Author: The Hippo Press

The Weekly Dish 24/04/18

News from the local food scene

By John Fladd
jfladd@hippopress.com

• Paint and Sip Night: Paint and drink wine in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. Wine on Main (9 N. Main St., Concord, wineonmainnh.com, 897-5828) will host Paint and Sip events with art facilitator Andrea Stetson on Thursday, April 18, and Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m. These events are open to adults 21 and older. Every $50 ticket includes all materials, instruction and wine tasting. Register via Wine on Main’s website.

• Springfest: To Share Brewing Co. (720 Union St., Manchester, tosharebrewing.com, 836-6947) will hold its second annual Springfest celebration Saturday, April 20, from 1 to 9 p.m. The brewery will observe the arrival of spring and the release of its Festbier Spring Lager with bratwursts, sauerkraut and more. There will be stein-holding competitions at 2 and 6 p.m., and live music with Upright Dogs from 5 to 7 p.m.

• Foraging: Learn how to identify select wild edibles — mushrooms, berries, greens or even trees — via a slideshow and in-person samples to see and feel. The Hooksett Library (31 Mount Saint Mary’s Way, Hooksett, discover.hooksettlibrary.org, 485-6092) will host “From Field to Table: Foraging and Identifying Wild Edibles,” a presentation by Emily Makrez, owner of F-Word Farm and educator on all things fermenting, farming and foraging-related, on Wednesday April 24, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is required via the Library’s website.

On The Job – Charles Keith

CO-Owner of The Rugged Axe

Charles Keith co-owns The Rugged Axe (377 S. Willow St. in Manchester) with his wife, Melinda Asprey.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I am the owner and operator of The Rugged Axe. We have private parties, scheduled parties, we do events here, so day-to-day operations. I also do the back-of-house inventory, accounting, scheduling, all that stuff.

How long have you had this job?

We opened almost three years ago. In June it will be three years. My wife and I built it ourselves. I have a daughter that works here full-time, another son that works here part-time, and I have my mother coming in, doing some of the artwork.

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

I sold computers and software for 18 years for a local IT company, sitting in a cubicle, on the phone all day long. My son was in the Coast Guard at the time. We went down to Florida to visit him. He wanted to go ax throwing, I had never done it, he’d never done it. So we spent a couple hours throwing axes and as I’m doing that I’m quickly realizing, doing the math in my head, this is a pretty decent business to be in. On the flight home I wrote a business plan, told my wife all about it … I had to present that a hundred times to her. On the 101st time she said, “either do it or don’t,”… so we found a spot, we built it out and within about five months we were open and going.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Logo T-shirt and jeans. So pretty casual, comfortable.

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

Probably coming up with innovative ideas to attract the customers in the door.

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

How many hours I was going to work. You always think, well, you know, I can get this done, we’re only open 40 hours a week, a few hours in the back of the house, rest of the time I’m on the floor working with customers. It slowly turns into all the time. You work all the time. I didn’t quite realize that at first. After three years you really get a handle on it, you can manage your time a little better.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

Most of the time people just think you’re talking to customers, throwing axes and having a good time. I’m an accountant, I’m an advertiser, I’m a builder, I’m an artist. … I don’t think people realize going into business for yourself you’ve got to be a jack of all trades.

What was your first job?

I stocked beer and wine and bread and milk for my dad at a supermarket. Him and my grandfather owned a supermarket, a small one.

What is the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t give up and you are only as strong as your weakest link. — Zachary Lewis

Five favorites
Favorite book: Cujo from Stephen King
Favorite movie: Rocky
Favorite music: Led Zeppelin, all day long
Favorite food: Hamburgers
Favorite thing about NH: You get a little of everything in New Hampshire. I like that. You get the mountains, the ocean, the fall, good summers, the beaches. I think the diversity of things to do in New Hampshire, I like that, yeah….

Featured photo: Charles Keith and Melinda Asprey. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 24/04/18

Family fun for whenever

Earth Day at the Museum

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) will hold an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 20, with sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The planned activities include Earth-friendly crafts, planting, a scavenger hunt and more. Reserve spots online for a session in advance; admission costs $12.50, $10.50 for seniors.

Art camp!

• The Currier Museum of Art’s (150 Ash St., Manchester) April Vacation Art Camp: Sailors and Sea Monsters runs Monday, April 22, through Friday, April 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Currier’s exhibit “Stories of the Sea” is the impetus behind this camp, which will include a variety of exciting multi-media art-making experiences, guided museum tours and gallery activities, according to their website. Three cohorts will be composed of kids ages 6 and 7, ages 8 to 10 and ages 11 to 14. An exhibition of their artwork will be held Thursday, April 25, at 3:45 p.m. Registration is $375 for non-members, $337.50 for members, with tuition discounts available, and all art materials will be provided, according to the website. Visit currier.org or call 518-4922.

Teddy bears!

• Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester) is hosting its annual Teddy Bear Picnic on Tuesday, April 23, at 11:30 a.m. Participants will gather with their teddy bears in the children’s room and then, when everyone is ready, parade through the library and out to the side lawn for a picnic, according to the website. Participants should bring their own bag lunch and beverage to enjoy at the picnic. At noon Mr. Aaron will be on the south lawn for a foot-stomping concert, according to the same site. Registration is not required. Call 624-6550, ext. 7628.

Experiment!

• Later that same day, Tuesday, April 23, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Manchester City Library will host Elementary Experiments. This activity is for anyone in grades 1 through 6 and includes activities and crafts with a STEAM focus (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Participants can join in at the library or watch the video online; this week’s theme is food science. If you want to attend in person, register in advance so there are enough supplies. Elementary Experiments takes place in the Winchell Room. To register, visit manchester.lib.nh.us or call 624-6550, ext. 7628.

No small parts!

• Shakespeare for Youth, a nonprofit homeschool theater group that rehearses in Nashua and Milford, has four performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Amato Center (56 Mount Vernon St., Milford), on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, at 2 and 7 p.m. on both days, according to their website. This is the group’s third year of performing Shakespeare’s works with a cast made up of kids approximately ages 6 to 18 from all over New Hampshire and Massachusetts, according to a press release. Tickets online are $6 for individuals, $5 for seniors, and $25 for family tickets for parents and up to four kids. Call 399-9609 or visit bit.ly/sfytix.

Meet the wildlife

Animal rehabilitators at Discover Wild NH Day

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

The Millstone Wildlife Center in Windham provides an unparalleled service in the Granite State with its devotion to mammal rehabilitation. Executive Director and Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator Frannie Greenberg and her husband, Michael, who holds a master’s degree in animal science, have dedicated their lives to creatures large and small. They will be at Discover Wild New Hampshire Day in Concord on Saturday, April 20, to educate the public on the hard work they do with the help of animal ambassadors.

Discover Wild New Hampshire Day is a day of educational exhibits and wildlife-related activities for kids and families, including archery, casting and more, hosted by New Hampshire Fish and Game.

Striped skunk. Courtesy of MWC.

“We operate from our home,” Greenberg said. “We are not funded by state or federal government. Everything we receive is from donations from kind individuals that either have brought us an animal or corporations who believe in our mission.” That mission is to rehabilitate as many critters as possible.

“We’re serving almost 1,400 animals a year,” Greenberg said. More and more of our space becomes animal space…. This is quiet time for us. At 42 animals, this is a piece of cake. In the summer we have up to 150 animals here. When some of those eat every two hours, we’re hopping.”

These animals range “from the tiniest little voles all the way up through coyotes,” she said. “We don’t do bear. We don’t do deer and moose. Beyond that, if we are available we take them. Sometimes we are full to the gills with raccoons and I have to find somebody else to take them. Things like a raccoon might be here for six months. They’re a tough one in that they eat a lot, they need to be dewormed, they need to be vaccinated, they need vet care. So there comes a point where we’re out of cage space for them…. We don’t do birds by choice. We don’t have the space.”

Adult red fox. Courtesy of MWC.

MWC has helped bobcats, bats, porcupines, coyotes, foxes and more. Different animals require different care.

“Things like little eastern cottontails stay with mom three weeks,” said Greenberg, “so we’re talking a month, maximum, if we get a newborn. It’s a whole lot easier to go through many, many, many rabbits in a year and … they take up less room, they take less resources, and last year we served 722 Eastern cottontail rabbits that came through our door, so many, many, many.”

Their rehabilitation efforts are not a guise for pest removal, Greenberg said. “I am not here just to take all the things you do not want. People call and say, ‘I have a woodchuck and it just ate all my lettuce.’ That’s not a service we provide.”

Growing up, Greenberg always cared for animals.

Virginia opossum. Courtesy of MWC.

“I was a little kid who brought home every animal from wherever,” she said. “From the schoolyard, from the backyard, from a field trip. If there was an animal I brought it home. Luckily I had parents who indulged this. I had a dad who would build a cage or help me figure out how to get it help…. My background is animal science education. I got licensed in 2015 and we’ve grown since then. The plan initially was to start small, have a few animals because I was still doing science education consulting.”

Greenberg is licensed by New Hampshire Fish and Game as a rehabilitator and their home is classified as a permitted facility by the USDA.

“We also raised three little human animals. When my daughters were out of the house, all at college or beyond, was when I said, ‘OK.’” Their full-time rehabilitation mission soon began. “It became apparent very quickly that there’s a huge need in this state, there still is, there are not enough people, understandably because you must give your home, you must give your money, you must give your time. It’s 365 days a year, there’s no vacation, no sick days. It doesn’t matter if it’s Christmas … any day of the year, any time of the day….”

A large part of the work involves education.

“The more we educate people the more people realize we’re here … when they might have otherwise either tried to do it on their own, which is, one, illegal, two, dangerous for the animal…,” she said.

Discover Wild New Hampshiire will have a stage where MWC can do some show and tell with animals.

“We take animals that are registered. We are … licensed by the USDA to keep ambassadors, those animals that are deemed not to be releasable and that can educate the public. Right now we’re planning to bring — and I say we’re planning because with animals you just never know — we are planning to bring our Virginia opossum; she will be in the big area for our 1:30 general presentation,” Greenberg said. “When we bring her out we always try to teach by example and wear gloves so people see that you should always wear gloves, or if you don’t have gloves you use a barrier.”

That isn’t all. “We will also bring along a snake and a turtle,” Greenberg said. “If they’re nervous, we put them back; if they’re comfortable a snake can just sit on us.”

Discover Wild New Hampshire Day
When: Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord
Admission: Free. Trained service dogs only.
More: wildlife.nh.gov

Millstone Wildlife Center
millstonewildlife.com
320-0941

Featured Photo: Woodchucks. Courtesy of MWC.

Scotland indoors

Enjoy pipe bands and much more

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

Scotland lies about 3,050 miles to the slight northeast of New Hampshire, as the crow flies if crows fly across the Atlantic. A shorter trip is to the 21st Annual New Hampshire Indoor Scottish Festival on Saturday, April 20, at Salem High School, where you will feel as if you had made that trans-Atlantic journey.

The New England Scottish Arts Centre, the organization behind the event, was founded in 1984 and this is their festival where they showcase the cultural history of Scotland. Traditional Scottish dance, pipe and drum music, and representatives from various clans will fill the area with the sights and sounds of the Scottish Highlands, minus the sheep and caber-tossing, for this massive competition.

Scottish Arts also holds classes year-round on Highland dance, piping and fiddle, and even hosts a kilt-making workshop in the winter months as well as other events and festivals.

“It’s the largest indoor contest in North America,” said Lezlie Webster, founder and director of Scottish Arts. Webster is the head piping instructor as well as a Highland dance instructor.

“A lot of people from all over New England, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are coming up, and New York. It’s a huge competition … 14 pipe bands from New York all the way through to Maine. Highland dancers, same thing,” Webster said. More than 100 soloists for piping and drumming are competing as well.

The festival starts with dance.

“The dancing is in the morning only and that’s … on the main stage in the big theater…,” Webster said. “Solo piping and drumming are down the hall, around the corner, and they are starting at 8 a.m. … because there are so many of them and they go through till about 1.”

“In the middle of that,” Webster said, “the pipe bands start arriving around 10, 10:30, and they go upstairs to classrooms and they start warming up there and in hallways, and every nook and cranny, so the building is alive by noon hour just with so much stuff going on … and it’s free. Very free.” Brave participants will even get a chance to try the Highland Fling themselves.

As the dancing dwindles, the music heads to the forefront. “The pipe band competitions will take over the stage [at] about 1:30 and they’ll go till 4. The end is a little recital by a couple of our piping judges that are world famous, some of the top in the world.” These include Bruce Gandy, Derek Midgley and Andrew Douglas.

Claire MacPherson, president and coordinator of clans and societies for Scottish Arts, who is originally from Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands of Scotland, expands on the activities of the day and advises participants to “start with the clans because … everything in the games will make sense if you go to the clans and particularly if you are looking to trace your Scottish heritage, your clan might not be there, but these people are so incredibly knowledgeable, they’ve been doing it for decades.”

Food trucks will be outside as Celtic clothing, artwork, jewelry and face painting will be available on top of learning about Scottish heritage from the various clans, clan associations and societies.

One such society is the Scots’ Charitable Society — “they were formed in 1657 by former Scots prisoners of war,” MacPherson said. Those prisoners are highlighted in John D. Demos’ workshop called “The Seventeenth Century Scottish Prisoners of War in New Hampshire and Maine.” Demos, former archivist for Old Berwick Historical Society in Maine, will go over in precise historical detail their odyssey of capture in 1650 by Oliver Cromwell during the English civil war.

Demos said, “Cromwell and the English decided they were going to try to get rid of the rest and send them away where they couldn’t cause anymore trouble and they ended up packing off 150 to New England who came into Boston…. Many of those ended up at the Saugus Iron Works.”

These historical roots established a Scottish heritage in the Granite State. “I discovered my culture,” MacPherson said, “I think, from the descendants of Highlanders who are here in New England, and that’s really amazing, I think, personally. It’s very touching, it’s very humbling.”

Rain or shine, The Scottish Highlands will be alive in Salem on Saturday, April 20.

“The weather can do what it likes,” MacPherson said, “but people can be comfortable in a nice seat in this building that was purpose-built for the sound and just enjoy a big pipe band. It’s a really lovely treat.

21st Annual Indoor Scottish Festival
When: Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive in Salem)
Admission: free
More: nhssa.org

Featured Photo: Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 24/04/18

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

• Sweet seasons: Experience Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) which opens Friday, April 19, and runs through Sunday, May 12, with shows on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and Thursday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. According to the event site, before she was hitmaker Carole King she was Carole Klein, a spunky young songwriter from Brooklyn with a unique voice who wrote chart-topping hits for the biggest acts in music. The book is by Douglas McGrath with words and music by Gerry Goffin & Carole King as well as Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil. Tickets cost $28 to $49.

• Symphony: Listen to Symphony NH’s presentation “New World: Dvorak and Sparr” featuring Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 in E Minor ‘New World’” and the world premiere of composer D.J. Sparr’s “Extraordinary Motion: Concert for Electric Harp” with poet/co-creator Janine Joseph and harpist Rosanna Moore, on Saturday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). Tickets cost $10 to $63. Directly preceding the show, hosts Deanna Hoying and Roger Kalia will present a pre-concert talk looking into the music with illuminating stories, histories and insights into the repertoire and composers, according to the website. See symphonynh.org.

THEATRE PROJECT DRAMA
The New Hampshire Theatre Project (959 Islington St., Portsmouth) presents Collected Stories, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated play by Donald Margulies, directed by Monique Foote and Starring Genevieve Aichele and Amy Desrosiers through April 28 with Friday showtimes at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2:30 and 4 p.m as well as a performance on Thursday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m., according to a press release. The play explores who owns the rights to a story as a teacher and respected author mentors a young writer who decides to base her novel on her mentor’s secret affair with a famed poet, according to a press release. Tickets range from $28 to $32. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.

• From history: Get a view of history when Howard Mansfield discusses his bookI Will Tell No War Stories: What Our Fathers Left Unsaid About World War II on Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. at Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, Nashua, balinbooks.com). Discover a very personal story about Mansfield’s father, who was a gunner, and fellow crew members in the Eighth Air Force and the bombing missions over Germany from their base in England, according to the bookstore’s website.

• Audition: Raymond Arts is holding auditions for Mustering Courage, a new play by Don LaDuke based on the book Letters from a Sharpshooter: The Civil War Letters of Private William B. Greene, transcribed and published by William H. Hastings. Auditions are being held Wednesday, April 17, and Thursday, April 18, at 6 p.m. at Raymond High School Cafeteria (45 Harriman Hill Road, Raymond) for all roles. The call is for men and women between the ages of 16 and 60 who should be prepared for a sight reading and to discuss any potential schedule conflicts, according to a press release. Performance dates are from Friday, Aug. 2, to Sunday, Aug. 11, and rehearsals begin Sunday, April 28, according to the release. Visit facebook.com/RaymondArts.

BROADWAY SATIRE
Forbidden Broadway, a musical spoof of Broadway shows and stars, will come to Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St., Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com) on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. A theatrical institution since 1982 when Gerard Alessandrini created the first edition, lampooning the Broadway shows and stars of the day, Forbidden Broadway in its newest edition includes good-natured shots at Moulin Rouge, the all-Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof, Hadestown, and this season’s dark Oklahoma! revival, along with Dear Evan Hansen, Tootsie, Beetlejuice, Frozen and a whole new generation of Broadway stars, plus some classic laughs from The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miz and others, according to a press release. Tickets cost between $35 and $45. Call 437-5210 for tickets.

• Play: RGC (Ro Gavin Collaborative) Theatre and 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth) present Ordinary Daysby Adam Gwon on Saturday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m for all ages. Set in New York City, the play singles out four average New Yorkers whose lives end up tangled as they flounder through everyday obstacles and edge closer to connecting with each other, according to the event site. Tickets range from $25 to $50 and prices are based on a “pay-what-you-choose” model. Visit 3sart.org.

• Card game tournament: Join Double Midnight Comics in Concord (341 Loudon Road) for Flesh and Blood Pro Quest Season 5, a fantasy and action/adventure card game tournament from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. Entry is $35, format is classic constructed and prizing will be in store credit, according to the event site. Flesh and Blood fans can also stop by on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 10 p.m. when DMC hosts “Wednesday Blitz,” which is one of the most popular ways to play the game and where they make sure everyone gets a chance to play, according to their website. Tickets are $5 and participants have a chance to win card packs as a prize. Visit dmcomics.com.

• D&D league: Fans of Dungeon & Dragons, a role-playing game, can stop by Double Midnight Comics in Manchester (252 Willow St.) for their Tuesday Adventurers League from 6 to 9 p.m. Adventurer’s League is a pop-in, pop-out style of game, so it’s fine to miss a couple of weeks; to see how Adventurer’s League works, check out the official DnD site, and check out the Facebook group D&D@Dmcomics to find information on tables, starting levels, and which DM’s are available, according to the same website. Visit dmcomics.com and dnd.wizards.com/adventurers-league.

ART AUCTION GALA
The Jaffrey Civic Center will be hosting its third annual Heart of the Arts Gala Art Auction on Saturday, April 27, at 6:30 p.m. This semiformal ticketed event is an opportunity for people to get dressed up and enjoy a night out while supporting local arts and culture with an artist preview reception that is free to the public on Saturday, April 20, from 5:30 to 7 p.m, according to a press release. Artists from the region contributed 76 pieces to the auction, they will receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their art, with the rest going to support the Civic Center, according to the same release. A select portion of the works of art will be auctioned off by artist and auctioneer Harold French, and there will also be a virtual silent auction, which will open at least a week prior to the big event. Tickets are $40 for one, $60 for two. To find the silent auction slideshow, or for tickets, visit jaffreyciviccenter.com/live-auction-items

— Zachary Lewis

This Week 24/04/18

Thursday, April 18

NH Roller Derby will host a Rookie Meet-N-Greet for interested skaters, referees and non-skating officials. No experience is necessary; skating experience is helpful but not essential. Go to the Manchester Ballers’ Association (3 Sundial Ave. in Manchester) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to meet players, ask questions and watch a practice. See nhrollerderby.com for links to info on their socials.

Thursday, April 18

Positive Street Art and the Greater Manchester Chamber host a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the opening of a new gallery show, “Accessibility Through the Trees.” It will be held at the Chamber’s Positive Street Art Satellite Gallery (54 Hanover St. in Manchester, positivestreetart.org). The exhibition, which runs from today until June, features work from New Hampshire artists Richella Simard and Amber Nicole Cannan. This event is free.

Saturday, April 20

It’s Record Store Day! Look for special vinyl and CD releases and promotional products made exclusively for the day. Festivities vary between record stores. See recordstoreday.com for participating stores — including Music Connection (1711 S. Willow St. in Manchester), which has a tantalizing photo of (still boxed) Record Store Day merch on its Facebook page, and Pitchfork Records (2 S. Main St. in Concord), which will open at 8 a.m., according to a post (with accompanying photo of a previous year’s line of eager RSD shoppers) on its Facebook page.

Saturday, April 20

The Women’s Service Club of Windham (womansserviceclubofwindham.org, 821-4592) is holding its 12th annual Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road in Windham). The fair will have more than 100 artisans with arts and crafts, including ceramics, glass, jewelry and more. There is a $2 suggested donation for admission.

Saturday, April 20

The Granite State Trading Cards & Collectibles Show will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord, concordnh.gov/496/Everett-Arena, 228-2784). There will be sports cards, trading card games, autographs, memorabilia, autograph signings and more. Admission is $5, free for children 12 and under. Free parking is available.

Saturday, April 20

The Bedford Event Center (379 S. River Road, Bedford, bedfordeventcenter.com, 997-7741) hosts Spring, Flowers, & Plants!, a free indoor-outdoor craft fair with food trucks, a drink tent, local vendors and children’s activities, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday, April 21

Humor writer David Sedaris will read new selections, take questions and sign books at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord, ccanh.com, 225-1111) at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $57.75

Save the Date! Thursday, April 28
British Guitar Blowout: The Music of Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck featuring Journeyman & Beck-Ola, will come to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com, 657-8774) on Thursday, April 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. These two tribute bands feature veteran performers including Shaun Hague, Marty Richards and Johnny A. Tickets start at $29.

Quality of Life 24/04/18

And the winner is

Ruby Shabazz, a Nashua native, has won best R&B song in the 2024 New England Songwriting Competition. According to its website (newenglandsongwritingcompetition.com) the contest describes its mission as “to nurture, recognize, and elevate the diverse voices and melodies that make up the vibrant music scene of New England.” This is the 15th contest. Ruby Shabazz won the award with “Thank You,” an autobiographical song about the meaning of gratitude. According to an April 6 press release from Shabazz, her style has been described as “an updated version of neo-soul mixed with the throwback sounds of Lauryn Hill.” This year’s New England Songwriting Competition had more than 500 submissions.

QOL score: +1

Comments: See Shabazz on Saturday, April 27, at 9 p.m. at the Smokehouse Tavern in Lowell, Mass., according to her website.

Stepping Stones closes

According to an April 12 broadcast story on WMUR, Stepping Stones, a Nashua shelter that helps homeless young adults who have aged out of foster care or fled situations of abuse, closed its residential facility last Tuesday. According to WMUR’s story, residents were given three weeks to find other living arrangements. On its website (steppingstonesnh.org) Stepping Stones has posted a simple message: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, Stepping Stones will be closing permanently on April 9, 2024.”

QOL score: -1

Comments: According to another WMUR story from Oct. 18 of last year, there are more than 3,000 homeless youth in New Hampshire.

Another kind of eclipse-related phenomenon

According to an April 10 news release from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (dot.nh.gov), more than 54,000 cars traveled north on New Hampshire highways to view the April 8 eclipse. According to an April 9 story on WMUR.com, southbound traffic was especially harrowing: “Backups on major roadways such as Interstate 93 north of the Notches lasted into the early hours of the morning, and the roads were still crowded by Tuesday morning rush hour.”

QOL score: -1 for the less-fun eclipse gathering

Comments: According to WMUR, some eclipse viewers reported it took them more than 12 hours to get back to the southern part of the state.

Boston Marathon runners

New Hampshire runners did well in Monday’s Boston Marathon. According to WMUR (wmur.com) and the Boston Athletic Association (baa.org) the state’s fastest participants were Sam Fazioli of Derry, who placed 38th among male runners with a time of 2:23:49; Emilee Risteen, also of Derry, who placed 29th among female runners with a time of 2:43:12, and Nashua’s Thomas Cantara, who won the T20 Para division in 2:35:23. As reported by WMUR, Risteen said of the race, “It was a tougher day out there, but still fun.”

QOL score: +1

Comments: Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia was the fastest male runner, with a time of 2:06:17. Hellen Obiri of Kenya won her second consecutive Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:22:37.

Last week’s QOL score: 63

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 63

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

New Hampshire is for the birds

A NH Audubon biologist discusses the importance of our feathered residents

Rebecca Suomala is a Senior Biologist with the New Hampshire Audubon Society.

Why are birds important to New Hampshire?

Birds are such an important part of our state for many reasons. For personal enjoyment, for economic reasons. There are birds that eat insect pests, there are birds that excavate cavities that other birds and other creatures use in the woods, and they’re just a phenomenal presence. They’re the one form of wildlife in the state that anybody can see — I’m excluding insects in this statement. If you think about when you walk out your door, if you’d like to see wildlife, birds are everywhere. We’re fortunate in New Hampshire that we still have woods, we still have fields, we still have coastal areas, we still have habitat for a wide variety of birds and it’s just wonderful.

What are some birds you are likely to see migrating back to New Hampshire?

We’ve got migrants coming back that have spent the winter to our south. Some of the ones that people are starting to see are red-winged blackbirds, chipping sparrows, killdeer and broad-winged hawk. Those are a few that people might see right in their backyard or nearby. Killdeer won’t be in people’s backyards, but they come back to schoolyards and big open field areas.

What are things that people can put out for birds in spring to bring birds to their homes that will not attract bears?

Birdbaths are something that can be an attractant to birds. You can, also, scatter seed on the ground. Not concentrated like it would be at a feeder but scattered around in your yard on the ground, and some of the smaller birds will feed on the ground, like cardinals like to feed on the ground. Northern cardinals, those are the red birds with the red crests. People really love them and they will feed on the ground, so scattering some seed under some bushes might be a good way to still have some seed out for birds. When we get into May, hummingbirds start coming back, and so you can put out a hummingbird feeder, which has sugar water in it, or you can put out fruit like orange halves or grape jelly for Baltimore orioles — they are a very colorful orange and black bird.

Are there any plants people can use to attract birds?

There are, and at this time of year if you have berry bushes or trees that hold their fruit all winter then there will be birds which come feed on them this time of year. The ones that people see the most right now … maybe crabapples that have stayed on the tree long would [attract] either the robin or cedar waxwings.

How should Granite Staters deal with woodpecker noise and bird nests?

In the springtime, the woodpeckers are usually making noise because a woodpecker drumming, you know that tet tet tet tet tet tet tet tet tet, that’s the woodpecker’s song, that’s how the male proclaims his territory, so he wants to make noise. He’s not trying to get into whatever he’s pecking on, he’s trying to make nice big loud noise, which of course, wakes you up in the morning. The best thing to do in that case is put something over wherever he’s pecking so it doesn’t make any noise, some foam or something over it that won’t make noise when he taps on it. Birds that make nests, like in a mailbox or on a wreath hanging on your door, the one thing to remember about that is that [for] small birds, it’s roughly two weeks to incubation and two to three weeks until the young fledge, so if you can stand it for like four to five weeks, then they will be gone.

Talk about your work with the common nighthawk.

They’re a fantastic bird! They eat insects, which they catch on the wing. They fly around and catch their insects. They’re only here from about mid-May until the end of August and they are active at dawn and dusk, they’re a crepuscular species…. They’re vulnerable to predation because they nest on the ground. They’re also vulnerable to the use of pesticides. Pesticides … can be fatal to some birds and then pesticides that cause decrease in insects cause a decrease in the food supply for nighthawks, so they’re a very vulnerable species, and they migrate all the way down to South America…. We’re still learning where they winter. In New Hampshire they are only remaining in a few places. The Ossipee Pine Barrens is one of the remaining strongholds. There are also pairs that nest in the Concord area but they used to nest on stone rooftops but many of those rooftops have been converted to … PVC. With the declining nighthawk population the only town that still has nighthawks resting in it is Concord. They have a fantastic display, the males do. They display over a potential nest area and they circle around above it and make a noise like … peent peent peent and then they do a spectacular dive where they just dive straight down and all of a sudden they pull their wings forward and swoop out of the dive and make this little whoosh noise, then they do it all over again. – Zachary Lewis

Earth Day Celebration
The New Hampshire Audubon holds its annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 20, with a variety of family-friendly activities. This year’s theme is “Planet vs. Plastics” according to the website. The day will feature animal ambassadors, games, crafts, seed giveaways, nest box building while supplies last, a food truck and more.
Where: NH Audubon Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn
When: Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: $15 for a family of four
More info: nhaudubon.org or 224-9909, ext. 400

Featured image: Becky Suomala birding at the southern tip of South America. Photo by Zeke Cornell.

News & Notes 24/04/18

Parks and ponds

The Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration program kicks off the 25th year of cleanups with a cleanup of Nutts Pond and Precourt Park on Saturday, April 20, from 9 to 11 a.m., rain or shine. Volunteers can meet at the kiosk at Driving Park Road (off South Willow Street). The spring schedule then includes Stevens Pond/Stevens Park on Saturday, April 27; Black Brook/Blodget Park on May 4, and McQuesten Brook/Wolfe Park on May 11, with all cleanups to run from 9 to 11 a.m. “Trash bags, latex gloves, and a handful of trash pickers will be available. Please wear rubber boots if you have them,” said the group’s newsletter. See manchesternh.gov/urbanponds for details and for summaries of past cleanups, or call 624-6527.

Smokey Bear says

An April 10 press release from the New Hampshire Department of Natural & Cultural Resources announced that the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau has designated April 14 through April 20 “Wildfire Awareness Week,” citing rising temperatures, low relative humidity and gusty winds combined with over-wintered dry grasses and leaves, all of which contribute to elevate wildfire risk statewide. The bureau is joining U.S. and Canadian partners in the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission in a coordinated effort to educate the public about how people can lessen the occurrences of wildfire across the region, according to the same release.

Forest Ranger Nathan Blanchard said in a statement that “it’s important to recognize that, unlike other regions of the United States, wildfire season in New Hampshire can begin early in the spring.” Blanchard noted that “yard cleanup, spring cookouts and even things like the improper disposal of wood stove ash can create embers, sparks or other forms of heat that can easily ignite dry materials around them, causing a wildfire that can quickly run and turn into a big problem.”

In the last two decades the state has experienced an average of 285 wildfires per year impacting 221 acres annually on average, the release said. Wildfires pose a threat to forest-based recreational activities and forest product industries, which contribute around $4.6 billion dollars every year according to the New Hampshire Forest Action Plan from 2020, according to the same release.

Fire permits need to be obtained for any outdoor fires and can be acquired from your local fire department or nhfirepermit.com.

The Forest Protection Bureau has also announced it is planning to implement a prescribed burn at Blue Job State Forest in Farmington this year, depending on weather conditions, any time from April through October, according to an earlier press release, where approximately 20 acres will be burned by trained resource managers and wildfire personnel in order to improve blueberry habitat, improve conditions for birds and other wildlife that rely on blueberries for food and shelter, and reduce forest fuels like shrubs and grasses that could contribute to a wildfire.

For more information about the Division of Forests and Lands and the work of its Forest Protection Bureau, visit nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov or call 271-2214.

Relapse prevention

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections announced in an April 8 press release the launch of a new Relapse Prevention Program at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord designed for individuals returning to incarceration as the result of a parole violation.

The Relapse Prevention Program joins several other therapeutic communities within the department’s facilities, including its Wellness Units, the Residential Treatment Unit, the Pathways Program, and the Focus Program where New Hampshire Department of Corrections licensed mental health professionals use industry standard assessment tools to make recommendations for treatment including but not limited to the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s ASAM criteria, to determine placement, continued service, and transfer of patients with addiction and co-occurring conditions, according to the press release.

Repeat substance misuse is the second-highest contributor to parole violation, although the percentage of those who violate their parole is only 2 percent of the overall parole caseload, according to the release.

Commissioner Helen Hanks said in a statement that “the introduction of the Relapse Prevention Program underscores the department’s continued commitment to expanding our range of treatment offerings, recognizing that a one size fits all model is not the right approach.” Visit corrections.nh.gov for more information.

Helping the kids

The Queen City Rotary Club is accepting applications for grants for youth-centered nonprofit organizations — an “Impact Grant” for organizations that serve underprivileged youth in the greater Manchester area and “Youth Serves Grant” for organizations that have a youth-related focus, according to a press release. Grant applications are due by Friday, April 26. See queencityrotary.org.

On Monday, April 22, Concord Public Library (45 Green St.) is hosting a DIY button-making drop-in for all ages where participants can craft an Earth Day lapel button from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Materials and instruction will be provided, according to the library website. Visit concordnh.gov.

On Saturday, April 20, and Sunday April 21, Charmingfare Farm in Candia (774 High St.) will host their first “Barnyard Babies & Beyond” family-friendly adventure between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., according to their website. Tickets are $29, free for children 23 months and younger. Visit visitthefarm.com.

Catch bands Jamdemic and The Mighty Colors on Saturday, April 20, from 6 to 9 p.m, at an Earth Day Benefit Concert at the welcome center of the Andres Institute of Art in Brookline. The concert benefits the institute and the Beaver Brook Association in Hollis. Tickets cost $25; see andresinstitute.org,

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