Year: 2024

On The Job – Regina Tranfa

Children’s Book Author

Regina Tranfa is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator who is a Kid’s Con New England veteran. You can find her stories My Dad Took Me To Outer Space and My Dad Took Me To Dinosaur Land, as well as coloring books, on her website thetookmeseries.com or on Amazon.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I have created this sci-fi, fantasy, educational series of books where I take my conceptual thinking and I combine it with my illustration style to create stories that create a sense of wonder for both children and adults. It’s kind of like the Magic School Bus too because even as an adult you’re going to learn a lot.

How long have you had this job?

I’ve been at this for 11 years but it’s really the past two years that I’ve really been selling it. It wasn’t until the second book came out with the coloring books that things started to take off at the craft fairs.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

My background is in graphic design and I just still had more of a yearning to create and use my drawing skills and my conceptual thinking, and I’m able to combine that with my views on the world. I self-publish these books. I found out about self-publishing one day when watching the Jeff Probst show. They had this man on there named Dallas Clayton and he’s a children’s book author and writer, and hearing his story was kind of an inspiration to me. That’s an avenue I can go down with my creativity.

What kind of education or training did you need?

Well, my background is in graphic design. I was lucky because the college I went to, the first two years we were not on the computer. It was a lot of hand drawing and working color theory and three-dimensional design, so that helped a lot. And then the design background is where I really got the typesetting skills and the conceptual thinking.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Just at my drafting table in a comfortable pair of pants and shirt.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

Getting it done…. I’m very disciplined about my night hours, getting this done. There’s time where I don’t want to do this but no, I still stand in front of the computer, even if it’s 7 o’clock, and get an hour in.

What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your career?

When getting feedback from people, really showing it to adults with artistic backgrounds and adults with non-artistic backgrounds, because I get two different points of view from that. … The second book, when I would show it to children, I showed it to them without the words so they could tell me the story … let the child tell me the story through the images.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

That writing and illustrating is a lot of work!

—Zachary Lewis

Five favorites
Favorite book: The Neverending Story
Favorite movie: Stardust
Favorite music: Anything that’ll make me run. Alternative and pop.
Favorite food: Gourmet popsicles
Favorite thing about NH: The different seasons.

Featured photo: Regina Tranfa. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 24/06/27

Dear Donna,

Found these pennies at a flea market over the weekend. We paid $10 for all of them. Can you give me any information on them?

Thank you, Donna.

Tim

Dear Tim,

Coins are a field of their own and not one I have the most experience in. It’s a very interesting and complex collectible market and some can be very, very valuable.

Your pennies are from 1943 and if you’re lucky maybe you have one dated 1944. The 1943 wheat penny was made to conserve copper during World War II. They were made of steel with a zinc coating. Beware, though, some of the values are in the mint marks and other conditions that either enhance the values or take away from it. As with everything there are reproductions out there. Sad but true!

The average value of a steel penny in good condition is a few dollars. In order for you to get a real value they must be seen by a professional. This is a must should you have a treasure.

Tim, even if you have only a few dollars in steel pennies, the education you’re going to get from them will be priceless. Some of your work could be done via a guide to collecting coins or online. Don’t assume, though — have them looked at! Good luck, Tim, and I hope you found a treasure or two.

Growing roses and more

For roses, a weekly soak beats a daily sprinkle

June is, traditionally, the month for weddings. It is also the time when old-fashioned roses bloom, along with peonies, iris and many other great garden flowers. Is that coincidence? Perhaps. But maybe the two are linked. Let’s look at some great June flowers you can grow, and how to succeed with them.

My mom was an organic gardener who loved her roses. And although she is no longer with us to deny it, I think she may have cheated when it came to her roses. Back in the 1950s and ’60s roses were much fussier than they are now. They suffered from all kinds of fungal diseases and were eaten by ferocious Japanese beetles that made mincemeat of leaves and blooms. I think she used chemicals to kill the beetles and subdue the fungi.

Now we no longer have to resort to chemicals to have nice roses. Breeders have worked hard to develop roses that stay healthy and avoid predation from hungry beetles. The beetles were easy: they bred roses without scent to attract them. I don’t know how they developed roses resistant to diseases, but they have. I never see rose diseases, and I never spray.

My favorite roses are part of the “Knockout” series of roses, though I know others who really like the “Easy Elegance” series. They do not grow blossoms on long stems, but have multiple blossoms per stem. My “Knockouts” start blooming in June and bloom all summer and up until hard frost, or even later.

Siberian iris are tall and elegant. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Roses love full sun but will grow in part shade. But the more sun they get, the better they do. Six hours of sunshine is considered full sun by most authorities. Afternoon sun is more potent than morning sun, so the west side of the house is better than the east.

Roses need good, rich soil. If you have sandy soil or a heavy clay, you will need to improve it in order to succeed. What does that mean? Mix in lots of compost when you plant, and add some organic fertilizer. Dig a hole that is at least three times as wide as the pot it was in when you purchased it. Mix the soil for the hole 50-50 with good compost, either your own or a good bagged compost. I like Moo Doo or Coast of Maine brands.

Roses need more water than most other things, but do not want to sit in soggy soil. They should get an inch of water per week from rain, or a good dousing from your watering can applied slowly so it can soak in. A deep watering once a week is better than a little sprinkle every day.

Soil pH is important, too. The pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of your soil. You can buy an inexpensive kit to test it, or send a sample out to be tested for pH and soil quality at your state Extension Service. Roses do best in slightly acidic soil, in the range of 6.0 to 6.8. If your soil has a lower number, you should add limestone and mix it in. But don’t add too much. A test should tell you how much to add.

Many roses are grafted onto rootstock. The bud union — a scar — should be buried in the soil. The scar is obvious on bare-root roses but is probably buried if you buy a rose in a pot. The colder the climate, the deeper that graft line or bud union should be. For Zone 4, it should be about 4 inches below the final soil line. Zone 5? 3 inches. Zone 6? 2 inches.

Want more blossoms? Roses do better if they get some fertilizer a few times during the course of the summer. An organic, slow-release bagged fertilizer called Rose Tone is designed just for roses, but I use Pro-Gro, my go-to organic fertilizer, and sometimes use liquid fish and seaweed fertilizers made by Neptune’s Harvest. I add half a cup of Pro-Gro to the hole when I plant.

Other June flowers suitable for a wedding are peonies and iris. Peonies live forever if planted right — deep rich soil amended with plenty of organic matter. I have one from my grandmother, and she died in 1953. If you planted one that never blooms, you have probably planted it too deep. The “nibs” or growing points under the soil surface for next year’s growth should be no deeper than three quarters of an inch. You can feel them by poking around in the soil with your fingers. Pull away some soil if they are too deep, and it should bloom next year.

Siberian iris only bloom for a few days but are magnificent. They come in a variety of blues and purples. Old patches tend to develop a dead spot in the middle because the plants have used up all the soil nutrients. Divide in the fall and re-plant, or add some organic fertilizer now.

There are too many gorgeous flowers to mention them all. But if you are planning a wedding, be advised that flowers do not bloom on an absolute calendar. Your favorite peony may bloom on June 15 this year — and June 21 or June 3 next year. Your best bet is to have a good florist as a backup.

Kiddie Pool 24/06/27

Family fun for whenever

Nature and a story

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center will be hosting its StoryWalk kickoff reception at the Curry Place (846 Route 3, Holderness) on Friday, June 28, at 10 a.m. Attendees can stroll along the Squam channel as they read a nature-inspired story posted one page at a time along the trail. Children can participate in a craft and enjoy a snack connected to the story at the reception. It’s free and there’s no registration required. Visit nhnature.org. The Center’s live animal exhibit trail and hiking trails are open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last trail admission at 3:30 p.m., according to the website.

On stage

• The Impact Touring Children’s Theatre will perform The Emperor’s New Clothes on Tuesday, July 2, at 10 a.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). This is a free performance. Seating for this show is mostly on the open floor. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on.

• Kidz Bop Live comes to the BankNH Pavilion (80 Recycle Way, Gilford, 293-4700, banknhpavilion.com) on Wednesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $49.

Movies!

• Kids Series O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square (24 Calef Highway, Epping, oneilcinemas.com) features Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem(PG, 2023) on Monday, July 1, and Wednesday, July 3, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

• The Park Theatre’s Kids Summer Movie-Rama continues in Jaffrey with Peter Rabbit (PG, 2018) on Saturday, June 29, at 10 a.m. and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (PG, 2018) on Tuesday, July 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 6, at 10 a.m. Tickets are $7. Visit theparktheatre.org/kids or call 532-8888.

Fireworks and parades for the Fourth of July

Plus music, food and games

Celebrate Independence Day with multiple days of fun in area cities and towns. Here’s some of what’s going on.

• In Amherst on Sunday, June 30, festivities start around 6 p.m. with fireworks and family entertainment including a magician, a juggler, face-painting, hot air balloon rides and live music at Souhegan High School (412 Boston Post Road). There will be a parade on the Amherst Village Green on Thursday, July 4, at 9 a.m. with bands, local marchers, floats, fire trucks, antique cars, politicians, and a special children’s bicycle parade. Visit amherstcommunityfoundation.org.

• Concord will celebrate on Thursday, July 4, at Memorial Field (70 S. Fruit St.) with food, vendors, and music starting at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9:20 p.m. Rain date is Friday, July 5. Visit concordnh.gov.

• July Fourth Family Fun Day at Riverway Park in Contoocook starts at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 4, and will include parades, live music, face painting, dunk tanks and more. The Tooky Cookie Bake-Off cookie drop-off begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. Visit their Facebook page.

• In Dover the NH National Guard’s 39th Army Band will play at Henry Law Park on Thursday, July 4, at 4 p.m. and the city will launch its annual fireworks display from Garrison Hill on Saturday, July 6, at dusk, according to @CityofDoverNH on X.

• There will be fireworks in Exeter following the 34th Annual American Independence Festival (1 Governors Lane) on Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit independencemuseum.org.

• Fireworks light up Hampstead at the Independence Day Festival on Saturday, June 29, which involves frog jumping, games, a barbecue competition, a craft fair and Hampstead’s Got Musical Talent. Visit hampsteadcivicclub.org.

• Fireworks will be launched at Hampton Beach on Thursday, July 4, at 9:30 p.m from the top of B and C streets. Visit hamptonbeach.org/events/fireworks.

• The Hillsborough Summer Fest (29 Preston St.) will have fireworks the third night of their celebration on Saturday, July 13, at 10 p.m. and the national anthem will be sung by Faith Daley. Admission is free but parking is $10 per car. Visit hillsborosummerfest.com.

• In Manchester, fireworks go off on the evening of Wednesday, July 3, at Arms Park.

• Also in Manchester, get fireworks after each Fisher Cats game (at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive) Thursday, July 4, to Saturday, July 6. Games start at 6:35 p.m. and the Fisher Cats will be playing the Portland Sea Dogs. Visit nhfishercats.com.

• Merrimack has two days of celebrations. On Wednesday, July 3, the town holds its Patriotic Concert in the Park (behind Merrimack Town Hall at 6 Baboosic Lake Road) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Thursday, July 4, at Merrimack High School (38 McElwain St.) there will be a 5K road race at 8 a.m. and a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m., followed by a parade at 1 p.m. that starts at the Tractor Supply (515 DW Highway) and ends at the high school, and fireworks around 9:15 p.m. at the high school. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org.

• Festivities start in Nashua at 11 a.m. on July 4 at Holman Stadium for a Silver Knights Game where children under 12 and the first 500 adults are free but tickets must be reserved in advance. There will be an expanded kids zone and on-field activities. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a free concert by The Slakas, followed by local acts at 7:30 p.m. Then there will be the Nashua Hall of Fame Inductions followed by Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps at 8:30 p.m. and finally the fireworks at dusk. Visit nashuasilverknights.com for tickets and check out nashuanh.gov/SummerFun.

• New Boston will hold its 94th annual Fourth of July celebration on Thursday, July 4, with food, games, activities and a parade, all culminating in a fireworks display when it gets dark. This year’s parade theme is sci-fi and fantasy; the parade begins at 10 a.m. Admission to the fairgrounds begins at 4 p.m. and is $10 for those ages 12 and up, $5 for those ages 2 to 11; children 2 and under are free, and this year there is a family package price of $40, according to the website. Parking is free. Visit newboston4thofjuly.org.

• The Independence Day celebration in Pelham will be held on the grounds of the Pelham Municipal Center on Marsh Road on Saturday, June 29, starting at 6 p.m. There will be lots of fair food, face painting, music, glow necklaces and more, with fireworks at dusk, according to the same website. Visit pelhamcommunityspirit.org.

• Portsmouth will launch their Fourth of July fireworks on Wednesday, July 3, at 9:15 p.m. at South Mill Pond across from Portsmouth City Hall. Rain date is Friday, July 5.

• The Fourth of July parade and celebration in Raymond take place on Thursday, July 4, and begins at 9:15 a.m. at the intersection of Route 27 and Epping Street. It will journey toward the Town Commons to Old Manchester Road to Wight Street. Raymond will hold a fireworks display as part of the town fair on Saturday, July 13, at 9:30 p.m. The fair itself runs from Thursday, July 11, through Sunday, July 14. Visit raymondnh.gov.

• In Rye, the Fourth of July celebration and fireworks display will be held on Sunday, June 30, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Parsons Field.

• In Salem, there will be festivities at Tuscan Village (19 Via Toscana) on Wednesday, July 3, with food trucks at 4 p.m., live music at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m., according to a June 4 post at facebook.com/TuscanKitchenandMarket.

• Sunapee will forgo fireworks for an innovative Independence Day Drone Show on Saturday, June 29, at dusk; spectators are invited to watch the setup process beginning at 2 p.m.) at Sunapee Harbor. The town will hold its Independence Day parade on Thursday, July 4, at noon starting on Old Georges Mills Road; celebrations continue that afternoon at the bandstand with music and activities. See town.sunapee.nh.us.

• Windham will have fireworks on Wednesday, June 26, along with music and food trucks. The show runs from 7 to 10 p.m., with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. The parking lot opens at 5:30 p.m. Visit windhamnh.gov.

Featured Photo: Market Days Festival in Concord. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 24/06/27

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

• On display now: Catch the art exhibit “Exploration: Line/Shape/Form” on display through Thursday, Aug. 22, at Art 3 Gallery (44 West Brook St. in Manchester; art3gallery.com, 668-6650). The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Get a peek at the show on the gallery’s website.

• American songbook: Welcome to The Club brings the music of the great American crooners to the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) Friday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m. This is a reinvention of the classic Copacabana Club with a full 19-piece Big Band and hits from Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Mel Tormé, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. Tickets are $29.

The Lavender Scare
NSquared Dance will present The Lavender Scare in collaboration with New Hampshire Dance Collaborative and Manchester True Collaborative at The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St in Manchester) on Thursday, June 27, at 7 p.m. “The Lavender Scare”was the dismissal and resignations of thousands of federal workers because of their sexuality and took place during the 1940s to the 1960s alongside McCarthyism, according to a press release. The performance is a 45-minute dance work. Tickets range from $20 to $35. Visit nsquareddance.org/performances.

• Summer theater: Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua) as part of their Sunday Cinema Classics Series will be screening Summer Stock (1950) on Sunday, June 30, at 1 p.m., according to their website. The movie follows a small-town farmer, down on her luck, who finds her homestead invaded by a theatrical troupe invited to stay by her ne’er-do-well sister. It stars Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Visit nashualibrary.org.

• Flip for the circus: The Circus is in town. FL!P Circus, created by the Vazquez family, is bringing its 2024 production and its air-conditioned red and white big top tent to the Mall at Rockingham Park (99 Rockingham Park Blvd., Salem) from Friday, June 28, to Sunday, July 7, according to a press release. This all-new show was specially curated to showcase an eclectic mix of international human performers. Show times are 7 p.m. on weekdays; 1, 4, and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets range between $25 and $45, and certain discounts, like family or military, can apply. Visit FlipCircus.com.

• Artists reception: The Saxtons River Art Guild is excited for its first exhibition, to run from Friday, June 28, to Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Jaffrey Civic Center (40 Main St.) with an opening reception for the artists to be held on Friday, June 28, from 5 to 7 p.m., according to a press release. At the reception, artists from the Saxtons River Art Guild will be present to talk about their artworks. There will also be receptions on Friday, June 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the group shows in the Auditorium gallery and the Cunningham Gallery upstairs. The Saxon River Art Guild was founded in 1976 by a small group of artists who lived in Saxtons River, Vermont, and gathered informally for painting classes with various instructors. It is now a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote and encourage the advancement of the fine arts, with about 80 members throughout the Monadnock region in New Hampshire and the Southern Connecticut River Valley area of Vermont, according to the press release. Visit jaffreyciviccenter.com.

—Zachary Lewis

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