Category: Outdoors

Kiddie Pool 25/01/16

Family fun for whenever

Museum fun

• If you’re looking for something to do this Friday, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) offers Science Friday programming, with special drop-in programs and activities at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (to accommodate both the morning session from 9 a.m. to noon and the afternoon session from 1 to 4 p.m.). Reserve a spot online in advance; admission for everyone over 12 months is $14.50 per person, $12.50 for 65+.

• The Seacoast Science Center (570 Ocean Blvd. in Rye, seacoastsciencecenter.org) will hold a free nature program about the “Giants of the Sea” on Friday, Jan. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. Learn about what makes whales special and sign up (at the event; signup starts at 4 p.m.) for a 5 p.m. guide program with Katahdin, the inflatable North Atlantic Right Whale, according to an email from the center.

• Normally closed on Mondays during the winter, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com) will be open to the public on Monday, Jan. 20, from 10:30 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $13 for adults, $12 for 62+ and students age 13-college, and $10 for kids ages 3 to 12. Planetarium shows are an additional $7; see the website for the current offerings and times.

More day-off offerings

• Cowabunga’s (725 Huse Road in Manchester; cowabungas.com) is offering vacation day bouncing on Monday, Jan. 20, with hour blocks for $15 starting at 10 a.m. On Friday, Jan. 17, Cowbunga’s offers its Friday Night Fun, with two-hour jump blocks offered for $20 between 5 and 8 p.m. (adults and infants get in free with paying child) and visits by costumed characters.

• Krazy Kids (60 Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke; krazykids.com) is also open special hours for Monday, Jan. 20 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Two-hour admission costs $15 for kids, $5 for adults (required jump socks cost $4 per pair).

Save the date

• The New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St. in Concord; nhhistory.org) will offer a family program called “Kids Do Family History” on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. “This workshop … will introduce kids to genealogy basics, such as creating a family tree, researching family records, and preserving family memories. This program is geared for kids ages 10-13, but all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult,” the release said. The event is free but register in advance via the website.

• Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com) has half-day February break week classes for ages 7 to 14. For $198, ages 7 to 10 (9 a.m. to noon) and ages 11 to 14 (1 to 4 p.m.) will “rotate through a diverse array of artistic mediums with each class featuring an art activity that aligns with our arctic theme,” according to the website, where you can find more information and enroll.

Gardens of 2024 and 2025

Coming up: more cardoon, better record-keeping

I’m not a big fan of unrealistic New Year’s resolutions such as “keep my papers organized and desk tidy,” for example. But I do like to spend some time each January reflecting on the gardens of the past year and making decisions about what I will do in the coming months.

Let’s start in the vegetable garden. In 2024 I planted about 24 kale plants of all colors. In 2025, I shall be more moderate. Yes, kale is healthy for us and freezes well, but I was lax in picking and freezing it in the fall, and wasted some. Shame on me. I use it mainly in stews and soups, or frozen in smoothies.

A new salad green I loved and which, unlike lettuce, never bolted or bloomed, is sold as dandelion. No, it’s not the dandelion we have in the lawn. It’s an Italian “dandelion” that is actually a different species. It is sold fresh in our Coop, I tried it and liked it, so I started some from seed indoors last March, a variety I think is called ‘Clio’ from Johnny‘s Selected Seeds. The leaves get to be 12 to 16 inches long, and they will regrow if cut, so I harvested it all summer and well into the fall and it never blossomed. I shall plant six plants again this year. FYI: It tolerates some shade.

Also on the vegetable front, I grew cardoon this year and will do it again. It is a very large leafy plant in the artichoke family. It does not bloom like artichokes, but you eat the midribs of the 3-foot-long leaves in fall. I chopped the midribs, boiled till tender, and baked in a cheese sauce. They tasted just like artichokes but created a lot more food.

This past summer was sunny and, for the most part, dry. We had a great tomato crop, and our flowers performed well too. I did have to water new plantings, as we got little rain.

We are out of sunny spots to add shrubs, so in 2024 we dug out a patch of goutweed — my nemesis — and planted nine shrubs and a Japanese red maple in an area of part shade, part sun. I was careful to water daily for two weeks, and then twice a week for the rest of the summer. The shrubs included two native viburnums and two mountain laurels, and three native hydrangeas, including a great variety for shade called ‘Haas Halo’ (H. arborescens). All did well.

The viburnums are Zone 5 and I have mostly considered our location a Zone 4 (with temperatures most winters colder than minus 20). But in recent years we have not seen lows of even minus 20 degrees, so I am willing to try some Zone 5 plants. Elsewhere I planted a kousa dogwood, a Zone 5 plant that I have tried and lost to winterkill more than once. The Stewartia tree I planted three or four years ago is also Zone 5 but is doing nicely. I’ll be 79 in April, and by gum, I’m ready to take some chances.

What else worked this past year? Opening our gardens to visitors. We worked hard in the spring to rid ourselves of weeds, sharpen edges of beds, and fill in empty spots. We opened our gardens on select days to various groups and invited friends for a glass of wine and a walk around with us in the early evening. No, our gardens were not perfect — none ever is — but these events were a great time. Try it!

I’ve had three honeyberry plants for three or four years now but have not gotten any berries as yet. The bushes (Lonicera caerulea) are in the honeysuckle family and the blue berries are very tasty, I’ve been given some. But so far I have not been able to pick my own. They have not earned their place. I shall tell them this spring to produce berries or they will be gone. I’ve been told that birds love them and will pick them before they are fully sweet and ready for me to eat. The berries turn blue, but are not ripe for a while after that.

The Catalpa tree I planted six years ago as an 8-foot-tall tree is now 35 feet tall and provides shade for us to sit and relax. It is a great tree, blossoming in July. I prune the top each year now to keep it from reaching its 60-foot-tall potential. It is a bit weak wooded, so I want to keep it from getting too big. The shade it provides encourages me to sit and relax in the garden, something I want to do more often in 2025.

I am saying a sad farewell to my Merrill magnolia that I planted in 2004. It bloomed reliably each year on my birthday in late April with huge double white blossoms. The shiny green leaves were gorgeous all summer, and the buds in winter look like pussywillows on steroids. It has five stems and stands about 60 feet tall and nearly 40 feet across at the crown. But it seems to have died last summer and unless it miraculously recovers in the spring I shall have it cut down. Sigh.

OK, time for one last resolution: I will keep better records in 2025. I just haven’t found the right way to keep them. I start a yearly notebook, and record some plants. But not all. I’m often too busy working in the garden and plan to do it later. My camera is a good way to record things and I take photos of everything that blooms. But I have literally tens of thousands of photos, and most are largely just organized by date. This year I will do better. Happy gardening, and best wishes for 2025.

Henry’s column appears monthly. Reach him at [email protected] or PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746.

Featured photo: Cardoon has silver leaves and is easy to grow. Start from seed indoors early. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Kiddie Pool 25/01/09

Family fun for whenever

Museum fun

It’s the Second Saturday at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) when admission is free for New Hampshire residents. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Current exhibits include “The Legend of the Poinsettia: Paintings from Tomie DePaola’s Holiday Classic,” “Jean-Michel Basquiat and Ouattara Watts: A Distant Conversation,” “Dan Dailey: Impressions of the Human Spirit” and “Olga De Amaral: Everything Is Construction and Color.”

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) will present “Ocean Adventures” performance with the Portsmouth Symphony Principal Winds on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. The performance is part of admission for the 1 to 4 p.m. playtime, which costs $14.50 for everyone over 12 months (children under 12 months get in for free; admission for 65+ costs $12.50). Go online to reserve tickets.

Storytime

Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com) will host a storytime with authors David Preece and Jim Webber with their two Mr. Higgins picture books on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 11 a.m. Mr. Higgins, a black Scottish terrier the authors adopted in 2014, is the star of two books: A Home for Mr. Higgins and Mr. Higgins Takes A Stand, according to the website.

S’mores and sparks

Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill in Bedford; theeducationalfarm.org) will hold a Burning of the Greens on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Bedford Fire Department will be on hand for the bonfire, where you can dispose of your Christmas tree, according to the website. Drop off trees (undecorated) by 10 a.m. on Saturday at the farm’s parking lot “between the silo and the dumpster,” the website said. The farm will sell hot cocoa and s’mores from 5 to 7 p.m. and the farmstand will be open for its final day until Easter, the website said. No registration is required.

On the ice

The SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, snhuarena. com)will present Disney on Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party with seven shows Thursday, Jan. 9, through Sunday, Jan. 12. Tickets start at $15.

Looking for some hockey? See two hometown teams face off when the Saint Anselm Hawks men’s ice hockey team takes on the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen at Sullivan Arena (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester), on both Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 11, at 4 p.m. The Hawks women’s ice hockey team takes the ice on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., both games versus Sacred Heart University. See saintanselmhawks.com.

The Rivier University Raiders men’s ice hockey team will play at Conway Arena (5 Stadium Drive, Nashua) on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 6:40 p.m. versus Westfield State University. See rivierathletics.com.

On the court

Saint Anselm College Hawks basketball teams will hit the court on Saturday, Jan. 11, against Pace University with the women’s team playing at 1:30 p.m. and the men’s team playing at 2:30 p.m. All Saint Anselm home games are played at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium on campus and admission costs $10 (see saintanselmhawks.com).

Rivier University Raiders basketball teams will hit the court on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Muldoon Center in Nashua when they take on the New England College Pilgrims. The men’s team plays at noon and the women’s team plays at 2 p.m. See rivierathletics.com.

At NHTI, the men’s basketball team will play on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m., with the Lynx taking on Massbay Community College. See nhtiathletics.com.

Save the date

Reserve a spot now for Bedford Winterfest, hosted by The Bedford Mom. Day 1, Saturday, Jan. 25, will take place on the sledding hill behind Ann DeNicola Memorial Playground and feature sledding, activities for kids, face painting and more from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; see thebedfordmom.com. Admission is free but reservations are required.Day 2 will take place at Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill in Bedford; theeducationalfarm.org) on Sunday, Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free but reservations are required. Activities will include sledding, crafters, farm animals, s’mores, hot cocoa, arts and crafts, scavenger hunts and more, according to the website.

Kiddie Pool 25/01/02

Family fun for whenever

Skates of all kinds

• Remix Skate Center (725 Huse Road, Manchester, 912-7661) has a Little Kids Scoot & Skate roller skating event on the calendar for Saturday, Jan. 4, at 9 p.m. Remix has three-wheeled scooters available, and skate rental sizes starting at little kids size 10, for this beginners’ event. Non-skaters are welcome on the rink. Bring your own safety gear. See skateremix.com for ticket information.

• The ice arena at JFK Coliseum in Manchester (303 Beech St.) has public skate in January on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. See manchesternh.recdesk.com for more activities and events at the Coliseum.

• Everett Arena in Concord (15 Loudon Road) has public ice skating Sundays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $6 admission (free for age 3 and younger), $6 skate rentals and $5 helmet rentals. See concordnh.gov for details and info on other activities at the arena.

Movie day

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester) will host Little Lunch Dates for Children on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 11:30 a.m. for parents (or grandparents or guardians) and their preschool children. The screening will be of Little Giants (PG, 107 minutes), which stars Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill. The movie will be shown with the lights slightly dimmed and admission is $5. Chunky’s says “this is a worry-free lunch without the fear of disturbing others. So come, relax, and enjoy a movie with your little one.” No passes are allowed and there is reserved seating. Visit chunkys.com for more information

Save the date!

• The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts will presentDisney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 25, at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince under the spell of an enchantress. Majestic’s production stars children and teens of The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts under the direction of Becca Antonakos-Belanger with musical direction by Emily Benjamin. Tickets range from $12 to $16. Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

• The Concord Community Players Children’s Theatre Project’s Winter Vacation Theatre Camp for young actors ages of 8 through 14 of all experience levels is open for registration with half of the slots already filled, according to their website. The day camp runs from Sunday, Feb. 23, through Friday, Feb. 28, and registration is only possible by mail, according to the same website. The play will be The Story of Hansel and Gretel. The performance on Friday, Feb. 28, will be at 6:30 p.m.at the Concord City Auditorium with the day for camp attendees involving tech and dress rehearsals as well as a pizza party for cast and crew. Registration is $215. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org for more information.

Kiddie Pool 24/12/26

Family fun for whenever

New Year’s Eve, family-style

• Cowabunga’s (725 Huse Road in Manchester, cowabungas.com) will hold a family-friendly New Year’s Eve bounce party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a confetti countdown every two hours. Tickets for kids cost $20 for a two-hour playtime. Cowabunga’s will also be open New Year’s Day and offer a special New Year’s craft, according to the website.

• Altitude Trampoline Park (360 DW Highway in Merrimack; altitudemerrimack.com) will hold a New Year’s Eve party on Dec. 31 with a balloon drop at noon plus prizes and giveaways, according to the website. Altitude will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday; see the website for admission options.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) will help parents, children and extended families “ring in 2025 together while the sun is shining” at the Museum’s Family New Year’s Eve Celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 31. The countdown to “midnight” will be held at 10:30 a.m. during the morning play session and at 2 p.m. during the afternoon play session. Tickets are $13, free for kids under the age of 12 months. The museum will be closed the following day but open Thursday, Jan. 2, through Sunday, Jan. 5, for regular hours.

• The Concord Public Library (45 Green St., Concord, 225-8670, concordnh.gov/1983/Library) will host a Noon Year’s Eve Party on Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Ring in the new year at noon and celebrate with light refreshments and a special toast. Recommended for newborns to elementary school-age kids. RSVP via the Library website.

• First Night Portsmouth will feature fireworks at South Mill Pond on Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 7:30 p.m. See proportsmouth.org for maps with parking and street closures and other information.

• Remix Skate and Event Center (725 Huse Road in Manchester; skateremix.com) will hold an all-ages New Year’s Eve party from 8 p.m. to midnight. Single tickets cost $30 and include skate rentals, a swag bag for the table and a confetti countdown, according to a post on Remix’s Facebook page, where you can find a link to purchase tickets.

A NH legend

• In partnership with NH PBS, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, starhop.com, 271-7827) will be showing the documentary film Christa in the planetarium theater daily Thursday, Dec. 26, through Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 1 p.m.. General admission cost applies but no additional fee is required for the showings. The 27-minute film celebrates Christa McAuliffe’s legacy. “Through interviews with former students, New Hampshire dignitaries, and educators, she is remembered as a teacher who believed that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. As the first woman and educator to be commemorated with a statue on the New Hampshire Statehouse lawn, Christa remains an inspiration to the next generation of dreamers and achievers,” according to the Center’s website. The center is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on these days. Admission costs $13 for adults, $12 for 62+ and ages 13 through collage, $10 for ages 3 to 12 and free for kids 2 and under.

Games and glow

• In addition to your Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Moana 2, Wicked (sing along screenings start on Thursday, Dec. 26) and Mufasa screenings, Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester, chunkys.com) has some family fun on the schedule. On Friday, Dec. 27, at 6:45 p.m. it’s family-friendly theater candy bingo. Tickets cost $10 plus fees and include a $5 food voucher plus a box of candy that goes in the pot. On Sunday, Dec. 29, at 4 and 7 p.m. comedy illusionist Ben Pratt will perform (Chunky’s gives the show a “PG-13” rating).

• Krazy Kids indoor playground (60 Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke; krazykids.com) will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Thursday, Dec. 26, through Wednesday, Jan.1, expect for Friday, Dec. 27, when the playground closes at 5:30 p.m. and then reopens from 6 to 9 p.m. for Glow Night. Tickets for Glow Night cost $20 for kids, $5 for adults. See the website to purchase tickets in advance.

Kiddie Pool 24/12/19

Family fun for whenever

Looking at lights

• Drive around and check out the holiday lights in the Southern New Hampshire Tour of Lights, which features participating houses in Amherst, Atkinson, Auburn, Bedford, Danville, Derry, Goffstown, Hampstead, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Londonderry, Merrimack, Nashua, Pelham and Salem, according to merrimackparksandrec.org/nh-tour-of-lights, one of the participating parks and rec departments where you can find the list of addresses.

• LaBelle Lights at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry) is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. until Sunday, Jan. 19. See the story on page 32.

• Gift of Lights at NH Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) consists of more than 250 light displays spanning 2½ miles through a 150-foot tunnel through Sunday, Jan. 5. This year the drive-thru light show will feature a 150-foot RGB Tunnel of Lights, arches, toys, and numerous scenes including the popular 12 Days of Christmas. Tickets are $35 per car load, $60 per bus, limousine or RV, and $2 in addition per person when there are more than 15 guests. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the New Hampshire chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. Gift of Lights will open at 4:30 p.m. nightly, depending on weather conditions. Visit nhms.com.

Day at the museum

Looking to get some kids out of your house during the holiday week-and-half? Here are some area museums that will be closed for Dec. 25 but offer hours on other days to accommodate families looking for something to do.

• Regular hours at the SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, see-sciencecenter. org, 669-0400) are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m with last admission at 4 p.m. SEE will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 25, but will be open on Mondays, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. Admission is $14 per person ages 3 and up.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) is normally open Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. For the break it will also be open Thursday, Dec. 26, and Monday, Dec. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and open early, at 10 a.m., on Sunday, Dec. 29. Admission costs $10 for adults, $5 for seniors age 65 and over, veterans, active duty and kids ages 6 through 12,and is free for kids age 5 and under, with a $30 maximum for families.

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, starhop.com, 271-7827) will have special shopping hours through Friday, Dec. 20, and the Science Store gift shop will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day (the exhibits and planetarium will be closed on those days). They will also be open to the public daily Saturday, Dec. 21, to Monday, Dec. 23, as well as Thursday, Dec. 26, to Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for children ages 3 to 12, $12 for students, and free for members and children under age 2.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, 742- 2002, childrens-museum.org) is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon, with an additional session from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. They will be closed Monday, Dec. 23, through Wednesday, Dec. 25.

• Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) is open Wednesday (closed Dec. 25) through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children 12 and under always have free gallery admission. The Currier will be hosting a Creative Studio: Special Edition! where children and adults can drop in to participate in a free art activity that complements the Looking Together Tour’s celebrated exhibition of the day on Friday, Dec. 27, with paper lanterns inspired by Dan Dailey and on Saturday, Dec. 28, with collage inspired by Basquiat from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Green Studio, on the lower level of the museum, according to their website.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester, manchesterhistoric.org, 622-7531) is generally open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24; Wednesday, Dec. 25, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for children ages 12 to 18, and free for children under 12.

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