• Fire up your immunity: Learn to make fire cider during one of two upcoming workshops at the Beaver Brook Nature Center’s Brown Lane Barn (52 Brown Lane, Hollis) on either Sunday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, or Thursday, Nov. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Fire cider is a traditional New England remedy and preventive medicine made with apple cider, honey, garlic, onions, ginger and horseradish, an immune stimulant that’s also a great added flavor to salads, stir-fries and veggies. Participants in each class will learn about the history of vinegar and honey remedies, then taste and fire cider to take home. Ingredients are provided — you bring your own grater, cutting board, knife, vegetable peeler and measuring cup. Masks are required when indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The cost is $22 for Beaver Brook Association members and $25 for non-members. Visit beaverbrook.org.
• Turning the page: The Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) has partnered with Restoration Cafe owner Tom Puskarich to reimagine the store’s food and drink menu. According to a press release, Puskarich now operates the Bookery’s cafe as a satellite location for his brand, allowing the store to shift its business model and focus exclusively on sourcing books, gifts and cards, and hosting community events. “Tom was instrumental in the build-out of the kitchen and has come full circle as he now operates in the kitchen he envisioned,” Bookery owner Liz Hitchcock said in a statement. Menu options include a variety of grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, pastries and snacks, many of which are rotated out weekly, as well as coffees, teas and espresso drinks. Visit bookerymht.com/cafe-menu.
• Farmers market news: The Deering Winter Market is set to return on Friday, Nov. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Deering Fish & Game Club (Fish & Game and Long Woods roads, Deering), with both new and returning vendors selling items like baked goods, jellies, jams, eggs, milk, maple products and more. Markets in Milford, Contoocook and Concord, meanwhile, are all scheduled to resume their indoor seasons this week. The Milford Farmers Market begins inside the Milford Town Hall Auditorium (1 Union Square, Milford) on Saturday, Nov. 6, and will continue every other Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through April 9 (except for Jan. 1). The Contoocook Farmers Market also moves indoors beginning Saturday, Nov. 6, to Maple Street Elementary School (194 Maple St., Contoocook) — that market will take place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through the winter. The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market returns on Saturday, Nov. 6, as well, continuing at 7 Eagle Square in the Capital City every week from 9 a.m. to noon through April.
• NHLC recognized: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission has been nominated for Retailer of the Year in Wine Enthusiast magazine’s 22nd annual Wine Star Awards, according to a press release. Each year the publication honors individuals and retailers from around the world for their contributions to the wine and alcohol beverage industry. Winners will be announced in the magazine’s Best of Year issue and celebrated at an annual event in February 2022. The NHLC, according to the release, also received two national awards from StateWaysmagazine in the 2021 Control State Best Practices Awards and was recently named one of the Top 10 retailers in the country by Beverage Dynamics for the second time.
Trisha Craig is a flute instructor at Ted Herbert Music School in Manchester and a professional flutist performing in solo and chamber concerts throughout the region.
Explain your job.
I practice the flute every day, and I may have rehearsals. At the [music school] studio, I have private lessons with students of all ages and levels … one-on-one, teaching them music.
How long have you had this job?
About 40 years, and I’ve been at Ted Herbert for around 25 years.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
I always knew I wanted to be involved in music. I initially went [to college] to become a band director in a public school setting. I quickly realized that wasn’t quite for me. … I started teaching privately on the side and realized that was where I really belonged. … It grew from there … after college. I was teaching more and more until it became one of my primary things.
What kind of education or training did you need?
I have a bachelor of music from Ithaca College and master of music in Flute Performance from Longy School of Music.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
People expect [musicians] to be in formal black and white [attire] on stage, but I eschewed that regalia a long time ago; I usually go with something far more colorful. … When I’m teaching I go with an artsy casual outfit adorned with handmade jewelry by New Hampshire artists.
How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?
Pre-pandemic, I always struggled with losing income [due to] blizzards; somehow, there were always the biggest snowstorms on my biggest teaching days. I had started using Zoom a few years before the pandemic so I could give lessons when there was a blizzard. When the pandemic hit and we couldn’t teach in person, I just told my students, ‘OK, we’re going to start doing lessons the same way we do on snow days,’ so the transition was pretty seamless for me. … It is challenging, though, teaching a musical instrument online, because it’s hard to hear exactly what’s going on with the tone and the sound, so I was anxious to get back to teaching in person.
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
Marketing is all about building relationships; it doesn’t work if people don’t have a relationship with you or an understanding of your art form. People say, ‘The arts are dead,’ but they aren’t; we just aren’t telling anyone about it. … So many people are surprised to learn that new music is currently being written for orchestra. As artists, we need to be … starting those conversations to enlighten people and get them interested in what we do.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
What goes on behind the scenes of the arts … and the level of skill that is needed [for artists] to express themselves through their art. … People … say, ‘Oh, you’re so gifted.’ I’m not gifted; I work really hard to play well. My students aren’t just talented; they’re hardworking.
What was the first job you ever had?
Teaching private flute lessons to a young girl who lived down the street from me.
What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
My longtime [music] professor … told us to do all of the work in advance so that when it’s time to perform you can just let it flow. You shouldn’t be thinking about your technique while you’re performing. Trust in the hard work you’ve done to make that moment possible, and just play.
Five favorites Favorite book:The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz Favorite movie:Doctor Zhivago Favorite music: Modern orchestral Favorite food: Nachos Favorite thing about NH: All of the different seasons and temperatures
Can you provide me with any information on this pair of earrings? Are they gold?
Karen
Dear Karen,
Your set of earrings was put out in 1997 by the United States Postal Service, representing 32-cent stamps and characters from Warner Bros. They are not real gold but have a beautiful golden color to them. The top has Tweety Bird and the stamps have Bugs Bunny.
Yours appear to be in great shape, but the value of the ones I found is not very high, maybe because so many were made. It is possible that time might increase the values. For now, though, they are under $10. I would wrap them with this information and check on them in another 10 years, or pass them to someone who will.
All but the south-southeastern-iest parts of the state are decidedly past peak foliage, according to the state’s foliage tracker (visitnh.gov/seasonal-trips/fall/foliage-tracker) on Nov. 1. But there are still some fun autumnal views worth viewing out in the natural world. (And, as of Nov. 1, WMUR is predicting a mild weekend in the low 50s.)
• Find a list of the New Hampshire Audubon’s 39 wildlife sanctuaries across the state at nhaudubon.org/lands/sanctuaries. The sanctuaries are free and open to the public for “passive recreation” (like hiking) and rules about dogs vary by location. Find locations, descriptions and maps for the sanctuaries on the website.
• Beaver Brook Association’s (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) 35 miles of trails and 12 themed gardens are also free and open from dawn to dusk, the website said. Find trail guides on the website, as well as (on the “visit us” page) descriptions of four stroller-friendly hikes.
• And get some art and nature at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Hollis; andresinstitute.org) open daily from dawn to dusk. There are printable trail maps online, where you can also find a rundown of all the sculptures in the park and view the sculptures on each trail.
Science on their day off
• Looking ahead to next Thursday, Nov. 11, when many schools may be closed: Check out the SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) from noon to 2 p.m. when the UNH students from Team Cooke, who are taking part in a research project that will go to the International Space Station, will be at SEE to discuss doing science experiments in space and lead hands-on activities, according to the website. Make reservations for museum admission online; sessions are available at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Admission costs $10 for visitors ages 3 and up. The center is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The McAuliffe-Shepard Planetarium (2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open Fridays through Sundays (with admission times at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) during the school year. It will also be open Thursday, Nov. 11. Go online to reserve a time slot; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $8.50 for children (ages 3 to 12), $10.50 for students ages 13 through college and for seniors.
More midweek entertainment
• The Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St. in Pembroke; 485-7851, pembroke-nh.com/library) will present the Toe Jam Puppet Band Variety Show in the library’s parking lot on Thursday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. Dress warmly and bring chairs for a show with the “wacky and wild” band, a release from the library said.
• The Palace Teen Company will present The Little Mermaid on Tuesday, Nov. 9, and Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature actors ages 12 to 18, according to the website. Tickets cost $12 to $15.
I love the winter, but by March I am ready for spring. I usually have some snowdrops blooming in March on a south-facing hillside, but they are subtle, not bodacious blooms. So I plant lots of bulbs indoors in the fall and keep them cool until it is time to bring them into the warmth of the house, and I get indoor tulips, daffodils and more in March. That’s what forcing bulbs is all about. It’s simple, really, but there are a few tips I can share since I do this every year.
Most bulbs are described on their packages as early, mid-season or late. Go to your local garden center and look for bulbs that are labeled as early bloomers — they are the best for forcing. Buy daffodils, some tulips and maybe some small bulbs like crocus or grape hyacinths. You can plant these bulbs in large pots or even in your window box if you bring it in.
You will also need some potting soil and compost. I make a mix that is half compost, half potting soil for forcing bulbs. I don’t use garden soil because it can be heavy and often stays wet. Bulbs can rot if they are left in wet soil for too long. I often reuse the potting mix that I used for growing annual plants outdoors in summer. I just pull up the summer’s plants, fluff up the soil, add some compost as needed, and make sure it is damp to start. If it is dry, I water it before I plant my bulbs.
Each year I plant about 25 daffodils in a window box that is about 30 inches long, 6 inches wide and deep. I prefer to get all of one kind so that they all bloom at once.
I fill the window box a little more than half full with my mixture of compost and potting soil and place the bulbs, pointy end up, in the soil. Once I have them all in place I push them down more and fill up the box with more potting soil-compost mixture.
Be sure to label each pot with the date planted, and what is planted. Later that will tell you when you can bring it into the warmth. Daffodils take about 12 weeks of dormancy before they should be brought into the warmth of the house, and tulips do better with 4 full months. Little things like crocus can be forced in 8 to 10 weeks.
Often bulbs will send roots out through the holes in the bottom of the pot or send up green shoots telling you they are ready. But don’t rush the process. Tulips brought up early will have nice green leaves, but no flowers.
Ideally temperatures for bulbs used for forcing will be between 32 and 50 degrees, though colder temperatures should not be a problem (my basement often goes below freezing for a few days). Left in a warm location, the bulbs will grow green tops — but not blossoms. Bulbs left in a cold basement or garage will do just fine. Inside the bulkhead to your cellar might be the right temperature, too.
You need to be aware that rodents like eating bulbs (indoors or out) — especially tulips. My basement has, most years, harbored mice and sometimes even a resident red squirrel. Unlike tulips, daffodils are not of interest to rodents as they are mildly poisonous. I keep my pots of tulips covered with hardware cloth (a fine-mesh metal screening available at hardware stores). But wear gloves if you cut hardware cloth to size — the edges are as sharp as razor wire.
You can double your production of blooms by planting two layers of bulbs in a container. Plant big bulbs deep in the pots, add soil, and then plant a layer of crocus or other small bulbs above them.
It is important to check on the bulbs you are forcing at least once a month, particularly if you have put wire rodent-proofing over the containers. I’ve had shoots try to grow through the hardware cloth and get damaged. If the bulbs are sending up shoots, remove the wire mesh. I also don’t want the soil mix to get bone dry, so I check it and water a little if it’s dry. The bulbs will grow roots when first planted, and then go dormant if kept in a dark, cold location.
When it is time to bring up your potted bulbs into a warm place, let them wake up gently. My mudroom is good for starting them: there is some sunshine but it is cool. Then, once the shoots are up and green, I place the containers on my sunniest window sills, either east- or west-facing.
Most bulbs that have been forced are not likely to flower the following year, even if you keep the foliage alive until spring and plant them outside. I’ve done it, and some daffodils will build up the energy to blossom after a while, but tulips are not so cooperative.
I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa, many years ago. There I could have flowers blooming every day of the year. It spoiled me, perhaps, because I still want flowers every day. Forcing bulbs is one way to have lots of blossoms when there is snow on the ground. So don’t wait until mid-December to start your bulbs; get on this project now.
Featured photo:Forced tulips are my favorites. .Courtesy photo.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Symphonic suites: Symphony New Hampshire presents its second concert of the season, “Suites and Schubert,” on Friday, Nov. 5, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church (39 Chandler St., Nashua). The concert, conducted by artistic director Roger Kalia, will feature music by Bach, Schubert and Florence Price, the first African American female composer to have her music performed by a major symphony orchestra in 1933. Notable pieces will include Price’s Suite of Dances, Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3, “Air on a G String,” and Schubert’s Symphony No. 5. Ticket prices range from $20 to $60 for adults and $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Admission is free for children with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156.
Art by Kristin Watts, a featured artist at the Warner and Contoocook Art Event and Shopping Tour. Courtesy photo.
• Art weekend in the villages: The Warner Historical Society and Kearsarge Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Warner and Contoocook Art Event and Shopping Tour from Friday, Nov. 5, through Sunday, Nov. 7. Art galleries and studios in both villages will be open, with artists onsite to discuss and demonstrate their art. There will be a variety of art and crafts for sale, including jewelry, fine art, baskets, pottery, wooden ware, dreamcatchers and more. The event will kick off at the Upton Chandler House Museum (15 W. Main St., Warner) on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., and will continue at various locations throughout the weekend. On Saturday only, participating locations will include the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner), MainStreet BookEnds Gallery (16 E. Main St., Warner) and Copper Canoe Gallery (916 Main St., Contoocook,), all from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participating locations on Saturday and Sunday will include Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St., Contoocook), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days; Café One East (1 E. Main St., Warner), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days; and the Upton Chandler House Museum and Contoocook Depot (896 Main St., Contoocook), both from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. Visit warnerhistorical.org or kearsargechamber.org.
• A night of Duke Ellington: The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra pays tribute to jazz legend Duke Ellington with “Salute to Duke” on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). The concert will feature the music of Ellington, some classics and some lesser-known pieces, performed in various sounds and styles. Tickets cost $40. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7700.
• Watch that scene: Mamma Mia! continues at The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) through Nov. 14, with showtimes on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon and 5 p.m. The jukebox musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson features 28 songs by the 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA, including hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance on Me” and “Mamma Mia.” Set on a Greek island, the story follows Sophie, a young woman who is engaged to be married and dreams of the perfect wedding at which her father walks her down the aisle. The only problem is she doesn’t know who her father is. After looking through her mother’s old journals, Sophie invites three of her potential fathers to the wedding, but the identity of her real father is not as clear as she thought it would be. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
Covid poetry book launch
The New Hampshire Center for the Book and the New Hampshire State Library will host a virtual book launch event for COVID Spring II: More Granite State Pandemic Poems on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m., via Zoom. The book, published by Hobblebush Books and edited by New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary, is an anthology of poetry by 51 New Hampshire residents about the pandemic experience in New Hampshire and the followup to COVID Spring: Granite State Pandemic Poems, which was released in September 2020. The event will include an introduction from Mary Russell, Director of the New Hampshire Center for the Book, and discussions with other special guests. Registration is required. Visit hobblebush.com or call 715-9615.
ART
Exhibits
• “TRUTH BE TOLD: AN ARTFUL GATHERING OF WOMEN” Two Villages Art Society presents a collaborative exhibit of works by 14 women artists — seven who identify as Black and seven who identify as white — from across the country who have been meeting bi-weekly over Zoom to discuss race. On view now through Nov. 13. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday, from 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An opening reception with two of the artists will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23, from noon to 5 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org.
• “WPA IN NH: PHILIP GUSTON AND MUSA MCKIM” Exhibit features a pair of 14-foot monumental murals painted by artist Philip Guston and poet and painter Musa McKim for the Federal forestry building in Laconia, New Hampshire, in 1941. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view now through Dec. 5. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “AROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE” On exhibit at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center, 49 S. Main St., Concord, on view through Dec. 16. Featuring the work of New Hampshire Art Association member Elaine Farmer, the exhibit features her oil paintings embodying New Hampshire’s iconic views and ideals, ranging from mountain lakes and birch tree woods to historic landmarks. Visit concordnhchamber.com
.• “SMALL WORKS — BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery presents its annual holiday exhibit in-person at the gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford) and virtually on the gallery’s website (creativeventuresfineart.com). The exhibit features non-juried small works of art in a variety of media and styles, created by area professional and nonprofessional artists, priced affordably for holiday gift buying. Nov. 2 through Dec. 31. An artist reception will be held at the gallery on Fri., Nov. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
• “NEW HAMPSHIRE NOW” A collaborative photography project presented by the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists, on display in eight exhibitions at museums and historical societies across the state. Nearly 50 photographers participated in the project, taking more than 5,000 photos of New Hampshire people, places, culture and events from 2018 to 2020 to create a 21st-century portrait of life in the Granite State. Exhibition locations include Belknap Mill Society in Laconia; Colby-Sawyer College in New London; Portsmouth Historical Society; Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene; the Manchester Historic Association; Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University; and the Tillotson Center in Colebrook; with the flagship exhibition at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord. Visit newhampshirenow.org and nhhistory.org.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
• “9/11” Exhibit features images of the September 11 attacks and the aftermath, taken by war photographer Jim Nachtwey. On view now. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
THEATER
Shows
• WONDERS Phylloxera Productions presents. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Now through Nov. 7, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
• MAMMA MIA Palace Theatre presents. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Now through Nov. 14, with showtimes Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon and 5 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
• BUDDY – THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord). Fri, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $44.50. Visit ccanh.com.
• ALL TOGETHER NOW!Produced by the Community Players of Concord’s Children’s Theater Project. Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord. Fri., Nov. 12, 7 p.m., and Sat., Nov. 13, 2 p.m. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org.
• THE WEDDING SINGER Presented by Peacock Players. Court Street Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua). Nov. 12 through Nov. 21, with showtimes Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit peacockplayers.org.
• 9/12 New World Theatre presents. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Nov. 12 through Nov. 21, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
Classical
• “SUITES AND SCHUBERT” Symphony New Hampshire presents music by Bach, Schubert and Florence Price, the first African American female composer to have her music performed by a major symphony orchestra in 1933. Notable pieces will include Price’s Suite of Dances, Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3, “Air on a G String,” and Schubert’s Symphony No. 5. St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church (39 Chandler St., Nashua). Fri., Nov. 5. Visit symphonynh.org.
