AtHome: 2015 Holiday Issue

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Home holiday

Everyday homes & gardens of the Monadnock Region & Southeastern Vermont

Issue #1 • Holiday 2015 • FREE

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Should You Dine Out for the Holidays?

Local Gift-Giving Guide A Peek Inside a Keene Historical Home Create a Winter Garden in Glass & More!

Holiday 2015

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Issue 1

• Holiday 2015

PUBLISHER Backporch Publishing, LLC EDITOR Marcia Passos Duffy

LiLy Goes to Paris Guides women on

Wonderful Week-long Walking Tours of the Paris only Parisians Know! sPrinG • summer • autumn

• discover the secret beauty of the city of Lights, hidden in Left Bank cafés, parks, waterways and more.

• stay in a family-owned “Boutique” hotel on a quiet street in the exciting Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) - former home to great thinkers, writers and artists of 19th and 20th century Paris.

• enJoy tHe eXPerience of dining in homes of local Parisians - and more!

Call today! talk with your personal guide, Lily. she knows and loves the people, the language, the culture!

603.835.2096 or 603.762.8500 lilygoestoparis@gmail.com

Holiday sPecial! 7 nights/8 days for JusT $3800.00 when you reserve by 03/15/16 tHis unBeLievaBLe offer incLudes hotel, meals, transportation in and around the city, and admission to all events. airfare not included.

CONTRIBUTORS Sherry Belotti • Emily Duffy • Ann Henderson Christina O’Brien • Desha Peacock • Leonard Perry EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lauré Mackey PHOTOGRAPHY Ed Thomas DESIGN Salwen Graphic Design ADVERTISING SALES Sue Hay • sales@atHOMEnewengland.com CONTACT US atHome Magazine 16 Russell Street, Keene, NH 03431 603-369-2525 info@atHOMEnewengland.com www.atHOMEnewengland.com atHome is published four times a year (Holiday, Spring, Summer and Fall)

by Keene, N.H.-based Backporch Publishing LLC. atHome is a consumer publication that highlights the homes and gardens of residents in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire and Southeastern Vermont.

This magazine is copyrighted. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. The views expressed in atHome magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of its advertisers, publisher or editor. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, neither atHome nor Backporch Publishing LLC assumes responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Learn more about Backporch Publishing LLC’s publications: atHome (www.atHOMEnewengland.com) Small Business Journal (www.monadnockSBJ.com) The Heart of New England (www.TheHeartofNewEngland.com) Marcia Passos Duffy is also the co-founder and editor of the award-winning Monadnock Table magazine (www.MonadnockTable.com)

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contents

FEATURES Should You Dine Out for the Holidays?

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At Home with History in Keene

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COLUMNS atHOME with Marcia

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atHome Picks: Holiday Gift Giving

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DESIGN: Holiday Flair

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GARDEN: Terrariums

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COOKING: Festive Tables

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LIVING GREEN: Green Up Your Home

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RENOVATE: French Doors

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LISTINGS FIND: Snow Shoveling & Plowing

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BUYER’s GUIDE

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EVENTS 32 Holiday 2015

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Organizing Home Projects Cleanouts

atHOME With Marcia

Weekly Cleaning

Kristen Petricola 603-661-7947 Yoga4life@hotmail.com

discreet | outstanding referrals | insured

Have a Hygge

I love foreign words that have no translation into English. Take the word Japanese word, “komorebi.” It means the way the sunlight dances through the trees, like the way it does in this photo I took during my walk through Wheelock Park in Keene. Then there’s the Hawaiian verb, “pana po’o,” which the act of scratching your head when trying to remember where you put something. And what do you call the stain that’s left on a table from a cold glass of water? The Italians call it “culaccino.” My favorite untranslatable word comes from the Danish: “hygge” (pronounced huegah). This word describes a cozy state of mind

1200

$

peR peRSon

Providing Quality Used Furniture at Affordable Prices Contemporary, Eclectic, Shabby Chic & Vintage Furnishings Plus Unique Accessories

www.finditfurnitureandmore.com

Gift Certificates Available 162 Emerald Street Keene, NH 03431 603.355.4842 Monday – Saturday 10am to 5:30pm Sunday 10am to 4pm Closed Tuesday

11th annual

Currier and Ives Cookie Tour!

Saturday, December 12, 2015 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

Cookies and refreshments served at each stop on this self-guided tour. Recipes provided, too!

Visit our website for more information!

www.currierandivescookietour.com 603-242-6495 cookietour@yahoo.com

a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Santa’s House in Jaffrey.

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When Details Matter.

Windmill Hill Cabinets offers complete design and building capabilities.

that we’re all familiar with. Think: sitting in front of a roaring fire with a cup of tea, gently petting your dog. Or cuddling on the couch with your honey and watching a good movie. Or walking through the woods after a snowstorm wearing a warm down parka. The height of hygge for the Danes comes during the holiday season when hygge is everywhere.

My hope in bringing you this new magazine is to share this wonderful sentiment with you ... help you to find inspiration to bring your own version of hygge into your home and garden. My very best to you for a happy and “hygge-ful” holiday.

Marcia

We work closely with clients to design, build and install their dream kitchen, bath, library, work station, or specialty cabinets.

Our award-winning work is carefully hand crafted to fit the structure and age of a building, from 1870s home, to a modern loft.

Contact Windmill Hill Cabinets Today Jack Kurilla 603-563-8503 windmillhillcabinets@gmail.com • www.windmillhillcabinets.com We also specialize in antique finishes and offer custom millwork.

Time to upgrade your kitchen?

Linda Dessaint Fine Art Voted APPLIANCe SALeS & SeRVICe foR

yeARS!

by market surveys of america

We carry all the major appliance brands to make your new kitchen efficient, beautiful and affordable. “winter laundry” 4 x 11 pastel

Oil and Pastel Paintings Gallery at 52 Main Street, Antrim, NH (603) 801-5249

Stop in today… we’ll help you find appliances that fit perfectly in your kitchen, in your budget and in your life!

sAles

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servic

e • pAr

ts

www.lindadessaint.com

nc AppliA Capturing emotion through light and shadows, colors and shapes, thought and instinct… this is art for me.

My intention is to convey the energy of the moment into an experience for everyone.

. e, inc

65 RoxbuRy StReet, Keene

603-352-3547 www.korvin1.com

Mon-FRi 8AM–6PM, SAt 9AM–2PM

The area’s only full-service appliance store. locally owned and operated since 1976.

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atHome picks

Holiday Gift-Giving

Need gift ideas for the upcoming season? Look no further than atHome Picks for hand-picked local gift ideas for every budget!

OCEAN LIGHT. How about bringing a little of the seashore to your holiday decor?

These natural beach stone tea light candle holders are made in Effingham Falls N.H. by Lee Spiller who says, “I sign every stone that leaves my workshop.

Each piece is made with a profound love and respect for nature.” $29 each. Available at Hannah Grimes Marketplace, 42 Main St., Keene.

NEAT YAR N. Do you ha ve a knitte r on your gif t list?

We can be t she (or h e) doesn’t one of the have se! A swirli ng oceanbreeze-colo red glazed ceramic ya bowl, desig rn ned to kee p the wool firmly and beautifully in place.

Handmad e in Sando w n , N.H. $35.

Available a t Hannah Grimes Marketpla ce, 42 Main St., Keene .

HEALING OILS. Do you have a friend or relative who would appreciate a gift of the healing properties of essential oils?

This introductory doTERRA Essential Oils Kit includes 5 ml. bottles of certified pure therapeutic grade lavender, lemon and peppermint essential oils. Comes in a beautiful presentation box that includes suggested uses to reap the full benefits of the essential oils. Introductory kit: $27.

Available at Jeni Skin Care, 69 Emerald St., Keene.

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A GIFT OF SONG. Give a singing lesson to your favorite non-singer!

Do you know someone who wishes they could sing but is convinced they can’t?

Open the door for them this holiday season to the joy of singing! Lessons are specially designed for complete beginners. Special holiday price: Gift certificates start at $50.

Available at nancy@salwen.net or www.MusicAllAround.net.

UNPLUG AND COLOR. Haven’t you heard? Coloring books aren’t just for kids anymore!

DRINKS ON THE ROCKS. These New England granite beverage dispensers will add a touch of class to your holiday serving bar.

Made in Dover, N.H.

by Funky Rock Designs.

Available for $130 each at Hannah Grimes Marketplace, 42 Main St., Keene.

AWWWW ...

For the kid in your life ... or kid at heart!

But don’t laugh: This new craze is seriously helping many grown-ups unplug and de-stress. And here’s the latest one from the creator of the worldwide adult coloring book bestsellers Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest. This beautiful new adult coloring book by Joanna Basford, Lost Ocean, takes you on a magical journey beneath the waves. $16.95.

Available at Toadstool Bookshops in Keene, Peterborough and Milford.

These sweet whimsical hand crocheted stuffed animals come in small, medium and large $6-$13 (custom orders available).

Find these cuties at Yellow Clover General, 13 Roxbury St., Keene.

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RING THE LOCAL BELLS. Solid brass and leather holiday door hangers.

Handcrafted by New England Bells in Lempster, NH. $27 each. Available online at: www.newenglandbells.com

BARN DOOR RECYCLE. J&D Woodworking uses remnant materials from old houses, mills and barns to create these exquisite pine, fir, spruce, maple or cherry cutting boards.

PAINT IT! Give the gift of creativity! A casual, relaxed and fun painting party held at area restaurants in Keene and Brattleboro.

Buy one for yourself and a friend and enjoy a special night out. A fun and unforgettable gift! $50 per gift certificate.

Available at Monadnock Art Parties, Keene, N.H. www.MonadnockArt.com.

BRACELETS FOR WATER. When you purchase one of these bracelets you help bring water to people without clean water in Kenya, East Africa.

Artist Jerry Livesey makes these beautiful boards right here in Keene! Small-$12, large-$17, Extra large-$56.

Available at Yellow Clover General, 13 Roxbury Street, Keene, N.H. 8 Home at

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Each colorful piece contains vibrant design appeal while giving back to those who produce it. Made from natural elements. Leaky Collection.

Available for $10 at Joseph’s Coat, 32 Grove Street, Peterborough.

atHome picks

Holiday Gift-Giving CATCHY COASTERS. These coasters will tickle your friends with hilarious quotations.

Buy one or build your own set of 2, 4 or 6! $8.25 each.

Available at Creative Encounters, 18 Main St., Keene, N.H.

SANTAS HE LPERS. Do you have an “Elf on the S helf” this year?

Pixies make the perfect h oliday gift to give y our special so meone a friendly re minder that Santa is watching!

Prices range from $12-$6 8.

Available at Ann Henders on Interiors, 99 Main Stre et, Keene, N .H.

DAZZLE ‘EM. GlassDazzle someone special with color drenched glass ornaments and celestial paperweights.

Starting at $23.

Available at Creative Encounters, 18 Main St., Keene, N.H.

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design

Holiday Flair

(Without Breaking the Bank) The holidays are orchestrated upon our home’s stage, filling our every waking thought with challenges of creativity and hospitality. No other time is our home so polished, so welcoming, so bedecked and so celebrated.

But you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make your home sparkle for the holidays.

Sometimes the simplest of materials can inspire a holiday decorating idea — such as what you find when you walk through the woods, or when you open a pantry door.

Here are four essential elements to a holiday decorating that won’t break the bank.

Light Twinkling, tiny white lights are magical. In the South, we lined our neighborhoods with paper bag luminaries, a challenging notion for the Northeast but nonetheless charming on a covered porch or brought indoors safely with LED votives. Tiny star cut- or scalloped-edge bags or tin cans can be placed on a mantel or shelf surrounded by greens. A clever friend presented me glued scallop shells around every third light, creating a beautiful strand that each year I entwine with greens, river rocks, pinecones and other shells. Glass votives can be inexpensively created from small Mason or baby food jars, and embellished with acid etching or gold paint. Greens and pinecones can nestle within lights. Using simple hangers, twinkle lights can be grouped above a table for a starlit setting.

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Bough A walk in the yard or the woods with clippers can yield a fragrant framework of holiday dĂŠcor. Use larger boughs to outline doorways, adorn light fixtures, banisters, mantels and furniture. Wire sprigs of boxwood, holly, juniper and berries, and tuck these into garlands, votives, tiny vases and favorite holiday decorations.

Perhaps your dining chairs will allow you to tie sprays adorned with an ornament for each guest. Even the tiniest greens can surround napkins, place cards or an oversized glass ball tied in the center of a curtain rod.

My favorite holiday apple tree is made each year with the help of a wooden form. Apples form the body of the tree surrounded by tufts of boxwood and a crown of magnolia leaves at the base. Similarly, I have created a clove-studded lemon and orange tree nestled in a simple silver bowl.

Metal Metallic spray paint and nature have never yielded a more incongruously beautiful result than in holiday boughs. My grandmother took to farm and field collecting cotton pods, gumballs, pinecones, acorns, leaves and berries and instantly gilded with spray paint and nestled in hurricane globes filled with greens.

Today we can combine many metal finishes — copper, antique silver, old gold and bronze. Years ago my banister greens were tufted with gold sprayed hydrangea blossoms and cream-colored roses for a stunningly simple effect. Even the most delicate paper can be cut into stars, balls, bells or leaves and spray painted for a striking effect. A garland of tiny gold-sprayed paper hearts looks beautiful on a crimson silk ribbon. Gold tissue pompoms are easy and fun to make, creating a huge wow factor, alone or strung together. Gold-sprayed animal or gingerbread men and women make whimsical favors atop your dinner plates.

Ribbon Every year I go down into the basement to unspool hundreds of feet of ribbon collected over the years. Since I seldom cut the ribbons, I can reuse these beautiful strands each year, discovering new and exciting combinations.

Last year I had an obsession with burlap that I combined with a sumptuous

red silk ribbon. I’m considering reusing a favorite beaded ribbon in two shades of pink this year. These ribbons are finishing touches, enfold the greenery, the wreaths, the arrangements and even the tree, unifying natural and manmade heirlooms.

Ann Henderson is the owner of Ann Henderson Interiors of Keene N.H.

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garden

By Dr. Leonard Perry

Terrariums: Winter Gardens in Glass What do fish tanks, brandy snifters and Mason jars have in common?

They are all containers that can be used to make gardens in glass, or terrariums.

Whether you create a terrarium on a rainy summer day or in the dead of winter for garden therapy, this activity is suited for all ages.

Terrariums are once again quite popular, perhaps due in part to the interest in fairy gardens — one possible theme for a terrarium.

Types of plants to use

Low woodland plants that can be used include mosses, ferns, lichens, foamflower, wintergreen and partridgeberry. Some taller plants include other ferns and violets. Just make sure if collecting such plants during the summer that they are not endangered (check with the state natural resources agency), and that you only collect a few plants from a native population.

Some common garden and house plants can be used such as aluminum plant, asparagus fern seedlings, creeping fig, English ivy, strawberry begonia, spider plants, nerve plant, selaginella moss, palm seedlings (which of course as they grow will need to be removed) and peperomias. There are many low perennial plants you now can find for planting in walks and patios and stepping on, such as the herb thyme, which may be suitable in terrariums.

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Pick a theme

You may even want a theme of a specific ecological area. For a desert theme, use some of the many slower growing cactus seedlings and succulent plants such as echeveria, panda plant, or haworthia. For a bog, use mosses, ferns, and even carnivorous plants such as the Venus fly trap.

For a rock garden, consider perennials such as saxifrage, sedum, sempervivum (hens and chicks), erodium (alpine geranium), or low dianthus (pinks). Keep in mind, though, if using perennials that they may need some winter rest in a cool area. This may be an unheated, yet non-freezing garage, with indirect light.

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What else you’ll need

Other materials you’ll need for your terrarium include proper soil (humus soil for woodlands, sandy for deserts, for instance), sand or fine gravel for drainage, and charcoal bits to keep the soil sweet. For desert themes, you may want to layer colored sands in the bottom.

White or colored aquarium gravel, and miniature figures or fairy garden accessories (available at many garden and craft stores), can be used for accents. Sphagnum sheet moss is the usual liner for traditional and woodland terrariums.

Tools you’ll need are scissors, a dowel rod, wire hooks or fork, water sprayer, funnel or tube, brush and paper towels. Long-handled bamboo or similar tongs are useful for placing plants, pebbles or accents.

A small paint brush, as used in crafts, helps in cleaning leaves.

best is not to water. For a new terrarium, or one with young and small plants, you may need to water only a couple times a month. For those with well-grown plants, and little soil or sandy soil, you may need to water a couple times a week.

You may need to water cacti and succulents very seldom — once or twice a month — and during sunny days. If watering when cloudy, the soil may stay wet too long and these arid-loving plants can rot. When watering any terrarium plants in winter, make sure the water is room temperature and not icy cold. Avoid fertilizing, or do so very sparingly at very low rates, to keep plants smaller longer.

Steps to create a terrarium

First, if using a moss liner, insert it green side out into the bottom quarter of the bowl. Then add a layer of gravel or sand. Sprinkle the charcoal bits on top. Finish with the soil, moistened. The container should now be about a quarter to third full. Add a little extra soil, as it will likely settle a half inch or so over the coming months.

Check your plants for pests before placing in the container. If foliage plants, it may be a good idea to dunk them in a mild, soapy bath and rinse before planting. This may help get rid of any lurking pests. Then check your terrarium frequently for pests, especially the undersides of leaves. If palm seedlings, check for mites, although mites prefer drier environments. Mealybugs may be the more commonly found, and if found, swab them with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol.

Insert the plants, roots first, into holes made with a fork. Start with the largest plants first, filling in with those smaller. Use the dowel rod to place plants, and firm soil around them. Spray the plants with water (unless of course a dry garden), clean the inner sides of the container, then add your decorative accents.

Taking care of your new terrarium

Keep the terrarium in bright but indirect light. In direct light it can get too hot, cooking the plants. Since the moisture and humidity remains in the container much longer than with houseplants, take care not to over water. Closed containers will remain moist much longer than those with open tops. If your container is closed with a lid, open and check it every few days to give it some fresh air, and to make sure mold isn’t growing inside.

Most containers used for terrariums don’t have drainage, so if you over water you’ll end up with a bog garden only suitable for specific plants. You can tell when to water if the plants wilt, of course, or if the soil looks dry and lighter in color. Not watering too much is probably the most important key to success. If in doubt,

If you find a clear gla ss or plasti the size an c d shape of this can be a Christm container, used for a as ornamen one-plant hanging te t, rrarium.

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Upgrading your terrarium

While a Mason jar may be a great start for your first terrarium, you may want to experiment with other attractive containers you can purchase, such as miniature greenhouses and Victorian-style large glass cases with many sides. Round glass “rose bowls” are available at many florist shops. Those with sides lower than the plants are used to make “dish gardens.” Also look around the kitchen for clear containers such as glass tea cups or mugs, large spice jars, gallon cider jars (the thin necks will be harder to work through), or the tops of plastic soda bottles cut off and placed over pots.

If you find a clear glass or plastic container, the size and shape of a Christmas ornament, this can be used for a one-plant hanging terrarium. I have one with a tillandsia air-plant which needs very little water, just an occasional misting. You also may find suitable and unique containers at craft stores, flea markets, yard sales, antique shops, and on the Internet. The next time visiting any of these, think “terrarium containers.”

Dr. Leonard Perry is an extension professor at the University of Vermont

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home art

Interview by Emily Duffy

Heather Stockwell Creative Tile Installation / Full Circle Studio mosaicmom1@hotmail.com 603-563-8499 Heather Stockwell is a tile artist based in Dublin.

She specializes in mosaics and home tile installation. Her business is Creative Tile Installation, and she also operates Full Circle Studio, a space in Dublin where she reworks leftovers from installation projects into unique recycled art. Her studio is open by appointment, and in the past she has participated in the Monadnock Art Tour.

How long have you been an artist?

I’ve been a tile artist for 15 years. Prior to that, I studied sculpture at Parson’s School of Design.

I’ve always had my hand in something creative.

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How did you start doing tile work?

I worked for TriKeenan Tile Works, where we did everything — we made the tile, glazed the tiles. I worked for the sample department — I worked in decorating tiles — doing hand painted work. I made all their samples for shows; I learned how to use a wet saw and different

glues and grout. I don’t want to do a factory type work.

I don’t want to make the same thing over and over again because that sort of defies the reason for making the art. I also encountered Brick House Tile and they started inviting me to instructional classes. I started with a lot of videos, books, training and getting certified to do different systems; a shower that’s waterproof, for example.

The tile industry has changed a lot.

People are more savvy to renovation processes because of reality television shows. I started to realize the possibilities are endless here — I want to make people’s dreams come true on the home renovation level. That drove me to want to learn more about the installation process.

What are some unique things you offer as an artist and tile installer?

Patterns are one of the things I offer as a tile installer.

I do a lot of pattern work — it’s kind of like puzzle-making. Sometimes people will call me up and say, “These tiles were left over from my mom’s house,” or “I bought them at an auction … I want to do something with them.” I will come in and try to make them all work.

I do a lot of cutting and designing — that happens more with an entryway — when someone wants something unique in a central location. I’ll do something called a dry fitting. I cut out all the tiles and leave it for the homeowner to look at before I install. I work not only in tile but with all kinds of recycled materials.

Emily Duffy is a freelance writer and a recent graduate of Ursinus College in Pennsylvania.

She is currently living and working at her first job at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

She is the daughter of atHome editor, Marcia Passos Duffy.

What are some tips you have for incorporating art affordably in home décor?

I think many people can be intimidated to incorporate art in their homes based on what they perceive the price tag will be. Certainly a large mosaic piece would be pricey, but if you use a smaller design and mix it with a less expensive material, then it can be very reasonable. Fiberglass mesh and Wedi board (a foam core cement board) are two bases for tile-work that can be installed anywhere.

Where can your art be displayed in the home?

I have mosaics behind people’s stoves — that’s a popular place, and behind the kitchen sink if there’s no window. I’ve installed mosaics in showers and fireplaces.

I once installed a big rooster mosaic on a garage in Keene 10 years ago. The homeowners wanted to be able to take it down, so I had to design a way to attach it in a lightweight fashion. That was one of my earliest projects using Wedi board.

I have also done a two-by-three foot Mount Monadnock in foliage (pictured), and I did some little birds for a lady. I like the idea that it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to add a little bit of artwork to your house.

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Should You Dine Out for the Holidays?

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By Becky Karush and Domenic Poli www.athomenewengland.com

Would you rather open your wallet or your oven door?

The holidays typically equal friends, family and memories.

But friends, family and memories often require hours of cooking and a cleanup that feels like it never ends.

While it may not make for a Norman Rockwell painting, more and more folks are choosing to dine out for Thanksgiving or Christmas, rather than cook at home.

I

n fact, a 2013 survey conducted by Boston Market found that half of the respondents planned to eat out or used prepared foods in their Thanksgiving meal. The reason? Doing so made them feel “efficient,” “relieved,” “confident” and “relaxed.”

But if you’re getting restaurant quality, you’re paying restaurant prices. It’s a toss-up — would you rather open your wallet or your oven door on these holidays?

It’s an especially hard decision in the Monadnock Region, where you can get home-cooked flavors, or skip the turkey altogether, and still have a great day.

Turkey, trimmings, and a room with a view

The Inn at East Hill Farm in Troy, New Hampshire, has long served holiday meals.

“The Inn is open every day of the year,” says marketing director Holly LeClair. “Thanksgiving is usually busier than Christmas, by far the busiest day of the year.”

The Inn’s 70 rooms are often booked during the

winter holidays, as families with children take advantage of school vacations. Many attendees of the holiday meals are, in fact, in-house guests, who attend one of two holiday lunches served at noon and 2:30 p.m.

“Some people do come in just for the holiday meal,” notes LeClair. “Sometimes it’s couples without children or empty nesters, sometimes older folks. Sometimes people just want to enjoy the holiday, not work for it.”

The Inn serves roasted turkey and baked ham with sides of homemade bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, squash, soup and salad. Servers wait on attendees in the Inn’s dining room, making the whole event a welcoming, relaxed and communal affair.

Holiday dining is a win-win for attendees and for the Inn at East Hill Farm. Diners enjoy the service and home-cooked food, while the Inn enjoys repeat attendance year after year, though Christmas is quieter than Thanksgiving.

“Ninety to 95 percent of people who come have been to a meal before. It’s even better if we have snow,” says LeClair. “It really is a special tradition that people enjoy.”

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Meh, turkey … we want kung pao!

For Mike Uliu, whose family owns Cherry Garden in Keene, Christmas is a big day for business.

“A couple of hundred people come to us,” says Uliu. “We’re open because we don’t celebrate that holiday, but honestly, I have no idea why Chinese food has become such a big tradition!”

The trend owes a debt to overlapping cultural traditions, as Jewish families also typically don’t celebrate Christmas. Those families are looking for a place to eat — and Chinese restaurants happen to be open. LeClair at the Inn at East Hill Farm has also observed that Jewish guests to the Inn at Christmas often go to area Chinese restaurants, not least because they are some of the only ones open at that time.

This marriage of convenience is such a cultural touchstone that it even popped up in a Supreme Court nominee hearing.

During Justice Elena Kagan’s confirmation in 2010, Sen. Lindsey Graham asked her how she spent the previous Christmas.

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“You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant,” Kagan said to a round of laughter and applause. This prompted Sen. Chuck Schumer to comment, “If I might, no other restaurants are open.”

In truth, Chinese cuisine as an American Christmas tradition got a boost way back in 1983, when the classic holiday movie “A Christmas Story” included a scene of the Parker family dining at a Chinese restaurant (and having the head chopped off their duck) after the Bumpus’ dogs ruin the matriarch’s turkey dinner.

Okay, let’s go out for turkey: but make it fried

Whether it’s slow roasted local heritage fowl at home or General Tso’s chicken at a restaurant, holiday diners do like the meal to feel out-ofthe-ordinary.

That’s one reason deep-fried turkey has helped make the Thanksgiving meal at the Fitzwilliam Inn a hit. Chelley Tighe, who bought the business with her husband, David, about two and a half years ago,

says a deep-fried bird has become very popular with customers. The Thanksgiving dinner is available to inn guests and the public. The Inn is closed on Christmas.

“Thanksgiving is very busy. Dinner-wise, it’s one of the busiest days of the year, second only to Mother’s Day,” she says. “We serve traditional New England dishes with a modern twist, like pumpkin mousse trifle.”

Tighe has seen some reasons why people choose to dine out for the holiday. “It’s a good time for people to get together and, maybe, they want to save a family member from cooking,” she muses. “Or if they have a large group of people or a large family and their house is too small, it may be easier to have someone cook for you somewhere else.”

Practicality, ease, community, adventure: There are many worthwhile reasons to dine out for the holidays in the Monadnock region, just as putting in the time and effort for a home-cooked meal can make an event even sweeter.

Bottom line? When people find the tradition that works for them, any meal can be a celebration.

All the Food, No Fuss The following restaurants and lodgings are among those that offer holiday meals.

Seating is limited; call ahead for reservations!

Inn at East Hill Farm • Troy, N.H. (pictured, above) 603-242-6495, www.east-hill-farm.com Fitzwilliam Inn • Fitzwilliam, N.H. 603-585-9000, www.fitzwilliaminn.com

Key

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Professional design and installation of all phases of landscaping, irrigation, lighting, pavers and walls

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FINE CONSIGNMENT

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Holiday 2015

19

cooking

with Sherry

How to Set a Festive Holiday Table Entertaining during the holiday season can be exciting and fun. Food aficionados get to pull out their best recipes, set the table with holiday-themed linens and light the candles.

But is the food you are serving as festive as the season?

Certainly Aunt Helen’s deviled eggs need to be on the table. But do they live up to the celebration?

And the neighbor’s stuffed mushrooms are always a hit, but they look sort of sad and brown.

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when hosting a holiday gathering. Remember, the ways that you dress up food and the way it is served, can make even ordinary dishes become festive.

Remember: we eat with our eyes first

Cooking shows on television are filled with buzz words: “sweating” vegetables in a pan, “plating” a meal, “flavor profile,” “adding brightness with citrus.”

And there is merit in all of those ideas.

But the one that always rings true is that we eat with our eyes first.

When we see food that looks delicious, we automatically respond physically to that food.

A beautiful plate of food can make our mouths water.

Use the right size and color serving dish

It’s important to use the correct size vessels for the food you are offering. Don’t put a huge white bowl on the table that is only filled halfway with cousin Bob’s white bean dip.

Be mindful of the color of the dish and the color of the food. A large white platter filled with pasta and white clam sauce can look dull. Put the same food in a large red platter or in a bright green bowl and the food is showcased to shine. And don’t forget to put serving utensils next to every dish so that people don’t have to use the same spoon for several dishes.

20 Home at

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Don’t forget to garnish

If food were a woman, garnishing would be putting on lipstick right before leaving the house. Garnishes can add color and interest to a plate.

Chopped herbs always work, but sliced citrus fruit, fresh berries, powdered sugar, grated vegetables, drizzles of olive oil also can work wonders.

During one of the first classes at culinary school, we were all getting our dishes ready for presentation and I noticed a student creating art on her plate. She put a spoon on the plate and sprinkled cinnamon sugar over it. She then removed the spoon, leaving a beautiful outline in cinnamon sugar. I thought she was a genius. You don’t have to go to extremes, but think out of the box a little. Go online and search for web images of garnishes. You’ll get literally thousands of ideas.

Set the table

If you are hosting a party or dinner that will be served buffet style, consider using several smaller tables scattered around the room instead of one huge table. And when it comes to displaying the food, more is more! People love to see an abundance of food! Cover the space with a colorful tablecloth, add some decor (pine boughs, votive candles, flowers, ornaments) and add the food. You can leave the desserts in the kitchen and serve them separately after the entrées are out or put them on a different table altogether. That way the chocolate cheesecake isn’t sitting beside the chicken cacciatore.

Re-plating isn’t cheating!

If you are hosting a potluck, it’s okay to re-plate food that comes from a grocery store. Go ahead and take the cookies out of the plastic tub and put them in a lovely basket. You can do that with the potato chips and the guacamole, too. It’s a festive time! Create a festive table.

Plan a stress-free menu

So yes, you want your table to look elegant and the food to be beautiful, but taste is paramount. And so is your stress level. Make a list of dishes you can reasonably cook in time for the celebration. We often work so hard putting a party together that we are too tired or stressed to have fun.

Plan the menu ahead of time; then decide what you will cook and dishes that others (friends, relatives or even a restaurant) can provide.

Asking for help means that you can focus your attention on making a special dish. You can take your time with the sauce, cook the vegetables to perfection, rub baguette slices with garlic and brush them with olive oil and then grill them.

The vinaigrette for the salad can come from your kitchen rather than a bottle.

If you are clear about what you truly have time to do, you can make gorgeous, mouth-watering food while someone else helps to fill out the menu.

Offer a variety

Offer a variety of foods that work well together. Consider anyone who has a food sensitivity (they may be gluten sensitive or have an allergy) and also offer a variety of foods that are good for healthy eaters. It’s easy to think, “It’s the holidays! It’s okay to indulge!” But remember, many people attending several holiday gatherings try to pace themselves throughout the season. I am not one of those people. I do my best to go to all of the parties I am invited to and I eat everything. (Well, pretty much!)

Socialize and have fun

And last, but certainly not least, remember why you are hosting this party. You want to have fun and you want to see your family. But you also want to celebrate the season. Great food is a wonderful way to bring people together. Do what you can to make your table and food festive, focus on a special recipe, and then have fun! After all, you can always make a great meal. But those moments when friends and family gather and chat and hug and sing songs and tell stories ... those moments can’t be recreated.

Cooking with Sherry is written by Sherry Belotti, a culinary instructor, chef and caterer who lives in Central Massachusetts with her husband Barry and her two dogs, Bella and Jojo. Belotti grew up in Keene and worked as a radio talk show host and journalist for two decades in the Monadnock Region. Belotti graduated from The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is the chef at The Women’s Lunch Place in Boston and teaches recreational cooking classes in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Learn more: www.chefsherryb.com.

Holiday 2015

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living green

by Christina O’Brien

Four Ways to Green Up Your Home For the Season The holidays are upon us and that means plenty of entertaining with family and friends. We want our homes to look beautiful and feel comfortable for our guests, all while being good to the environment.

But if we want our homes to be green, we have to live a greener lifestyle.

So now is a great time for us all to make an early New Year’s Resolution to reduce our carbon footprint. Here are some simple green ways to help improve the look and performance of your home and still have plenty of time to decorate for your festive gatherings.

Lighten Your Load

The holidays are a prime time to give and receive plenty of electronic gadgets. But all of these devices need electricity to function. Printers, DVD players, computers and flat screen TV’s, just to name a few, all have stand-by power modes that continue to draw power from an outlet even after being turned off. These are called plug loads or phantom loads. One remedy is to use a smart power strip, which can detect when a device is in stand-by mode and turn it off. Such a power strip can help save up to 10 percent of total household energy usage.

You may be able to get a discount or rebate on smart power strips from your local utility, so check with them first before heading to the store.

Once we start reducing our electrical load, it’s time to look at our water usage. Low-flow plumbing fixtures are the easiest place to start. But just how much water do they actually save? Well, a regular-flow shower head uses approximately five gallons of water per minute, while a low-flow head uses two gallons. An older bathroom faucet uses two gallons of water/minute while a low-flow faucet cuts that in half.

Older toilets use four gallons per flush and newer toilets only use 1.6 gallons.

And Energy Star dishwashers and clothes washers save both water and electricity.

New dishwashers use 2/3 less water than their older counterparts (six gallons vs. 16)

22 Home at

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and newer clothes washers use approximately 25 gallons of water instead of 40. And don’t forget to shut the water off while you’re brushing your teeth. It’s the difference between four gallons for a two minute brushing routine and 0.25 gallons for just a rinse.

Perk it Up With Paint

Painting a room is probably the quickest way to visually spruce up a home. But unwanted paint fumes are dangerous and can linger in your home for days. One important way to avoid this problem is to choose paints without VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

VOCs are chemicals used in paints (as well as in adhesives, cleaning supplies and even furniture) that evaporate at room temperature. These chemicals create that “new paint smell” and can leave you with a serious headache and possibly respiratory problems. When shopping, look for paints with zero VOCs, or at a maximum 50 grams/liter for flat paints and 150 grams/ liter for semigloss or gloss. With no- or low-VOC paints, there will be no odor so you can keep on painting right until that first party guest rings your doorbell!

Tread Carefully

Similar to paint, flooring and any adhesives associated with it can contain dangerous VOCs. But there are many new products out there

which are much healthier for you, for your guests and for the environment. Carpets made of wool, silk, cotton, jute and rayon are natural fibers that look beautiful are free of harmful chemicals. Linoleum is another natural option which is allergy- and asthma-friendly, has a long warranty for residential installation, has a low environmental footprint and a rainbow of color choices.

Ceramic tile is also a healthy choice, but be cautious of choosing tile adhesives and mastics that have no VOCs. And then finally, there are hardwood floors, which are beautiful, long-lasting and as natural as it gets. Again, shop for stains and finishes that are no- or low-VOC. And although some people may characterize bamboo as a green alternative to hardwood because it has a quick maturation rate of only three years, it is important to note that most bamboo floors are produced in China.

7 Roxbury Road • Marlborough, NH 603-876-4634 mhsmillwork.com

Recycle

Although this seems like an obvious green choice for our homes, I feel obligated to talk about recycling. I grew up in New York State and have been recycling since I was a kid, since New York has had deposits on glass and plastics since 1982. But because New Hampshire does not have a State Container Deposit Law people throw away glass containers and plastic soda bottles, along with other precious recyclables. By recycling our glass, plastic, metal and cardboard/ paper, my household of three throws away one kitchen bag of garbage per week. Our recycling is at least three times that amount.

But with every American disposing of 4/5 of a ton of garbage each year into landfills (where trash is buried and does not decompose), I’m trying to reduce our amount even further.

So this holiday season, please remember to recycle your glass beverage bottles, plastic SOLO cups, metal food cans and unsoiled paper plates and napkins. And don’t forget about all of that wrapping paper and the hundreds of clothing catalogs that we receive in the mail this time each year. Mother Earth and our future generations will thank you for it!

Specializing in custom kitchens, built-ins and millwork.

Contact us today to discuss your next home project.

a Project of the arts Council of Windham County

Gallery Walk BrattleBoro’s Monthly First-Friday* CeleBration oF the arts · · · 5:30 to 8:30 · · · 30 to 40 exhibits & events, some with live music and an artist reception.

Christina O’Brien is a licensed architect in New Hampshire and New York and is a principal of SISR Architecture, LLC, which stands for sustainable, innovative and socially responsive design.

Learn more: www.sisr.us.

www.GalleryWalk.org Guide available online and at most venues. *except for January 8 in 2016.

Holiday 2015

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at Home with History The Sounds of History

By Becky Karush

I

24 Home at

www.athomenewengland.com

Photos by Ed Thomas

f you’re going to visit the historic home at 303 Court Street in Keene, make sure the Keene Music Festival organizes a classical piano recital on a sun-drenched fall afternoon.

Have some Schubert on hand.

Or Scarlatti, performed by a master pianist. See if she’ll play the music Chopin wrote when he was in love.

Position the glossy black grand piano in the middle of a living room built in 1866. Discover that a choral society once performed in that very spot, from 1902 to the late 1920s.

Welcome people at the door. Old friends. Music lovers. A father with a baby, a girl bearing brownies on a platter. See them to their seats, the chairs arranged in cozy rows across the living room’s hardwood floor, in front of the grand mantle. Guide them past the arched, y-shaped staircase with its magisterial steps and impossibly tall mirror at the wide, low landing.

Step down a demure flight of stairs to the family room on the house’s south side. Drape long, light white cotton curtains over the many-paned windows there. If you can, ask the pianist to play Debussy’s Claire de Lune, and ask the autumn breeze to make the sunlight undulate in rectangles across the curtain cloth.

Ask Bob and Lisa Cummings to live in this house. This couple will pour their enthusiasms into the house, polishing the original golden doorknobs, replacing broken fixtures with restored antiques, wallpapering the foyer with black diamond print festooned with decorous white curlicues.

They will repaint the many columns, inside and out. They will restore the lawn and landscaping. They will open the house to the public by

Photos: Left and bottom, front of home. Above, Bob Cummings welcomes visitors to a home concert.

hosting “Sunday Socials,” a series concerts and recitals held in the area’s historical homes. They will make the building a home, where the grandeur is as friendly as a backyard tent, and the history is delightful as a song.

Bob and Lisa: this is where you’ll live In 2010, before they were married, Bob and Lisa were on a search all over New England for a home to buy together. They were based in Western Massachusetts at the time.

“I think we looked at 50 homes,” recalls Lisa. “I had never been to Keene before, and we didn’t have a big connection to the area, but we saw this property listing and decided to come up.”

Owner Joan Friets met the couple to show them the house. She and her husband Neil had purchased the home in 1982.

“We were sitting in the family room,” says Bob. “At a little card table. All of a sudden, this little wooden music box started to play.

It was in the shape of an upright piano.”

Nobody had touched the music box.

In fact, Joan told them, it hadn’t been played in 15 years.

“And it just started playing on its own,” says Lisa.

“That’s when we knew. This was the house for us.”

How to become “Victorian Eclectic”

The Cummings soon found that their new home didn’t fit into one architectural tradition. When Francis Foster, a tannery owner, originally built the house 149 years ago, he followed the Second Empire fashion, after the architecture of France during the reign of Napoleon III, 1852-1870.

Second Empire elements included bay windows, an eight-windowed cupola, and white masonry blocks defining the corners of the walls, also known as corner quoining. Ornamentation was a throughline, with arches and pendants and columns and ornate chimneys.

In 1918, prominent mill owner Henry Brown bought the property and transformed it into a Colonial Revival home.

This was the most popular architectural style of that time. Among many dramatic changes, Brown added side porches and sunrooms on both sides of the house; a hipped roof in which all four sides sloped down to the walls from a central top point; and multi-pane, double-hung windows.

Brown also remodeled the staircase to its current . shape, with its sweeping banisters leading to

They were sitting in the family room at a little card table. All of a sudden, this little wooden music box started to play.

It was in the shape of an upright piano.

Nobody had touched the music box.

In fact it hadn’t been played in 15 years

Holiday 2015

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a curved, second-story wall covered in scenic wallpaper.

The Cummings made sure they preserved this antique wallpaper as they settled into their part-Second Empire, part-Colonial Revival home. Officially, this architecturally complex house is considered “Victorian Eclectic.”

Making a home out of history

“I saw the staircase landing, and I said, ‘I want to get married right there,’” says Lisa.

Lisa is a brisk, small woman with bright dark eyes and a palpable love for her home. She darts up the stairs, proud to show visitors the odd and wonderful plumbing in the master bath that used to let the servants know when the shower water was the proper temperature for the master and lady of the house.

She points out the dumbwaiter, and the switches that ring the bells downstairs that called for the maids, Downton Abbey style. “We preserved as much as we could,” she says, “and modeled other parts to be as much like the original as we could.”

“Like the pergola and patio,” adds Bob. “Those are in keeping with the history of the house. We’re just so happy to be the caretakers of this place.”

Though Bob and Lisa have put five years and $500,000 into improving and restoring the house, they are not precious about it. 303 Court Street isn’t a museum; it’s their home.

“We live in every room,” says Lisa.

The proof is all around them. Bob and Lisa did indeed marry on that very landing where generations of families had posed for family pictures. They tuck family snapshots into the corners of antique wood-and-glass hutches.

They place fall decorations — stuffed cloth pumpkins and cream- and rust-colored hydrangeas — in front of

Photos (top to bottom): Home owners Lisa Kachavos-Cummings and Bob Cummings.

View from landing on the second floor. The wall on the left features the original and intact wallpaper. The Cummings were married in front of the tall mirror to the right.

The original shower hardware remains in the master bedroom bathroom.

Photos (next page, left to right): A downstairs guest bathroom features a chandelier.

One of the upstairs guest bedrooms is bathed in afternoon light.

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Style: Originally Second Empire. Remodeled as Colonial Revival. Now considered Victorian Eclectic.

Date built: 1866 Remodeled: 1918 History of note: Previous owners include Henry Brown, owner of Homestead Woolen Mills.

From 1902 to the late 1920s, the Keene Choral Club often performed and hosted visiting performers in the living room of 303 Court Street For more information on Keene Music Festival concerts in historic homes, visit www.keenemusic festival.org.

sumptuous red and gold wallpaper and beside tall ceramic vases. A coffee table book about John Lennon rests in the foyer on a table below a painting of Lennon as a wry court jester, playing a piano that morphs into a lithe young woman.

Perhaps most telling, the Cummings are dedicated to making 303 Court Street a part of the Keene community. They offer the beauty they’ve built as a thing to be enjoyed now, together, in the presence of exquisite music.

It’s the song of the music box that they’re paying homage to, amplified across the years.

Becky Karush is a freelance writer from Swanzey.

Holiday 2015

27

renovate

by Desha Peacock “I’d Like to Add French Doors to My Life”

I

ove the nostalgia and romance of French doors, and have always wanted them as a part of my life. I started a little collection of French doors on my Pinterest page and began imagining them in my home.

Did I need French doors?

No. But let me tell you how adding French doors to my office helped through a tough time. It was after I submitted my proposal for my book, Create the Style You Crave on the Budget You Can Afford, and before I had an answer from the publisher. I was midway through Marie Forleo’s B-School e-course on building a life and business that you love and trying to figure out how I could start my own business doing the work I love.

So I was in the middle of lots of projects with big learning curves that would require being able to put in a massive amount of energy without knowing what the result would be. It’s really hard to put your heart, soul, and sometimes money, into big projects without having any sort of guarantee what the outcome will be. And when your whole life feels that way, it can seem like you aren’t getting anywhere or achieving anything.

I’m a very visual person and I love to see results of my labor. Thus, when I looked at my own Pinterest board titled “I’d Like to Add French Doors to My Life” I was struck by an incredible desire to take action.

When hubby balked at adding French doors to my office for no apparent reason (Couldn’t we use that money towards a new furnace? Kitchen remodel? New coffee table?), my answer was that I simply needed to have a vision and see it realized in a short period of time. It was so satisfying to think I could transform my office and make that one wish come true.

Plus, do you ever feel like you just need more fun and less critical thinking in your life? Can’t we adults just do something fun

28 Home at

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for no real good reason every once in a while? I was desperately seeking just a touch of whimsy. I could see myself throwing open the French doors to the patio and letting the breeze in, pretending I was on some quaint little balcony in France instead of in Brattleboro, Vermont.

When I began my search for vintage French doors, I found the perfect pair right away. Perfect, except for the $2,000 price tag.

I called my carpenter friend over and told him my idea.

Couldn’t we just go buy an old door at the local salvage place down the road and cut the door in half?

Before I knew it, my buddy was carrying a big white door with two glass panes into my garage. He found one

and bought it for only $60! He cut that door right down the middle. I got lucky and found a vintage doorknob (with a keyhole and a key that works!) for only $50. I’ve been told these are hard to find and I believe it.

My carpenter friend ripped out the window in my office and installed the French doors in two days.

The whole project, including materials and labor cost less than $800, and most of it was labor. If you are handy and can rip out a window and install a door you could save a big chunk.

Still, I think that’s a good price for making a lifelong dream come true — don’t you?

Can’t we adults just do something fun for no real good reason every once in a while?

Desha Peacock is an award-winning TV show producer/host and lifestyle expert, and author of the book Create the Style You Crave on a Budget You Can Afford.

Design lovers, join Desha on her Sweet Spot Style Mexico Retreat. Learn more at www.SweetSpotStyle.com.

She lives in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Home Heating and Solar – advice, Sales and Installation

Prepare your home for a warm and comfortable winter.

we are your local

dealer “A Trusted Partner for ALL Your Renewable Energy Options.”

79 emerald Street, Keene, NH 03431

603.358.3444

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find

Snow Shoveling & Plowing BELLOWS FALLS Hayden Lawn & Snow Removal 802-732-8246

KEENE Chris Lane Enterprises, LLC 603-355-0208

BRATTLEBORO DMI Paving Brattleboro 802-258-3962

Keene Paving 603-357-9300

Finnell Roofing, LLC 802-257-0841 or 603-336-7123 Gentle Touch Snow Removal 802-451-0035

GREENVILLE Novak Construction 603-533-6103

W.E. Brown Roofing 603-352-6382

HANCOCK T&L Home Services, LLC 603-562-6599

SPOFFORD Ganio Land Management 603-357-4561

HARRISVILLE Home-Land Landscaping 603-827-3019

WESTMORELAND Ferguson Roofing 603-399-4470

Advertising deadlines for 2016:

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Moody Lawn & Snow 603-762-4119 Snow & Ice Dam Removal Services 603-757-3608

Join us atHome!

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Land Art 603-831-4195

FITZWILLIAM F-N-M Maintenance, LLC 603-585-6793

Ron’s Landscaping & Property Maintenance 603-263-6139

Spring: January 31, 2016 Summer: April 30, 2016 Fall: July 31, 2016 Holiday: October 25, 2016

Key Landscape & Irrigation 603-352-6496

Reserve your spot today!

sales@atHOMEnewengland.com

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Buyer’s Guide Appliances

Korvin Appliances 65 Roxbury Street • Keene NH 603-352-3547 www.KorvinAppliances.com

Windmill Hill Cabinetry Windmill Hill Road • Dublin NH 603-563-8503 www.windmillhillcabinets.com

Architects

Events

Art

Currier & Ives Cookie Tour 603-242-6495 www.currierandivescookietour.com

SISR Architecture PO Box 597 • Marlow NH 603-446-7024 www.sisr.us Kristina Wentzell Fine Art 87 Ashuelot Street • Keene NH 603-903-5902 www.kristinawentzell.com Linda Dessaint Fine Art 52 Main Street • Antrim NH 603-801-5249 www.lindadessaint.com

Cleaning & Organizing Clean and Simple yoga4life@hotmail.com 603-661-7947

Consignment & Home Decorating Find It 162 Emerald Street • Keene NH 603-355-4842 www.finditfurnitureandmore.com Penelope’s Consignment 149 Emeral Street • Keene NH 603-357-1525 www.penelopesconsignment.com

Custom Cabinetry

MHS Architectural Millwork 7 Roxbury Street • Keene NH 603-876-4634 www.mhmillwork.com

Brattleboro Gallery Walk www.gallerywalk.org

Home Furnishings

A Candle in the Night 181 Main Street • Brattleboro VT 802-257-0471 www.acandleinthenight.com

Interior Design

Ann Henderson Interiors 99 Main Street • Keene NH 603-357-7680 www.ahinteriors.com

Landscaping

Key Landscape and Irrigation 70 S. Lincoln Street • Keene NH 603-352-6496 www.keylandscape.com

Renewable Energy

Green Energy Options 79 Emerald Street • Keene NH 603-358-3444 www.geosolarstore.com

Travel

Lily Goes to Paris 800-701-1650 www.lilygoestoparis.com

Holiday 2015

31

Holiday/Winter Events Brought to you by Discover Monadnock www.DiscoverMonadnock.com

NOVEMBER

November 27, 2015 (all day) Plaid Friday Retail locations throughout Monadnock Region NH www.monadnocklocal.org

December 19-20, 2015 42nd Annual Christmas Bird Count Hancock, Peterborough & Surrounding Towns NH www.harriscenter.org

November 27, 2015 (5:30 p.m.)

Keene Tree Lighting Keene Central Square, Keene NH

December 19, 2015 (2 p.m. & 5 p.m.)

New York Theatre Ballet: The Nutcracker The Colonial Theater, Keene NH www.thecolonial.org

November 27, 2015 (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)

Mount Caesar Post-Thanksgiving Hike Mount Caesar, Swanzey NH www.harriscenter.org November 27-29, 2015 Walpole Artisans Tour Locations in Walpole NH & Bellows Falls Vt. www.walpoleartisans.org

DECEMBER

December 4, 2015 (7 p.m.)

Chamber Singers of Keene: The Armed Man St. Bernard’s Church, Keene NH www.chambersingerskeene.org December 6, 2015 (3 p.m.)

Hollywood Holidays with the Greater Keene Pops Choir The Colonial Theater, Keene NH www.thecolonial.org December 12, 2015 (1 p.m.)

MET Live: The Magic Flute Peterborough Players Peterborough NH www.peterboroughplayers.org/15HD

at

www.athomenewengland.com

JANUARY

January 10, 2016 (2 p.m. & 4 p.m.)

Adventures in Alphabetland MoCo Arts, Keene NH www.moco.org January 16, 2016 (2 p.m. & 7 p.m.)

Beauty and the Beast Jr. The Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center, Keene NH www.moco.org January 17, 2016 (3 p.m.)

Music in Bass Hall: The John Kordalewski Trio Monadnock Center for History and Culture, Peterborough NH www.monadnockcenter.org February 6, 2016 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Keene Ice & Snow Festival Downtown Keene, NH

December 12, 2015 (11 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Currier and Ives Cookie Tour Stops throughout Monadnock Region www.currierandivescookietour.com

February 13, 2016 (all day) Winter Carnival in Jaffrey Downtown Jaffrey NH www.teamjaffrey.org

December 12, 2015 (8 p.m.)

Cheshire the Ladies: A Celtic Christmas The Colonial Theater, Keene NH www.thecolonial.org

February 14, 2016 (3 p.m.)

Music in Bass Hall: Virginia Eskin, Frank Wallace, and Jazimina MacNeil Monadnock Center for History and Culture, Peterborough NH www.monadnockcenter.org

December 19, 2015 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Christmas on the Farm The Inn at East Hill Farm, Troy NH www.east-hill-farm.com

32 Home

December 20, 2015 (1 p.m.)

Bolshoi: The Nutcracker (Live Streaming) Peterborough Players, Peterborough NH www.peterboroughplayers.org/15HD