atHome magazine - Spring 2019

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Spring!

Celebrating the homes & gardens of the tristate area of NH, VT & MA

Spruce Up for Spring!

WEST MEETS EAST SPRING FLOWER CARE RHUBARB BREAD & MORE!

Spring 2019

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Weare are kicking We kicking upour our heels! up heals!

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contents SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 27-30 SPRUCE UP FOR SPRING!

Features 11

atHome with History: The Captain Dan Mather House

16 West Meets East A Japanese Inspired Home in the Heart of New England

Columns 5

atHome with Marcia

7

Gift Picks

8

atHome with Art

22

Pets atHome

25

In the Kitchen

26

Design with Ann Henderson

27

Garden

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Issue 14 • Spring 2019 PUBLISHER Backporch Publishing LLC EDITOR Marcia Passos-Duffy CONTRIBUTORS Robert Audette • Ann Henderson Peg Lopata • Leonard Perry • Kim Welch PHOTOGRAPHY Beth Pelton ADVERTISING SALES sales@atHOMEnewengland.com CONTACT US atHome Magazine 16 Russell St., Keene, N.H. 03431 603-369-2525 marcia@atHOMEnewengland.com www.atHOMEnewengland.com atHome is published four times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter)

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

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) The Heart of New England (www.TheHeartofNewEngland.com) Marcia Passos-Duffy is also the co-founder/editor of the award-winning Monadnock Table magazine www.MonadnockTable.com And the founder/editor of The Business Journal (formerly The Small Business Journal) www.TheBusinessJournal.net

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Buyers Guide

Back Cover

Calendar of Events

Spring 2019

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at home with Marcia BRING ON THE ZINNIAS! In the spirit of the Marie Kondo craze, I’ve been not only decluttering inside my house, but I’ve also been taking a hard look at my perennial garden beds to see which ones “spark joy.”

I’ve had as many as seven to 10 perennial beds during the more than two decades I’ve lived in my Keene home, plus a wildflower garden. Caring for perennial beds (see story on page 21) can be time-consuming and labor intensive. But the rewards, as you may know, are stunning displays of blooms, coming and going, all summer long.

But I’ve come to a point in my gardening life where I want to, need to, pare down my perennial beds. I have become weary of weeding and thinning.

And, frankly, I think seven to 10 beds is too much for any one person to care for.

In the place of some of the beds, I’ve planted grass or moss. And I plan to install a patio this summer.

I am also planning to turn some former perennial beds into annual zinnia beds.

Zinnias are like training wheels for the beginner gardener. Or for those, like me, a shortcut for folks who just want some yard color without the fuss. They require very little work to grow ... in fact, it’s hard to go wrong. Zinnias are low maintenance: they are fast-growing and shade out weeds (weeds love sun!) They don’t need much fertilizer, and no mulching if you don’t feel like it. And the blooms! Well, they last all season long if you keep dead-heading or cutting them for vases.

As one zinnia website exclaims, “If there’s an easier flower to grow, we’d like to know about it.”

One gardener blogger doesn’t even prepare her soil — she just sprinkles seeds wherever she’d like a few zinnias, waters those spots for a couple of days, and lets zinnias’ easy-to-grow nature take over.

Easy to grow. Easy to care for. Lots of color. All things in life should be this easy. Bring them on!

Marcia Passos-Duffy

Editor/Publisher, atHome Magazine

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gift picks New England gifts ideas for your home, friends, family (or for you!) hand-picked by the editor of atHome magazine.

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Cynthia, will you describe your artistic process?

When I first began making mosaics 20 years ago, I knew I had found the art form that best relates to my artistic sensibilities. Several years later I took this one step further in identifying my true passion, working abstractly. I begin with lots of pondering on what I want to create, why and how I will do so with material choices and andamento. Inherent to the mosaic art form, andamento refers to the visual flow and direction produced by the placement of rows of tile pieces, or tesserae. These building blocks of the medium are just that — mostly blocky rectilinear shapes that I, the mosaic artist, must bring to life by both the shapes I choose as well as how I position them. The physicality of the medium is significant: I begin by holding my art form. Pieces are added and subtracted, often in a trial and error method which I liken to composing music, playing riffs and combinations until something begins to click. Finally, I am drawn to the finite color palette: I can’t create my colors the way a painter does, and this limitation often forces me to be more creative as a result. My abstract mosaics stem from reflections on a variety of themes, the natural world and science and math concepts being favorites. The best part of the process is when preparation is complete, the mosaic pieces are in hand and I begin to work intuitively, viscerally responding to the materials and how they come together.

at home with art

Cynthia Fisher 15 Forgette Road Charlemont, MA 01339 413-625-8204 cindy@BIGBANGMOSAICS.com www.bigbangmosaics.com Interview by Marcia Passos-Duffy

Cynthia Fisher has been a professional artist for 30 years with a focus on mosaics since 2000. At Big Bang Mosaics she creates installations in public, residential and corporate settings nationwide. Her diverse body of work ranges from illustrative to painterly to nonrepresentational. Cynthia’s abstract mosaics have received prestigious national and international awards, including the Juror’s Choice Award at the Mosaic Arts International show at the Women’s Museum in San Diego, California, in 2016. Cynthia conducts numerous school and community projects, including five in Guatemala and teaches in her studio and at art and craft centers across the country.

“Mosaics are my world,” she says, “and I am always happy to share my passion for this medium.” atHome magazine spoke with Cynthia about her work and incredible mosaics.

8 Home at

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How did you become a mosaic artist?

When I was growing up I was always making things. My mother encouraged my creativity and bought me the book “Encyclopedia of Crafts.” The images of mosaics were ones I always returned to as I was drawn in by the rich color.

Thirty years or so later I took a basic workshop and knew my first instincts were correct, the mosaic medium was a perfect match. I knew I needed for it to become my profession when I realized I couldn’t stop making them — I needed more outlets to pursue this passion.

Your work is so brilliant and colorful. Were you a painter before you became a mosaic artist?

I was a children’s book illustrator for several years before discovering mosaics.

Describe how you go about creating these works. What materials do you use (found, purchased tiles, etc.?)

I use a variety of materials, from 3/4” square vitreous mosaic glass to stained glass, broken ceramics, hand-made pottery shards, Smalti, rocks, shells — anything that won’t biodegrade might be a consideration. I use a wide variety

of materials in my abstract work but more limited range of material in my commercial work.

How long does it take you to complete an installation in a home, say a kitchen backsplash?

Everything depends on size and complexity. I do every step of the process, from sketching, laying the tesserae, attaching the mosaic to a panel with thin-set, grouting and finishing.

Pieces are added and subtracted, often in a trial and error method which I liken to composing music, playing riffs and combinations until something begins to click.

I work in the indirect method, which means the tesserae are first laid on a sticky temporary substrate that in one step is transferred to the finished panel or in an on-site installation, the wall. A 3’ x 2’ stove insert might take 30 hours to complete all of these steps. (I am very fast!)

Tell us what inspires you in your work.

I am inspired by COLOR. I also really put a lot of conceptual thought into every mosaic I create. I do a lot of public art and a strong theme is essential. I always strive to have mul-

tiple layers of meaning to my work. For me, artwork is not successful when I look at it and am done looking at it in five seconds. It is always my goal to engage a viewer and get them to really look at my work thoughtfully.

I am interested in your home mosaics — what kind of mosaics work in homes for the kitchen, bath, etc?

I have done numerous kitchen backsplashes, shower stalls, fireplace surrounds, fireplace hearths to name a few. Exterior works include pool surrounds, retaining walls and patio mosaics.

What is the most interesting installation that you have done?

Hmmmm … Since “interesting” is the adjective you chose, I was in Dayton, Ohio to install a wall mural last fall which I had made on panels in my studio. I affix the panels to the wall and then have to fill mosaic tesserae in the areas where the panels come together for a seamless look. As soon as I Continued on next page.

Spring 2019

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CONTINUED from page 9. saw the wall I knew it was a different size than what I had created — both not as tall and also wider!!! I had to put my thinking cap on to figure it out, but was able to make the necessary adjustments without too much extra work. I mentally prepare for any possible circumstance when doing an installation, and the great thing is that I have always dealt with whatever comes my way. I take the attitude that “is HAS to work!” and in the end it does.

In your commissioned work for homes, do you work from a photograph? Or how do you work with the homeowner to create the look they want to achieve?

I use the web extensively for researching images and almost always work from photographs, though how true to a photograph I stay depends on the project. I love doing mosaics of birds, and I always want them to be as accurate as possible. For example, bird beak shapes are very distinctive to a species and a slight difference in this shape will lack the authenticity that matters to me. (I have a degree in wildlife biology so my science background keeps me on track!) I also try and get as much information from a client on what they are looking for as it is very important to me that they are happy with what I create for them.

labor. My price range is from $150 to $300 a square foot.

House number signs are my most inexpensive creation — yet they are extremely pricey from a home owner’s perspective! Most of my professional work is in public art where the square footage is on a much grander scale.

Anything else you want to add about what you do?

I also teach workshops in my studio in western Massachusetts. I have done five community mosaics in Guatemala and (in March) I will be bringing a group of 16 mosaic artists down for a week-long project in a small town on Lake Atitlán. My upcoming project is my largest yet; I will be designing two mosaics for the city of Tamarac, Florida, an amphitheater wall and a splash pad.

Marcia Passos-Duffy is the editor of atHome magazine.

What are the average prices (I am interested in a range — for example, a house number installation all the way to a more elaborate home design).

Mosaic prices are based on a combination of materials and

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at home with history

The Captain Dan Mather House

By Robert Audette/Photos by Beth Pelton

S

usan Flaherty and Kevin Quigley (pictured, right) reside in a unique historic home in southern Vermont.

In 2015, when Kevin assumed the role as president of Marlboro College, the couple moved into the Captain Dan Mather House and began to make it their own. But they also understood that the house, built in 1810, had its own history that had to be acknowledged and respected.

Continued next page.

Spring 2019

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who received his military commission as a member of the Vermont National Guard, serving in the War of 1812. Timothy Mather persuaded his older brother, Lieutenant Phinehas Mather (1750-1838) to join him in Marlboro. Phinehas and his wife, Huldah Taylor Mather (1758-1847), also were parents of 10 children.

Timothy Mather built the Mather House for his son, Dan, around 1810. Dan Mather and his wife, Almira Miller Mather (1800-1848), married in 1819, and following in his parents’ and uncle and aunt’s footsteps, promptly filled their home with another 10 children.

According to a historic preservation grant proposal, the Mather House was built according to the Georgian Plan, a two-and-one-half story, gable roof, post-and-beam frame house. At its front door, the house is distinguished by its unique, square-topped Palladian window and robust entrance entablature with paneled pilasters, sidelights and tall frieze band.

Throughout the house is the original wide-plank flooring, milled on site in the Mather’s sawmill. In addition to the sawmill, the Mathers operated a grist mill, a wool-carding mill, a starch factory and a boot and shoe shop.

“They cleared 200 acres of land in the first generation,” says Susan.

“The Mathers dug a canal to connect to South Pond,” says Kevin. “There was a pond here big enough for rowboats. Talk about industrious.”

The canal brought more water power to their milling enterprises.

Before the college purchased the building, it was known as the Mumford House, named after the family that had owned it for decades.

CAPTAIN MATHER (continued) “Susan and I have lived in little boxes in big cities for the past 25 years,” says Kevin. “To be in a house with this history and to learn about the people and their connection to this place, their love of the land and their industriousness, it is very powerful. The fact that it’s a house with history, as we learn more about this remarkable Mather family we feel privileged to live here.”

“I admire the Mathers and this woman who had 10 kids and fed them all,” notes Susan. “I can’t imagine how hard their lives were. We both come from big families of nine children, but the circumstances in which our parents raised us all these years later, they were hard but so much easier than when these people were doing it. They must have had the constitution of oxen.”

Susan has done extensive research into the history of the Mather house and was able to trace the Mather family tree using “The History of the Town of Marlborough” by Ephraim Holland Newton.

THE HISTORY, REVEALED Major Timothy Mather, Jr. (1756-1818), arrived in Marlboro, Vermont, in 1773 at the age of 16. He fought in the Revolutionary War, and he and his wife, Hannah Church Mather (1756-1827), married in 1779 and were parents of 10 children. Their ninth child was Capt. Dan Mather (1795-1876),

12 Home at

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THE HOME FOR COLLEGE PRESIDENTS “For a while, some students lived here,” says Kevin. “And then some faculty lived here. The Mather House has served as the home of the president for the last 20 years or so.”

“From the first day we moved in, we’ve always thought of it as the people’s house,” says Susan. “We decided we were going to invite people in.”

Since 2015, Susan and Kevin have entertained from 400 to 600 guests per year for various events such as the incoming freshman class barbecue, the graduate and professional school picnic, breakfasts, lunches and dinners for various trustees, administration, faculty, student, and community events, receptions for honored guests, etc.

“So the Mather House is a very important part of our college community,” says Kevin. “Many guests have been part of the college community for years but had never seen the inside of the house. We take great pleasure in showing the house to guests and telling them all about the Mather family.”

The most significant feature of the dwelling is in the southeast parlor where three plaster walls are painted with early 19th-century murals that depict New England village scenes, surprisingly portrayed with exotic palm and willow trees more reminiscent of the Far East.

Edward B. Allen, the author of “Early American Wall Paintings 1710-1850,” claims the Mather House and the President Coolidge House in Plymouth retain the only extant

preserved 19th-century murals in Vermont. Allen documented that as late as 1926, the entire downstairs, the stairwell, and the upstairs hall were muraled, and the bedrooms were wildly stenciled. Researchers at the Center for Painted Wall Preservation, www.pwpcenter.org, are creating a searchable database archive of 18th- and early 19th-century painted plaster walls throughout New England. So that Mather House murals can be enjoyed and preserved, Susan documented the murals in the digital archive.

The artist of the mural is unknown, but Susan has tried to figure out who painted the existing mural and the murals that appear in old photographs of the home. Through her amateur detective work, she has concluded they could be the work of E.J. Gilbert.

“That’s my theory, at least,” says Susan.

One wall of the parlor has recent shelving adorned with Chinese-themed vintage porcelain Blue Willow Ware from England and Japan. When she first saw the mural in the parlor, Susan says she knew the Chinese plates and furnishings would be at home here.

“The trees on the walls look like the trees on the plates,” says Susan. “And if you look closely at the buildings in the mural, they appear to almost have pagoda roofs.”

“They are Shaker style with a little panache, or with a dash of the Orient,” adds Kevin.

In keeping with the Chinese theme, the parlor is also home to the couple’s collection of Yixing, or Purple Sand, teapots.

“They are from one kiln in China,” says Susan, who has visited 39 countries and pedaled more than 20,000 miles on bicycle trips in China, New Zealand, Europe, Canada and the United States.

“I first saw the teapots while biking in China in 1983.

I was absolutely captivated.”

“They’ve been making teapots at those kilns since the 10th century,” says Kevin.

HOME FEATURES COUPLE’S COLLECTIONS Other features of the house include 12-over-12 windows, clapboard siding, modest cornice moldings with returns on the gable ends, a brick chimney with a square cap, no overhanging eaves on the raking eaves and only a shallow overhang on the horizontal eaves.

A small sitting room that is used for informal teas is furnished with period furniture from the couple’s own collection.

“Kevin’s grandmother and her cousins used to go on antiquing expeditions on Long Island,” says Susan. “This 1830s sofa, possibly Duncan Phyfe, found on one of those trips, was an engagement present.”

On two of the walls of the sitting room are portraits of Kevin’s great grandparents, painted by Harold Betts.

“John and Mary Love Schofield loved old books, and in homage to them, we have a number of antique books in the room and book-themed furniture,” says Susan.

“He ran away to the circus at the age of eight,” says Kevin, of his great-grandfather. “He was a contortionist. But then he fled the circus and went into business.”

“He ran away to start a normal life,” adds Susan.

Continued on next page.

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• 13

Upstairs in the Mather House can be found a contemporary office where Susan, an attorney for Roha & Flaherty, a Washington, D.C., law firm that represents nonprofit organizations, works.

The bedrooms feature hand-adzed, honey-colored ceiling beams. One bedroom is adorned with a collection of souvenir spoons.

“Kevin had a number of spoons from his mother’s mother, and we have added to that collection over the years,” says Susan.

Upstairs bedrooms also include quilts made by Susan’s mother, and artwork and collectibles depicting Niagara Falls.

In a hallway wall between the bedrooms, souvenir plates are on display.

“When we arrived, about the only thing in the parlor was a souvenir plate with an image of the First Congregational Church of Marlboro, originally built in 1778,” notes Susan.

“From that, I developed an interest in collecting souvenir plates. We have been to all the places depicted in the plates.

We have one plate that’s not on the wall because we haven’t visited there yet. Kevin says the plates are like a disease or a fungus that just keeps growing.”

A MODERN ‘BARN’ ADDITION Built circa 2000, the modern wing on the north end of the original house was designed as a modern interpretation of a former attached barn.

It has large sliding glass doors, large single-pane casement windows, vertical board and metal siding, and large “barn doors” to cover the large windows in winter.

“The addition mimics an earlier barn that was connected to the original home,” says Susan. “It follows the roof lines, and it has large barn doors that can be closed in the cold months.”

The great room in the new addition has a casual seating area, as well as a dining table that seats 22.

“In nice weather, the room opens to the outdoors, and we can entertain a larger group,” says Susan.

The room also features a colorful stained glass window with the image of a cacao tree.

“Without this addition, you could not be a college president in this house,” says Susan.

When they’re not entertaining trustees, donors, faculty or guests, the couple sups in the modern kitchen, which is equipped with a restaurant-style Viking gas stove and all

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the modern conveniences.

Susan often visits the Marlboro Center Cemetery, at the corner of Route 9 and Village Road, where the Mathers are buried.

“I like to think they are looking upon us with their smiles very content and maybe a little proud that their home is still here 200 years later, playing a very important role in supporting the College community,” she says.

Since 1946, Marlboro College has been nestled on some 300 acres on a mountaintop in the Green Mountains about 10 miles west of Brattleboro. One of the nation’s smallest liberal arts colleges, Marlboro College has long been included in the annual “Colleges That Change Lives.” Marlboro provides community and opportunity for rugged intellectuals. For more information about the College, visit www. marlboro.edu. For more information about the town of Marlboro, visit https://marlborovt.us/about.

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West Meets East A Japanese-Inspired House In the Heart of New England

By Peg Lopata / Photography by Beth Pelton

16 Home at

www.athomenewengland.com

Spring 2019

• 17

D

esign is a battle between form and function. Rarely is the perfect balance obtained, but it’s always strived for. The Dublin, New Hampshire, home of Paul Tuller and Mary Loftis strikes that balance beautifully using Japanese-inspired construction, design and décor. Though a new house built just 13 years ago, this structure echoes the enduring methods and style of Japanese home-building of the past: highlevel craft, simplicity and precision.

Paul has studied and practiced Japanese-style woodworking for 40 years. Therefore, it’s no surprise there are countless Japanese elements in this home’s 3,000 square feet of living space.

Mary explains, “The house is based on the design of a Japanese farmhouse.”

This includes a hip roof with large, sheltering overhangs, ancestral crests in the eaves and trim; doors covered in patterned paper; furniture — many pieces handcrafted by Paul himself — and a wood soaking tub in the master bedroom.

Homage to Japanese style home building is seen the moment you step inside the Tuller-Loftis home. In the mudroom, directly opposite the entry door is a print of an old, thatched-roof Japanese country house. Its placement on this wall is not accidental. The print is a reverential bow to the Japanese craft of home-building.

But, this is New England, and Mary and Paul are pragmatic people. Thus, as you continue further into the house, there are some

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Western design influences and sturdy materials, such as the floor for the dining area and a kitchen bar counter, both made of concrete, a wood-burning stove and the spacious floor plan.

The layout shows a good understanding of how people move throughout homes. Though each public room flows openly from one to the other, each is distinct, which creates unity, while allowing the need for separate spaces.

There’s ample thoroughfare from room to room, but also unique flavors evident in each room.

The kitchen, for example, is bright with color. There’s a good balance between form — bold-colored Marmoleum flooring with curving lines — and function — often-used items easily accessible.

Says Paul, “Our concept was to have a lot of things out — we didn’t hide the pretty things we use all the time behind doors.”

Food staples are on shelving behind paper-covered sliding doors at a height that requires little reaching or bending. An oversized area at one side of the kitchen allows for good flow for big parties.

“We’ve had parties here with 40 people. Everyone can easily move from room to room,” says Paul.

The dining room is warm and welcoming. It’s just close enough to the kitchen to carry food to and from it easily, but also far enough to let you forget that the kitchen is

a workspace thus enticing you to eat leisurely.

There’s Paul-made cabinetry under a row of windows. Artfully arranged objects atop the cabinets invite inspection.

Says Paul, “I wanted to have spaces to store and display things, which is a Japanese sort of thing.”

The living room is airy but homey. It is set apart from the dining room and kitchen but easily accessed from two entry points. A soaring ceiling 18 feet high at its peak creates vastness. But with wood all around, including shimmering wood planking that covers part of the ceiling, the room is cozy.

This distinctive shine was obtained using a planing machine that’s “like a giant hand plane” explains Paul.

It glows despite no polyurethane and no finish.

“It’s just bare, raw wood,” says Paul.

All the rooms, however, share common features: light, comfort and artistry. Light and comfort are accomplished through tall ceilings, lots of wood and a generous amount of windows. Artwork and crafts are abundant.

The walls throughout the house, including the stairs to the upstairs space and Mary’s workspace, are covered with the works of area artists: portraits, landscapes and still life.

Shelves and surfaces display pottery Though beautiful objects are plentiful, sustainable design creates the comfort to enjoy it all. There’s radiant heating.

“We can walk around in bare feet year-round!” says Mary.

A solar array in the field behind the house supplies 100 percent of the home’s electricity; a solar hot water system supplies all hot water needs.

The house is solar-oriented, as well. Overhangs shade or let the sun in according to the season.

“In winter the sun pours in,” notes Paul.

Insulation is substantial with concrete walls some 13 inches thick up to the sills.

“There’s a heat recovery ventilation system that runs automatically for 15 minutes every hour during the winter bringing in fresh air and expelling stale air,” explains Mary.

Green materials are used throughout, for example in the choice of flooring: rubber in the entry, cork in the living room and bamboo in the bedrooms.

Sustainability, green materials, and a beautifully well-crafted home achieves the balance between the utilitarian and the aesthetic.

Mary, a former art teacher and Paul, a wood craftsmen now teaching his skills to others, have created a Japanese-inspired home that is a brilliant model for this type of balance.

Continued on next page.

Spring 2019

• 19

Big House. Little House.

Main house, on left, is Japanese-inspired. As is the tiny house (below) that the couple reconstructed on their property. The 480 square foot house is typical of what a family of four might live in Japan.

EAST

The Little Japanese House: Another World Behind the Tuller-Loftis house, a project is under construction, a house of 480 square feet that a family of four might live in Japan.

The timber frame of this house was first erected at the Brattleboro Museum, Vermont, in 1987 as part of a cultural exchange to show the contrasts between Western and Japanese construction. Many years later Paul bought the timbers.

As time allows, he works on finishing this small house.

Says Mary, “We envision collaborations with the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough and perhaps the Dublin School (Dublin, New Hampshire), to allow others to see this little gem of a building.”

As in their home, this structure contains multiple beautiful details. For example, the porch and entry are supported by hand-carved poles of Atlantic white cedar, set into stones into concrete. On the main floor are tatami mats, a traditional type of flooring used in Japan made of rush and cloth, and a large, low table called a kotatsu that can be lowered

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into the floor to make room for more sleeping space. Along a back wall are shoji screens to hide storage areas. There’s a corner for flower arranging and a nook for a shrine to pay respects to the ancestors.

Paying respects to ancestors may not be a modern thing, but Paul believes it’s still important to honor those who help you construct a building. Thus, following the Japanese tradition, on a central beam, there are the names of those who helped raised the timbers and did carpentry for this house.

Though not yet finished, Mary says this home “inspires tranquility with its simple, but beautiful details and dim light. When you come inside you enter another world.”

Peg Lopata is a freelance writer based in Vermont.

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pets at home

“Is it OK if my dog eats grass?”

By Kim Welch, Certified Professional Dog Trainer

There are as many reasons for a dog to eat grass as there are dog breeds. Having a little understanding of why your dog might be eating grass should help you avoid any serious issues. If you have a dog that vomits each time he eats grass, maybe his stomach just can’t digest it. There are other reasons that some dogs eat grass. One of them being a condition called “pica.” So, if your grass eating companion also consumes sticks, bark mulch, sheet rock, or other non-food items, it’s a good idea to run it past your veterinarian to resolve the issue. Eating grass could also be behavioral. OCD can cause our dogs to act out in lots of weird ways, such as chasing shadows, digging, licking herself as well as eating the lawn. Talking with a behaviorist or a trainer who uses positive reinforcement methods can help you get to the bottom of Spot’s addiction. Some dogs just like certain grasses. My Labs always eat the tall grass that grows along the sides of our road and some varieties that grow near water. Since they only do it on walks in these areas, and they don’t have any digestive issues after, it’s never been a problem for them.

We call it their “veggie snack.” Keep in mind though that consumption of too much grass or other plant material

22 Home at

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can cause a blockage in your dog’s gut. And never let your pooch eat grass from lawns. Unless you know for certain that it has never been treated with chemicals. Bottom line: Don’t worry too much about your dog’s occasional grass habit if it’s not obsessive and doesn’t cause him/her any digestive upset.

Sign up for Kim’s newsletter at www.kimk9kompanionnh.com and receive your free copy of “Say Please.” You can also follow K9 Kompanion on Facebook and Instagram.

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Spring 2019

• 23

in the kitchen For the struesel: 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 tablespoons sweet butter

By Marcia Passos-Duffy

E

ither you like rhubarb or you don’t.

I happen to love it. And so does Tinky Weisblat, who, in fact, loves it so much that she has penned a new cookbook devoted to the tart red stalks that pop up in the spring, “Love, Laugher and Rhubarb.” In this book, Tinky provides 60 recipes, from beverages to appetizers to main courses and desserts. Of rhubarb, Tinky writes: “It’s beautiful. It’s resilient. It’s versatile.

Oh, my goodness. I just realized that I may love rhubarb because it’s like ME!” And, now that I think of it, it could be like you and me as well. Here’s one of my favorite recipes from her book. Learn more about Tinky and her delightful recipe books at www.tinkycooks.com/.

Rhubarb Bread • By Tinky Weisblat This recipe is adapted from a dairy producer, Land O’Lakes. It makes a tasty morning loaf. It was one of the last gifts I took to my Uncle Bruce before he died in 2016 so it always makes me think of him ... a smart, charming ever curious man whom I miss.

For the bread: 1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/3 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional, but good) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups (generous) finely chopped rhubarb

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Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease and four a standard loaf pan, or spray it with a spray that both greases and flours. (You may also grease and flour 3 small loaf pans, which make lovely gifts for individuals.)

In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and the sugar.

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, followed by the orange juice and the zest if you are using it (Don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled.) Beat in the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. On low speed, stir in the flour; then fold in the rhubarb by hand.

In a bowl combine the flour, the brown sugar, and the cinnamon for the streusel; then cut the butter or rub it in with your fingers. Spoon half of the bread batter into the prepared loaf pan or pans. Top with half of the streusel. Spoon in the remaining bread batter, followed by the remaining streusel.

Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 to 70 minutes for the large loaf, or 30 to 40 minutes for the small loaves. (The baking time will depend on your pan and your oven.) Cool the bread in its pan(s) for 10 minutes, then gently loosen the sides and remove the bread. Let it cool on a rack. Once the bread has cooled, wrap it in foil until ready to serve. Makes 1 large loaf or 3 small ones.

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Spring 2019

• 25

design Wood Flooring: Choices and Care Part I: Laminate & Engineered Floors

W

e live in New England, a traditional unspoiled environment of pristine natural beauty. It seems that white clapboard houses are in our DNA and certain design elements have survived the test of time. One of the most enduring materials for our homes is wood flooring. Hardwood flooring has a long, rich history in New England and beyond and is still very much a desirable part of the design vernacular even in modern homes. There is nothing warmer or more beautiful than the perfectly finished hardwood floor and it is a wise investment in both remodeling and new construction. The National Association of Realtors has stated that 54 percent of home buyers are willing to pay more for a home with hardwood floor. However, all hardwood flooring is not created equal and the choices can be overwhelming. Many of my clients are confused by the types of flooring, the variety of pricing and the color and finish selections. Cleaning and care can be an area of too many choices as well and should be viewed as simple weekly inexpensive upkeep. In this column we will highlight laminate and engineered floors. Part II, which will appear in the summer issue of atHome, we will look at natural hardwood (and softwood) floors, painted floors and care and upkeep of all floors.

Laminate Wood Floors Because of the desirability of the wood look, laminate wood floors make it possible to select from a wide array of species of wood and still stay on budget. What is this flooring and why so inexpensive? Laminate wood floors are manufactured from wood particles compressed at high pressure and

26 Home at

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temperature with an overlay of natural wood to produce the graining. Color and UV protection are inherent in the material. If properly installed, the surface is waterproof and can be put down on problematic sub-floors. These floors can be up to 50 percent less expensive in both materials and installation costs. But don’t get mesmerized by the savings and do think about selecting the best quality you can afford. European Laminate Flooring Manufacturers have devised an AC rating system of 1-5, and the preferred range would be 3 and above. In addition, make sure the flooring has a strong back and a dense core to prevent warping and to feel solid underfoot. Choose a floor with an HPL (high-pressure laminate) rating for longevity and the preferred thickness of at least 12-15 mm. This material cannot be sanded or refinished and if there is a dent or gouge in the surface material the strip will need replacement. For repairs, make sure you have 10-15 percent overage of your total square footage at install. Select the graining that looks the most realistic.

Actual texture can enhance the rustic realism of older floors but it should be subtle as less is more with essentially faux wood and rough flooring is harder to clean and not comfortable underfoot.

Beware of a surface that is too shiny as it may be a dead giveaway for a less expensive floor and it may also produce annoying static electricity.

Engineered Floors Invented in the 1960s these floors have grown in quality and creative offerings and are wildly popular. This Old House has estimated that over 30 percent of current hardwood flooring installations are engineered floors. Engineered floors are up to nine layers of solid, particle and wood veneers compressed together. When you look at a sample of this flooring in a showroom it is easy to count the layers and see the construction. The core is fiberboard and/ or plywood, the base a smooth surface and the top layer is of wood or wood veneer. The best quality engineered floors have from 5-9 layers, at least a 3mm top surface and a 25 year warranty.

With the 3mm top surface the flooring can be sanded at least two times in its lifetime which enhances its potential for lasting beauty. A good quality engi-

neered floor will have from 7-9 finish coats which can range from very high gloss to hand-rubbed to scraped and wire-brushed. These floors are the greenest option for new construction as the trees utilized have a faster growth cycle. From $7-14 per square foot be careful in comparing the price with raw hardwood which may be in the same range but still has to be refinished and is much more labor intensive (costly) to install. Since these floors are glued down they are easily installed over everything from plywood to concrete.

They are stable in all conditions and provide a good option for radiant heat and basement flooring where natural hardwood is not an option. As with laminate flooring, engineered flooring offers a wide variety of color, species and finish choices. Planning the look you want ahead of time is essential; know your style and your palette. If you want the look of an older floor choose wider boards and a less shiny finish. The shinier the finish the more apt the floor will show scratches and dings. In color choices, engineered flooring allows interesting applications of color to grain that would be expensive and challenging for onsite refinishing. For example, a red oak floor with a dark mahogany stain is possible and very beautiful, easily attainable in the manufacturing process. To achieve the same look on solid oak planks would require several coats of dark stain diligently applied by a very skilled contractor.

Ann Henderson is the owner of Ann Henderson Interiors of Keene, New Hampshire.

Home SPECIAL SECTION at

SPRUCE UP FOR SPRING!

SPRING IN THE PERENNIAL GARDEN

By Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, and Andrea Luchini, Graduate Assistant, University of Vermont

I

n order for perennial gardens to look their best in summer, they require some care in spring before most plants begin to flower.

In the very early spring, if you ordered bareroot plants (just the plant and its roots) through the mail or internet, they may arrive. It’s best to pot them into a container and let them get established in an outdoor, but sheltered, area before planting into the ground later. If they are from a warmer location, with lush growth, you’ll want to protect them from spring frosts. Also, now is a good time to get your tools ready by cleaning, oiling and sharpening. Sharpening devices can be found at many complete garden stores, hardware stores or online.

Continued on next page.

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Spring 2019

• 27

In the early spring, after most of the snow melts and temperatures are mostly above freezing, remove winter protection such as evergreen boughs, or other types of coverings and winter mulches. Do so early in the spring because plants will begin growing under these. Perennials need the sun, and to be exposed to cooler temperatures, to be fully hardy. Uncover too late, and they may be easily burned by the sun or injured by dips in the temperature. The mulches can stay on open parts of the perennial beds.

When you want to get out early in the season and garden it is hard to resist, but you don’t want to start working in your flower beds if the soils are wet (especially clay soils). This can cause compaction, which will make the ground harder for the plant roots to grow through, and it removes the necessary pore space for air and water. You also don’t want to step on newly emerging plants.

That being said, you shouldn’t wait too long! Any plants heaved up by frost action should be pressed back down into the ground. Before too many plants start their spring growth, start your spring clean-up by removing dead, decaying plant matter. While it does provide organic matter to your beds, it can also harbor pests and diseases. So it’s best to remove this dead growth from last year, if you didn’t last fall. Now, or later, you can add fresh compost or mulch for additional organic matter.

28 Home at

Some perennials such as tickseed, shasta daisy, garden phlox, asters, and coneflowers have green rosettes at ground level that overwinter and need to be exposed. Most perennials (such as perennial geranium, daylily, bee balm and others) can be cut back almost to the ground, and they will regrow from there.

Once all the plants are cut back, you can start weeding! By now, weeds will already be growing strong.

It’s the best time, and easiest, to get at them before they get too big. Watch what you are doing as newly emerging plants (especially small ones you just planted last fall), and seedlings, can sometimes be confused with weeds. If you know it’s a seedling of something you don’t want, go ahead and remove it.

Continued on page 30

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at

Home Special Section

SPRUCE UP FOR SPRING!

SPRING IN THE GARDEN (continued)

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Spring 2019

• 29

SPRUCE UP FOR SPRING!

If you want the seedling, but not in that spot, wait until it gets larger before trying to transplant it.

You can also start fertilizing and mulching your beds, again watching out for new plants. Inorganic fertilizer shouldn’t be necessary every year in perennial beds, especially if you’ve been consistently adding compost, but older beds may need the added boost.

Organic fertilizers, which have fewer nutrients and are more slow release than inorganic ones, can be added each year. Make sure to keep fertilizer off plant foliage to avoid burning it.

It’s also better to apply too little rather than too much fertilizer. Too much fertilizer may result in perennials growing lush foliage, with few or no flowers.

Too much fertilizer, and it may end up in surface or groundwater supplies.

When mulching your beds with fine pine bark or similar organic material, be careful not to over-mulch.

Two to three inches thick should be enough for open areas, and don’t put any mulch on the crowns (base) of your perennials. Some plants, such as peonies, won’t flower at all if their crowns are covered. Other shallow-rooted perennials such as yarrow and many bellflowers may be smothered and killed by heavy mulching.

If you have plants that need dividing or moving, mid-to-late spring is usually the best time for this.

Keep in mind that many perennials won’t need dividing unless they had few blooms the past season, or have open centers with no stems emerging. It’s best to divide most perennials when they are about two to four inches tall. If they are taller than that, you may want to cut them back to about this height. Try not to move or divide a plant when it is flowering. This includes spring-bloomers such as lungwort and primroses.

While most plants like to be divided in the spring, some are best divided after bloom. These include oriental poppies, Siberian iris, bearded iris, and true lilies (not daylilies). Peonies are best divided in the fall.

Weeding, fertilizing, mulching and dividing can all continue into late spring. In general, it’s best to have the fertilizing, mulching, and dividing done before

at

Home Special Section

SPRING IN THE GARDEN (continued)

30 Home at

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summer begins. Staking plants with cages around them, or hoops as for peonies, should begin now before plants get too large. You can cut flowers off of tulips, daffodils, and other larger bulbs when they are finished bloom. Leave the foliage though to die down naturally, adding nutrients back to the bulb for next year.

Dr. Leonard Perry is an extension professor, and Andrea Luchini is a graduate assistant, at the University of Vermont.

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www.robbleetreeservice.com

g u i d e b u y e r s

PLEASE SUPPORT THE LOCAL ADVERTISERS THAT SUPPORT atHOME MAGAZINE! ACCOUNTANTS Anderson & Gilbert 295 Park Ave. Keene, NH 603-357-1928 www.taxfolks.net APPLIANCES Korvin Appliances 65 Roxbury St. Keene, NH 603-352-3547 www.KorvinAppliances.com ARCHITECTS KCS Architects PC 310 Marlboro St., 2nd Fl. Keene, NH 603-439-6648 www.kcs-architects.com ART: Artists Linda Dessaint Fine Art Studio & Gallery P.O. Box 329 52 Main St. Antrim, NH 03440 603-801-5249 www.LindaDessaint.com ART: Framing Indian King Framery 149 Emerald St, Suite D2 (In The Center of Keene, Next to Penelope’s) Keene, NH 603-352-8434 www.indiankingframery.com BAKERY Baker’s Station 18 Depot St. Peterborough, NH 603-784-5653 www.bakersstation.com Orchard Hill Breadworks 121 Old Settlers Rd. Alstead, NH 603-835-7845 www.orchardhillbreadworks.com CARPENTRY/ ROOFING/SIDING John A. Huntley 603-831-0864 CONTRACTOR: Building/Construction MT3 Unlimited LLC 856 Guilford Center Rd. Guilford, VT mt3unlimited@gmail.com 802-254-1688 DESIGN: Interior Design Ann Henderson Interiors 16 West St. Keene, NH 603-357-7680 www.ahinteriors.com DESIGN: Web/Print Eismont Design 50 Monadnock Hwy. North Swanzey, NH 603-283-0027 www.eismont.com

DOG TRAINING Kim K9 Kompanion Dog Training/Walking 355 Cobble Hill Rd., Swanzey, NH 603-903-7861 www.kimk9kompanionnh.com EVENTS Gallery Walk Downtown Brattleboro, VT www.gallerywalk.org FLOORING Monadnock Flooring (& Jingles Christmas and Gift Shop) NEW LOCATION: 1024 Hwy 12 Westmoreland, NH 603-352-5905 www.monadnockflooring.com FURNITURE: Heirloom Breuer’s Heirloom Furniture 711B Greenfield Rd. Deerfield, MA 413-522-8421 www.breuersheirloomfurniture.com GARAGE DOORS Keene Door LLC 528 Washington St. Keene, NH 603-352-8553 www.keenedoor.com GARDEN, HOME & FARM Achilles Agway Six Locations in the Region: Peterborough, NH: 603-924-6801 Brattleboro, VT: 802-254-8755 Walpole, NH: 603-756-9400 Hillsboro, NH: 603-464-3755 Milford, NH: 603-673-1669 Keene, NH: 603-357-5720 www.achilleagway.com Julie’s Garden & Greenhouse at Maple Farm Gunn Rd., Keene, N.H. jcbgarden@yahoo.com GARDENER Tom Amarosa Plant/Property Care Specializing in pond installations 282 Keene Rd., Winchester, NH 603-209-1427 (call or text)

PLAY EQUIPMENT Granite State Rainbow Play Systems 174 Lafayette Rd., North Hampton NH 603-964-4000 75 Hancock Rd. Peterborough, NH 603-924-7144 www.granitestaterainbowplay.com PLUMBING & HEATING Plumbusters 24 Lakewood Dr. Jaffrey, NH 603-831-0594 www.plumbusters.net POOLS & SPAS: Sales, Installation, Service Clear Water Pool and Spa of Keene, LLC 233 Monadnock Hwy. Swanzey, NH 603-357-5874 www.clearwaterpoolsandspa.net PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Ecoscapes 21 Pond Brook Rd. W. Chesterfield, NH 603-209-4778 ecoscapes35@gmail.com RESTAURANTS Elm City Brewery 222 West St. #46, Keene, NH 603-355-3335 www.elmcitybrewing.com The Pub Restaurant 131 Winchester St. Keene, NH 603-352-3135 www.thepubrestaurant.com RETAIL: Antiques & Home Decor Cove of Treasures 27 Central Square Troy, NH 603-732-7159 www.coveoftreasures.com RETAIL: Food Hancock Market 30 Main St. Hancock, NH 603-525-4433 www.hancockmarketnh.com

JEWELRY: Handmade Geo-Graphic Gems Keene, NH 603-369-2525 www.geographicgems.com

Monadnock Food Co-op 34 Cyprus St. Keene, NH 603-355-8008 www.monadnockfood.coop

METAL WORK Iron-it-Out 42 Breezy Hill Rd. Springfield, VT 802-766-1137 www.iron-it-out.com

Monadnock Oil & Vinegar 3 Grove St., Peterborough, NH 603-784-5175 www.monadnockoilandvinegar.com

PAINTING & WALL COVERING Robert Codman Painting & Wallcoverings 49 Old Dublin Rd. Hancock, NH 603-547-7906 robcod@hotmail.com PET STORE One Stop Country Pet Supply 26 Ashbrook Rd. Keene, NH 603-352-9200 www.onestopcountrypet.com

RETAIL: Gifts/Clothing Cultural Cocoon 32 Main St. Peterborough, NH 603-924-6683 www.culturalcocoon.com In the Company of Flowers 106 Main St. Keene, NH 603-357-8585 Joseph’s Coat 32 Grove St. Peterborough, NH 603-924-6683 www.jocoat.com

REAL ESTATE Blais & Associates Realtors 32 Monadnock Hwy., Rt. 12, So. Keene, N.H. 603-352-1972 www.blaisrealestate.com Giselle LaScala Re/Max Town & Country 117 West. St., Keene, NH giselle@glascalahomes.com 603-357-4100 x109 www.remax.com Robin Sanctuary Galloway Real Estate 47 Main St. Walpole, NH 603-313-9165 www.gallowayservices.com SCHOOLS Mountain Shadows School 149 Valley Rd. Dublin, NH 603-563-8170 www.mountainshadowsschool.com TREE SERVICES Robblee Tree Service 114 Concord St. Antrim, NH 603-588-2094 www.robbleetreeservice.com VACUUM CLEANERS: Sales, Service, Repair The Vacuum Store 451 West St., Keene, NH 603-352-5085 www.thevacuumstoreofkeene.com VINYL SIDING/REPLACEMENT WINDOWS/INSULATION J.A. Jubb 38 Swanzey Factory Rd. Swanzey, NH 603-499-4098 www.JAJubb.net UPHOLSTERY/DECORATING Spofford Upholstery 43 Zinn Road Spofford, NH spoffordupholstery@gmail.com 603-363-8057 New England Fabrics & Decorating Center 55 Ralston St. Keene, NH 603-352-8683 www.newenglandfabrics.com WINDOW & TABLE LACE Enchanted Lace 92 Route 101 Amherst, NH 603-673-5223 www.enchantedlace.com WEBSITES The Heart of New England Keene, NH www.theheartofnewengland.com WOODWORKING Millbrook Farm Woodworks Gazebos/Sheds Horse Barns/Furniture 1835 Route 12 Westmoreland, NH 03467 603-399-4470 www.millbrookfarmwoodworks.com

Spring 2019

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calendar APRIL

April 5-June 28 • By the Sea Exhibit Fry Fine Art Gallery, Peterborough, NH www.fryfineart.com April 5-7 • Aunt Lillian’s Hat Collection Exhibit Trumpet Gallery (4 & 5 p.m.)

Peterborough, NH 603-801-4502 April 5 • Home Improvement & Garden Expo 11 a.m.-4 p.m. @ The River Garden Brattleboro, Vt. www.strollingoftheheifers.com April 6 • International Slow Art Day 2 p.m. @ Brattleboro Museum & Art Center www.brattleboromuseum.org April 6 • Peterborough Play Ball 2019 6 p.m.-midnight Peterborough Town House www.monadnockfolk.org April 6 • Annual Gala Dance Party with Soulsha at Next Stage 7 p.m. @ Next Stage, Putney, Vt. www.nextstagearts.org

April 28 • The Greater Keene Pops Choir 3-4:30 p.m.

The Colonial Theatre, Keene, NH 603-352-2033

MAY

May 3 • Gallery Walk 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Downtown Brattleboro, Vt. May 3 • Moolah Palooza 6-11 p.m./Keene Chamber of Commerce Keene Country Club, Keene, NH Tickets: $125. Call 603-352-1303 May TBA • Dancing of the Ladies Stonewall Farm, Keene, NH www.stonewallfarm.org May 4 • Women’s Expo 11 a.m.-4 p.m. @ The River Garden Brattleboro, Vt. www.strollingoftheheifers.com May 4 • Greenerborough 2019 Downtown Peterborough, NH www.greenerborough.org

April 12 • Community Resiliance Fair 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Antioch University New England, Keene, NH www.monadnockfood.coop/events

May 11 • Annual Book Sale 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Historical Society of Cheshire County Keene, NH www.hsccnh

April 13 & 14 • Keene Home Expo 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (ends at 3 p.m. on the 14th) Keene Ice, Keene, N.H. www.keenehomeexpo.com

May 12 • Peterborough Book Fair 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Peterborough Community Center, NH www.peterboroughpoetryproject.org

April 13 • 2019 YMCA Sneaker Ball 6-11:30 p.m.

Keene Family YMCA, Keene, NH www.keeneymca.org

May 18 • The Great Finnish Bread Bakeoff 1-3 p.m./Adults $10, Kids free Troy Elementary School, Troy, NH www.hsccnh.org

April 18 • Shinrin-Yoku: A Forest Bathing Experience 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Harris Center, Hancock, NH www.harriscenter.org

May 29 & 30 • 2nd Annual Rudyard Kipling Estate Tour & Rhododendron Display 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.@ The Landmark Trust Dummerston, Vt., $35, registration required www.landmarktrustusa.org

April 20 • Monadnock Region Earth Festival, Noon-4 p.m.

Monadnock Food Co-op, Keene, NH www.monadnockfood.coop/earthfestival

May 31-June 9 • Keene Art Walk All day, Downtown Keene, NH www.keeneartwalk.com

April 20 • Spring Afternoon Tea Event 3-4:30 p.m. @ 1868 Crosby House B&B Brattleboro, Vt., $25-$37 per person www.crosbyhouse.com

June 1 & 2 • Dublin Vintage Market (See ad on this page) Cricket Hill Farm, Dublin, NH Info: mariaamarosa@yahoo.com

April 20 • Bread and Puppet Theater 7:30-9:30 p.m.@ Next Stage Arts Projectm Putney, Vt., $15 April 25 • Landscaping for Wildlife, Part I 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Harris Center, Hancock, NH www.harriscenter.org April 26-28 • MONIFF: Monadnock International Film Festival Info/tickets: www.moniff.org

32 Home at

JUNE

June 6 & 7 • Slow Living Summit The River Garden, Brattleboro, Vt. $100-$350 sliding scale The Future of Women in Food Entrepreneurship www.slowlivingsummit.org June 7, 8 & 9 • Strolling of the Heifers Parade, Expo and Weekend Events Brattleboro Common, Brattleboro, Vt. www.strollingoftheheifers.com

www.athomenewengland.com

June 8 • MoCo Arts Creative Dance Festival Show times: TBD MoCo Arts Center, Keene, NH www.moco.org June 27 • Peonies & Pints at Frogg Brewing 6-8 p.m./$40 floral arranging and beer Frogg Brewing, Marlborough, NH www.frogg-peonies.eventbrite.com

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays • Nelson Monday Night Contra Dance 8-10:30 p.m. @ Nelson Town Hall, NH www.monadnotes.com Tuesdays • Tuesday Irish Music 7-9 p.m. @ Coopers Hill Public House Peterborough, NH Facebook.com/coopershillpublichouse Wednesdays • Celtic and Old Timey Jam Session, 6-8 p.m. @ DelRossi’s Trattoria, Dublin, NH Thursdays • Bluegrass Jam 8 p.m. @ Harlow’s Pub Peterborough, NH www.monadnotes.com 1st Fridays • Keene First Friday Art Hop 5-9 p.m., Downtown Keene, NH 1st Fridays • Gallery Walk 4-9 p.m. @ Downtown Brattleboro, Vt. 1st Saturdays • Change Their Lives Open Barn at Draft Gratitude (meet the horses), 10 a.m.-noon @ Draft Gratitude Horse Rescue, Winchester, NH www.draftgratitude.com

1st Saturdays • Peterborough Contra Dance 8 p.m. @ Peterborough Town Hall, NH www.monadnockfolk.org 1st & 3rd Saturdays • Live Irish Music at Cooper Hill Public House, Peterborough, NH, Facebook.com/cooperhillpublichouse FOR MORE LOCAL EVENTS VISIT THESE WEBSITES: www.applehill.org www.brattleboromuseum.org www.cheshirechildrensmuseum.org www.thecolonial.org www.hsccnh.org www.mariposamuseum.org www.marlboromusic.org www.mocoarts.org www.monadnockcenter.org www.monadnockfolk.org www.monadnockmusic.org www.nextstagearts.org www.nhopendoors.com www.pfmsconcerts.org www.peterboroughplayers.org www.keene.edu/arts/redfern www.nhia.edu www.vcphoto.org www.vtjazz.org

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