The Weekly Dish 20/12/10

News from the local food scene

• LaBelle Winery expanding to Derry: LaBelle Winery will be expanding its business into Derry next year, according to a press release. Owners Amy LaBelle and her husband, Cesar Arboleda, recently announced the purchase of Brookstone Events & Golf on Route 111. The property, according to the release, will undergo significant renovations beginning this month, with the intention of creating a Champagne house, a restaurant and a wedding and event center. Plans also include an “artisan village” with several outdoor and indoor gathering areas, including a nine-hole par-3 golf course and a miniature golf course. The Champagne house will include a tasting room and a space where a new line of sparkling wines will be produced, while the restaurant will feature farm-to-table American cuisine and wood-fired pizzas served in an upscale casual environment. The golf courses and event center are scheduled to reopen in April 2021, with the restaurant and retail marketplace opening in June, followed by the winery tasting room in July. Visit labellewinerynh.com.

• Farm-fresh feasts: The Farmer’s Dinner, a New Hampshire-based farm-to-table dinner series, recently announced the schedule for its ninth season in 2021, according to a press release, and it will start with a dinner at Live Bee or Die Farm in New Boston on May 23. The series will continue with dinners at Dunk’s Mushrooms in Brentwood on June 12, a colonial dinner on July 18 in Derry, a dinner at Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell, Mass., on Aug. 14, and a dinner at Vernon Family Farm in Newfields on Aug. 29. Since 2012, The Farmer’s Dinner has hosted nearly 90 farm-to-table events across New England, feeding more than 17,000 people and raising more than $125,000 for local farms. Tickets are available now at thefarmersdinner.com.

• Blueberry farm retires: Durocher Farm in Litchfield, known as a destination for its early and late season varieties of pick-your-own blueberries for more than four decades, will not be returning in 2021. “The Durocher family has decided that the time is right to retire,” read a recent post from the farm’s Facebook page from Bob Marr, who has leased and operated the blueberry farm with his wife, Jennifer, for the past three years. “Both Jen and I have done our best to keep the farm open to the public but as in life, all good things must come to an end.” The farm, which was established in 1943 by the Durochers, according to its website, featured more than 2,500 blueberry bushes for picking that were originally planted in 1975.

• NHLC launches new website: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission has unveiled a new e-commerce website for its products, according to a press release. Online ordering with 90-minute same-day in-store pickup is now available at 10 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores across the state, including both stores on Interstate 93 in Hooksett and on Interstate 95 in Hampton, as well as the stores in Manchester, Londonderry, Salem, Pembroke, Rochester and West Lebanon. The new site also now has an educational platform with access to virtual and in-person experiences with celebrities, winemakers and master distillers. Users can create personal profiles on the site to search for and save their favorite brands. According to the release, the Commission recently surpassed $1 million in sales from its curbside delivery and in-store pickup program, launched earlier this year. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com.

Feeding the birds, naturally

Trees and plants for your feathered friends

By now many of us are providing seeds to the neighborhood birds. Of course the seeds we provide are just a part of the diet of a wild bird. It’s important to grow a diverse selection of native trees, shrubs and perennials to help provide shelter and nesting places for our wild friends, and to provide food all year long. Why native? Native species evolved with the birds and they are genetically programmed to feed on them.

Doug Tallamy, an entomologist living in Pennsylvania, counted the number of butterflies and moth species that, as caterpillars, fed on an oak tree on his property. He counted over 400 species. He also counted species on a non-native shrub, burning bush (Euonymus alatus), and found only one. The caterpillars of those butterflies and moths are what birds feed their babies each spring and summer, providing protein and fat needed for their development.

If you watch the birds at your bird feeder carefully now you will see that not only are many of the birds eating the seeds you provide, they are also nibbling things on the trees they perch on. In crevices in the bark are dormant insects and their larvae. Chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers — three of the most common birds at our feeders — are constantly pecking at bits of food.

There is a huge native cherry tree (Prunus serotina) right by our feeders, a white pine and several Canadian hemlocks along with a couple of mature pear and apple trees nearby. The birds grab a seed at the feeder, zoom off to eat it and rest before returning. But while they are in those trees they almost always find something tasty to peck at. Planting trees near your house and bird feeders is a good plan if you want to support your birds.

Fruit trees are great for your birds. Apple, pear and especially crabapple trees hold on to some fruit in winter. And while a chickadee might not tear into a dry and wizened apple, bigger birds do. I have seen turkeys feeding in a small weeping crabapple tree that could barely support them. Blue jays, crows, cardinals, grosbeaks and finches and other birds enjoy fruit in winter, too.

So what shrubs have edible fruit that is available to your birds in winter? Right now I see berries on cranberry bush viburnum (Viburnum opulus) and nannyberry (Viburnum lentago). Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), a native deciduous holly, produces myriad bright red berries visible now in swamps and drainage ditches along the road. It is only eaten by a few birds, so the berries linger on into the winter — and are great for decorating wreaths. Junipers, a low-growing bush on low-fertility fields, has berries now too. Eaten by grouse, pheasants, grosbeaks and others, juniper berries are also used to flavor gin!

Alders (Alnus spp.) generally are considered weedy and not planted in the landscape. They grow in wet places as large shrubs or small trees. They are nitrogen-fixing plants, and their seeds are eaten by sparrows and finches, among others. The seeds persist well into December.

Roses that bear fruit are important food sources, too. The invasive climbing wild multiflora roses (Rosa multiflora) are loved by birds, but they drop seeds that grow and take over and smother other shrubs and trees. Beach roses (Rosa rugosa) produce lots of rose hips, and these are eaten by some birds. And although this species of rose is originally from Asia, it does not seem to take over the landscape the way multiflora roses do.

Of the big trees useful to birds, white pine (Pinus strobus) and Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) are two of the most important. Some 40 species of birds eat seeds of the white pine, and at least two dozen eat seeds of Canadian hemlock. Importantly, both are used in winter for shelter. They hold their leaves (needles), providing a break from cold winter winds. Both are used for nesting in the summer.

Any plant that holds onto its berries or seeds into winter is eventually eaten by birds. One of the small trees, staghorn sumac (Rhus hirta), is the least favorite of our birds. The red fruit generally is ignored until spring, when returning robins and other migratory birds arrive and food is scarce. The fruit is sour and low in the fats that birds love, but a hungry robin will chow down on sumac if earthworms are not available. Sumacs grow mainly along roadsides in sandy, low-fertility soil. They spread by root and I don’t recommend planting them. But if you have some, leave them be if you can.

Mentioned above as food for caterpillars that feed baby birds, oaks are important winter food sources, too. Acorns are a preferred food for turkeys and grouse, and can be cracked by a surprising number of small birds. Others eat the meat of acorns that are broken by cars or people, or clean out shells opened by large birds or mammals. Bears and squirrels love acorns, too.

Gray squirrels have been pirating my bird feeders, so I looked up online just how much they eat per day. Only a quarter of a cup of sunflower seeds per day will feed one, so I am letting the two portly, geriatric squirrels eat, and only chase them away if they get too greedy when my little chickadees are waiting.

Henry is offering one of his books, Organic Gardening (not just) in the Northeast, a Hands-On, Month-by-Month Guide, as a holiday special for $15 including shipping. To get a signed copy, mail him a check at PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746.

Featured Photo: Alder catkins provide seeds now. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Kiddie Pool 20/12/17

Family fun for the weekend

A Shaker Christmas

Take a A Magic Journey through the North Shop Barn at Canterbury Shaker Village (228 Shaker Road, Canterbury), now through Dec. 23, and from Dec. 27 through Dec. 30, daily, from 1 to 5 p.m. The North Shop Barn, which has been transformed into a winter wonderland, will feature art vignettes like a Shaker Christmas, a dollhouse, a skating panorama and snowy forest scenes; a Find-the-Elf treasure hunt; hot cocoa and cider, and shopping at the Village Store. Additionally there will be a Christkindlmarkt-inspired artisan market of handcrafted holiday gifts on weekends, and food trucks with sweet treats on Saturday, Dec. 19. Admission costs $10 for adults and is free for youth. Visit shakers.org or call 783-9511.

Meet Santa

Enjoy a Polar Express family brunch with LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) on either Sunday, Dec. 20, or Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will feature a multi-course brunch menu accompanied by a screening of the family holiday film The Polar Express on a large projector. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be stopping by for a live reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Tickets to the brunch are by the table only, and there is a six guest limit per table (price breakdowns are $22.99 per person). Visit labellewineryevents.com.

There’s still time to visit with Santa Claus at Bass Pro Shops (2 Commerce Drive, Hooksett), where he’ll be now through Dec. 24. Santa will have an acrylic “magic shield” barrier in place between families. Free online reservations are required, as spots are limited to allow social distancing. Visit basspro.com/santa.

Holiday tales

Ballet Misha performs The Nutcracker at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Ballet Misha’s production of the holiday classic won the 2019 Hippo Best of award for “Best Dance Performance of the Year.” Tickets cost $28, and reservations must be made via phone at 641-7700.

Watch Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas — A Musical from the comfort of home. Based on the book by the same name, the musical tells the story of a rag doll at the North Pole searching for a family of her own. This production is available for livestream via the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, through Dec. 27. Tickets start at $20 (plus a $3 fee) for streaming during a 48-hour window; packages with games and other items are available.

Merry and bright

Christmas lights at Countryside Drive

Turn down Countryside Drive in Nashua and you’ll find your way to a festive display that would give Clark Griswold a run for his money. Nashua resident Whitney Swain has transformed his front yard into an illuminated winter wonderland, with bright lights and a radio broadcast that airs popular holiday tunes played in sync with the display. The show runs from 4:30 to 10 p.m. every day until New Year’s. Swain talked about his process and his motivations for creating the show.

How did you get started with this display?

I’ve been living here for about 10 years now, and my old roommate, Nic, used to do this with me before he moved back to Wisconsin. He still comes out here sometimes and helps me with the show, and I do the same for him.

Was it always this big?

Originally I started with roof lining, and I had this big Christmas tree out in the yard so I figured I’d make it look like the one inside. We added all of the lights and Nic and I built the star at the top. We just went from there, and each year I add more decorations, and program more songs to go along with the lights.

How did you get the radio station?

It’s my own radio frequency. I broadcast music out to the cars that drive by through stations that aren’t being used, and I get about a block’s worth of radius, which is usually sufficient enough. We air all types of Christmas songs, like “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Bing Crosby. We also throw in some up-to-date tunes like “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars, and we play a lot of Trans-Siberian Orchestra because their beats pair really nicely with the lights.

How long does it take to get everything set up?

This year it was a long project because I own a diner now, so I’m limited on time. I had some chipmunks get into my Christmas stuff so I had to fix some of the wiring as well. For the most part it takes about a month to a month and a half. I usually start around Halloween and finish by Black Friday, and they usually come down after New Year’s.

I have to know, what does your electric bill look like?

That’s the question on everyone’s mind. It’s only an extra $300. Sometimes I come out when there’s a line of cars and I talk to the kids and I see all of the smiles on their faces. I got a letter in my mailbox the other day from a kid who wanted to thank me and tell me how awesome all of the lights were. To be honest, that’s all I need from this. I think it’s a great thing for the community, and I’m glad people enjoy it as much as I do.

What do your neighbors think?

All of them are super cool with it, so I haven’t heard any complaints. My next-door neighbor used to come over and [she and her husband would] dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus before her husband passed away a few years ago, and we would hand out hot cocoa and candy canes. I want to do it this year, but I need to figure out the safest and easiest way to facilitate that with the pandemic. Whenever Christmas time rolls around I check up on my neighbors across the street and make sure they’re OK with the lights, and they love them. They tell all of their friends and watch the show from their window. All they have to do is turn on their radio and tune in.

Do you have any competition?

There’s a community of us on Facebook, some would call us light enthusiasts. I don’t know of anyone in Nashua that’s doing animated lights and music, but there’s people in Merrimack, Manchester and all over Massachusetts. However, since I’ve been doing this, a lot more people on the street decorate their houses with lights for Christmas, which is awesome. When I moved here there weren’t a lot of lights, so it’s cool to see people getting in the spirit. It would be really cool if I could get the whole block synced up with the music.

Are there any cons to doing this every year?

I enjoy wiring all of the lights, but things do break, and lights burn out over time. It’s a bit of a hassle fixing stuff out in the cold, but creating something that everyone can enjoy, and the sounds of the kids and honking cars, is something I feel good about. Knowing that I made somebody’s night or putting a smile on someone’s face is really great.

Does the inside of your house match the outside’s aesthetic?

We’re still decorating the inside. We wanted to get the outside done first, mainly because we didn’t decorate last year due to a lack of time. But we really like Christmas here. When I was growing up my mom always tried to make Christmas a special day, and that stuck with me. I still love cutting my own tree and making that a family tradition.

Does your mom come see the show?

I actually had her fix a couple of blow-up decorations for me because I can’t sew. She loves it, though. She came over the other night to see the show, and we usually try to do Christmas here, for obvious reasons.
— Shane Jozitis

Definitely try this at home

7 IDEAS FOR PROJECTS TO LIVEN UP YOUR WINTER

Between Covid, snowstorms and shorter days, we’ll all likely be spending a lot of time at home over the next several months. Here are seven ideas for projects, from the giftable truffles to the ongoing satisfaction of indoor greenery, that can add some fun to your winter.

Build a Rube Goldberg machine

Kids, adults and families can stimulate their creativity and STEM skills this winter by building a Rube Goldberg machine, a contraption made from household items that uses a series of interconnected steps to perform a simple task.

Zach Umperovitch of Bedford is a contracted Rube Goldberg machine builder for Rube Goldberg Inc. and Synn Labs and a two-time Guinness World Record-setter for the longest Rube Goldberg Machine. He said that, traditionally, the machine’s final task is something mundane, and the fun lies in the irony of making the process “incredibly complicated.”

“Say you want to water a plant,” he said. “You might blow up a balloon, and that balloon hits a seesaw, which causes a [toy] car to roll down and trigger something else, and all those steps link together in order to water the plant.”

Once you’ve decided what your machine’s final task will be, start looking around for materials and thinking about how they could work together.

“Rube Goldberg is all about repurposing everyday objects and using them in a new, creative way,” Umperovitch said. “You’re using resources in your own home, so you don’t even need to leave the house.”

Dominoes or objects that could act as dominoes, such as books or DVD cases, and objects that roll, like balls or marbles, are good ones to start with, he said. Kitchen utensils work well as catapults.

Six to 10 steps is appropriate for a beginner, Umperovitch said, and it’s easiest to start with the last step — the one that will directly trigger your goal task — and work backward.

You may prefer to plan out all of the steps before you start building, or you may prefer to start building and let inspiration come to you along the way; both styles are valid, Umperovitch said, but if you’re a pre-planner, you’ll need to be flexible.

“When I try to build a fully designed machine, I would say between 70 and 90 percent of it gets changed from the initial design to the final product, and this is my profession,” he said.

Finally, while not as exciting as building, testing your machine is one of the most important parts of the process and will probably be the most time-consuming. That said, Umperovitch said, make sure the steps in your machine are made with stable or infinite resources and are relatively easy to reset.

“I have a rule: 50 out of 50 [successful attempts],” he said. “You want to be able to test every step, individually, over and over, because if one step fails one time, what’s to say it won’t happen again when you’re trying to run the entire machine?”

Set up an at-home obstacle course

Start your ninja training this winter by building your own obstacle course using the layout of your home and common household items.

Tabitha Stevens, youth coach and lesson planner for Ninja Fit Club, an obstacle-based fitness center in Londonderry, shared some ideas to get you started. The exercises themselves are mostly aimed at kids, she said, but engineering the course can be a fun creative project for parents or for parents and kids to do together.

“You can turn it into a family activity,” Stevens said. “It’s something to get everybody moving.”

A good obstacle to start with is one for balance, she said. Lay a trail of spaced-out cans, buckets (flipped over), sturdy boxes or heavy books on the ground for the kids to walk across. You can up the challenge with the same idea using softer objects like pillows or couch cushions and having the kids jump across.

“It’s basically the ‘the floor is lava’ game,” Stevens said. “You have to use balance not to touch the floor.”

Space the soft objects out further to make it a jumping obstacle; have the kids jump from one object to another, increasing the distance a little more each time.

If you don’t want the kids elevated off the ground, there is a simple way to modify these balance and jumping obstacles.

“You can use the objects just as markers and have the kids jump to them while staying flat on the floor, or you can stick colored tape on the floor to mark the distances,” Stevens said.

For a jumping obstacle focused more on height than distance, hang an object from the ceiling — Stevens suggests a balloon — and have the kids jump up and try to touch it.

“You can hang several balloons in a row at various heights and have the kids jump, tap, and move on to the next one as quickly as they can,” she said.

Regular chairs from your kitchen or dining room table can be used for all kinds of obstacles. You can line them up like “little hurdles,” but for climbing over, not jumping over, so that it’s safer, Stevens said. The kids can also do an army crawl and weave around the chairs or, if there’s enough space, they can crawl under the chairs.

Finally, no obstacle course is complete without somersaults.

“Forward rolls, backward rolls — those are always great to add into the course,” Stevens said.

Grow an indoor succulent garden

If you want to have some fun with indoor gardening this winter, Alyssa Van Guilder, owner of Apotheca Flowers in Goffstown, said succulents are the way to go.

“They’re clean, they’re modern, there are so many different styles to choose from, and the overall care [requirement] is much lower than [it is for] other house plants,” Van Guilder said. “I think that’s why people are really drawn to them.”

Before you start designing the succulent garden of your dreams, there are a few things you should know about caring for them, Van Guilder said.

When planting your succulents, start with a layer of rocks to help with water drainage, followed by a layer of gardening charcoal to help control bacteria and excess moisture. Then, place the succulents in a succulent-specific soil.

They do need sun, which can be difficult in the winter when the days are shorter, so just be sure to put them by your sunniest window. If that doesn’t seem to be enough, consider supplementing with a fluorescent plant light.

There is no objective rule about how long you should wait between watering; the key, rather, is to allow the plants to dry out completely, then water them thoroughly, and repeat, so how often you need to water them will depend mostly on the size of the container and amount of soil you use.

There are more than 100 kinds of succulents, Van Guilder said, including ones in various shades of green, purple and mauve tones and some with white spotted or striped patterns. She suggests putting three to five plants in a cluster, depending on the size of the container.

“It’s hard to pair succulents that don’t look good together,” she said. “I think it’s nice to design a medley and have different colors, shapes and textures play off of each other.”

Succulents will grow in almost anything, so “if you really want to go crazy with containers, you can,” Van Guilder said.

“We all have things laying around that we could turn into some really interesting plant containers,” she said.

Van Guilder said her favorite containers are terrariums — clear glass globes — because the layers are visible, giving you another design element to play with.

You still need to have the rocks-charcoal-soil foundation, but you can layer on top of that with decorative sand, rock, moss, wood and shells (being careful not to layer too thickly or too tightly so that the soil can still air out).

“You can put all kinds of embellishments or found objects on top,” Van Guilder said. “Plastic animals are a fun one, so that it looks like a little habitat.”


Make truffles

Before you begin this recipe, you need to know that making truffles can be messy and time-consuming — but the end result is a delicious and decadent truffle that’s well worth the trouble. Even for those of you who wouldn’t normally head to the kitchen when you’re bored, I want to highlight one important thing: When you are done with this recipe, you will have twenty-four rich and delicious chocolate truffles.

From start to finish, it is about 2½ hours of mainly active time — the perfect amount of time to fill a cozy afternoon at home. Once they are done, you have a delicious treat to enjoy while you watch a movie or read a book. Despite being a bit time-consuming, this recipe really is pretty simple. As long as you can stir melted chocolate and form it into a ball, you have all the skills you need.
— Michele Pesula Kuegler

Triple Chocolate Truffles
Makes 24
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles

Combine the cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil.
Remove from heat.
Add 8 ounces of chocolate; gently swirl the pan.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes off heat.
Whisk to combine.
Transfer to a small mixing bowl, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Stir mixture, return to refrigerator for two more 15-minute periods, stirring after each for a total of 45 minutes.
At this point the mixture will begin to harden more quickly, so the mixture should be stirred every 5 minutes.
When mixture is thicker but not hard, remove from refrigerator.*
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a teaspoon, scrape a small amount of mixture from the bowl.
Using hands, roll into a ball approximately 1 inch in diameter; place on parchment paper.
Repeat until all mixture is used.
Place baking sheet in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Place remaining 4 ounces of chocolate in a small bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
Pour sprinkles into a separate small bowl.
After 15 minutes, remove baking sheet from refrigerator. Place an individual ball in melted chocolate and roll until fully coated.
Using a fork, transfer the ball to the sprinkles bowl.
With a clean hand or fork, roll the ball in sprinkles; return to baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining balls, and refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.

*I found that my chocolate mixture reached the thick but not firm stage after 10 minutes, for a total of 55 minutes in the refrigerator.

Do a jigsaw puzzle

Doing a jigsaw puzzle can be a great way to unwind and unplug this winter, said Laura Keith, general manager of Diversions Puzzles & Games in Portsmouth.

“​It’s such a nice break from screens,” she said. “It’s tactile, it’s relaxing, and you feel a sense of accomplishment. Putting the pieces into place is so satisfying.”

Most puzzles have between 300 and 3,000 pieces, with 1,000 pieces being the most popular, Keith said, but there are some puzzles that have up to 40,000 pieces.

The difficulty depends not only on the number of pieces but also on the shapes of the pieces and the image.

“We find that collages are usually easier, while landscapes with large sections of similar colors are much harder,” Keith said.

You can find a puzzle with an image of “almost anything you can think of,” Keith said, including cartoons, pop culture subjects, landscapes, plants, animals, fantasy themes and more.

“I’ve recently done a Pokemon puzzle followed by a tranquil mountain scene followed by a fun veggie collage I’m going to hang in my kitchen,” she said.

Keith recommends that first-time puzzlers choose a puzzle with 500 pieces if they’re going solo and 1,000 pieces if they have a partner. An image with a lot of variation in colors and patterns will be easier than an image with big blocks of the same color, like a landscape with a large blue sky.

There is no right or wrong method to do a jigsaw puzzle; it’s a matter of personal preference, Keith said, but starting with the edges is a good way to start. Then, try putting together pieces with distinct colors and patterns that only appear in one localized area of the image.

“Keep doing that over and over [and] whittle down the pieces available until it’s just the hardest pieces left,” she said. “By then, there are fewer options, so it’s a little easier to find where [the pieces] go.”

Create a cozy outdoor space

Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can’t relax outdoors this winter. Keith MacKay and Jody Ferreira are the owners of Snug Life, a private campsite in Wilton that’s heated and equipped for winter camping. They shared some ideas over email about how to create your own cozy outdoor space.

First, consider how you’re going to warm up. A natural fire is ideal, MacKay and Ferreira said.

“Even pulling out a small charcoal grill and getting some coals going adds a cozy feel, a little radiant warmth, and beauty,” they said. “It also provides an opportunity for comfort food [like] hot dogs, a kettle of water for cocoa, s’mores or plain old marshmallows.”

If a fire source isn’t feasible, there are other ways to keep warm.

Seating, for example, can make all the difference, MacKay and Ferreira said. Use seating that gets you above the ground or puts a physical barrier between you and the ground. If you really want to lounge you can even use an air mattress or sleeping pad.

“The thermal mass of the planet is huge relative to the thermal mass of a person,” they said. “As a result, the earth will draw the heat right out of you if you’re laying on it.”

Wearing a heavy winter coat will keep you warm but not necessarily comfortable, so be sure to wear comfy clothes under your outdoor gear.

“Your most snuggly sweater, your warmest and softest fleece or your favorite plush sweatpants … can give the tactile triggers for coziness,” MacKay and Ferreira said, adding that a blanket or two can also contribute to that “cozy feeling” while providing additional warmth.

A thermos of cocoa, coffee or even a hot alcoholic drink can provide an element of comfort, too, they said.

Atmosphere can be just as important for creating a cozy space as physical warmth, MacKay and Ferreira said.

Candles or incense sticks can add a bit of “campfire ambiance” if you can’t have a full-scale fire, they said, and there’s “nothing more magical” than warm-toned LED string lights (you can get battery-powered ones).

“Aside from helping to define something that feels more indoors (and psychologically warmer), [they’re a bit fancy], which adds to the cozy feel,” they said.

Bringing some nature into the picture by hanging up bird feeders or throwing some seeds for birds and other nearby critters is a nice touch and provides some entertainment, MacKay and Ferreira said.

Finally, think about what kind of soundscape, if any, would help foster the atmosphere you’re going for.

“It’s a matter of individual taste, of course, but music can provide immediate mood alteration,” MacKay and Ferreira said. “Choosing your favorite chill playlist can set the right comfy tone.”

Declutter your digital life

If it’s been on your to-do list for a while, this winter may be the perfect time to finally sort through all the photos and videos taking up storage on your devices.

“We’re all taking more photos than we ever have before because we always have a camera in our hands. We can easily take 1,000 photos in one week,” said Angelina McGlashan, certified photo manager and owner of Preserving Memories, a photo management service based in Windham. “The goal is to get to a point where you aren’t so overwhelmed, so you’re able to actually enjoy your photos and find the photos you’re looking for when you need them.”

Your first order of business, McGlashan said, should be to back up your photos. She recommends the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of your media, two of which are on two different devices (a computer and an external hard drive are preferable) and one in a reputable cloud storage.

“Getting those photos off your phone is the most important thing you can do,” she said. “A phone can easily be lost, stolen or broken, and then all those photos are gone.”

Next, pick one device to serve as a “digital hub” where you can do all of your organizing, McGlashan said. Start by deleting screenshots, duplicates and photos that are blurry or unusable. The photos that remain will fall into three categories: the “best of the best” album-worthy photos, photos that aren’t aesthetically perfect but serve as reminders of a time or place that’s important to you, and photos that have no personal significance, like a random sunset or flower you saw. The latter you should delete, McGlashan said.

“If they don’t tell a story or mean something to you, or you can’t even remember where or why you took it, you’re never going to use it,” she said.

Once you’ve got your collection culled down, you can sort your photos into different folders. How you sort them is a matter of personal preference.

“Everybody’s different,” McGlashan said. “I tell people to think about how they would put things in a filing cabinet at home. Do they like to have things alphabetical? By year? By [subject]?”

Once you’re totally done backing up and organizing your media, build a habit of maintaining going forward so that it doesn’t get out of control again.

“Set aside 15 minutes one day a week to go through and delete photos off your phone … and back up your photos monthly,” McGlashan said.

New Hampshire puzzle makers
• Ravensburger, leading European jigsaw puzzle publisher based in Germany, with its warehouse for its North American division located right here in New Hampshire, at One Puzzle Lane in Newton. It offers a wide variety of jigsaw puzzles for kids and adults through its online shop, ranging from puzzles with under 100 pieces to puzzles with more than 40,000 pieces. Call 257-1500 or visit ravensburger.us.
• Piece Time Puzzles (746 1st NH Turnpike, Northwood, piecetimepuzzles.com) a puzzle store specializing in custom and made-to-order photo puzzles.
• Fool’s Gold (based in Harrisville, 827-9825, foolsgoldpuzzles.com) creates handmade wooden jigsaw puzzles without pictures to assist the puzzler, making the image of the finished puzzle a surprise.
• Platinum Puzzles (9 Stark Hill Road, Canaan, 632 1105, platinumpuzzles.com) creates custom, handmade wooden jigsaw puzzles.

Featured photo: Set up an at-home obstacle course to help kids stay active. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 20/12/17

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

• Catch a holiday show: The Majestic Theatre presents a show, “Deck the Halls: Christmas at The Majestic,” live in person at The Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester) and virtually on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. The musical revue features an all-ages cast singing holiday songs. Tickets for the in-person show are $20, and tickets for the virtual show are $10. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.

Northeastern Ballet Theatre streams its 2019 performance of The Nutcracker. Courtesy photo.

The Garrison Players Arts Center’s Readers’ Theater of Rollinsford presents a virtual show, “A Very CoVid Christmas,” on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature theatrical readings from classic and new holiday tales. Tickets are free, but registration is required, and donations are appreciated. Visit garrisonplayers.org/showsandevents or call 750-4278.

The Northeastern Ballet Theatre of Wolfeboro is streaming a video of its 2019 performance of The Nutcracker now through Jan. 3. Also streaming are The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Wizard, the ballet’s interpretation of the first Harry Potter book. Tickets cost $8 for access to one show, $15 for two and $20 for all three. Visit northeasternballet.org.

• Outdoor student exhibit: Three arts educators and 80 students from the Nashua School District present a new public art display, “Brave New World: Resilience in the Time of Covid,” located outside Amherst Elementary School (71 Amherst St., Nashua) now through Feb. 14. It features paintings that convey a message of hope and resilience amid the challenges of Covid-19. The paintings, attached to a chain link fence, have been treated with a marine-grade clear coat to withstand the elements. “We hope that this project will have a positive impact on the community by changing someone’s day and making it better when they see it, especially for these difficult times,” participating student Natalia Pineda of Brentwood Academy said in a press release. The organizers plan to continue the display at other outdoor locations after the initial exhibition closes, according to the release. An opening reception at the exhibit location to celebrate the student and teacher artists will be held on Friday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. Visit sites.google.com/nsd42.net/bravenewworld/home.

• The gift of art: There’s still time to do some art gift shopping at these holiday art shows and sales.

Two Villages Art Society and the Hopkinton Historical Society have their “Home for the Holidays: an Art Show & Sale” now through Dec. 20 in Contoocook and online. The show features all kinds of art, including oil and watercolor paintings, ceramics, tapestry, woodworking, wearable art, book making and more, created by local artists and artisans. It’s being held in person at the Bates Building (846 Main St.; masks required) on a drop-in and by-appointment basis and virtually at shop.twovillagesart.org. Show hours at the Bates Building are Thursday and Friday from noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org.

Creative Ventures Gallery in Milford presents its annual holiday exhibit, “Small Works — Big Impact,” virtually now through Dec. 31, featuring small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.

The Craftworkers’ Guild’s Holiday Fair is going on virtually now through Tuesday, Dec. 22, with curbside pickup at the historic Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fair features seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabric, stained and fused glass, mixed media, jewelry and more by more than 40 juried artisans and craftspeople. Visit craftworkersguild.org.

Art

Exhibits
• “MOMENTS IN NATURE” The New Hampshire Art Association presents oil paintings by BJ Eckardt. Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “UNSEEN LIGHT” The New Hampshire Art Association presents infrared photography by Mark Giuliucci. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “AN EXTRAPOLATION OF CLOSE OBSERVATION” The New Hampshire Art Association presents prints and paintings by Kate Higley. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “THREADS: A COMMUNITY QUILT FOR 2020” A Portsmouth Historical Society exhibit. Discover Portsmouth, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth. On view now through Dec. 22. Visit portsmouthhistory.org or call 436-8433.
• “BIG GIFTS IN SMALL PACKAGES” Artwork priced under $100. Presented by the Seacoast Artist Association. On display now through Dec. 26. 130 Water St., Exeter. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.
• “THIS MERRY MOMENT” The New Hampshire Art Association hosts its holiday exhibition and sale featuring a variety of artwork and greeting cards created by NHAA members. Online and at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). Now through Jan. 2. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment; Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. An opening reception will be held virtually on Zoom on Fri., Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. Call 431-4230 or visit nhartassociation.org.
• “BRAVE NEW WORLD: RESILIENCE IN THE TIME OF COVID” Outdoor public art display features paintings by 80 students from the Nashua School District that convey a message of hope and resilience amid the challenges of Covid-19. Amherst Elementary School (71 Amherst St., Nashua). Now through Feb. 14. An opening reception at the exhibit location to celebrate the student and teacher artists will be held on Friday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. Visit sites.google.com/nsd42.net/bravenewworld/home.

Theater

Shows
• A CHRISTMAS CAROL A one-man adaptation performed by Christopher Savage. Virtual. Tickets $24 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, $15 for kids under 12. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.
• THE NUTCRACKER Ballet Misha performs. Dana Center at Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester. Sat., Dec. 19, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets cost $28. Call 641-7700 or visit anselm.edu.
• A VERY IDA CHRISTMAS Written and performed by Susan Poulin. Sun., Dec. 20, 2 p.m. The Music Hall Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth. Tickets cost $35. Visit themusichall.org.
• BOLSHOI BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER Rebroadcast screening. Bank of New Hampshire Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord. Sun., Dec. 20, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for students, plus a $3.75 per ticket fee. Visit banknhstage.com.
• THE NUTCRACKER Safe Haven Ballet presents. Sat., Jan. 2, 2 and 6 p.m., and Sun., Jan. 3, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Music Hall Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth. Tickets cost $50 for adults and $45 for seniors and children. Visit themusichall.org.

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