Tag: 240425

Treasure Hunt 24/04/25

Dear Donna,

Time to clean out. Wondering if there is any value to these homemade Barbie-size doll clothes made by my mom for my sister and myself. I have fond memories of playing with them. Tried to pass them on but no interest these days. What to do with them?

Thank you, Donna.

Cynthia

Dear Cynthia,

Your dresses bring back memories for me as well.

Handmade doll clothes (hand-stitched and sewing machine-made) can be collectible. I think the older the better, and detailing, material, condition etc. all come into play for value.

Barbie-era clothes would all have value to a collector. The patterns on ones like yours are so “modern”-looking. How fun to mix in with original Barbie outfits.

The value I think is in the buyer. I would think in the $5+ range for each outfit. The elaborate or wild could even bring lots more!

Cynthia, thanks for the memory and I hope you find a new home for the clothes.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at footwdw@aol.com, or call her at 391-6550.

Kiddie Pool 24/04/25

Family fun for whenever

Extra aviation

Check out the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org) on Thursday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — one of the extra days the museum is open for April vacation week. From 1 to 4 p.m., operators will be on duty for kids ages 12 and up to try the Elite Flight Simulator, according to a press release. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and up, $5 for ages 6 to 12 (and for veterans) and free for kids under 6. The museum’s regular hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

A quieter storytime

Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua) will host Sensory Story Time on Thursday, April 25, from 1:30 to 2 p.m. This is designed for kids in grades K-5 who have sensory processing challenges or autism, according to the website. The program will include a set schedule for kids to follow along, quieter music, and dimmed lights. Participants are encouraged to bring their own sensory seating and fidgets, according to the website. Visit nashualibrary.org.

A senatorial storytime

U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan is scheduled to attend the storytime on Friday, April 26, at 1:30 p.m. at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com). The event is free; register online.

Movie night

Need some family entertainment? Shrek 2 (PG, 2004) is screening at the Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Manchester (707 Huse Road; chunkys.com). See it Thursday, April 25, at 2:30 p.m.

Science Playground

Weather permitting, the Science Playground at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Way in Concord; starhop.com) will open for the season on Wednesday, May 1. The center itself is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sunday, April 28 (and then reverts to regular school year hours of Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The playground is part of the regular admission to the center, which costs $13 for adults, $12 for ages 13 through college or 62+ and $10 for ages 3 to 12. Planetarium shows cost an additional $7 per person; see the website for a schedule.

And on this farm there was a summer camp

From Sheep Week to Cow Week, Joppa Hill has all the farm fun

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

On a 35-acre parcel of land, The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill provides a path to learning about life on a farm for the whole family with their friendly menagerie of livestock and volunteers to guide you along the way. The farm is open and free to the public from sun-up to sundown every day of the year. Visitors can feed the animals, explore extensive trails, or take part in one of the many events, like fairs, concerts and even a Christmas tree bonfire after the holiday season.

The Farm and barnyard family will be growing this year.

“We are excited to announce that we are acquiring new animals,” Kim Wall, a member of their board of directors, said, and they will be “rebuilding our bunny enclosure, just to give you a hint of some of the animals that might be coming, and … we are redoing all the fencing around the farm and around the animal enclosures.” These additions and renovations will enhance an already pleasant environment.

Because it is an educational farm, Joppa Hill has a bountiful harvest of programs to educate the public throughout the year. One particular program that gets a lot of attention is the summer camp.

“There are kids who will sign up for multiple weeks,” of camp, Wall said. She pointed out a perk to visiting the Farm or attending summer camp: “You can play with these animals and not have them at home.”

Katie Schelzel, Farm Manager and Camp Director, gets a lot of joy from running the summer camp.

“It is so fun to watch [campers] gain ownership in the success of the farm and caring for the animals and taking care of the property and going inside of the barn,” Schelzel said. “My favorite part of camp is when parents come and pick the kids up … and they pull their exhausted parents around the entire farm and show them every animal in detail and stories of all the things they learned throughout the day, and I am an exhausted parent so I know what that’s like, but it’s a real treat to watch them feel so proud of what they do.”

Each camp is centered on activities tailored to a specific barnyard animal.

“For cow week we make butter. For horse week, we’re grooming the horses and bathing the horses. Chicken week we do a lot of experimentation with eggs.’ she said. “There’ll be farm- and animal-themed books. Daily lessons and activities about the animals are what really change.”

Some things are the same every week.

“We have eight weeks, we’re considering adding a ninth, and each week has a different animal theme but every day of every week has the same general routing.” Schelzel said. “Every day kids will do barn chores such as collecting eggs, measuring feed for the animals, or mucking the horse stalls. They’ll go on daily nature hikes.”

Sixty spots per week are available for kids ages 5 to 12 with two cohorts, the first for ages 5 to 8 and the other for 9 to 12, so that the experience is tailored to their age range. The day on the farm goes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and registration starts in late March. Farm members get priority registration.

“It’s really structured so that kids could come for every week and still have something new every week,” Schelzel said. “Even if a week fills up, there’s a waitlist, which isn’t ust like the pie-in-the-sky waitlist …. As parents, you know, you sign your kids up in the spring and then you get an opportunity for summer plans and you have to change your week — so I would definitely encourage parents to use the waitlist … it’s rolling, so there isn’t a deadline.”

The first week of camp starts June 17, and it’s Sheep Week.

Schelzel signed her own daughter up a few years ago and she’s never looked back.

“My daughter actually went five, six years ago to camp, which is how I originally was introduced to the farm,” she said. “And then I started volunteering … working for the farm, and now I’m the Farm Manager and Camp Director and have an amazing team that helps keep it updated … and having an exciting curriculum to learn and be really hands-on with the animals.”

Fresh air with blue skies or rain clouds can’t be beat.

“There’s something naturally therapeutic about being out in nature and with animals all day. One of the most special things about the farm is that everybody leaves happy. Parents can feel good when they pick their kids up at the end of the day that they’re learning about nature and about animals,” Schelzel said. “They’re learning about teamwork and organization and responsibility and they’re having fun while doing it.”

Summer camp with farm animals

The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill
174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford
theeducationalfarm.org, 472-4724

Camp is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $350 per week.
Ages 5 – 8, limited to 30 campers per week.
Ages 9 – 12, limited to 30 campers per week.

Extended day option (limited to 15 campers) offers early drop-off (8 a.m.) and late pick-up (by 5 p.m.) for $75 per week.

Snack boost: $20 per week.
Sheep Week | Week 1: June 17 – June 21
Alpaca Week | Week 2: June 24 – June 28
Duck Week | Week 3: July 8 – July 12
Goat Week | Week 4: July 15 – July 19
Bunny Week | Week 5: July 22 – July 26
Horse Week | Week 6: July 29 – Aug. 2
Chicken Week | Week 7: Aug. 5 – Aug. 9
Cow Week | Week 8: Aug. 12 – Aug. 16

Featured Photo: Courtesy photo.

Weaving a tapestry

Palace brings Carole King story to stage

For anyone who ever wondered where songs come from, the Palace Theatre’s splendid production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical provides a perfect primer. It’s to director Carl Rajotte’s credit that the music, performed by a talented ensemble cast, is accompanied by photos of original artists like the Drifters, Shirelles and Righteous Brothers, as well as the principal artists played by feature actors.

Rachel Gubow shines in the title role, her first at the Palace, both as a singer and actress. She reveals how King, along with songwriting partner Gerry Goffin, helped shape the soundtrack of a generation. Austin Mirsoltani, also making his Palace debut, does an admirable job as Goffin, as he illustrates the inspiration for songs like “Up on the Roof” and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” along with the challenges of working in a highly competitive creative environment.

That milieu is fleshed out by Donnie Kirschner, who ran Aldon Music in 1960s Times Square, played by Ken Quiricone, along with fellow songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. In the latter roles, Evan Ross Brody and Lauren Echausse are hilarious, earning more than a few laugh-out-loud moments on opening night.

Brody is reprising a role he recently played in a Florida production of Beautiful. In an interview following the initial performance, Director Rajotte called the pair’s contribution essential. “Evan sent us his reel, and I just thought he was hysterical,” he said. “This show needs that, Cynthia and Barry, to lighten it up.”

He continued that Gubow seemed destined to portray the artist who, as a composer, helped shape the mid-20th-century’s Great American Songbook and later joined contemporaries like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell for a singer-songwriter movement that included her 1971 solo album Tapestry.

When the show opened on Broadway, Gubow was just out of school and auditioned for the lead role, urged by her agent. “That was her first Broadway callback, and even though she knew at the time it was a dream, ever since then she’s been studying Carole King,” Rajotte said. Later, Gubow was an understudy in a Beverly, Mass., production, serving one time as lead. “She came in knowing the show really well, which is great, because Carole’s on stage all the time.”

There’s much more to King’s story than music. Beautiful spans a turbulent decade, and Mirsoltani is convincing as a man who feels constrained by suburbia, even as he’s writing the words to songs like “Pleasant Valley Sunday” for the Monkees sitcom. Goffin and King’s marital breakdown brought a visceral response from the opening night crowd; their acting is that convincing.

As written by Douglas McGrath, the musical’s book is a historical mashup. For example, Act 1 ends in a Vermont ski lodge in 1964, and the second begins with King working on an arrangement of “Chains” — which was actually a hit for the Cookies two years earlier. Also, and perhaps less critical, King’s transition from Goffin’s partner to solo performer omits a messy path that included both a failed trio called The City, and a pre-Tapestry solo record.

Such artistic license is allowable in the service of vividly depicting a moment that likely won’t come again, as a gaggle of creatives barely out of their teens followed their instincts into immortality. Nuanced performances from the core five cast members show the movement from musicians performing other people’s songs to writing their own, the cultural upheaval of the hippie movement, and creating in a place where, to use a Cynthia Weil line, there was “always magic in the air.”

There are many reasons to see this more than excellent production before it closes on May 12. All of them are good ones, but director Rajotte’s rationale is perhaps the best.

“I know everyone is coming to hear Carole King’s music,” he said, “but what I really want is that they hear her life story … where the music came from is just so important.”

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
When: Fridays, 7:30 p.m., Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Sundays, 2 p.m. through May 12
Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester
Tickets: $28 and up at palacetheatre.org

Featured Photo: Austin Mirsoltani and Rachel Gubow in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

The Art Roundup 24/04/25

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

• “Neon Bathroom!”: Karen Jerzyk presents “Neon Bathroom!” at 400 Bedford Street (400 Bedford St., Suite 329, Manchester; 400bedfordstreet.com), a multi-purpose art space, on Tuesday, April 30, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Participants can step into a surreal neon bathroom and have their portrait taken, in 30-minute increments, according to the event website. Karen Jerzyk is a surrealistic photographer who combines elements of sci-fi and fantasy with elaborate environments to create visual narratives by either building a set from scratch in her studio or finding an existing location, according to the same website. Striving for an element of what some people have said reminds them of an era of “future-past”, her photos tend to appear timeless, with colorful montages laden with underlying themes, according to the same website. Each portrait is $40. Visit karenjerzykphoto.zenfolio.com. Tickets are available at Eventbrite, eventbrite.com/e/karen-jerzyk-presents-tickets-870680748557.

• On the Trail: The final weekend of The Trail to Oregon, a musical comedy presented by Actors Cooperative Theatre, runs Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 W Broadway in Derry. Go to kidscooptheatre.ludus.com for tickets and find the Actors Cooperative Theatre on Facebook for videos about the show.

• Earth Day art: The Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn) is partnering with the League of NH Craftsmen to feature original work in its “Earth Day Exhibition 2024 — A Nature Inspired Show,” featuring work from including photography, prints, and fiber art, which will run until Friday, May 31, according to their website. The exhibition will be open during regular Center hours, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is free for all ages. Visit nhaudubon.org.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Portsmouth Mini-Con 40 is on Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, at Cisco Brewers (35 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth), an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Dover-born Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and featuring Turtles creator Kevin Eastman as well as other creators and artists from Mirage Studios, according to the event’s website. This extremely limited attendance event celebrates the 40th anniversary of the original Portsmouth Mini-Con in 1984, which featured the premiere of Eastman and Laird’s beloved characters, and is a fan tribute honoring those who helped propel the TMNT to their current popularity, according to the website. This exclusive event is not a “comic-con” but a reunion of celebrities and a Turtle celebration for the hardest of hardcore fans, according to the website. See portsmouthminicon.com for ticket options.

• Work with metal: Manchester Makerspace (36 Old Granite St., Manchester) is hosting an Intro to Blacksmithing course on Wednesday, May 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. Attendees will learn basic skills that translate to every facet of the craft, from forging Knightly Broadswords to stunning wrought iron gates, and will start by making coat hooks, according to the website. The non-member price of $200 includes one month of membership at Manchester Makerspace that can be activated on the day of the class, according to the same website. See manchestermakerspace.org.

• Haiku workshop: A poetry reading and open mic at the Griffin Free Public Library (22 Hooksett Road in Auburn) will be held on Saturday, April 27, at noon with a haiku workshop from local poet Michael Czarnecki where patrons are encouraged to share stories, songs, poems and any original works, according to the website. No registration is required and all ages are welcome. Visit griffinfree.org. — Zachary Lewis

This Week 24/04/25

Saturday, April 27

Today is Independent Bookstore Day! Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord, gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562) will have bookstore bingo, a raffle, and give-aways of advanced reader copies of upcoming books, beginning at 10 a.m., while Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester, bookerymht.com) will have a raffle, magic from Magic Man, and a performance by the Ukeladies at 3 p.m. Balin Books (375 Amherst St. in Nashua; balinbooks.com, 417-7981) has a list of special offerings on its website and will host New Hampshire author Maggie Thrash to discuss her novel Rainbow Black at 11 a.m. and singer-songwriter Sweet Harriet at 1 p.m. Toadstool Bookshop (12 Depot St. in Peterborough; toadbooks.com) will hold a 20 percent off new hardcovers sale. See indiebound.org for plans at more area bookstores.

Thursday, April 25

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, nhahs.org, 669-4820) hosts “Turtles Fly Too,” a presentation by local pilot David Dineen about a yearly mission to airlift misguided sea turtles out of cold New England waters at 7 p.m. Admission costs $10 per person for non-members. Tickets are available through the museum’s website. For more information, go to turtlesflytoo.org.

Saturday, April 27

The Great New England Spring Artisan, Antiques, and Vintage Market will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (and Sunday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at the Hampshire Dome (34 Emerson Road in Milford, hampshiredome.com, 673-8123). There will be 150 exhibitors, food trucks, cocktails and live music. Tickets are $5 at the door and are good for both days. See gnecraftartisanshows.com.

Saturday, April 27

Hudson Lions will sponsor their semi-annual Psychic Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hudson Community Center (12 Lions Ave. in Hudson, hudsonnh.gov, 886-6003). This event will benefit Hudson Lions Charities. No credit cards will be accepted. Admission is free; there will be a fee for psychic readings.

Saturday, April 27

The Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road, Lee, nhcornmaze.com, 659-3572) holds Open Farm Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the kickoff event for the 2024 season, which starts the celebration of 20 years as Coppal House Farm. Animal barns will be open for visiting and there will be demonstrations of draft horse harnessing, ploughing, and glass flameworking, and more. Admission is free.

Sunday, April 28

Opera stars of the future compete in NH Opera Idol beginning at 3 p.m. in the Cantin Room at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S Main St., Concord, ccanh.com, 225-1111). Doors open at 2 p.m. Young opera singers compete for cash awards and performance contracts to a July 2024 production of “I Pagliacci.” The audience will choose the competition winners. Tickets cost $30.75 and are available through the Capitol Center for the Arts website.

Save the Date! Saturday, May 4
The Seacoast Cat Club will host its 45th Annual CFA Allbreed Cat Show, including feline agility competitions, Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord, concordnh.gov, 228-2784). Admission costs $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and kids under 12.

Quality of Life 24/04/25

Pour one (medium popcorn with butter) out

The Regal Cinema in Concord has sadly joined the ranks of closed and closing area movie theaters. According to a Concord Monitor story from April 16, the 7:30 p.m. showing of Kung Fu Panda 4 on April 18 marked the final act of the theater location’s 28 years in Concord. In addition to first-run films, the theater offered a summer series of kid movies, which will be a much missed option for air-conditioned family entertainment.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The theater site and the neighboring Steeplegate Mall are slated to become “a huge retail and housing complex, with some 625 apartments,” the Concord Monitor story said.

Six fewer loons

Last year at least six loons died of lead poisoning in New Hampshire, according to a joint press release from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (wildnh.com) and the Loon Preservation Committee (loon.org) on April 16. The deaths, which occurred at lakes and ponds across the state, were due to the ingestion of lead fishing tackle and sinkers, according to the press release. Fish and Game and the Loon Preservation Committee remind anglers that lead tackle is no longer legal in New Hampshire and can be turned in at Fish and Game offices and at many transfer stations across the state. Additionally, until the end of the year, anglers can exchange one ounce or more of illegal lead tackle (lead sinkers and lead-headed jigs individually weighing one ounce or less) for a $10 gift certificate redeemable at many New Hampshire tackle shops. According to the Loon Preservation Committee, a loon will die from lead poisoning approximately two to four weeks after ingesting lead fishing tackle.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Loons that are on land that are not on nests are likely in distress. the release said. The Loon Preservation Committee asks the public to report loons in distress by calling 476-5666 or visiting loon.org.

Not the basil!

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services (dhhs.nh.gov) is advising consumers not to eat Infinite Herbs Organic Fresh Basil packed in 2.5-ounce clamshells and sold at Traders Joe’s stores. According to an April 18 press release, there is a multistate outbreak of salmonella infections linked to this brand of basil. The recalled product has been voluntarily removed from stores and should no longer be available for sale. Consumers who have purchased Infinite Herbs Organic Basil should not eat the product and are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for any stored product. “As salmonella bacteria can cause serious illness, it is best to throw out any potentially contaminated food rather than risk infection,” said Iain Watt, Interim DPHS Director.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The Department of Health and Human Services reports that there are no reported New Hampshire cases associated with the outbreak of aalmonella infections at this time.

Last week’s QOL score: 63

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 60

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Drafty weekend expected

The Big Story – The NFL 2004 Draft: It comes your way starting tonight (Thursday) from Detroit at 8 p.m. on ESPN and the NFL Network. As I write this the Patriots still hold the third overall pick. If they stay there they’ll most likely take North Carolina QB Drake May.

Sports 101: Including their AFL days, name the five Patriots drafted first overall. Hint: The first was from BC and did not sign with the team.

News Item – Spring Playoffs Start: Good Game 1’s for the Bruins and Celtics. For the B’s it was 5-1 over Toronto behind two goals and an assist from Jake DeBrusk. For the C’s it was a 114-94 win over Miami. That included the usual of rolling to two big leads before infuriatingly losing focus to see them whittled down to scary territory instead of just putting them away.

News Item – Injuries Riddle Sox: It’s standing room only on the Red Sox injured list starting with losing shortstop Trevor Story for the year. He’s joined by Raffy Devers, Triston Casas and AL home run leader Tyler O’Neill and we have yet to see newly acquired second baseman Vaugh Grissom too. Starting pitchers Garrett Whitlock and Nick Pivetta are also on the list along with gone for the year projected No. 2 starter Lucas Giolito. Still, with all that, they swept Pittsburgh over the weekend to start the week 13-10.

The Numbers

0 – points scored in 32 minutes played in what could be free agent to be Klay Thompson’s final game with Golden State when they were run out in the play-in round by Sacramento.

0.66 – ERA for Kutter Crawford in five Red Sox starts over 27.1 innings.

17 – wins against 19 losses for Milwaukee since hiring Doc Rivers to replace the fired 32-14 Adrian Griffin.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up – Jack Edwards: At his retirement after 19 years as the Bruins’ highly enthusiastic play-by-play guy. Congrats to the Durham, N.H., native and WGIR/Channel 50 alum on a job well done.

Iron Man – Zdeno Chara: The ex-Bruins captain gets it for running the Boston Marathon on April 15 (3:30:53) and for astonishingly running another six days later in London in just 3:11:04.

Player – Tanner Houck: For once Alex Cora actually let the player just do it, and Houck delivered a beauty, a three-hit, nine-strikeout 2-0 complete game shutout over Cleveland that, oh by the way, took 1:47 to play.

Question – Brayan Bello: So how in the name of Al Nipper did Bello do basically the same as Houck vs. Pittsburg — two hits, seven K’s and just two walks — but somehow throw three more pitches and last three fewer innings?

Fun Media Feud – Shaq & Charles Barkley vs. Kendrick Perkins: Perk said on ESPN radio that the TNT duo “obviously don’t watch NBA games” after they dissed the Knicks’ playoff chances. The boys didn’t like that so they showed clips of the retiring Blake Griffin dunking in Perk’s face with Shaq saying — “I don’t watch Knick games, but I watched that one.” Chuck then said to Shaq, “out here killing roaches” followed by a TV version of dunking in Perk’s face — “five points a game [and you’re] gonna call me out?” Ouch.

Sports 101 Answer: The Pats’ five first overall picks were Jack Concannon (‘64), Jim Plunkett (’71), Kenneth Sims (’80), Irving Fryar (’84) and Drew Bledsoe (’92). Concannon signed with the NFL’s Chicago Bears instead.

Final Thought – Draft Strategy: This notion the Patriots should hold out for an “unprecedented” Herschel Walker-like offer is unrealistic and ridiculous. It’s the third pick — not the top pick with a once-in-a-generation QB sitting there like Andrew Luck or Joe Burrow.

So if it were me, I’d pull a Danny Ainge, who got the Celtics where they are today with the creative 2013 deal that got him Jaylon Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Like trading down a couple of times. First with the (possibly QB interested) Giants for their sixth pick and first in 2025. Then, with QB desperate Minnesota in danger of missing out on a Top 4 guy, I’d propose they get the sixth and Pats third-round pick for the 11th and 23rd along with wide receiver Jordan Addision, who had 90 catches for 900-plus yards and 10 TD’s as a rookie in 2023. And I might even be willing to slide down a little further from 11 for more draft capital. But the first two trades would give them a proven wide receiver, along with the ammo to get a left tackle, another wideout and maybe even be in position to take Gronk like Georgia tight end Brock Bowers if in the unlikely event he slides out of the first 10 picks.

Then I’d live with Jacoby Brissett at QB and go into the 2025 draft with two first-round picks at least.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Growing in the garden

A talk with Henry Homeyer, the Gardening Guy

Henry Homeyer’s regular advice about all things gardening has appeared in newspapers, including the Hippo, around New England (currently, his pieces run about once a month, including this week on page 10). He is the author of several books, including The New Hampshire Gardener’s Companion.

What got you into gardening?

I started gardening as a young boy. I’m talking ages 2 or 3. My grandfather in Spencer, Massachusetts, he was an organic gardener starting back in the ’40s … I was born in ’46 — and he just made it fun. He was a fun guy. He taught me a lot but he didn’t tell me to do things. He didn’t give me chores I didn’t want to do, I didn’t have to pull weeds. I got to do things like stir a big wooden rain barrel full of chicken manure and water to … make a manure tea that we would then dip into and put on his tomato plants, and it was all fun. Gardening has been part of my life for 75 years.

What non-native plants do well in New Hampshire or are there any non-native New Hampshire plants you’d recommend?

Well, I recommend native plants whenever possible. If we can plant 90 percent native and 10 percent non-native, or 80-20, that’s a better mix. A lot of the non-natives are not useful to our pollinators and birds who didn’t evolve with them, so our natives are so much better. With that being said, there are certain trees and shrubs, particularly, that are so beautiful I have to have them. I have a Merel magnolia which is going to bloom … big white flowers, blooms in early April — fabulous plant. Not a native. Japanese red maple is another one that you see from time to time that has a deep, rich red leaf all summer long and brilliant in the fall.…. Go to the local nursery, don’t go to a big box store, go to your local nursery … They’re well-educated, generally, and can help you find just the right thing for you and for your part of the state.

Do you have a favorite plant that’s often overlooked?

I have over 100 different species of trees and shrubs. I have more than that in terms of perennial flowers. One that I really like is the candlestick primrose…. It’s a non-native but it grows in moist soil in partial shade or even full shade. It blooms in late May, early June, with a series of blossoms going up a stem. It comes in a variety of colors from magenta and pink to almost white. It’s not well-known but it does very well under old apple trees and that’s where I have a patch and they spread by root, which I like, they’re early, which I like, and they bloom for over a month, which is unusual for a perennial flower.

Besides garden beds, are there other structures you like to build or have in a garden?

Absolutely. I think that because we have such a long winter, and fall and spring don’t have much going on, we need to have things that are three-dimensional besides our flowers. At the entrance of my vegetable garden I built a cedar entrance arbor with cedar poles and a slanted, criss-cross roof, kind of hard to describe…. It is a good structure for growing vines on. I have wisteria growing up that. I have also another vine structure that’s a 10-foot hexagon with a tall roof, again made out of cedar. … In addition to that I have benches, a marble bench, I have sculpture, iron sculpture, ceramic objects, bird baths…. If you have a big garden, if you have some Adirondack chairs at the far end of it, it draws people toward them as a place to sit down. It’s good to have something comfortable and probably in the shade.

What can gardeners do in New Hampshire in the next two weeks for their gardens?

It really depends on what our weather is, but you don’t want to compress your soil by walking in wet soil. You don’t want to rototill your vegetable garden right now. You don’t want to walk in your flower beds to clean them up right now because it’s going to compact the soil. Plants get their oxygen from air spaces in the soil, they don’t get it through their leaves, they get it through their roots. So if the soil is wet and we step on it, it’s compressing it. This is a good time to take inventory on what is growing, what made it through the winter, what’s coming up, and what didn’t. … This is a good time for looking and planning, maybe do a little raking, you can rake the lawn now if it’s dried out, those sorts of things. — Zachary Lewis

Featured image: Henry Homer

News & Notes 24/04/25

Drug take-back

The DEA is promoting a national drug take-back day on Saturday, April 27, with collection sites listed as open to take prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to dea.gov/takebackday, local drop-off spots include area police departments and Elliot at River’s Edge in Manchester. “DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs. For more than a decade, this event has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—that too often become a gateway to addiction. … Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.,” according to a press release from Granite United Way, which will participate at its three public health networks (see graniteuw.org).

Moose sounds

According to an April 16 press release, researchers at the University of New Hampshire have used publicly available online videos to develop a method to assess wild moose sounds in nature and to identify distinct differences by age and sex, as a first step in creating an acoustic network that could help track, monitor and protect moose populations.

In a statement, Laura Kloepper, an assistant professor of biological sciences at UNH, said that “by tracking moose, scientists can predict how forest habitat affects moose distribution. Specifically, how habitat disturbances, like those caused by some timber management, affect where moose prefer to live and how those preferences change with the seasons or the time of day. Since moose have a wide roaming range and low population densities, monitoring them is an ever-present challenge that could be aided by non-invasive technologies like a moose acoustic sensor.”

Their study published in the journal JASA [Journal of the Acoustical Society of America] Express Letters outlined their use of online videos crowdsourced from hunters and recreationalists to identify differences in moose calls and characterize them by age and sex, according to the same release. Researchers collected 673 calls — 199 from cows (females), 255 from bulls (males) and 219 from calves — and although individual variations existed, there were clear differences between groups, according to the same release.

The researchers plan to include networks of calibrated acoustic recorders across a landscape to develop an automated detector and determine moose population density to inform forest management, according to the same release.

Their efforts are supported by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station through joint funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture as well as the State of New Hampshire and conducted in partnership with NH Fish and Game Department, according to the same release, which also named co-authors of the study including Alex Zager, Sonja Ahlberg, Olivia Boyan, Jocelyn Brierly, Valerie Eddington and Remington Moll.

Visit unh.edu/unhtoday/2024/04/developing-bioacoustic-methods-characterize-new-hampshire-moose-populations for details and links to the JASA Express Letters article.

Relief money

An April 22 press release stated that President Joe Biden granted Gov. Sununu’s request for a major disaster declaration in response to severe storms and flooding in January that resulted in significant costs to local communities. Rockingham and Grafton counties are included in the declaration. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), working with state and local emergency management officials, had completed a Preliminary Damage Assessment and found that the statewide cost for response to this event totaled more than $3 million. This declaration allows communities in the two counties to seek federal funding assistance, according to the release.

The declaration also makes federal support available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and the Public Assistance Program, with the purpose of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program being to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable the implementation of mitigation measures during the immediate recovery from a disaster, according to the same release.

The same press release mentioned that the Department of Transportation has been granted $20 million in federal funding for seawall reconstruction and the funds will be used to reduce flooding, structural damage and post-storm cleanup time along Route 1A. Visit governor.nh.gov.

Fire in Plymouth

On Saturday, April 20, a fire broke out on Main Street in Plymouth that forced the evacuation of Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center. The investigation into the fire is ongoing; Downtown Pizza received most of the damage and is currently closed, according to a report on WMUR.com.

Vincent Vella, CEO of The Common Man Family, said in post on the venue’s Facebook page: “The Monkey has sustained only minor smoke damage. We are unbelievably lucky and happy to report that our beloved venue has survived such a devastating event. Unfortunately, some of the Monkey’s neighbors have suffered tragic losses, and Main Street in Plymouth will look different for some time. We will support them in their efforts to recover.”

The venue’s marquee reads “Everything is fine. We are OK. See You Friday. 4-26 Sugar Mountain,” according to a photo posted April 22.

The Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Manchester Ladies Philoptochos Society will hold an Eastern Orthodox Easter Bake Sale on Saturday, April 27, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the church hall. Spinach peta, Greek cookies, assorted Greek pastries, pastry platters, and Easter bread will be available for sale.

See EVs and talk to their owners at the Merrimack Electric Vehicle Fair on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Tractor Supply Parking lot in Merrimack (515 D.W. Highway). Visit driveelectricearthmonth.org to RSVP and see a list of vehicles expected to be there.

Friends of Leach Library in Londonderry (276 Mammoth Road) are holding a book sale on Tuesday, April 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m, according to their website, although hours are subject to volunteer availability and they ask that you call the library to check if the book sale room will be open prior to your visit. Visit londonderrynh.org/leach-library or call 432-1132.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!