate learning into play and plan fun day trips to give kids a chance to stretch...

Regarding the Aug. 29 Metro article " Early start for schools in Loudoun ": As the parent of three Fairfax County Public Schools students (grades 5, 7 and 10), I find the so-called Kings Dominion law exceedingly frustrating. The law prohibits Virginia school systems from opening before Labor Day unless they obtain a waiver. I find laughable Virginia Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw's comment that "I'd like to have a better reason [to change the law] than someone looking me straight in the face and saying, ‘We...

"How I Spent My Summer Vacation" is an essay permanently etched in our minds. Perhaps the color of the cottage was blue, not gray, and it was Uncle Frank, not Al, who wore the lobster-patterned trunks, but the recollections that matter are as fresh as a blackberry picked straight off the bush. As we excitedly welcome June, and all of its anticipated pleasures and joys, we can't help but think of the past. When we were small and free, enjoying the warmest weeks of the year with our beloved yet nutty families, all four or 10 of us crammed into...

Where will your summer travels take you? Whether it's to the neighborhood pool or someplace exotic, such as the southern African nation of Namibia, we want you to take KidsPost with you and then have someone take your picture. Brothers Maxim Vallerand-Parisi, 9, and Remy Vallerand-Parisi, 14, traveled all the way from their home in Alexandria to the eerie (but very cool) "moon landscape" area of Namibia. This rocky desert was formed as long as 500 million years ago. Once you've had someone take...

Regarding the Aug. 29 Metro article " Early start for schools in Loudoun ": As the parent of three Fairfax County Public Schools students (grades 5, 7 and 10), I find the so-called Kings Dominion law exceedingly frustrating. The law prohibits Virginia school systems from opening before Labor Day unless they obtain a waiver. I find laughable Virginia Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw's comment that "I'd like to have a better reason [to change the law] than someone looking me straight in the face and saying, ‘We...