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Everyday homes & gardens of the Monadnock Region & Southeastern Vermont Issue #2 • Spring 2016 • FREE

Modern Bohemian Living • • • •

Gifts for the Garden The Many Shades of Lilac An Italian Villa in Vermont And more!

Spring 2016

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contents

FEATURES Modern Bohemian Living in Vermont

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At Home with History in Brattleboro

24

COLUMNS atHOME with Marcia

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PICKS: Gifts for the Garden

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HOME ART: Tina Siart Boylan

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DESIGN: Color Confidence

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GARDEN: The Many Shades of Lilac

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COOKING WITH SHERRY: A Spring Menu

20

LIVING GREEN: The Importance of Insulation

22

RENOVATE: Old Chair, New Love

28

LISTINGS BUYER’s GUIDE

28

FIND: Furniture Consignment Stores

30

SPRING EVENTS

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Issue 2

• Spring 2016

PUBLISHER Backporch Publishing, LLC EDITOR Marcia Passos Duffy CONTRIBUTORS Robert Audette • Sherry Belotti • Ann Henderson Becky Karush • Christina O’Brien • Desha Peacock Leonard Perry EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lauré Mackey PHOTOGRAPHY Desha Peacock DESIGN Salwen Graphic Design ADVERTISING SALES 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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atHome with Marcia “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity ... it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie I have kept a gratitude journal on and off throughout my adult life. (Mostly, though, I keep a regular journal where I complain bitterly about the trials and tribulations of daily living!)

But every once in a while I remember to stop being so petty and to be grateful ... and I make a list.

Because those of us who have a roof over our heads, a full pantry, a car to drive, a cell phone, friends, neighbors, family and good health — there’s plenty to be grateful for.

Recently I have met some gentle souls who are extremely grateful. Grateful that their lives have been saved. Grateful to be groomed. Grateful that they have plenty to eat. Grateful that a woman named Rebecca Roy has come to their rescue. Their names are Sylvia, Big Ben, Beau, Belle, Big Jake, Pepper and Captain (pictured at right in the ad for Draft Gratitude). These magnificent horses have been pulled from the brink

EVERY MORNING MY HUMAN SHAVES OFF HIS FACE FUR, HE’S FUNNY LIKE THAT. —TUCK adopted 05-04-11

of slaughter or living a life of neglect and starvation.

These are the same horses that have worked tirelessly and faithfully for their humans their entire lives. Now these draft horses have been given a second chance at life and are being lovingly cared for on a farm in Winchester, New Hampshire, awaiting adoption by a forever home.

I volunteer at Draft Gratitude two Saturday mornings a month, and frankly, I think these horses give me more than I can possibly give to them.

I think of them often throughout the day, and am grateful to them for showing me what quiet dignified strength and gratitude looks like. Big Ben, gracefully bowing his head to have his tangled mane combed.

Captain, gently nudging for another brushing session.

Big Jake, with his one good eye still bright and inquisitive, blinking at me for one more treat. These welltrained, respectful horses still have plenty of life left in them. And if these gentle giants could keep a gratitude list, they would put Draft Gratitude right at the top.

Marcia Passos Duffy

Editor, atHome magazine

To learn more about how you can help these deserving draft horses, visit our website at

www.draftgratitude.com or call Rebecca Roy at

603-762-3266.

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atHome picks

Gifts for the Gardener

Your favorite gardener (you?) deserves a “pick-me-up” after the long winter. Here are some gifts to help us welcome spring!

STEP OUT INTO YOU R GARDEN IN STYLE .

Women’s B ogs Urban Farmer Ra inboots. $7 9 You’re goin g to love gard ening in y our Urban Farm er 2 Eye L ace boots this spring.

This 100% waterproo f, lightweig lace-up bo ht ot is not o nly stylish b u t is made to la st with du rable, hand-laste d rubber.

Available a t Cheshire H orse, 8 Whittem ore Farm Rd., Swanzey, NH.

GARDEN ART FROM HAITI Each piece is handcrafted by a Haitian artist using recycled materials. The result is a unique and memorable gift.

Perfect for the garden or inside the home. Birds: $47 (14”x12”); Garden Stakes: $22 (26” high). Available at Joseph’s Coat, 32 Grove Street, Peterborough.

GET LOCAL EXPERT GARDENING TIPS From Rosaly Bass, author of Organic!

A Gardeners Handbook $19.99 This book is perfect for beginning gardeners or seasoned gardeners. Find a wide range of topics such as, “If your garden doesn’t grow,” “Some help for garden problems in July,” and certainly not least “Some disturbing developments for organic growers.” Available at Hannah Grimes Marketplace, 42 Main St., Keene NH. 6 Home at

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DIG IN THE DIRT WITH ABANDON Boss Women’s Dirt Digger Gloves in blue, pink, or purple. $5.99

PAMPER YOUR HARDWORKING GREEN THUMB Badger Green Thumb Organic Gardener’s Gift Set. $29.99 Gift set contains a 2-ounce tin of Badger Balm for Hardworking Hands, a .75 ounce tin of Cuticle Care, an Anti-Bug Stick, and an Unscented Botanical Body Soap, all packaged in a 100% recycled boxboard tied with a charming green ribbon and a “to/from” gift tag for easy gift giving. Sold online at www.badgerbalm.com and Badger’s Gilsum factory store.

There is nothing more valuable to a gardener than a great pair of gardening gloves.

These Boss gardening gloves fit the bill: They are made with absorbent cotton lining, extra-textured coating for superb grip, flexible knit wrist and precurved fingertips.

Available at Cheshire Horse, 8 Whittemore Farm Rd., Swanzey, NH.

BEEKEEPING WITHOUT THE HEAVY LIFTING The Slovenian AZ Beekeeping Hive System Since there is no heavy lifting, everyone can enjoy this wonderful backyard hobby with this beekeeping hive system. It is designed to be located in some form of bee house or shed – even if it is for only one or two hives (see photo for example). The hives are stationary; open from inside the shed and take out one frame at a time. Everyone can do this, even kids, older folks, people in wheelchairs, etc. The hives come in two-level ($300) or three-level ($450). Visit the only US Slovene Bee Store in New Hampshire (located just outside of Harrisville). Store open by request. Contact Suzanne at beeslovenia@gmail.com for more information.

INVITE HUMMINGBIRDS TO YOUR YARD FOR A SIP Hot Glass Center’s Hummingbird Feeders. $55 each Gorgeous handblown hummingbird feeders will attract these mesmerizing birds to your garden! Feeders range from 4-6 inches tall.

Available at the Hot Glass Center, 99 Main Street, Malborough, NH. www.hotglassartcenter.com. Will ship anywhere.

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home art

Interview by Marcia Passos Duffy

Tina Siart Boylan Fine Artist, Keene NH 603-252-1123

paintbrushinhand@gmail.com www.fineartamerica/profiles/ tinasiart-boylan.html

Tina Siart Boylan lives in a 100-year-old house in Keene where she does all her work as an artist. She has put in many gardens that she uses as her painting subjects. Tina can be found as SiArt Designs on Facebook as well as under her full name, Tina Siart Boylan at Fine Art America. Her work is mostly acrylic paint on canvas, large and small, but she also paints floors as well as furniture. Tina is available by appointment and is also happy to donate work for community fund-raisers.

Tina, how long have you been an artist?

— I couldn’t decide and after four years away in college I ended up with a degree in sociology. That said, most of my working career has been in accounting and finance. I am currently a full-time controller for True North Networks in Keene.

Tell us how you became an artist and why you paint what you do.

I have been an artist my entire life, ever since I could hold a paintbrush in my hand. My parents often brought us into Boston to visit the museums and I also have an aunt who is an accomplished artist so the inspiration goes back as long as I can remember.

What did you do before becoming an artist?

I had so many things that I wanted to do and had been very lucky to become known as an artist when I was still in high school, so I chose to pursue my other interests.

Biology, photojournalism, math

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I have my father to thank for that. After graduating from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois in 1985 and moving back to New England, I was showing him two portraits that I painted from my photos that I took while on an abroad to India. He looked at me and asked, “What would it take for you to paint full time?” I replied, “Well, dad, I do have a mortgage to pay.” Then he challenged me. He told me if I quit my job for 10 weeks he would match my pay but I would have to paint full time and give him two paintings a week. I jumped at the opportunity. So that summer he drove an hour to see me every Friday, pick up his two paintings and give me a check. At the end of the 10 weeks, he gave all of the paintings back to me — something that I did not expect. I was able to get work into shows in Cambridge, Portland, Peterborough and also did my first “Art in the Park” here in Keene.

My parents have since passed away, but I will always be incredibly grateful to my father for directing my path back to my work as an artist. It was the best lesson in discipline backed by his love.

“I will always be incredibly grateful to my father for directing my path back to my work as an artist.

It was the best lesson in discipline backed by his love.”

What are some tips for incorporating local art in home decor?

We are so lucky to live in a community with an incredible number of artists! If you are a collector, serious or

casual, the best thing to do is get out and visit studios or stroll downtown during Art Walk or Art in the Park. Inevitably there will be work that can be found at a reasonable price; you’ll also be able to engage in conversation with an artist if you are seeking something custom. I am always more than happy to help someone find the right piece that will work with their living space.

Where can your art be displayed in the home?

I have seen my work hanging as a centerpiece on a wall as well as on a windowsill or bookshelf.

I have also done some commission paintings on furniture — a chair that someone wanted to give to their granddaughter.

That was a fun piece, especially painting a hummingbird on the chair, which was very symbol-

ic to this person. I have also worked with a client by taking the paint chip color of their wall, getting the same paint mixed up with a flat base and using it in my color mixes as the base. This results in a finished painting that looks as though it belongs in the client’s space. I also enjoy painting floors — it can make a strong statement in a room as well as help perk up tired floors in an older home (pictured, opposite page, bottom).

What has been the most unique object you have painted?

Probably the most unusual object was a bee hive for the C&S Employee garden beds (pictured, left). The bee hive was in several pieces which I had placed all over my dining room table. In the end, it stacked into a large palace for the bees.

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Spring 2016

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design

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by Ann Henderson

Color Confidence Five Cues for Organizing Gorgeous Hues

lluring. Sumptuous. Evocative. Color is the most

powerful design element at our fingertips.

Creating with color should be something we approach with spirited ease and childlike creativity, right? So why is it that turning our orderly black and white drawings into living rainbows is positively daunting?

Should we just open the crayon box and begin to explore or are there rules that we should follow?

As in most artistic endeavors, attention to both concepts is indispensable. With a little self-confidence, we can train our painterly voices to sing. I often exercise my color voice by studying a beautiful painting, a lovely garden or interior, a gorgeous textile, a rock, a shell, a mountain sunrise. Color unveils these images as unique tableaux of balance and beauty, igniting the creative process.

So how then do we get from creative inspiration to appropriate application? I’d like to share some foundational cues that may help to reveal the structure behind breathtakingly beautiful color palettes in interior design.

Cue 1: White is a color. An achromatic color, white is unsaturated or nearly neutral. Its characteristics are nonetheless strong as it can increase the intensi-

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ty of an adjacent color while working well with every color in the spectrum. It evokes a sense of serenity and purity, cleanliness and light, but if overused the color can be isolating, cold and empty. Pure white is one of the great default colors — so don’t commit just now and paint everything white. White can be used successfully with saturated colors but with the energy that comes from sharp contrast. There are more tints of white than any other color and moving from pure white can often soften an overall color scheme. Natural materials such as wood and stone have subtle gradations of color and work better with warm tinted or grayed whites. Pure white can change dramatically depending on natural, ambient or accent lighting.

The color white is a powerful tool and should be used very intentionally as a backdrop for stronger colors, a unifying complement to varying hues or an accent denoting light and rest.

Cue 2: Everything has a color. We often think of paint, fabrics and carpets as the main source of color in a space. Quite true, however, wood flooring, brick fireplaces, decorative objects, metal and wood finishes are important elements in the design concept, imparting color that is dimensional. So it’s essential to consider

everything as bringing color to a space. For example, dark wood floors have an ability to blend with a greater range of colors because they are moving toward black, an achromatic (neutral) color that frequently decreases the intensity of adjacent colors. Natural stone has tiny flecks of subtle color that can help inspire a room palette. With their three-dimensional quality, decorative objects, case pieces and lamps bring color that is grounded. Gold, reflective metal finishes suggest energy and opulence while flat silver lends a calm, understated atmosphere.

Cue 3: Define your mood or style and stick with it.

Think of this as your mission statement, an overarching philosophy that will guide you through color choices.

Consider the natural setting, the architectural space, the activities, personalities and aesthetic sensibilities of the people within the space.

The spirit of the setting you want to create should inform every material and color choice. Part of your style may be influenced by your experience in design.

If you are just beginning, a straightforward approach will always keep you from being painted into the proverbial corner.

Cue 4: Less is more in an overall interior color palette.

Even with a vibrant array of bright colors, consistency from room to room and within a space will produce a balanced concept of timeless beauty. Collecting photographs or actual samples of every element within the space, you can begin to move and edit color in your renderings of the space. I prefer actual color boards or notebooks because they are tangible, easily portable and most importantly colors within are actual or a better reproduction than in digital format. Your objective is to get a clear understanding of the composition of color within the space. You are creating a well-edited, three-dimensional collage.

Cue 5: Think in three dimensions. Most interiors are surrounded by six planes of color, with threads of additional hues winding through the space. I often write about the forgotten plane, the ceiling. The color and finish of the ceiling are equally as important as that of the floor which means that pure white, the most reflective color, is not always the best choice for ceilings.

Warm colors advance in space while cool colors recede, allowing us to manipulate the physical placement of walls. Colors from the same side of the color wheel can help unify the architectural space while a stark contrast will accent the qualities of the strongest hue. Perimeter colors are a framework, defining the rest of the scheme and are most effective when the surfaces subtly refer to one another. Thinking inside this box make sure that there is visual balance, and contrasting colors are spread throughout the space.

Ann Henderson is the owner of Ann Henderson Interiors of Keene NH

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Spring 2016

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garden

By Dr. Leonard Perry

The Many Shades of Lilac

L

ilacs are great large shrubs for northern landscapes. They require little care, are long lived, and provide welcome color and fragrance in spring.

You may not realize that by planting different selections of these old-fashioned shrubs you can have blooms for six weeks or more, and that they come in many colors other than lilac.

In my USDA zone 4 garden, I have lilacs that begin bloom on average the second week of May, and the last ends bloom the last week of June.

Early and late bloomers There are two general groups of lilacs, the early bloomers that bloom in mid to late May in this zone (sooner in warmer zones), and the late bloomers in early to mid June in this zone.

The early bloomers are mainly cultivars (cultivated varieties) of the common lilac species (Syringa vulgaris), while the late bloomers are often cultivars of various species or the Preston hybrids (Syringa x prestoniae).

The Preston lilacs were first hybridized by Isabella Preston at the Experimental Farm in Ottawa, Ontario.

They are crosses between two species, and include such popular cultivars as the purple “Donald Wyman,” the white “Agnes Smith,” or the pink “James MacFarlane.”

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Lilac specialists have come up with seven color groupings for lilacs that sometimes are seen with Roman numerals. Unless noted, these examples of good lilac choices are of the common lilac.

White lilacs The first group (I) are the white lilacs such as the single common lilac “Alba” or the single Preston hybrid “Agnes Smith.” “Edith Cavell” is a white double, as is “Mme. Lemoine.” “Primrose” falls into this group, although the buds and flowers are a unique light yellow. One of my favorite lilacs is the Russian hybrid “Krasavitsa Moscovy” seen also by its English name Beauty of Moscow.

The pink-lilac buds open to double white blooms tinged with lavender.

Violet lilacs The second color group (II) is violet. A very popular cultivar “Miss Kim” of the Manchurian lilac (patula) has been grown for over half a century. Another very popular single in this color is the Korean lilac (meyeri) “Palibin.” Both flower a week or so later than the common lilacs, and are shorter. They make rounded shrubs six to eight feet high. Another single violet is the common lilac “Albert Holden,” while the more rare Russian hybrid “Nadezhda” (meaning “hope”) is double.

Blue lilacs Blue is the third (III) color group of lilacs and is less common. Most seen is the common lilac “President Lincoln” with single flowers. Similar are “Wedgewood Blue” and “Wonderblue.” “Oliver de Serres” and “President Grevy” are a couple of the less common blue doubles.

True color lilacs The true color lilac is the fourth group (IV), yet is less common than you might think. Common lilac cultivars “Michael Buchner” and “Victor Lemoine” have double flowers. Single lilac flowers are seen on the hyacinth lilac (hyacinthiflora) “Assessippi” or the Preston hybrids “Charmian” and “Isabella.” The Lemoine name is worth more explanation, as this was the famous French family who in Victorian times bred so many common lilac cultivars, some that we still have today. The purple “Charles Joly,” the lilac “Michael Buchner” and the blue “President Grevy” are examples.

In fact, the term “French lilacs” is often applied to any cultivar of common lilac, even though in recent years many have been selected in the United States, Canada and other countries such as Russia.

are the hyacinth lilac “Pocahontas” and the Preston hybrid “Donald Wyman.” “Charles Joly” is a double purple cultivar of common lilac.

Look for some of these cultivars and colors the next time you visit a nursery, complete garden center, or public lilac display garden such as at the University of Vermont Horticulture Research Center (pss.uvm.edu/dept/ hort_farm/). If you have just the common lilac in your landscape, why not add some other colors? If you don’t have any, why not start adding them if you have the room, sun and well-drained soil. Allow sufficient space, as over time the short cultivars can spread six feet across, while most spread up to 12 feet across.

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

Pink lilacs The fifth group (V) of lilacs have pink flowers, such as the single Preston hybrids “Helen,” “James MacFarlane” or “Miss Canada.” The species that were parents of the Preston hybrids (villosa and reflexa) are pink singles, as is another Asian species (wolfii). The hyacinth lilac “Annabel” is a pink double. “Marie Frances” is a single pink common lilac, while “Katherine Havemeyer” is a reddish-pink double.

Linda Dessaint FiNe Art

Oil and Pastel Paintings

Red lilacs Red is the sixth (VI) color in lilacs, with the common lilac “Congo” a single. “Beacon” and “Hiawatha” are single red Preston hybrids. “Jessie Hepler” is a red single of a hybrid species (x josiflexa). A couple of the less common red doubles are the common Lemoine lilac “President Poincare” and the hyacinth lilac “Sweetheart.”

Purple lilacs The last (VII) but largest color group of lilacs is purple. Single common lilacs include “Ludwig Spathe” and “Monge.” “Sensation” is appropriately named, as this common lilac has purple single flowers, each with a white edge to the petals. Other purple singles

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Spring 2016

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Modern Bohemian Living

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Craving a Simple Artistic Life in Vermont

Story and photos by Desha Peacock

ose Watson doesn’t mind plodding out into the snow, rain or bright sunlight down a wooded path to the outhouse she built herself, purposefully leaving it open to the elements. No door. At night, she lights her candles and sits by the fireside admiring the stars.

Rose took a $30,000 loan and built this house (her kitchen, pictured above) with her own hands partially because she could, but mostly because this home affords her the lifestyle she craves.

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Not too far down the way, Robin MacArthur shares a similar story. She built her one-window cabin in Marlboro, Vermont with the help of her dad at age 16.

Fifteen years later, Robin’s little cabin is now a 2300 square-foot home complete with running water, electricity and all the modern amenities you’d hope for.

Both Robin and Rose have this earthy, eclectic Bohemian vibe that feels both curated and welcoming. It’s what drew me in. It was the reason I came. But what I left with was much more than a taste of their aesthetic. I left inspired by the way they each have consciously created a home that not only creatively expresses their essence; it also allows them to live a very particular kind of lifestyle.

Robin’s story

Robin MacArthur is a mother, one-half of the indie folk duo Red Heart the Ticker (with her husband) and a writer. Her first book, Half Wild, is a collection of short stories set in Vermont.

Robin’s home has evolved as her life has. It began as a very simple cabin she built in the woods with her dad when she was 16, with salvaged windows and un-insulated walls. Her boyfriend Ty (now her husband) added an insulated cabin onto that one when they were both 24, which they occupied on-and-off while also traveling and living in various cities outside of Vermont.

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They moved back for good when they were 27, and built yet another addition, this time with electricity and running water (and a toilet!). That addition was finished by the time their first child was born.

They finished yet another addition in time for their second born to have a room of his own. Their house has grown as their family has, and thus tells the story of their lives.

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons we all love it so much. It’s a well-lived in house, full of stories, yet also full of youth and life.

Robin describes herself as a “bonafide introvert,” which means her home is her shelter, her nest, her workplace and her shrine.

“I’m also an aesthetically-driven person, which means that I can’t be happy unless the things around me are beautiful,” says Robin. “That might sound superficial, but it’s how I’m hardwired. All of this means that making my house a place that reverberates with beauty is a top priority for me. Doing so makes me more peaceful, which invariably makes my family more peaceful. I try to bring nature indoors as much as possible, and make my house reflect the colors and textures of this place where I live (and

have lived most of my life). It’s also a house full of windows and light, in order to bring the outside in as much as possible.”

When you walk into Robin’s home, the first thing you notice is the light: It pours in from all directions. The second thing you notice is the vast openness and artistic attention to detail.

But beyond what you see is what you feel. It feels good, like a place you want to be. Like a place that you can curl up and take a nap. Like a place you can drink wine and listen to someone strumming a guitar.

It’s also a place that emits creativity. Have you read the book, Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin? The author examines the American culture of burnout and work/life fatigue that many of us know too well. She suggests a new paradigm, where we step away from the rat race of accumulating more and move toward gaining freedom through an alternative lifestyle.

These homeowners, Robin and Rose, provide examples of how to gracefully embrace this alternative lifestyle.

Robin explains, “I’ve made living an inexpensive lifestyle a top priority in my life. The less money you need the less you have to work, and the less you have to work the more time you get to spend doing the things you love. For me, those things are writing and being with my kids. Because of that my husband and I decided to build our own house (we’ve done 90 percent of the labor) on my parents’ land. We’ve built the house gradually, as we could afford to, without going into debt. We’ve also been lucky. We built on my parents’ land, and had a little bit of money from Ty’s family to put into materials.

There’s no way we could be living the life we’re living now, as artists with kids, if it weren’t for this choice we made. Let me also stress that building a house is not easy: there were times when it almost destroyed us. But we’re now 15 years in and the house is as finished as it needs to be. We feel extraordinarily grateful.”

Continued on next page.

Robin MacArthur, pictured above, describes herself as a “bonafide introvert,” which means her home is her shelter, her nest, her workplace and her shrine. Prevous page: one of her two cats, Eliza, takes an afternoon snooze on a chair by the woodstove; her living room contains well-loved,comfortable chairs, inviting visitors to stay awhile.

Bottom: Robin’s dining area is a portrait of simplicity.

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“I have gone against the traditional concept of the American Dream, yet in doing so, I feel like I really do have the American Dream. I have free time,” says Rose Watson, pictured above at her front door with her dog, Julip.

Rose’s story

Just down the way, Rose Watson bought a cabin in the woods of Marlboro for just $30,000 only to find out it was infested with carpenter ants. She took out another $30,000 loan and tore it down to the ground. Starting from scratch, she kept expenses low by skipping the electricity and plumbing and doing the majority of work herself, including the drywall, insulating, roofing, window frames and much more.

It took a couple of years to build, but now she lives there comfortably for $475 a month. You might think, “Yes, but no electricity? No plumbing? Seriously?” That might be hard to imagine but think for a moment what life would be like if your home cost $475 a month. You can’t rent a tiny studio apartment for that price, much less a beautiful home.

Just like Robin, Rose’s top priority is to keep her expenses low so she can spend more time “living” than working.

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Rose says, “I’ve always tried to keep my overhead really low. I have gone against the traditional concept of the American Dream, yet in doing so, I feel like I really do have the American Dream.

I have free time.”

Although Rose has several jobs, including being the business manager for the Tasha Tudor Museum, taking care of her elderly friend, and making Crazy Cakes, she still has plenty of time to do the things she enjoys.

“A lot of days I don’t go into work until noon. I sit on my front steps. I walk my dog. I create art. I write. I make giant cakes! I really feel like I couldn’t do this if I worked 40 hours a week. Actually, if you added up all my hours I probably am working 40 hours week, but it doesn’t feel like it because it’s all based on my time. I decide. It’s so good.”

Before moving to Vermont, Rose lived in Madison, Wisconsin. When a friend invited her to check out the hills of Vermont, she knew right away it was her place. Despite the fact that Vermont is cold, it’s nothing compared to the 60 below wind chill of Madison. And more than anything, the trees were calling her, she says. They demanded she come. Within a year, she was living in Vermont.

When rebuilding her new home, she wanted to have as much contact with the trees as possible. She says with a laugh, “My friends would ask, ‘Why are you moving to Vermont, a job? And I’d say ‘no, the trees’.”

Back in Wisconsin Rose suffered deeply with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). It was so bad that her insurance company actually paid for a light box. Everyday she’d wake up and stare into this light box for 20 min before getting up. It helped a little, but she needed more than a light box to heal the SAD, she needed a lifestyle change.

“When I moved here I didn’t have electricity, so I couldn’t use the lightbox. It was summer and started to live according the sunrise and sunset,” says Rose. “What I found out about SAD is that I was on the wrong circadian rhythm. Without artificial light I couldn’t stay up past 8:30 at night. It was a stretch once it got dark in the winter to stay up. My whole rhythm changed. I used to be up to 11, 12 even 2 a.m. on the Internet back in Madison.

So of course, I had a hard time waking up before 10 a.m.

But when I got up here to Marlboro, I didn’t have artificial light and a computer … and computer light is apparently the worst because of the blue light. Pretty soon I started waking up with the light around 7 a.m. and going to bed at 8 p.m. Basically, I went to bed and awoke according to the natural light. That changed everything. I no longer have SAD. It’s gone.”

But … no water? No electricity?

To have running water, Rose would have needed to dig a well, and that would run about $10-20,000. Adding electricity would be $7,000 a pull and would have taken away from the natural beauty of the land, she says. She and her neighbors actually like the feeling of no electricity. “If we had electricity we’d have the wires up above, the poles, the energy of the wires and we don’t want that. If I did anything, I’d go solar. But to do that I’d have to cut down a lot of trees and I’d rather not,” says Rose.

For water, she uses her neighbor’s gravity fed well that has an overflow. “I walk about 75 feet to the overflow and fill these metal jugs. I only use about 10 gallons of water a day,” says Rose. To shower, she goes to the gym or has an old fashioned sponge bath.

Rose uses a wood stove for heat. She has a composting toilet in the outhouse. For light, she burns candles.

She uses propane to power her oven for cooking. She has the newest Apple iPhone for her computer with an unlimited data plan that she uses for email, social media and work. She charges it in her car on her commute to work in Brattleboro.

When I asked Rose if she was just trying this lifestyle for a spell, she said, “It’s not temporary, this is my lifestyle from here on out.”

Aside from SAD, Rose has osteoporosis. Once again, this lifestyle is helping her stay healthy. “The fact that I’m carrying my water, carrying wood, and going up the stairs means I’m using my physical body more. People don’t understand the devastation that all of these comforts are creating for them,” she says.

Bohemian living décor

It’s clear that both Robin and Rose are dedicated to lowering their living expenses to have more free time, but there’s one thing neither one of them are willing to sacrifice, and that’s beauty.

“Mother was an interior decorator, and she always did these little vignettes,” says Rose. “That’s where I get my style. What I’ve learned is that in a small space if you have one really dynamic piece, it uplifts the whole space.”

For example, her large wardrobe in the living room anchors the space and allows for smaller vignettes to shine. She mixes vintage pieces with modern, such as a $15 Ikea table with an old couch she found in someone’s garage. “I’ll reupholster it myself. I look for furniture like that. I teach myself everything. With Google it’s so much easier than the way I used to do it,” says Rose.

And luckily, she just found an old foot pedal sewing machine, a treasure for someone who loves to sew and doesn’t have electricity.

When asked why Rose lives the way she does, she says, “I don’t question it. I am just so grateful to have it.

I don’t think I’d be alive otherwise. One way or the other, I just don’t think I could have made it. The energy of

these trees keeps me alive. There were times when I just couldn’t get out of bed and now I never feel like that.

Sure, I have days when I’m tired, but I never feel like I can’t get out of bed. In fact, I mostly wake up excited!”

Rose realizes this lifestyle may seem strange to others, “Sometimes I feel like I must have been an Aborigine. People ask how I can live this way, but I don’t think people understand how much they are compromising in other ways. They come home and numb out behind the TV because they are exhausted with their life. Of course, they are. They just spent eight hours behind walls!”

Rose says that if she did not live this way, she wouldn’t have time to do her artwork, “… and I just need to do my artwork. Since I’ve lived here, every day, every minute I’m thankful. I don’t have to have a gratitude journal because the minute I walk outside I’m literally filled with gratitude.

I’m saying thank you, thank you, thank you. I don’t even have to say it. I feel it. Every day I look around, and I feel so grateful. That’s why I live like this.”

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. She lives in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Spring 2016

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cooking

with Sherry

A Cheerful Springtime Menu ... for a “let’s shed the winter” potluck!

To live in the Northeast is to have a deeper appreciation for spring. We spend longer in the deep freeze than other parts of the nation, so when we see the bulbs we planted beginning to push up through the soil, well, it just feels so down-to-your-toes wonderful.

The early vegetables from the garden are like no other: the vibrant colors (asparagus, butter lettuce, radishes), the tender flavors (snow peas) and the abundance can make us forget the cold and gray of the winter months.

Because of the lovely springtime food and the shift from storm windows to throwing open the windows, it’s a great time to entertain. By entertain, I don’t mean a big fussy Sunday brunch or a sit-down Saturday night dinner. I mean invite the neighbors over for a potluck kind of entertaining. Or maybe it’s a good time to bring some lunch over to an elderly relative. Keep it simple.

FINE CONSIGNMENT

Here is a menu that is simple and elegant but easy to pull together. It also showcases the fresh offerings of spring.

Libations: Ginger tea lemonade with rock candy stirrers Lunch: Radishes with butter and salt; Hearty Vegetarian Sammies, Chilled Asparagus Vinaigrette, Kettle chips, and pickles.

HOME FURNISHINGS

Celebrating our 20th Year!

Christopher J Barry Architect

cjb-architect.com

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Register for any Vietri pattern and your guests will receive 20% off

I R R E S I S T I B L Y

THE CENTER AT COLONY MILL Gilbo Avenue - Keene, NH 603-357-1525 www.penelopesconsignment.com Open 7 Days: Mon-Fri 10-5 • Sat 10-4 • Sun 11-4 A dba of The Three Birches, LLC

20 Home at

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I T A L I A N™

THE ART OF INSIDE

A Unique Interior Design & Gift Boutique

99 Main St., Keene Next door to Miller Brothers-Newton

(603) 357-7680 www.ahinteriors.com

The plan: The night before the gathering, make the lemonade and clean and stem the asparagus and the radishes. The day you want to hang out with Aunt Fran, make the sandwiches, steam and chill the asparagus and pack it all up to go. If you are pot-lucking with friends, divide and conquer: your friends make the sandwiches and lemonade, you do the rest.

The recipes: Radishes with Butter and Salt: It’s just like it sounds. Clean and stem a bunch of spring radishes. If they are large, cut them into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Add a crock of sweet butter and a small dish of salt. Dip the radish into the butter and then the salt and you are ready to eat.

over ice, add some of the simple syrup and garnish with a slice of lemon.

Hearty Vegetarian Sammies: For each sandwich, use two slices of multigrain, oat or whole wheat bread.

Slather some mayo mixed with a few drops of sriracha (hot chili sauce) on both pieces of bread. Top with sliced Havarti cheese, a fat slice of tomato, some fresh butter lettuce, and a few rings of red onion. Wrap the sandwiches in parchment paper or waxed paper to keep them fresh.

Ginger Tea-Lemonade: Make simple syrup by dissolving ½ cup of sugar in 1½ cups of water. Add a 1-inch piece of ginger that has been peeled and cut into slices. Steep, with the heat on low, for about ½ hour.

While steeping the ginger, steep three ginger lemon tea bags in 3 cups of very hot water. Take the tea bags out, pour water into a pitcher and add a big scoop of ice. This will dilute the tea and chill it. To serve, pour some of the ginger tea

Chilled Asparagus Vinaigrette: Take a pound of asparagus, trim the woody ends and rinse well with water. Steam the asparagus briefly in a deep skillet of hot water. Take the asparagus out when it’s still bright green and crisp and plunge it into an ice bath (lots of ice and water).

Whisk together ¼ cup of olive oil, a tablespoon of lemon juice, some lemon zest, salt, pepper and a clove of minced garlic. Toss the asparagus with the vinaigrette and chill for an hour before serving.

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.

Spring 2016

21

living green

by Christina O’Brien

The Warm Winter Coat You’ll Want to Wear All Year Long

W

inter is behind us, so it’s time to plan those spring home renovation projects. And if you felt cold in your home this winter, despite the milder winter weather, one important upgrade you want to consider is better house insulation.

Now you probably had your heart set on new granite kitchen counter tops or an updated bathroom — something you can enjoy looking at and showing off to your friends. But wouldn’t your friends be impressed by how your utility bills were greatly reduced after your insulation upgrade? Or that the drafty spots in your home are now gone? I’m guessing they would!

Good insulation acts like a warm winter coat on your home during the long New England winter: it helps keep all of your heat inside your home to keep you comfortable. And just as a Styrofoam cooler keeps drinks cold in the summertime, building insulation helps keep your air-conditioned home cool. When your home is too cold or too warm, it probably means that there is a hole in your home’s insulation. Your conditioned air is escaping through spaces that are not properly sealed and insulated, and you are essentially heating and cooling the outdoors. Winter icicles are an example of heating the outdoors: warm air rises to your attic and escapes through uninsulated areas, melting snow that runs down your roof, which then freezes at the cold edge of your eave. Despite how pretty they may look, they cause building damage and are a very expensive “decoration.”

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How much insulation do you need?

But how do you know how much insulation is necessary for your project? Local building and energy codes dictate the minimum R-Values for foundation, wall and attic insulation. R-Value is a material’s resistance to heat flowing through it, usually measured in inches.

For example, high performance fiberglass batt insulation (the pink, fluffy stuff) has an R-Value of approximately R-3.8 per inch. Local codes require a minimum of R-21 for an exterior wall of a home. So a 2x6 wood stud wall (which is 5.5 inches deep) will need 5.5 inches of fiberglass insulation to meet this requirement. Keep in mind that this is only a minimum and codes change regularly. If you are interested in a high performance home, you can have up to an R-40 in the walls. Achieving that high R-Value is a topic for another time.

What type of insulation?

Once you know how much insulation you need, how do you decide what type of insulation to install? Fiberglass batt insulation mentioned earlier is probably the most popular and readily available for do-it-yourself home renovation projects. However, to work properly in a wood stud wall cavity, the batts need to be in direct contact with all six sides of a stud wall cavity. And due to any hard-to-reach cavities, building wiring and pipes, this makes it difficult to fill the cavity completely.

One good alternative is loose fill insulation, which is blown into existing or new wall stud cavities with a hose. A mesh-type fabric is installed to hold the loose

fill insulation in place, which can be fiberglass, cellulose (plant-based) or mineral wool (slag) insulation.

Once made of cardboard, cotton, straw, sawdust, hemp or corncob, today’s cellulose is made out of about 75 percent recycled post-consumer newsprint. The other 15 percent is a fire retardant and mold inhibitor, like boric acid. Dense-pack cellulose is installed under pressure which greatly reduces any chance of settling.

It has an R-Value of approximately 3.5 per inch and is what we mostly specify in our practice.

Mineral wool insulation is made out of slag, which is the glass-like (metal oxide and silicon dioxide) waste by-product produced when metal is separated from its raw ore. This slag is turned into fine fibers that act as great insulators. It has a naturally high pH that deters plant growth and h as low carcinogenic potential. It also has great sound absorption and is resistant to fire.

Mineral wool insulation has an R-Value of approximately 3.5 per inch in loose form and approximately R-4 in rigid board form.

Add “continuous insulation” Once the wood stud bays are filled with loose fill insulation, continuous insulation on the outside of the wood studs is a great way to insulate them from heat escaping from or cold coming into your home. This transfer of heat or cold through the house framing is called thermal bridging and is a major cause of heat loss.

Building scientists Joseph Lstiburek and Peter Baker have calculated that 1 inch of continuous insulation increases the effectiveness of the insulation by 35 percent and 2 inches increases effectiveness by 65 percent. This is an easy decision for new construction.

But if you are deciding to re-side your home soon, that would also be a great time to add continuous insulation. Rigid polyurethane foam insulation (R-5 per inch for open-cell foam and R-6 for closed-cell) is used primarily for this function today. But homeowners are often looking for an alternative to this petroleum product, and mineral wool in rigid board form (R-4 per inch) is a good option.

Just a quick note about attic and basement insulation: I suggest using batt insulation if you access your attic regularly, so you can move it back into place easily if it is disturbed. If you don’t access your attic, loose fill insulation can be used and will stay in place (which is important in maintaining its R-Value) and won’t get tracked through the house on your clothes and shoes.

And due to the damp nature of basements, foam insulation products are usually recommended because they resist moisture. However, alternative options for petroleum-based rigid board foams or spray-foam are constantly being developed for healthier and more sustainable choices.

So get out there and buy your home a new winter coat this spring. You and your family are sure to enjoy it all year long!

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.

Spring 2016

23

atHome with History

by Robert Audette and Becky Karush

Photos by James Lamorder for Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country

Italy by Way of Brattleboro An Afternoon at The Chantry

At the end of a gentle curving driveway, atop a hill overlooking the southern Vermont town of Brattleboro, there rests a Mediterranean-style villa, transporting visitors from brittle New England to the Italian countryside.

T

here’s a reason why this home looks like a portal to lazy days of wine and bruschetta. In 1916, banker and Brattleboro native Edmund Pratt decided to build a home for his wife, Harriet Brasor. She was a famed contralto, stage name Stella Brazzi, who stormed the opera world while performing in such celebrated opera houses as La Scala in Milan.

So, naturally, the couple arranged for Italian artisans to sail to the United States to build the house. And, in keeping with the grandeur and scope of the opera role Brasor sang, they hired a premier architectural firm Wilder and White of New York to design a mansion in the tradition of grand European estates.

Today, the 100-year-old house is home to Adrienne Raptis, and her husband, Matthew, another Brattleboro native. Not only have they preserved the red-tile roof and marble floors, the sweeping original windows, and stuccoed exterior walls the color of wheat and honey, but they’ve added to the sense of history with shelves upon shelves of leather-bound books, some nearly 500 years old.

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The Raptises buy and sell rare books. As befits their work, the home is a luscious blend of history and beauty — though it wasn’t always as reminiscent of an Italian country dream as it is now.

In fact, twenty years ago the place was fairly run down. It had been through several owners with varying degrees of interest in keeping up such a large property.

A History of Music and Grandeur Then two music executives, Jack Rieley and Jaye Mueller, bought it in 1998. They fell in love with the history and the potential of the land and house and, using old photos and building plans, set about restoring it to its original grandeur.

They also gave the house its first proper name: The Chantry.

“Chantry” is a Middle English word that roughly translates to “the place where music is created” (although it originally referred to a chapel).

Rieley and Mueller definitely made this 5,000-square-foot Chantry sing. They rebuilt the 15.3-acre grounds, which now include a circular driveway with a fountain set in the center, stone walls, handcrafted stone staircases, a traditional New England pergola, a greenhouse, a sculpture garden and a pond with a waterfall.

They also restored the clay tennis court and a four-car carriage house hidden behind a head-high wall, accessed through an archway, as well as the columned front-door entry, which leads to a trompe-l’oeil floor.

A place for rare books … and wine But Adrienne and Matthew Raptis (pictured) who bought The Chantry in 2008, don’t treat their home like the set of a 1950s feature film starring Sofia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The Raptises cook in the kitchen and wash the dishes in the deep farm sink. They watch movies in the family room and spend lots of time in the library, reading in the overstuffed leather chairs. They stand on the Romeo and Juliet balcony on the second story, taking in the view of the estate’s gardens. They collect wine, too. To store their favorite bottles, they retrofitted the basement into a wine cellar and are looking forward to making wine from organic grapes grown on the estate.

Continued on next page.

Spring 2016

25

“The home and grounds give such a sense of quiet serenity and reflection, and yet it is also the perfect location for entertainment ... from the indoor pool to the tennis court there are spaces for activity,” says Adrienne Raptis. “And we have had the pleasure of hosting tremendous events, from political fundraising for presidential candidates to Mad Hatter tea parties and Phantom of the Opera masquerades.”

Bob Audette and Becky Karush are a husband/ wife writing team based in Swanzey, N.H.

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Location: 147 Orchard Street Brattleboro, VT Style: Grand European Style Date built: 1916 Remodeled: 1998 If there’s one room where this is especially true, it’s in the former outdoor porch on the southwest side of the house, now named the “Orangerie.” Terracotta-colored tiles underfoot, floor-to-ceiling windows let warm light stream in no matter the weather. Citrus trees and flowering plants border the long wooden table at the center of the room, its surface marked with the comings and goings of history.

The air is warm. The dining chairs are set back from the table as if in invitation. Espresso and anise biscotti seem to fill the air. Come in, the room croons. Enjoy. It is as poet William Butler Yeats wrote: “One almost expects the people to sing instead of speaking. It is all like an opera.”

Remodel and Renew with Renoir in Mind.

design services kitchen and bath transformations window treatments

603-532-7007 17 Turnpike Road Jaffrey, NH 03452 www.renoirrenovations.com Spring 2016

27

renovate

by Desha Peacock

Old Chair, New Love

I

love a good deal, so when I saw this old beauty at a tag sale for $25 I grabbed her.

But let’s be honest, this old gal needed some love.

Inspired by Justina Blakeney’s new book The New Bohemians (check out her “Jungalow” on Instagram and visit www. thejungalow.com for more ideas), I felt inspired to add a bit of jungalicious whimsy to my space.

I searched high and low for the perfect fabric and found what I was seeking in a watercolor print from Crumpets & Crabsticks (www.blog.crumpetsandcrabsticks.co.uk/).

Yet, how to get this gorgeous design from a watercolor print — onto fabric?

Enter Green Park Studios of Andover, Massachusetts (www. greenparkstudios.com). To print a custom design on fabric, all you have to do is upload your design to the Print Studio, pick your fabric and let owner Lisa DiAntonio work her magic.

If you want to print the exact cactus/succulent fabric shown on this darling chair, choose it from the Fabric Shop. Lisa recommended the linen-cotton canvas, which I also highly recommend for a slipcover. It’s strong, yet super soft after just the first wash.

Finally, you just need to pick how many yards you need and you’re all set!

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Within a week after placing my order, seven yards of beautiful custom-made fabric arrived at my doorstep. I took that fabric and my old chair to my local seamstress, Lori Palmer, who made this gorgeous cactus slipcover. Perfect.

Buyers Guide Appliances

Custom Cabinetry

Interior Design

Architects

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

Kitchen & Bath Design/ Build/Restoration

Korvin Appliances 65 Roxbury Street • Keene NH 603-352-3547 www.KorvinAppliances.com Christopher Barry Architect Serving all of New England 617-570-6510 www.cjb-architect.com SISR Architecture PO Box 597 • Marlow NH 603-446-7024 www.sisr.us

Art

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 Emerald Street • Keene NH 603-357-1525 www.penelopesconsignment.com

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

Events

Brattleboro Gallery Walk www.gallerywalk.org

By Design Program Series Monadnock Center for History & Culture 19 Grove Street • Peterborough NH 603-923-3235 www.monadnockcenter.org/by-design

General Contracting

David O’Neil Construction LLC General Contracting, Septic Design/ Installation & Inspection 423 Main Street • Marlborough NH 603-876-9000 www.davidoneilconstruction.com

Hardware/Lumber

Hamshaw Lumber 497 Winchester Street • Keene NH 603-721-9874 www.hamshawlumber.com

Hardwood Flooring

Abel Hardwood Flooring Peterborough NH 603-325-7109

Home Furnishings

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

Renoir Renovations 17 Turnpike Road • Jaffrey, NH 603-532-7007 www.renoirrenovations.com

Real Estate

Robin Godbout, Coldwell Banker robin.godbout@NEmoves.com 603-625-5665 • 603-496-9882 (c) www.coldwellbanker.com

Remodeling & Restoration

Kerry P. Gagne 64 Holman Road • Fitzwilliam NH 603-585-2260

Renewable Energy

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

Tile Work

Brick House Tile 411 Winchester Street • Keene NH 603-357-2884 www.brickhousetiles.com

Travel

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

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

Spring 2016

29

find

Furniture Create your own “new Bohemian” look at home by shopping our region’s many consignment, used, re-purposed and vintage furniture shops!

101 Treasures Wilton NH 603-654-6440 Adams Affordable Furniture Swanzey NH (603) 357-1926 Antiques at the Colony Mill Keene NH 603-358-6343 facebook.com/ colonymillantiques Antiques & Collectibles Mall of New England Greenville NH 603-878-0606 facebook.com/mallofne Attic Antiks West Swanzey NH 603-357-2006 atticantiks.com Cheshire Furniture Swanzey NH 603-357-4250

Join us at Advertising deadlines: Summer: April 30, 2016 Fall: July 31, 2016 Holiday: October 25, 2016 Spring 2017: February 15, 2017 30 Home at

www.athomenewengland.com

Consignment, Re-purposed, Used, Vintage

Common Collections Troy NH (603) 242-7001 Distinctive Décor Brattleboro VT 802-246-1219 Fairgrounds Antiques Swanzey NH 603-352-4420 Find It Furniture & More Keene NH (See ad on page 9) finditfurnitureandmore.com 603-355-4842 Hidden Treasures Swanzey NH 603-680-1229 Home Sweet Home Swanzey NH 603-358-0437 Murray’s Home Again Peterborough NH 603-924-6650 Old Glory Antiques Fitzwilliam NH 603-585-9373 Penelope’s Consignment Keene NH (See ad on page 20) penelopesconsignment.com 603-357-1525

Home Reserve your spot today!

sales@atHOMEnewengland.com

Download our media kit:

www.atHOMEnewengland.com

Piggy’s Consignment Peterborough NH 603-924-0909 piggysgoods.com Robin’s Egg Milford NH 603-672-3900 robins-egg.com The B’s Treasures & Flea Market Swanzey NH (603) 357-9900 The Red Shed Thrift Store Troy NH facebook.com/ theredshedtroynh The Melamine Cup Jaffrey NH 603-532-4900 Turning Leaf Consignment Keene NH 603-354-3768 Twice Upon a Time Brattleboro VT 802-254-2261 twicetime.vpweb.com Twin Elm Farm Peterborough NH 603-784-5341 twinelmfarm.com

Spring Events

Brought to you by Discover Monadnock • www.DiscoverMonadnock.com MARCH

March 12, 2016 (6-7:30 p.m.)

14th Annual Men Who Cook Fundraiser (hosted by Monadnock Family Services) Most diverse buffet under one roof anywhere in New England.

And for a good cause: to support mental health treatment for children throughout the region. Zorn Dining Commons, Keene State College. www.mfs.org March 18, 2016 (7-8 p.m.)

Sing in the Spring Invite spring back by enjoying an evening of song and story.

Bring a song, story and/or musical instrument if you’d like.

Harris Center for Conservation Education,Hancock, NH. 603-525-3394 March 19-20, 2016 Maple Weekend Sugarmakers statewide open their doors to share in the centuries-old craft of maple sugaring.

Some locations offer pancake breakfasts, petting farms or horse-drawn rides. www.nhmapleproducers.com

APRIL

April 2, 2016 (6 p.m.-midnight) Peterborough Play Ball A dance to celebrate the start of baseball season featuring contras, squares and couples dances. Peterborough Town Hall, Peterborough NH. April 6, 2016 (noon-4 p.m.)

A Trip to Naulakha Take a journey into the world of Rudyard Kipling in the early 1900s with a visit to Naulakha, one of the 17 National Historic Landmarks in Vermont. Bus leaves from the Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene at 12:15 p.m. Reservations: 603-352-1895

April 9, 2016 (7:30-9:30 p.m.)

Storytellers on a Mission Nationally renowned storytellers from The Moth, This American Life, The Daily Show and more tell hilarious and moving tales to raise money for Youth Services.

(Note: Not suitable for children.)

The Latchis Theatre, Brattleboro, VT. April 10, 2016 (6 p.m.)

An Evening of A Capella: A Benefit for MAPS Counseling Services An uplifting evening of a Capella music featuring five of the best college groups from greater New England.

The Colonial Theatre, Keene NH. www.thecolonial.org April 14-18, 2016 Monadnock International Film Festival MONIFF brings world-class film and filmmakers to New England’s beautiful Monadnock Region. Venues throughout Keene. www.MONIFF.org April 17, 2016 (4 p.m.)

Diderot Quartet Presented by Music on Norway Pond Live music in Hancock, NH, a fresh voice and invigorating approach to both familiar and lesser known works of the 18th and 19th centuries. Learn more about this musical series: www. musiconnorwaypond.org.

Hancock Meeting House, Hancock, NH. April 23, 2016 (7:30 p.m.)

Music in Bass Hall Featuring the Apple Hill String Quartet. Monadnock Center for History & Culture, 19 Grove Street, Peterborough. www.monadnockcenter.org April 28-30 Slow Living Summit Presented by Strolling of the Heifers Focus on entrepreneurship with key topics in food and agriculture entrepreneurship.

Venues throughout downtown Brattleboro, VT. www.slowlivingsummit.org

MAY

May 3, 2016 (7 p.m.)

By Design Series: Create the Style You Crave See ad on back cover of this magazine for details.

Monadnock Center for History & Culture, 19 Grove Street, Peterborough. www.monadnockcenter.org/ bydesign May 6 & 7, 2016 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Annual Used Book Sale at the Historical Society of Cheshire County History, art, architecture, cookbooks, travel, hardcover fiction and more! Most books will sell for $1 each. Proceeds to go to the historical society. www.hsccnh.org May 21, 2016 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Children and the Arts Festival: Tell Me a Story!

A day of laughter, song, parading giant puppets, food fun dancing, chalk art and Art Walk, and something for everyone who loves art and children. Downtown Peterborough NH. May 22, 2016 (1-4 p.m.)

Art at the Farm Local plein air artists are invited to paint or draw for the afternoon on the campus of Stonewall Farm in Keene NH. Public is invited to walk the grounds and see artists in action. www. stonewallfarm.org

ONGOING

Monday Night Contradance Mondays, 8-10:30 p.m. Town Hall, Nelson, NH Celtic Music Jam Tuesdays, 7:30-10 p.m.

Harlow’s Pub, Peterborough NH. Crafty Cauldron Crafting Circle Wednesdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m.

The Crafty Cauldron, downtown Brattleboro, VT Open Mic Night Wednesdays 7 p.m.

Fitzwilliam Inn, Fitzwilliam NH

Circle Singing: An Evening of Guided Vocal Improvisation 2nd Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m.

Contact nancy@salwen.net Live Music at the Whetstone Thursdays 8:30-11 p.m.

The Whetstone Station, Brattleboro, VT Brattleboro Gallery Walk First Friday of the Month 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Downtown Brattleboro VT MacDowell Downtown First Fridays of the Month (March through November) 7:30 p.m. Monadnock Center for History & Culture, Peterborough NH First Saturday Contradance First Saturday of the Month, 7 p.m., Peterborough Townhouse, Peterborough NH Visit the websites of these local organizations to learn about upcoming shows, film, music, exhibits and more!

Cheshire Children’s Museum, Keene NH www.cheshirechildrensmuseum.org Colonial Theatre, Keene NH www.thecolonial.org Historical Society of Cheshire County, Keene NH www.hsccnh.org Mariposa Museum Peterborough NH www.mariposamuseum.org Monadnock Center for History & Culture Peterborough NH www.monadnockcenter.org Music Together for Monadnock Families Peterborough & Keene NH www.musicallaround.net Thorne Sagendorph Gallery Keene State College Campus, Keene NH www.keene.edu/tsag

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by design, a collaboration with athome magazine is

a series of programs which explore composition, form, and function as it applies to many aspects of our lives including homes, business and commercial architecture, gardens, furniture, community spaces, and more. each program features one or more regional experts sharing their challenges and experiences in the world of design, followed by time for questions, comments, and mingling with fellow attendees.

Join us for these stimulating programs in 2016: February 23, 2016

May 3, 2016

auGuSt 16, 2016

NoveMber 1, 2016

Architecture:

Dunlap Furniture:

The Inevitable Garden

Create The Style You Crave

The Road Goes Through

A Scots-Irish Tradition

Presented by

Presented by

Presented by

Presented by

Gordon Hayward

Desha Peacock

Dan Scully

Philip Zea

architect

Garden desiGner

stylist

President, historic deerfield, inc.

ProGramS held on tueSday eveninGS, beGinninG at 7Pm. for more information and to reGiSter, viSit:

monadnockcenter.org/by-design/ admiSSion $15 / $10 for monadnock center memberS

www.athomenewengland.com HomeStreet, 1932Grove PeterborouGh, nh at

•

oPen WedneSday throuGh Saturday 10 to 4

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603-924-3235