Category: Outdoors

Kiddie Pool 23/06/01

Family fun for the weekend

Maker Fest

• More than 30 local makers will bring their tie-dyed fashions, worm bins, Star Wars costumes, trebuchets and more to the New Hampshire Makers Festival presented by the New Hampshire Children’s Museum (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival will take place inside and outside the museum; admission is a suggested donation of $5 (you can donate onsite or via the website in advance). The line up of makers, displays and activities at this family-friendly event include a Rube Goldberg machine expert, a children’s business fair, a kid-friendly exhibit to explore by the Woodman Museum, a STEM van by the Girl Scouts of the White Mountains, kid conservationist Jack Dalton, a former American Idol contestant and more, according to a press release.

Fun in the sun

• Give field research a shot with the Harris Center for Conservation Education (83 Kings Highway, Hancock) and its program Kids Count for Wildlife: Red-backed salamander survey on Friday, June 2, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Kids ages 9 to 18 will get a chance to do some searching in the woods for the woodland species. Kids younger than 12 must be accompanied by a guardian. Registration is required and can be completed at harriscenter.org.

• Head to West Running Brook Middle School (1 W. Running Brook Lane, Derry) for touch a truck on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Derry police department will have emergency response vehicles, heavy machinery and other equipment for kids to climb and explore. There will also be a BMX stunt show, free helmet giveaway, food, music and dancing. Visit derrynh.org/police-department for more information.

• Cuddle up to some farm animals at farm baby snuggles at Under-N-Acre Farm (24 Canaan Road, Strafford) on Saturday, June 3, and Sunday, June 4. Each day has two time slots, June 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. and June 4 from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Sessions start at $7 and can be purchased at tinyurl.com/farmbabysnuggles.

Indoor activities

• Visit Pumpkin Blossom Farm (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner) for a special after-school sensory class on Wednesday, June 7, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Kids between the ages of 5 and 11 will make lavender-scented bubbles after learning a little bit about lavender and the five senses and after they explore the farm. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. The class costs $15 and spaces can be reserved at pumpkinblossomfarm.com.

• Let’s Make Music & Make Art (136 Lowell Road, Hudson) is having an open house on Wednesday, June 7, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Kids and families can learn more about music and get started with how to play an instrument. Registration is required and can be done at letsplaymusic.com.

Museum madness

• The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) is offering active military and their families free admission until Sept. 4. Admission to the museum includes access to more than 3,000 artifacts and guided or self-guided tours throughout the building. For more information, visit independencemuseum.org.

• The Little Learners series is starting at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord) on Friday, June 2, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. The month of June will be devoted to teaching kids ages 4 and younger about comets. The program runs the first and third Friday of the month, as well as the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. June will have an additional day on Friday, June 3. Participation is included with general admission. General admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for children younger than 3 years old. Visit starhop.com.

Writers network

NH Writers’ Project conference connects authors

Publishing the great American novel, or a memoir, or a biography, or any other written text, is a monumental challenge. The New Hampshire Writers’ Project is looking to help aspiring authors with that endeavor.

NHWP is now in its third decade of hosting the 603 Writers’ Conference, which has helped get local authors information and connections through a number of events and classes. The event takes place at Southern New Hampshire University, a partner of NHWP.

The highlight of the day is a pitch party, a competition where authors have to give a one-sentence pitch of their story, and judges determine whether it’s an accurate representation in comparison to the longer description of the book.

“The first winner in 2019 won and her pitch for her book, The East Indian, went on because she said she was able to revise her query letter and went on to not only secure a top literary agency but now has a two-book deal with Scribner, and the book is being published in the States as well as in the United Kingdom,” said Masheri Chappelle, the project’s chairwoman. “This is just a glorious example of what the conference will be doing to help people.”

This year, Chappelle said, the conference will have 10 classes for attendees to choose from. The classes will range from creative writing to building high-quality author websites. The classes are kept small, to maintain the ability for one-on-one interaction with the teachers.

Before the classes start, Mark Dagostino will give the keynote speech. Dagostino is known for assisting in many celebrity biographies, including his New York Times bestseller The Magnolia Story with Chip and Joanna Gaines. Chappelle said he will be discussing memoirs and biography writing.

In addition to Dagostino’s keynote talk, there will be a panel discussion at the luncheon about what to do when an author’s book is chosen to be adapted for television or movies.

“It will be exciting to hear what it takes to have your book go from the library to the screen,” Chappelle said. “On the panel we’ll have authors and entertainment attorneys discussing the process of pitching, [and] finding a literary agent and entertainment attorney.”

Chapelle said hosting an event like this is only part of what makes the New Hampshire Writers’ Project important. She wants to give these authors a shot at publication, but she also wants the literary world to take note of everything happening in the New Hampshire arts scene.

“We have a lot of talent that is not recognized that needs it,” Chappelle said. “I would like [New Hampshire] to become a writers’ colony. Our topography is stunning. We have the mountains, the lakes, beautiful trails, and great cities with a lot of cultural development.”

603 Writers’ Conference
Where: SHNU Banquet Dining Facility, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester
When: Saturday, June 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $125 for SNHU teachers and students, $165 for members, $185 for nonmembers
Visit: nhwritersproject.org

A few tips for growing great flowers

Make a plan before you go shopping

I’m a sucker for a good-looking flower. Back when I was first developing my flower beds I would go to a plant nursery and grab everything and anything that was in bloom and looking great. And I believe in buying multiples: not one plant, but three or five! Needless to say, I was in trouble when I got home and looked for a place to plant them. I needed to create new beds for each truckload of perennials I brought home. Even so, I couldn’t help myself.

Now I am more judicious when I go shopping for plants: I decide ahead of time what I need, and how many. I decide where they will go before I leave home. Still, a few plants seduce me with their beauty every time I arrive at a good greenhouse.

By the way, I’ve heard from many gardeners that some of their perennials, trees and shrubs were damaged by a hard frost in May. Leaves that turned brown will not recover — but will be replaced. I am cutting damaged stems of perennials back to the ground and they should re-sprout. Trees and shrubs that have gone through the winter and leafed out are hardy here and should send out new leaves on their stems, even if they don’t bloom this year. They have dormant buds that will wake up, and plenty of energy in their roots. I won’t bother taking off the dead leaves. So stop worrying if yours got frost-damaged.

Peonies, primroses and barrenwort (which is usually referred to by its scientific name, Epimedium) are blooming in my gardens. I recommend that you buy these now, while in bloom, so you know what you are getting — and if you like them as much as I do.

Some peonies are highly fragrant, others not at all. Some have blossoms with many petals (called doubles) while others have just one or two rings of petals (called singles). Doubles are magnificent but often flop when it rains, sometimes breaking their stems. So you need to tie them to stakes or support them in wire cages made for the task. If you see both kinds in bloom, you can decide what you want to buy.

Most plants have a finite lifespan, but peonies seem to last forever. I have a division of one that was my grandmother’s — and she died in 1953. So plant them well: I dig a wide hole and add compost to it, along with some organic fertilizer — which is naturally slow release. Full sun is best, but they will do OK with 4 to 6 hours of sunshine.

Peonies can be fussy: don’t cover the little growing points beneath the soil with more than ¾ of an inch of soil, or they probably will not bloom. If yours don’t bloom, remove some soil from around them as they are probably too deeply planted.

Primroses, generally, do well in partial to full shade. Some do well in dry soil, but most like moist, rich soil. Read the plant tag carefully before planting. Sometimes I will try a plant in one place, and if after a year or two it is not performing well I move it. Sometimes I move a plant more than once to find the right place for it.

Arlene Perkins of Montpelier, Vermont, is an expert grower of primroses. She told me long ago that all primroses like to grow under old apple trees. The partial shade is right for most, and the soil is naturally enriched by dropping leaves and fruit over time. It is under a cluster of old wild apples that I have had my best luck with primroses, particularly the candelabra or Japanese primrose (Primula japonica). They have multiplied by seed and root from a few planted 20 years ago to over 500 plants, I estimate.

Last year I planted many Primula viallii (no common name) in the perfect growing conditions for them. They bloomed magnificently last summer but so far not one has shown up again. The blossoms are very different from any I know: like little red-topped elf caps over pink/purple bases. It said to self-sow, and it is early yet, so I might see some yet.

Lastly, I love barrenwort or Epimedium. I have about eight different species or varieties of Epimedium, and all are wonderful. Epimedium grow in light to deep shade and do fine under deciduous trees, despite the competition from tree roots for moisture and minerals. My resource books tell me they do best in moist soils, but I grow them routinely in fairly dry soils. I think rich soil is the key, not the amount of moisture.

The common red one (Epimedium rubrum) blooms early in spring but hides its flowers under its leaves, which I don’t like. But it forms such a dense shade cover with its handsome leaves that no weeds will grow under it — so I forgive it.

The colors I grow range from pure purple to red to pink to white, with others a variety of yellows. Again, I suggest buying them in bloom — now — so you can see if the blossoms are prominent above the leaves, or hidden below. The common red one (Epimedium rubrum) blooms early in spring but hides its flowers under its leaves, which I don’t like. But it forms such a dense shade cover with its handsome leaves that no weeds will grow under it — so I forgive it.

I like “collecting” different varieties of plants I like and seeing the differences between different kinds. If one kind does well, its cousins probably will, too. So go buy more of your favorites!

Henry is a UNH Master Gardener and the author of four gardening books. Reach him at [email protected]. He lives in Cornish Flat, NH.

Featured photo: Primula vialii is not commonly sold, but is wonderful. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Kiddie Pool 23/05/25

Family fun for the weekend

Showtime!

•​ Manchester’s Dimensions in Dance will present Wonderland, its 28th annual production, at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) on Saturday, May 27, with two showtimes, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The production is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass and is told through dance, featuring original choreography in ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, acro, pointe and lyrical. Tickets are $25 per person for either orchestra or balcony seats and can be purchased online at palacetheatre.org.

•​ Join the Kids Coop Theatre as they present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) from Friday, May 26, through Sunday, May 28 — showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The classic story follows Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince who is trapped under the spell of an enchantress but will be transformed into his former self if he can learn to love and be loved. Regular tickets to each show are $15 per person and can be purchased online at kids-coop-theatre.org.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub will hold a special sensory-friendly showing of the new live-action version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid on Friday, May 26, at 4 p.m., at each of its three theater locations (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Drive, Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham). Audience members are allowed to walk around, dance, shout or sing during these special monthly screenings, which feature the lights on and the sound of the film turned down. Matinee ticket rates apply to the showing, ranging from $5.99 to $6.49 per person depending on the theater location. See chunkys.com.

Fun with animals

•​ Kids of all ages are welcome to an outdoor animal storytime at Griffin Park (101 Range Road, Windham) on Friday, May 26, at 10:30 a.m. presented by the Nesmith Library. Enjoy songs, dancing and stories centered around animals with the library’s youth services program. Admission is free and no pre-registration is necessary, but attendees must provide their own transportation to meet at the park. In the case of inclement weather, updated information on the status of the event will be posted to the website and social media. Visit nesmithlibrary.org.

•​ The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (23 Science Center Road, Holderness) recently reopened its live animal exhibit trail and hiking trails — daily hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last trail admission at 3:30 p.m. According to the Center’s website, the live animal exhibit trail meanders through open meadows, mature forests and marsh boardwalks along a packed gravel path. Tickets are $24 for adults, $22 for seniors ages 65 and up, $18 for kids and teens ages 3 to 15 and free for kids ages 2 and under. Tickets grant attendees check-in access anytime between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Plan about two and a half hours to walk through the trail. See nhnature.org for more details.

Tips for planting the vegetable garden

Some veggies like a crowd, others want space

Although there are many old sayings like, “Plant your potatoes when the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear,” I would rather depend on soil temperature and calendar dates. Besides, who really knows the size of a mouse’s ear?

Mid-May is good for cool-weather crops like spinach, peas, lettuce, onions, potatoes and broccoli-family plants. Heat-loving plants like tomatoes, cukes, zukes, corn and peppers? I have a soil thermometer and I don’t put them in the ground until it is at least 60 degrees. The date for this is usually around June 10 here in chilly Cornish Flat but may be sooner depending on where you are.

Before you think about putting plants in the ground, please harden them off. That means introducing them to full sun over the period of a week. Start with morning-only sun, then add an hour of afternoon sun and work up to a full day of sun. Cloudy days allow you to keep them out all day, but watch out for rain. If they are in a flat that holds water, they can get too wet or get beaten flat.

I also consult with a biodynamic calendar that recommends when to plant the different categories of plants: flower, fruit, leaf and root. The one I use, called “Stella Natura,” uses the position of the moon, stars and planets to determine what to plant — or more importantly, when to plant nothing.

Ask at the nursery where you buy your plants if they have been hardened off. Things like cabbage and lettuce probably are already hardened off and sitting outside the greenhouses on tables. If so, they are ready to plant anytime, but no harm in asking.

While keeping your plants happy in their little plastic six-packs, you might want to water with a dilute fish fertilizer solution. At the nursery they generally are given dilute chemical fertilizer, but I find fish fertilizer works well, and they grow strong and tall. I like Neptune’s Harvest brand.

Few of us have enough garden space for everything we want to grow, so we have to make decisions. Don’t crowd your plants. Tomatoes need 24 inches between plants. Potatoes need 18 inches, onions 4 or 5 inches in rows a foot apart. Crowd them? You get more onions but smaller ones. Peppers on the other hand only need 12-inch spacing as they like to actually touch their neighbors.

A good reference guide is The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Vermont author Ed Smith. Even I use it from time to time, and I’ve been growing veggies for decades. Ed and his wife Sylvia really know their stuff and buy very few vegetables in a year.

To maximize garden space I plant quick-growing plants like radishes and lettuce between or around slower-growing things like tomatoes. Plant a tomato, put it in its 54-inch support cage (never use small cages), then circle it with lettuce starts. The lettuce will be ready to eat before the tomato is big enough to shade it. I just planted my onions and planted lettuce in the spaces between rows of onions. Don’t plant things in your asparagus patch, as asparagus hates company.

To maximize production, think about growing up. No, not you. Your cucumbers, squashes, and pole beans. If you do this, be sure to put the trellis on the north side of your garden to avoid shading out other plants. You can buy a trellis or build your own using posts with attached chicken or welded wire with square openings.

If you want to grow hot peppers or eggplants, think about providing them some extra heat. No, not blankets. Choose dark rocks the size of a loaf of bread and place them near your plants. They will absorb heat from the sun and radiate it back during the night. You can also cover them with ReMay or row cover, a light synthetic fabric made for gardens that holds in heat and keeps bugs off.

Being a good gardener takes time, but don’t be discouraged.

Henry is a lifelong organic gardener and the author of four gardening books. His website is www.Gardening-Guy.com.

Featured photo: Black stones placed near heat-loving peppers help keep them warm at night. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Kiddie Pool 23/05/18

Family fun for the weekend

Showtime

• All three Chunky’s locations (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 150 Bridge St., Pelham) will screen Shrek 2(PG, 2004) on Friday, May 19, at 3:45 p.m. as part of their Little Lunch Date series. The story picks up after Shrek and Fiona are married, when they get invited to come to Far Far Away, Fiona’s parents’ kingdom. The only problem is that her parents don’t know that she’s now an ogre all the time. Admission is free but reserve a spot with a $5 food voucher at chunkys.com.

• Escape to Narnia with the Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts’ presentation of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobeat the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). Opening night is Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m. and other performances are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 20, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 21. Follow the four Pevensie children as they battle for good alongside Aslan the lion against the White Witch. Tickets cost $10 for kids 17 and under, $13 for seniors and $14 for adults and can be purchased at majestictheatre.net.

• Catch the teen performers with the Peacock Players (peacockplayers.org) in the musical Xanadu on Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 20, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. at their theater at 14 Court St. in Nashua. Tickets start at $15 for adults ($12 for students and seniors).

Outdoor fun

• The 65th annual Kiwanis Club of Concord Spring Fair is back from Thursday, May 18, through Sunday, May 21, at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). The fair will have a variety of food, games, vendors and rides. The fair runs Thursday, May 18, from 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday, May 19, from 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, may 20, from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday, May 21, from noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the fair is free; unlimited ride wristbands cost $30. Visit concordkiwanis.org.

• Celebrate spring the Scottish way with Beltane: Scottish celebration of spring at Oscar Barn (191 W. River Road in Hooksett) on Saturday, May 20 at 3 p.m. There will be live Celtic music by The Rebel Collective, Prydein, and the Pipes & Drums of NHSCOT. There will be haggis toss (cornhole), street curling, and marshmallows for roasting on the outside warming fires, a Scottish tradition for protection and growth during the summer season. There will also be a celebration of spring with the Hawthorn tree and spring flowers as traditional Beltane symbols. Tickets cost $32. Visit nhscot.org.Inside activities

• Get messy with kids’ canvas painting at the Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road in Bedford). Kids will learn to paint a cute panda climbing bamboo on an 11-inch by 14-inch canvas. All arts supplies are provided. This program is geared toward kids 7 years old and older. Registration closes on Thursday, May 18; the event is on Saturday, May 20, at 2 p.m. Registration costs $25 and can be completed at thecanvasroadshow.com.

• Escape from the tavern at the American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) at the special event Trouble in the Tavern: An Escape Room Adventure on Saturday, May 20, from noon to 4 p.m. Groups of up to eight will work together to figure out puzzles and clues and learn some history about the start of America. Tickets are $25 for adults, $12 for children. Visit independencemuseum.org for more information.

• Bookery (844 Elm St. Manchester) will host Matt Forrest Esenwine to celebrate his new book, Everybody Counts!, for storytime and craft on Saturday, May 20, at 11:30 a.m. Kids will hear Esenwine read his book and do a craft related to it. Visit bookerymht.com for more information.

Save the dates

• Did you ever wonder if you were a demigod? Hear Percy Jackson’s story in The Lightning Thief at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Chubb Theatre , 44 S. Main St., Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, May 26, at 10 a.m. The musical, based on the popular children’s book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, follows the story of Percy and his two friends Grover and Annabeth as they go on a quest to find Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt. Tickets cost $8.

• There are a bunch of new summer camps being provided by Studio 550 (550 Elm St., Manchester). Registration is now open for tween/teen clay camps with sessions June 26 to June 30, July 24 to July 28, and Aug. 21 to Aug. 25 from 2:30 to 5 p.m., as well as illustration camps Aug. 14 to Aug. 18. The studio is also offering an arts explorer summer program for artists ages 8 and older with sessions running July 10 to July 14 and Aug. 7 to Aug. 11. Registration costs $195 and can be done at 550arts.com.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!