atHome, Summer 2023

Home with Marcia

atHOME MAGAZINE ISSUE #30 SUMMER 2023

PUBLISHER

Iselected the cover image because it reminds me of my annual vacation on Cape Cod. I’ve been camping on the Outer Cape for many years -- since my children were small (they are now in their 20s and 30s).

Truro, Massachusetts, which rests on the pristine National Seashore, is my happy place; a place where I meet my friends (who have also been camping there for many years as well), a place to let down my guard, to forget all my “to-do” lists for work and home.

After about a day or two of my annual two-week vacation, I begin to unwind and set all my responsibilities back home aside. The phone goes to voicemail. Text messages (unless urgent) are left unanswered. I could care less about posts on Facebook and Instagram (unless, of course, they are comments about my vacation photos). My world becomes smaller on the Cape, and, at the same time, more expansive.

See, the Cape does it magic on me each year and insists that I focus on other things in life besides my computer, my phone, the news, the to-do list. My priorities shift and am more concerned with listening for the howling of coyotes at night. I want to know more about low and high tides than the wars overseas. More concerned about the inflation of my bike’s tires than the economic inflation. And more focused on condition of my bathing suit (dry enough for the next beach day?) and if the hammock is securely tied to the scrub pine trees so I can take a nap.

In many ways, there is another “me,” one that lives year-round on the Cape, waiting for the other “me” to show up once a year. As I near retirement age, my hope is that there may be a time when I can spend more than two weeks in this Cape-state -of-mind “me.”

But until then, I’ll take the two weeks I can get.

Happy Summer!

Backporch Publishing LLC

FOUNDER/EDITOR

Marcia Passos

CONTRIBUTORS

Michele Chalice

Patricia Herlevi

Nancy McGartland

Rob Parisi

Sarah Sim

Caroline Tremblay

PHOTOGRAPHY

Kelly Fletcher

ADVERTISING SALES: jeanne@atHOMEnewengland.com

CONTACT US atHome Magazine

16 Russell Street • Keene, N.H. 03431 603-369-2525

marcia@atHOMEnewengland.com www.atHOMEnewengland.com

atHome is published four times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall/Holiday and Winter) by Keene, N.H.-based Backporch Publishing LLC. atHome is a consumer publication that highlights the homes and gardens of residents in tri-state 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 at www.backporchpublishing.com

“When all else fails,take a vacation.”

-- Betty Williams (activist and Nobel Laureate)

Buy local this summer!

Take it Outside!

Outdoor Discovery

Outdoor Bingo

4 Pack-Travel or Yard Game • $13.00

This Outdoor Bingo 4-pack will come in handy to keep everyone entertained on your adventures. Each card has 24 slots with one free spot in the middle. Slide the windows to reveal different animals, plants, and elements of nature, like trees, mushrooms, bats, and more. Playing bin go has never been more fun on-the-go!

"Fill THE TOADSTOOL BOOKSHOPS "Enchanting selections of wonderful books & music" 12 Depot Square, Peterborough, NH 603-924-3543 12 Emerald St., Corner of Emerald & Main, Keene, NH 603-352-8815 And online at toadbooks.com Where you can see what's in stock at our stores, what's available to order & you can download e-books for many types of e-readers.

The Art of the Perfume Bottle

By Patricia Herlevi Courtesy photos

Tucked away in the village of Readsboro in Bennington County, Vermont, Mary Angus and her husband, K. William LeQuier, practice the art of glassblowing at their studio/shop, Readsboro Glasswork.

Like other local craftspeople who create everything from cheese, handmade furniture, pottery, and functional blown glass (to name a few products), Mary and her husband provide a tangible escape from an ever-increasing high-tech world.

The glassblower discovered the fantastical world of glass art when she attended Southern Connecticut State University in 1973. After graduating in 1975, she opened a studio with three friends in Branford, Connecticut. In 1983, she moved with her husband to Readsboro (population 702), and they set up their studio in a barn.

Mary’s perfume bottles are almost indescribable as they seem to exist in an otherworldly place.

The swirls in the glass shout femininity and the leaves and flower designs in the vibrant colored glass remind us of Mother Nature.

Mary describes her relationship to her art on her website: “I especially love working with the perfume bottle form; I feel it is a very sensual piece, intimate in scale, a vessel meant to contain fragrance and evoke memories.”

Mary gives seasonal studio tours and sells her bottles and other blown glass products at crafts shows and fairs, such as Vermont Artisan Gallery. When I interviewed her, she was on her way to the Rhinebeck Crafts Festival in New York.

When did you become interested in glass art, and in particular perfume-type bottles? I became interested in glass as an art student at Southern Connecticut State University. I had the opportunity to help one of my teachers build a glassblowing studio at SCSU. I knew nothing about glassblowing before this, and my main incentive in helping with this project was to get the job as a studio assistant. As soon as I started working with hot glass, I was fascinated by this wonderful material- it seemed so immediate and exciting to work with. And as the studio assistant, I had access to the glass shop all the time.

ART ... around the region

What was your artistic experience before designing and making glass bottles?

I was always very interested in art. In college, I was an art student and took classes in pottery and jewelry before I started working in glass. After graduating, I set up a glassblowing studio with some friends from school and started blowing glass and selling my work.

Who or what inspired you to create the bottles?

The perfume bottles evolved as I experimented with different techniques and forms. My first teacher was a sculpture professor who emphasized form; he inspired me to make classic, elegant shapes. I also studied art history while in school and was inspired by the glass made during earlier periods, such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

What is the process from start to completion?

All of my work is hand-blown. Some of my perfume bottles have carved and frosted designs; other perfume designs are made by combining clear and colored glasses in transparent layers. The process starts with molten glass. I gather the molten glass on the blowpipe, layering together clear and colored glass. The bottles are blown and shaped while the glass is molten and then cooled slowly to room temperature. For the carved perfumes, a resist is used to create a pattern on the surface of the cooled piece. Each piece is designed individually, creating a pattern that complements the form of the piece. Areas unprotected by the resist material are then carved away by sandblasting the surface with an abrasive. Some pieces are carved and frosted in low relief, with the raised areas highlighted by a dusting of colored glass. Others have deeply carved, sculptural surfaces. As a final step, the surface of the sandblast carved pieces are acid etched. Each perfume bottle is hand-fit with a teardrop-shaped, clear glass stopper. When finished, I sign and date each piece.

Where do you usually sell the bottles, and do you sell primarily to collectors, or do people purchase the bottles to use for fragrances?

I sell my perfume bottles at my Readsboro studio (I am open by appointment, and I hold open studio events seasonally), at juried craft fairs (mostly in the Northeast), online through my website and through the Artful Home website/catalog and in galleries and museum shops that specialize in fine American crafts. Many of my bottles are bought by collectors to add to their private collections or are bought as gifts. Some people do use them for fragrances-they are functional, but most use them as decorative art pieces.

Learn more at maryangusglass.com

Hand-crafted in Keene, NH

Easy-Peasy Maple Pulled Pork

For me, nothing quite hits the taste buds like delicious maple pulled pork. My first memory of rediscovering authentic New England food as an adult relocating to the Northeast was a chance encounter with the perfect maple BBQ pulled pork sandwich at a popular tourist spot. Despite having BBQ across the country for years, there is nothing like the maple, heat and succulent pork explosion in your mouth! So let’s get busy and bring this delicious recipe to your next summer gathering.

INGREDIENTS

The Meat & Fixings

• 6 to 10 pound Boston butt pork. (Note: A pork picnic roast can be used, but will yield less meat.)

• 3-5 oz of yellow mustard (the entire pork surface needs to be well covered)

• 1/2 sweet onion sliced in half

• 8 tablespoons of Maple BBQ Dry Rub (see recipe on this page) or your favorite rub.

Note: Canned or bagged Jackfruit can be prepared according to the package and topped with maple BBQ sauce for a vegan option.

Sweet & Fancy Maple BBQ Sauce

• 12-oz retained pork stock from pressure cooker

• 4 tablespoons of Maple BBQ Dry Rub (recipe on this page)

• 4 tablespoons of organic coconut aminos (Trader Joe’s or Braggs)

• 6-oz apple cider vinegar

• 26-oz. jar or can of traditional tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon garlic

• 4 tablespoons molasses

• 4 tablespoons apple butter

• 2-oz maple syrup (Copper Cannon Barrel aged Maple Syrup was used)

• 1 shot or a nip of your favorite rum or bourbon (optional)

Maple BBQ Dry Rub

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 2 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon Tajín Clásico Seasoning powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Get the rub. First, you will need to create the maple BBQ dry rub. Assemble the ingredients for the rub, or use your favorite premixed dry rub. Locally, Jenna’s Market (at 255 West St. in Keene, NH) and Copper Cannon (at 2 Lyman Way, West Chesterfield, NH) have two of my favorite dry rubs.

Prepare pork. Unpack, rinse, and pat dry your pork. Once dry, you will need to apply at least 3 ounces of yellow mustard all over the pork. This rub will allow the rub to adhere better and help the flavor from the rub to saturate the pork. Evenly pat the pork with the rub and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Get out your pressure cooker. With your pork prepared, you will need to find your favorite 6 to 10-quart electric pressure cooker and set it up in a safe place. Set the setting to “high” with a 90-minute pressure time.

Cook the pork. Place the pork in the preheated cooker and sear on all sides moving frequently. Adding oil or fat is optional since this piece should be very moist and have a fatty cap. For larger pieces over 8 pounds, consider cutting in half. Once seared, you will need to add approximately 24-48 oz of water or up to the max fill line on your pressure cooker. Do not exceed the max line! Several cloves of garlic and a couple of onion quarters can be added for flavor. Then shut your pressure cooker lid and allow it to cook on the high-pressure cooker for 90 minutes.

Cool and shred. Once done, allow the pork to cool and remove from the vessel to cool. Once cooled, shred the meat and set it to the side. Keep stock on the side for warming the pork and the BBQ sauce.

Create BBQ sauce. Get a large pot and assemble the Sweet & Fancy Maple BBQ sauce ingredients. In a large 8 quart or bigger pot, add the pork stock and all other ingredients one at a time, stirring and mixing constantly. Cook down for 10 to 12 minutes over medium-low heat until sauce is thickened to desired. For a richer sauce, add more molasses or maple

In the kitchen with Rob Parisi

sugar. Garlic or ginger could be added but was omitted from this recipe since rum was a large contributing flavor. The better the apple cider vinegar, the more depth of flavor you will experience. Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother is a great and healthy product.

Combine. Once the BBQ sauce is ready, remove 1/2 of the sauce mixture for later use and combine the shredded pork and 8 to 12 oz of the pork broth while stirring over medium heat until the pork is thoroughly reheated. Let rest for a few minutes, and then serve! It pairs well with all your favorites like BBQ beans and potato salad, and don’t forget your buns, pickles and onion.

So there you go! This can serve 8-20 guests and will be easy on the budget as we are talking under $25 for all the ingredients listed.

About the Author Rob Parisi is the owner/operator of Keene-based PoshHaus. His newest mission, Shop.Design. Build brings local homes to life by remodeling and renewing kitchen spaces throughout the region. The first stage is in the new PoshHaus test kitchen, located at 104 Emerald Street in the former Kipco building in Keene, NH. Learn more at poshhaus.com.

SMART GARDENING 101

5 Tools to Protect Your ‘Human Resources’

As a gardener for the last five decades, I have learned the hard and often expensive way that there are five tools most important for protecting your human resources. I’ve truly tried them all. Save time and money. Prevent skin cancer and Lyme disease. Spare your thumbs, knees and back by digging these five tools out of the shed or garage or buying them from gardeners.com (Vermont-based, employee-owned, B-corporation company that I highly recommend) before you start gardening for a safer and more enjoyable season.

1. Mesh Gaiters: I know you think tucking your pant cuffs into your socks is enough to protect you from tick bites. But the studies show that you’re wrong, and why take the chance when new

products make protection so much more comfortable? Gaiters, like the ones we wear xx-skiing, are now made out of mosquito netting. They’re easy to slip over your sock and pant leg, incredibly light, and inexpensive. Not convinced of their protection? Buy a heavier version called Tick Gaiters, made of a Lymeez® 3d Mesh that still breathes but has a long, Velcro seal up the back.

2. A Wide-brimmed, Ventilated Hat: Don’t use the beach version; it may be irritatingly floppy. Don’t use the rain version because you need mesh so that your head can breathe in summer’s heat. Don’t use a baseball cap unless you like pain because your neck will become sunburned. The most effective gardening hats have mesh for breath-ability, a stiff-enough, wide brim, and now even come with a cinch-able mesh net for the black fly season. This mesh folds up into the hat when not needed like magic!

3. Deep Seat Garden Kneeler: I have bought and used an embarrassing number of different types of knee kneeling pads. But the most effective and longest-lasting favorite is a foldable seat with a cushioned, deep kneeling pad. The variable height is great for many different tasks. Its foldability makes it easy to store. The kneeler’s arms provide excellent leverage for getting back up off the ground ... whew! The benefits make it worth carrying wherever you’re tending the garden you love.

4. Felco Bypass Ergonomic Pruners: You bet many cheaper versions are on the market. Trust me when I say that buying and taking care of a single pair of Felco pruners provides the best bang for your buck and the cleanest cut for your small shrubs and perennials, which is the majority of our gardening tasks.

5. Digging Tools: This is a category that requires two recommendations. The first is for hand work. After many years of buying and experimenting with different styles, the sad truth is that the dollar store gardening

garden with Michele Chalice

trowels will always ruin your afternoon. I’m delighted that AM Leonard offers my perfect duo: their stainless steel soil knife and No Blister Trowel. No need to look further. These two tools are effective and will last the decades you intend to plant flowers and cut small stems. Done.

For shovels, I swear by the newer, bladed, and teeth-type super-shovels that use our back and thigh muscles most efficiently. I am happily settled on using only a spear-headed spade and fiberglass, D-grip, Structron shovel with teeth-like an oversized saw blade by Seymour.

This recommended complement of tools will protect and serve you, your skin, immune system, thumbs, wrists, and back effectively for many years to come.

I wish I could say that I learned these lessons easily. But lucky you, benefiting from my many decades of experience. You’re welcome and happy gardening!

Michele Chalice is the owner of Keene-based Healthy Home Habits.

•

The Kyes-Sage House

From family home to law office to cat shelter to book shop

Picturesque, charming, quaint — the white frame cottage beside the Peterborough (NH) Library delights the eye with its whimsical gingerbread trim. Above each window, pointed gothic black arches filled with sunburst fan shutters harken back to the gothic cathedrals that inspired its carpenter gothic architectural style. Tear-drop ball pendants trimming all the eaves recall the Victorian’s weakness for tassels and fringe: passementerie.

Though perhaps the last best example of Carpenter Gothic in Peterborough, this cottage built in 1846 by Timothy White was almost demolished. Saved by a 1998 campaign that raised $50,000 for repairs, the little cottage earned a new life as a used bookshop. Since 2000, book sales have funded library programs and even helped contribute to the construction of the new Peterborough Library.

The Peterborough Library Trustees purchased the Kyes-Sage House after the death of Catherine Sage. In 1999, they eyed removing the cottage for much-needed parking spaces, but some townspeople objected: The cottage should be saved! Moved? Restored? Though citizens voted to allow trustees to raze the building, they quickly formed Friends of the

Sage House (including Francie Von Mertens, Duffy and Rick Monahon and others) and called for a special town meeting to reverse the decision. There, they presented a proposal, promising money for repairs, and the town approved it.

But what would they use the building for? Ann Geisel, the library’s then-director, suggested using it as a bookshop to sell its used books. When Geisel and her husband Bob started carting away old boxes, one broke and out tumbled old photo negatives. Geisel traced the negatives back to the Kyes family. Karl Kyes’ grandson, John Elberfeld, donated his grandfather’s desk, compiled and donated a family history book, and framed family photos, gracing the cottage with strong links to its past.

After Geisel passed away in 1999, Vicky Goss stepped in to shepherd Geisel’s vision and began the Bookworms Committee. They started moving 7,000 books from the library to the cottage bookshop. In the Fall of 2000, they opened the doors of the Kyes-Sage House.

Run by the all-volunteer Bookworms Committee, the bookshop succeeded immediately, raising money that funds the children’s reading and other programs,

By Nancy McGartland • Photos by Kelly Fletcher

museum passes, technology updates and the new library building. Chris Mann, a newly elected library trustee and lead volunteer of the Bookworms Committee, praised the volunteers: “They are well-read, love books. Lots of them are former librarians and teachers.”

By the end of 2021, the Friends, in part through bookshop sales, raised a whopping $243,000.

Carol Boyle, chair of the Friends of the Peterborough Library, which runs the bookshop, talked about the state of the Kyes-Sage house when the library trustees bought it. The former owner, Catherine Sage, a prominent lawyer, stored law files there but also used it as a shelter for her many cats. Sage left a window open, “and the many cats came and went as they pleased,” Boyle says.

After purchase, the double-story barn connected to the back ell of the house was removed, as was a free-standing one-story barn, and the space was used for parking. While the new library was being built, the construction manager used Kyes-Sage House as a headquarters.

The back 1/3 of the house, which used to be the children’s section, was lost to a pellet heating plant for the new library. The shrinking footprint meant the volunteers had to pare down the bookshop’s offerings. They culled self-help, cookbooks, arts and crafts, and all non-fiction except history.

Other repairs include a repainted interior, refinished floors and mini-split heating/air conditioning units. Carol Boyle notes that they had voted not to redo the unused second floor. The staircase is too steep for safety, and water-damaged plaster is too expensive to repair. But she adds, “It’s not a scary old house! The house has good vibes. It’s a warm, welcoming house.”

Some of Carol Boyle’s favorite parts of the bookshop are its detailed woodwork around the windows and doors and the entertaining raised dot moldings on the staircase risers. The distinctive ornate screen door is original and was rebuilt entirely by Frank Jenkins, who donated his time and skills.

Boyle stressed how much the volunteers love the bookshop: “They have a real passion for their work!”

Therapeutic Horsemanship Lessons

Located in Keene, NH

New students and volunteers are always welcome!

www.truehopeth.org We’re excited to announce a collaboration with Cooper’s Crossroad for 2023!

Who were Kyes and Sage?

By Nancy McGartland

Two owners give the cottage its name. Karl Kyes (pictured, above, as a baby), a long-time dentist in Peterborough, and his wife Violet have lived in the house since 1913, according to their granddaughter, Peterborough resident

Anne Huberman. Anne recalls how her grandfather never sent bills for his services. Patients either paid him when the work was done or not, sometimes paying with pies or vegetables left on the porch. He had Anne’s picture in his office, and his patients knew her face, stopping her in the street to say, “Your grandfather made my false teeth!”

Anne spent her childhood summers at the 14 Church St. cottage, exploring its nooks and crannies, especially Tim’s Room, where her grandparents kept everything they didn’t want to throw away, including an old windup Victrola and a pre-carved grave headstone, complete except for final dates! She recalls that her grandparents called the front porch “the piazza” and sat in rocking chairs to watch the world go by. Anne recalls how her mother, Catherine, used to walk to town across the long-gone railroad bridge at the back of the house; she says you can still see

the old railroad bridge posts in the river bed when the water is low.

Her grandfather was a lifelong prankster. When he was a teen, he snuck out the back staircase to play jokes, once tying a cow’s tail to the Unitarian church’s bell rope! He glued a 50-cent piece to the floor in his office just to watch people bend down to try and pick it up. At their lake house, he built a screen porch around a birch tree rather than cutting it down. Anne recalls the cottage’s staircase’s newel post, topped by a round ivory button. Her grandfather told her it was a mortgage button, showing that the mortgage had been paid, rolled up and stashed in the hollow post — yet another one of his many jokes.

When Karl Kyes passed, his daughter sold the cottage in 1963 to Catherine Sage, New Hampshire’s first female attorney and the first woman to serve on Peterborough’s Board of Selectmen. She used it as her law office, later for

storage, and then as a shelter for her many cats.

Anne remembers that when Elizabeth Yates, the author of Amos Fortune, was a library trustee, she wanted to buy the house to tear it down for parking.

Catherine Sage refused. She didn’t live there, she replied, “but her cats did!” Would she sell the barn, then? “No, my pets are buried there!”

In an undated article by Jessie Salisbury, a local history writer, Catherine Sage recalled a letter she found in the barn, asking Karl Kyes to check and fix the teeth of all the men drafted in WWII and to send the bill to the government. “But he never did,” she said in the article. “People told me he never sent any bills.” Sage found the house to have a “gentle feeling,” as if “someone once lived there who was very happy there.” She thought the house should be preserved: “Something old should remain.”

To host or not to host? Many homeowners toy with the idea of using part of their home as an Airbnb. Earn extra income, meet interesting people — it definitely has its perks. But first and foremost, experienced hosts say you must be sure you are comfortable inviting people you don’t know into your home.

For Josh Cline of Stoddard, New Hampshire, hosting people at his Upton Farm & Forest home was always the idea. In 1990, he was given a couple of acres of his family’s farmland to build a home.

“The stipulation was no power lines, and it had to look like the old, historic house that’s still there,” he explains. Solar was really the only option, so he became one of the early adopters.

“It’s been 33 years now, and I’m all off-grid,” he says.

In keeping with the historic feel, he built his house using a heritage construction style called post-and-beam, a classic timber frame approach. He included a private mini house connected to his own with the intention of opening a bed and breakfast.

“As plans are wont to happen, I didn’t get around

Home Sweet Airbnb

Two Local Airbnb Hosts Open Up About Converting Their Homes into Unique Travel Destinations

By Caroline Tremblay

Fletcher

to the bed and breakfast until last year,” he says.

The small-scale attachment is now listed on both Airbnb and Vrbo, and during its inaugural season, Cline had 72% occupancy from May to October. Though he’s never directly asked anyone, he guesses that the historical nature of his place, the off-grid intrigue, and of course, the alpacas, all likely play a role in his stay’s allure.

His property features three miles of trails, a 10-acre beaver pond, alpacas, chickens, and cats. It’s the perfect setting for slow living, not to mention the hundreds of books Cline has shelved throughout the home.

Many of his guests are people seeking a getaway from the speed of city life.

“They don’t realize how much their body is really off-kilter from being constantly bombarded by light and sound,” Cline describes. They often remark with surprise about how well they slept.

As an educator and environmental planner, Cline has added interesting tidbits about nature throughout the property, from info sprinkled along the trails to labels within the

Photos by Kelly

house marking the various species of trees used to build it. He has worked to make it clear in his rental listing that all are welcome and has had quite a number of people from overseas.

“It lightens my heart and makes me feel good about the world,” Cline says.

One family turned out to be arriving from Yemen after their son received his cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

The father shared Yemeni coffee spiced with cinnamon with Cline and later politely asked how to turn the heat on. Though it was July and nearly 80 degrees, Cline understood it must have felt chilly compared to home for the family. “I lit the woodstove so they could be warm that night,” he recalls.

“Whether it was all my planning or the way the Airbnb site is designed or my silly personality or whatever, it was sort of immediately a hit,” he notes about the success of his farm stay.

As someone who considers himself a “steward” of the land versus an “owner,” it’s satisfying for Cline to see other people enjoying his home.

“It’s a way for me to make a little bit of money, have people from other ways of life visiting, and introduce them to an alternative lifestyle,” he explains.

Sharon Myers, a Brattleboro, Vermont artist who has been hosting in her home since 2010, is big on the people part of it, too.

“It’s a really wonderful way to meet people from around the world,” she says.

Last year, when there was a big storm in Brattleboro, a former house guest from Luxembourg reached out to make sure she was OK. And on the flip side,

PREVIOUS PAGE: Josh Cline’s guest book -- his Airbnb/Vrbo Stoddard, New Hampshire off-grid guest house, Upton Farm & Forest, has welcomed guests from around the world. THIS PAGE: Josh Cline poses in front of his Airbnb that features two-bedrooms, bath and full-kitchen.

Myers recently sent an email to a previous guest from down South because she knew his community was experiencing terrible flooding.

Some visitors are passing through, but others come for trainings held in the area, and during summer, many are in town to attend The New England Center for Circus Arts or the nearby Marlboro Music School and Festival.

“They come from all over and have all different backgrounds. You never know who’s going to be here,” she describes.

When Myers first started, she had one guest bedroom with a private bath and a loft space upstairs with a private bathroom on the main floor. She just retired from years as a

has now converted her downstairs into a more private stay, which she also offers on Airbnb.

She provides breakfast, and it’s usually easy to tell if someone wants a chat or their own space.

“I have a deck and a big yard, so if they want to get food and eat outside, they’re welcome to,” she says.

She gets along well with pretty much everyone who stays and even has guests who come back annually. “For those, we’ll sit and chat in the living room,” she says.

While some guests may be keen to share crackers, cheese and conversation, both Cline and Myers agree

Sharon Myers, a Brattleboro, Vermont artist, relaxes at home with her dog. She has been hosting guests at her “Purple Chef’s House” Airbnb since 2010. Below: The exterior of her home (left) and a bedroom (right).

that one element should be exclusive — the bathroom.

“A private bathroom is key,” Myers says. Her home came with three full baths, “so I’m taking full advantage of it,” she says with a laugh.

What’s the first thing you do when you arrive at a stay?

“I look in the bathroom,” admits Cline. “Is it nice and clean and sparkly?” For him, the pictures on the wall and the books on the shelves don’t matter as much as the state of this essential room.

He says for his stay, “I very carefully disinfect everything in the bathroom, and I make it as spotless as it can be. It’s that first impression.”

Also on his list is the bed, another spot you’ll likely check out soon after arriving. A comfortable bed makes a big difference.

He recommends investing in a new mattress and quality sheets that are always washed between guests, tucked in tightly and replaced every three to four months depending on wear. “You should feel like you’re coming in and not sleeping in someone else’s germs,” he says.

It’s the details that help achieve “Super Host” status, which Airbnb awards when hosts receive five-star ratings, respond to requests within 24 hours,

and avoid canceling on people.

“I’ve talked to a number of people who said they’ll only go to Airbnbs with a Super Host rating,” Cline notes.

He also goes out of his way to make the reservation process as easy as possible, even offering a 100% refund to anyone who cancels at any time.

“If you’re a good Airbnb or Vrbo or hotel, you’re going to fill up right away anyway,” he says. He’d rather not lose a potential customer who may reserve another time.

Myers has similarly tried to align with what’s most helpful for guests. She allows dogs at her place, which has mostly worked out, though a guest or two have had to clean the carpets. “I have a dog, and there are places I can’t go because of him, so I wanted to make it available to people,” she says.

While some aspects, like the bathroom, are ones not to compromise on, the other nuances are the things that make each stay unique.

Whether it’s being able to walk out the door and hike or travel with a canine companion, these are the sweet spots that make a stay somewhere people return to.

One of the two bedrooms at Upton Farm & Forest in Stoddard, NH.

***Please come see the new expansion of country and primitives antiques at Fairgrounds****

FAIRGROUNDS ANTIQUES

A favorite haunt for dealers and retail shoppers for more than 40 years, Fairgrounds Antiques is a group shop with more than 60 dealers. We’re never the same twice, so make it your destination. It’s worth the trip!

Highway

Sarah Sim

Not only can well-designed outdoor spaces extend the overall square footage of your home, giving you and your family more living and entertaining space during the summer months, but they can also be sanctuaries that align with your lifestyle and your authentic inner self and serve your overall well-being.

Whether you have a small patio or an expansive backyard, as you begin to think about transforming the outdoors of your house, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:

• How will you use your outdoor space the most? (Focus on that!)

• What is the purpose of each nook and corner of your lawn, patio, sitting area etc?

• How do you want to feel? How would you like your visitors to feel?

The following ideas can help you create your intentional outdoor oasis.

FOCUS ON LANDSCAPING: If you have a lot of land and the budget allows, getting professional landscaping services would be a great start. Consider at least one wildflower meadow. They add charm and beauty and attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

If you live in a town, evergreen bushes or shrubs block out noise and add privacy. Adding latticework or fencing is wonderful for extending your patio space and making it feel like a little escape, especially paired with trailing vines.

If you are hoping to invite more serenity, consider adding a “zen garden” ... envision beautiful decorative grasses, meandering walkways, a pond with colorful water lilies; add a meditation space with either a small bench or yoga mat, a place where you can start your morning or come back to during the day to ground yourself and re-center.

Consider a fountain; the water sound can help you feel more peaceful and calm. The gentle rocking motion of a hammock can have a relaxing effect on you as well. Large crystals will add a magical touch.

BUILD A FOCAL POINT: Since the outdoors is naturally open, give your garden some structure. A permanent partial shelter such as a gazebo or arch is an excellent way of achieving that. Use outdoor rugs to define a specific area, like the outdoor living room or kids’ play area.

A permanent fire pit is the perfect centerpiece for any garden and gives you a wonderful place to roast s’mores

Illustration by Sarah Sim

Shingle Slate

Finnell Roofing, LLC has been serving Brattleboro, VT; Keene, NH and all of New England for over 30 years. Our fully trained service technicians are qualified to do both commercial, residential and industrial roofing, and always work well with other area contractors. We offer year round installation to meet your needs when they occur.

and invite friends over. Consider a gas fire pit on your patio or deck that will turn into a coffee table during the day.

If you’re hoping to extend your outdoor spaces into colder months, consider an outdoor fireplace or heat lamp.

BRING

THE INDOORS

OUT: To create a cohesive design that flows and connects your outdoors with the inside of your house, pull specific design elements or items from inside your home that can be supported within the outdoor space: the type of furniture, specific patterns, an indoor-outdoor fabric, specific colors, or materials.

For example, use the countertop material (or color) from your kitchen as your patio flooring. Alternatively, use the same wood species and color of your cabinets indoors as the flooring of your wooden deck.

Spruce up your entrance doorway, especially if your outdoor space is limited: Scatter lovely planters around your steps, bring your indoor plants out for the season, and focus on symmetry, which, in Feng Shui, helps to invite more balance into your home and life. As always, colors make all the difference and tie things together.

Create a color palette that will flow with your indoors and also support your vision of how you want to feel. Consider a bold, colorful pair of wicker chairs. Think about adding an accent wall or painting your doors. If you’d rather introduce accents through pops of color, the options are endless: ceramic stools, throw pillows, flowers, planters, lanterns or artwork.

Create lots of ambient lighting: First, go with warmer temperature light bulbs and ideally, every light fixture should be dimmable. Solar string lights are a great environmentally friendly option that is easy to DIY. Outdoor sconces, or torches, help the space feel more cozy and laid back. If you want to increase that vibe even more, consider candles. Moroccan or Asian-inspired lanterns will add a boho element to the space and are perfect for nighttime gatherings with friends.

If the main goal for your outdoor space is entertainment, consider an outdoor kitchen, which has been increasing in popularity and makes it much more comfortable to cook a big meal in the heat of August. If budget allows, build an outdoor pizza oven ... who does not enjoy pizza fresh out of the (brick) oven?! Even if you have a small balcony to work with, add that grill and an herb garden that allows you to pick fresh herbs while cooking.

If dining al fresco is your thing, spend time creating a second dining room outside that allows you to comfortably sit outside all night and enjoy your company or simply watch the stars.

Sarah Sim is the owner of Sarah Sim Intentional Interiors.

The FIRST Wednesday every month

July 5 | Aug. 2 | Sept. 6 | 1-3pm

Family Resource Center at HCS

312 Marlboro Street, Keene

The THIRD Wednesday every month

July 19 | Aug. 16 | Sept. 20 | 1-3pm

HCS Charlestown, 33 Arborway

Senior Living

Come to Walk-in Wednesdays for a confidential, free of charge discussion of services that are available for your family. From Healthy Starts to Hospice care, HCS has services for all ages!

Can’t make Walk-in Wednesdays?

Call us any time!

www.HCSservices.org | 603 - 352 - 2253

Scott-Farrar at Peterborough has been providing compassionate care to seniors of the Monadnock Region for over 113 years! Some of the great benefits of living in the Scott-Farrar Community today include:

• Chef prepared meals

• Staff onsite 24/7

• Happy Hour, yoga, movie matinees, gardening & more

• Housekeeping & maintenance

• Medication & transportation assistance

• Individualized care plan

• Onsite physical, occupational and speech therapy services And much more!

Call us today 603-924-3691 to schedule a tour of Scott-Farrar at Peterborough.

atHome Summer 2023 Buyer’s Guide

ACCOUNTANTS

Anderson & Gilbert

295 Park Ave. Keene, NH 03431

603-357-1928 taxfolks.net

ANTIQUES/VINTAGE

Antiques in Manchester

The Collectors Fair

Aug 9-10, 2023 antiquesinmanchester.com

Art Care & Appraisals PO Box 514 Hanover, NH 03755

802-295-0916 artcareappraisals.com

Fairgrounds Antiques

249 Monadnock Hwy Swanzey, NH 603-352-4420

FB:@fairgroundsantiques

Flying Pig Antiques

13 Industrial Park Dr. Westmoreland, NH 03467 603-543-7490 flyingpigantiquesnh.com

Keystone Vintage Market

122 Pleasant St. Suite 104 Easthampton, MA 01202 413-270-1074

FB/IG: @keystone vintagemarket

Laurel & Grove 83 Grove St Peterborough, NH 03458 603-924-4288 Laurelandgrove.com

Puggy’s

37 Emerald St. Keene, NH 03431 603-355-2355 puggysshop@gmail.com

Tribal Rugs by Hand

16 Depot Square, Unit 30, Peterborough, NH 03458 603-924-4488 tribalsrugsbyhand.com

Turning Leaf Consignment

140 Monadnock Hwy Swanzey, NH 03446 603-354-3768

FB: @turningleafconsignment

Twice Upon a Time

63 Main St. Brattleboro, VT 05301 802-254-2261 twicetime.com

Twin Elm Farm

Rt. 101 • 103 Wilton Road Peterborough, NH 03458 603-784-5341 twinelmfarm.com

Yellow Magnolia Antiques

5 Bennington Road Hancock, NH 03449 603-525-9300 yellowmagnoliaantiques.com

ART Brackley-Tolman Fine Art

Amethyst Studio & Gallery

43 Nubanusit Road Nelson, NH 03457

603-827-3732

frankiebrackleytolman.com

Walpole Artisans

52 Main St., Walpole NH 603-756-3020

walpoleartisans.org

Wheelhouse Clay Center 48 Harmony Place Brattleboro, VT 05301

802-490-2693

BOOKSTORE

The Toadstool Bookshops of Southwestern NH Keene • Peterborough toadbooks.com

BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION

REMODELING

C hris Parker Building & Restoration

4657 Coolidge Hwy. Guilford, VT 05301

802-257-4610 oldbuildingfix.com

Creations in Stone 147 S Winchester St. Swanzey, NH 03446 603-357-2260

creationsinstone ofkeene.com

JA Jubb 38 Swanzey Factory Road Swanzey, NH 603-762-0669 • jajubb.com

K+J Dean Builders, Inc. 20 Pine St. Swanzey, NH 03446 603-499-3561

kandjbuilders.com

Niemela Design Builders 118 Craig Road Dublin, NH 03444

603-563-8895

niemeladesign.com

Monadnock Design Studios PO Box 128

Winchester, NH 03470

757-272-2924

monadnock.design

Monadnock Millwork

1 Railroad Circle West Swanzey, NH 03469 603-352-3207 monadnockmillwork.com

CHAIR CANING/REPAIR

Rowan Tree Crafts

Walpole, NH

m.kupiec@yahoo.com

603-903-9061

DESIGN/SURVEY

Huntley Survey/Design

659 West Road

Temple, NH 603-924-1669 huntleysurvey.com

EDUCATION

Mountain Shadows School

149 Valley Road Dublin, NH 03444 603-563-8170 mountainshadows school.com

EVENTS

Deerfield Fair Sept. 28 - Oct. 1

EVENT VENUES

Aldworth Manor

184 Aldworth Manor Rd. Harrisville, NH 03450 603-903-7547 aldworthmanor.com

Cathedral of the Pines

10 Hale Hill Road Rindge, NH 03461 603-899-3300 cathedralofthepines.org

FIRE PROTECTION

Life Safety Fire Protection PO Box 432 Keene, NH 03431 603-352-0202 lifesafetyfire.com

FLOORING

Monadnock Flooring

1024 Route 12 Westmoreland, NH 603-399-4004 monadnockflooring.com

FOOD COOP

Monadnock Food Co-op 34 Cypress Court Keene, NH 03431 603-355-8008 monadnockfood.coop

FURNITURE

Shaker Style

Handcrafted Furniture 292 Chesham Road Harrisville, NH 03450 603-827-3340 shakerstyle.com

GARDEN/LANDSCAPING

Achilles Agway Six Locations achilleagway.com

Allen Bros.

Garden Center & Nursery 6023 US-5 Westminster, VT 05158 802-722-3395 allenbrothersfarms.com

Coll’s Garden Center 63 North St. Jaffrey, NH 03452 603-532-7516 collsgardencenter.com

DS Stone & Garden Scapes Greenfield, NH 03047 603-769-7173 dsstoneandgardenscapes.com

Ecoscapes

121 Pond Brook Road W. Chesterfield, NH 03466 603-209-4778 ecoscapeslandscapes.com

Green Acres Irrigation 10 Fredette Drive Lyndeborough, NH 03082 603-472-6707 greenacresirrigation.com

Healthy Home Habitats

Keene, NH 03431 603-313-9163 healthyhomehabitats.com

Maple Hill Nursery & Greenhouses

197 W Swanzey Road, Swanzey, NH 03446 603-357-2555 maplehillnursery.com

INTERIOR DESIGN

Sarah Sim

Intentional Interiors 603-562-4644 sarahsimdesign.com

JEWELRY/FINE

Hobbs Jewelers

20 Depot St., No. 30 Peterborough, NH 03458 603-924-3096 nhhobbsjewelers.com

JEWELRY/HANDCRAFTED

GeoGraphic Gems Keene, NH 603-369-2525 geographicgems.com

POOL & SPA

Clearwater Pool & Spa

233 Monadnock Hwy, Swanzey, NH 03446 603-357-5874 clearwaterpool andspa.net

REAL ESTATE

Blais & Associates Realtors

32 Monadnock Highway Keene, NH 03431 603-352-1972 blaisrealestate.com

Giselle LaScala

RE/Max Town & Country 117 West St. Keene, NH 03431 (O) 603-357-4100 (C) 603-682-9472 glascalahomes.com

Traditions Real Estate 73 Main St, Walpole, NH 03608 603-756-3973 traditionsreal-estate.com

RETAIL

Creative Connections

56 Main St. Ashburnham, MA 01430 978-827-6211 ccgiftgallery.com

Historical Society of Cheshire County

GIFT SHOP 246 Main St. Keene, NH 03431 603-352-1895 • hsccnh.org

Hubert’s Family Outfitters Peterborough •Lebanon New London • Claremont huberts.com

Knitty Gritty Yarn Shop 16 Depot Street Peterborough, NH 603-924-2028 knittygrittyyarns.com

Penelope Wurr 167 Main St. Brattleboro, VT 05301 802-246-3015 penelopewurr.com

The She Shed 331 Flat Roof Mill Road Swanzey, NH 603-398-7381 FB: @TheSheShedNH

ROOFING

Craig Finnell Roofing Brattleboro, VT 802-257-0841

SENIOR LIVING

Campbell House/ Wayne’s Place 164 Old Springfield Rd. Charlestown, NH 03603 603-826-0840

Covenant Living of Keene 95 Wyman Road Keene, NH 03431 1-877-285-6631 CovLivingKeene.org

Home Healthcare Hospice & Community 312 Marlboro St. Keene NH 03431 603-352-2253 hcsservices.org

Scott-Farrar at Peterborough 11 Elm Street Peterborough, NH 603-924-3691 scott-farrar.com

TREE SERVICES Phil’s Tree Services PO Box 432, 34 Dale St. Keene, NH 03431 603-352-0202 philstreeservices.com

Wilcox Tree Service 334 Horse Hill Road Marlborough, NH 03445 603-313-0073 wilcoxtreeservice.com

UPHOLSTERY Spofford Upholstery Spofford, NH 603-363-8057