2022 Wish Book

Celebrate + Support laSt Night Wolfeboro 2022

Last Night Wolfeboro 2022 features a familyfriendly celebration. Festivities begin with a week-long scavenger hunt encouraging people to experience Wolfeboro shops and businesses December 24 through noon December 31. Led by Wolfeboro Boy Scout Troop 165, participants of all ages can register in mid-December on Face book @LastNightWolfe boro. Local trivia and history questions can be answered by visiting Wolfeboro shops and other locations. Scaven ger hunt forms will also be available (by midDecember) at Wolfeboro Town Hall, (84 S. Main Street), Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation (390 Pine Hill Rd.) and Wolfe boro Chamber of Com merce (Railroad Ave.).

Prizes will be awarded at Great Hall at Town Hall around noon on New Year’s Eve; contestants do not need to be pres ent. Event assistance from Boy Scout Troop 165 is helping make this event happen.

Outdoor ice skating is new this year for Last Night Wolfeboro. Two free sessions will take place (weather permit ting) at the temporary Brewster ice rink on

campus located just off S. Main Street behind Anderson Hall (parking available). Skaters of all ages can enjoy sessions at 1:00-2:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Signed waivers for children and adults are required as are hel mets. Ice skates only; capacity may be limited.

Last Night Wolfe boro daytime events at Town Hall December 31st will feature nearly two hours of interactive games, crafts, commu nity displays and more. Afternoon events and live performances being scheduled include: Local

singer-songwriter and recording artist; Stacey Kelleher; Folk perform ers Peter Heimlich and John Petruzzelli; Pup pets, music and stories by ‘Just Bob and Marla’; Wildlife Encounters live animal show at Great Hall; BINGO sessions led by Wolfeboro Lions Club at Brewster Es tabrook Hall; Magic by Brewster alumnus Yu Koriki (streamed via WCTV/YouTube) and more.

Programming and event times are being updated as they become available. The sched ule is being updated @ LastNightWolfeboro on Facebook as events are finalized and are subject to change.

Fireworks over Wolfe boro Bay will take place – weather permitting – on December 31st at 6 p.m. The weather postponement date is Saturday, January 1 at 6 p.m. Sponsorships and donations to de fray programming costs are welcomed by con tacting Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Director Christine Collins, (603) 569-5639, parksdirec tor@wolfeboronh.us.

pemigeWaSSet Choral SoCiety

CelebrateS the holiday Spirit

The Pemigewasset Choral Society (Pemi Choral) invites you to begin your holiday sea son with this year’s con cert series, Sing Out My Soul. Join us in Gilford at the Gilford Commu nity Church on Thurs day, December 1st at 7:30pm; at their new location in Moulton borough at Moulton borough Academy High School on Friday, De cember 2nd at 7:30pm; and in Plymouth at The PSU Silver Center on Sunday, December 4th at 4pm. Entrance is by donation.

Pemi Choral is one of the oldest commu nity choruses in New Hampshire with mem bers from all over the Lakes Region and Cen tral New Hampshire. With the number of singers back to its prepandemic member ship, Pemi Choral is once again 90-voices strong. Music Director Will Gunn, says, “The pandemic has taught us many lessons, but I believe the biggest one is to show gratitude for those things that we often take for granted, like singing in person!”

Sing Out My Soul is a holiday-themed concert that incorporates a mix of traditional Christ mas classics with newer pieces. The concert title is taken from one of the

newer pieces, based on a poem by Welsh poet William Henry Davies. The opening line of the poem calls us to let joy come from deep within, and to sing your song of joy.

A focal point of the concert is three ver sions of Ave Maria, a traditional Catholic prayer often sung at Christmas. Director Will Gunn has selected three different settings: one by R. Nathaniel Dett, a Black AmericanCanadian composer, who uses jazz harmo nies; one by Spanish composer Javier Busto, whose setting is more

ethereal and modern; and finally, an energet ic version by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, sung in Russian. Also included in the concert is a gospel Hal lelujah, a Choral Reflec tion on Amazing Grace, variations on traditional classics such as An gels We Have Heard on High, and several favor ite audience sing-alongs. Violinist Ca terina Yetto accompa nies the chorus on sev eral numbers, as do Plymouth Regional High School students Dash Ough on drums and Quinn Amsden on bass.

The Pemigewasset

Choral Society, cele brating its 50 th sea son, is a regional com munity chorus based in Plymouth, NH, with a wide-ranging musi cal repertoire. Members come from communities throughout the Lakes Region and the White Mountains and include a diverse range of ages from high school stu dents to those in their 80s. They perform con certs in December and in the Spring, and wel come new members at the beginning of each semester. For more in formation, please visit pemichoral.org

Where roCk meetS baCh SouNdS to opeN the ChriStmaS holidayS

Sunday, Decem ber11th at 4pm, re nowned trio, TAKE3 will come to Wolfeboro as part of their 2022-23 United States Tour. This concert will take place at First Congregational Church, 115 S Main St., Wolfeboro.

With a flair for the wild and unexpected, the genre-defying trio, TAKE3, brings the re finement of a rigorous classical music back

ground and infuses it with rock-star cha risma. Trained at the world’s top conserva tories, TAKE3 has expanded their repertoire from Bach and Beethoven to Bieber and The Beach Boys. The Nevada Sage brush says of TAKE3 “…. this group gave us a tremendous night of undisputed tal ent from some of the most passionate musi cians around.” Known for their infectious and down to earth onstage personalities, this three some leaves their in delible mark on capti

vated crowds around the country performing their arrangements of top pop hits, Americana, and their signature classical mashups. Highlights from recent perfor mances include appear ances with the North Charleston POPs, Cape

Symphony, Boul der Chamber Or chestra, and the Symphonies of Victoria, Mid land and Spring field as well as at Music in the Mountains, Red lands Bowl, OK Mozart Festival, Festival Mozaic, Herb Alpert’s Vi brato Grill, and Bear Valley Mu sic Festival. The trio keeps a busy tour schedule, performing over 60 per formances around the globe each season.

TAKE3’s interactive lighting shows, comedic stories of their journey from scales in conser vatory practice rooms to pop music in packed stadiums, come togeth er in unforgettable expe riences that have fired up concert goers all over the nation.

TAKE3 offers shows with dancers, full or chestra, small backup band, as well as trio only. In addition to ex tensive touring, the group has earned ac colades for its outreach programs for children of all ages, delivering a message of hope, in spiration, and the im portance of following dreams with vigorous tenacity.

Wolfeboro Friends of Music invites all people of the greater Lakes Re gion to enjoy TAKE3’s concert as they display their tour repertoire mixed with holiday mu sic.

Ticket are available for $25 in Wolfeboro at the door or at Black’s Paper Store or Avery Insurance, by visiting www.wfriendsofmusic. org, or by calling (603) 569-2151.

5 SCreeN-free holiday gift ideaS for familieS

(StatePoint) Holiday shopping for families with children? Check out these five totally screen-free gift ideas that are sure brighten the season by getting families to spend some much-needed quality time together.

1. Upgraded outdoor games: Give out door play an upgrade with KidiGo NexTag

from VTech, designed for ages 5 and up. Way more than just tag, it’s a high-tech spin on 20 different back yard games including capture the flag, freeze tag and hide-and-seek. To play, all you need are the four included electronic units and ad justable arm bands. A friendly voice explains the quick and easy-tolearn rules and no ref

eree is required -- the game lets you know who got tagged, who’s safe and who’s it. With single- and multi-play er options, the whole family can get in on the fun, especially when you combine two sys tems. Play indoors or out with a 135-foot range between units. All you have to do is press the big button and tag, you’re it!

children, look for a fa cility that offers splash pads and swim lessons. For those with older kids who are already proficient swimmers, check for amenities like water slides and wave pools. Want to take it a step further? Sign your recipients up for an in door pool membership until summer returns.

‘Tis The Season to be Knitting Warm Hats, Mittens & Socks for Christmas Giving! Stop by to see a big selection of worsted & Chunky weight yarns for all of your projects.

2. Kitchen assistance: Introduce adults and kids alike to the fundamentals of baking with a family-friendly baking kit subscrip tion. Each month, a new kit is mailed to your recipients’ home with recipes, activity booklets and all the ingredients needed to create something deli cious.

3. Swim time: The weather may be fright ful, but that’s no rea son why families can’t enjoy a delightful day at the pool. Consider gifting your favorite family with a day pass to an indoor aquatic center or water park. For families with young

4. Inspiration: Give families all the ideas and inspiration they need to beat boredom, create new traditions and make memories with “The Adventure Challenge: Family Edi tion.” This journal of fers 50 adventures in different categories, along with space to share thoughts and photos about each ex perience.

5. Board--not bored: Encourage some good old fashioned family fun with board games. From chess and check ers to modern clas sics to the latest trendy games, this is a gift option that’s sure to engage family members of all ages.

brighteN the holidayS With Colorful plaNtS

by Melinda Myers Garden centers, flo rists and grocery stores are filling their shelves with a variety of holiday plants; a sure sign the holidays are approach ing. This is the time of year to give, receive or fill your home with colorful poinsettias, Christmas cactus, cyclamen, and other holiday plants. Extend their beauty and longevity with proper care.

Start by selecting healthy plants that have been receiving proper care. The plants should be free of insects, dis ease and have no yel low leaves, brown leaf edges and spots. Flower ing plants should have just a few open flow ers, some buds show ing color, and the rest healthy plump buds. You will enjoy watching the flower buds open, blooms expand, and a longer flowering period. Always protect your gift plants from the harsh outdoors. Profes sional florists and gar den center staff should provide a care tag and wrap your plants in a plastic or paper sleeve for the ride home.

Carefully remove the wrap as soon as you get home. This is especially important when caring for poinsettias. The up turned leaves emit ethyl ene, a ripening hormone that can shorten the longevity of your poin settia’s colorful display.

Rewrap your holi day plant anytime you move it outdoors and never leave it sitting in a cold car while run ning errands. A chilled plant looks fine until it warms. By the next day, the plant turns grayishgreen, wilts and may die. Not such a nice gift or addition to your holi

day décor after all.

Once home, place it in a cool, brightly lit location. The cool tem peratures and indirect light help the blooms last longer. Remove or fold down the foil wrap, if present, to allow sun light to reach all the leaves. Avoid drafts of hot and cold air. These can dry or chill the plant resulting in leaf and blossom drop.

Check the tag for wa tering instructions. Most holiday plants prefer moist but not wet soil. Use your finger as a moisture meter. Water thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly and just slightly moist or accord ing to the directions on the care tag.

Pour out any water that collects in the foil, basket, decorative pot or saucer. Or place peb bles in the bottom of these or the saucer to

elevate the plant above sitting water. This re duces the risk of root rot and makes care much easier.

Lengthen the time between watering and increase success by amending the potting mix with a moisture-re taining product like wool pellets (wildvalleyfarms. com). This organic and sustainable product re duces watering by up to 25%. Just spread it over the soil surface and push it into the soil around the plant.

Keep your floral dis play looking its best by removing spent flowers from azaleas, Christmas cactus, cyclamen and kalanchoes. This keeps the plant looking fresh and often encourages more blooms.

Once the holidays have passed, keep enjoy ing these plants through the gray days of winter. Move the plants to a

sunny window, fertilize with a dilute solution of complete or flowering plant fertilizer, and wa ter as needed.

Add some artificial berries, cut flowers in water picks, or silk blooms to replace the faded flowers. Use col orful stakes or natural twigs for added beauty and to support floppy leaves and stems.

Boost your spirits and those of family and friends this holiday sea son with a few colorful plants. Giving them as gifts and using them to decorate your home is guaranteed to brighten your holiday celebra tions.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, includ ing the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gar dening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syn dicated Melinda’s Gar den Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a col umnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was com missioned by Wild Valley Farms for her expertise to write this article. My ers’ website is www. MelindaMyers.com.