I first saw Jon Shain at the tiny black box theater at the Mansfield Music and Arts Society. By chance, the Patriots’ Divisional Playoff game against the Jaguars was scheduled at the same time, so needless to say there were a few cancellations. Excluding the two owners, the opening act and her mother, there were […]
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Jodi Picoult Interview
Jodi Picoult sat down with us in her home and shared her thoughts on critical thinking skills and public health issues.
Roxanne Quimby’s goal is to preserve the landscape of Maine’s North Woods forever, but controversy has been sparked by those who want to retain use of that land. In the early summer of 1975, 24-year-old Roxanne Quimby arrived in northern Maine, having driven across the country with her boyfriend, looking for a place to homestead. […]
Before my husband and I adopted two children, we adopted three dogs, a cat, and finally, a wonderful pet sitter named Janet. Janet is special kind of human being: She’s an animal person. And no, I don’t just mean an animal lover. In our pet-crazed culture, self-professed animal lovers abound. An animal person is someone […]
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Everything’s Coming Up Roses
Floral and plant motifs fill your home, thanks to Patricia Spratt’s fine table linens and accessories. Fabrics are woven across the U.S. and then sewn as napkins, placemats, runners, tablecloths, and pillows in Connecticut. The “Botanicals” collection ($6.50 to $90). Designs by Patricia Spratt for the Home, Old Lyme, CT. 800-964-9291, 860-434-9291; patriciasprattforthehome.com
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A Splash of Summer
Artist Anne Bell Robb’s original paintings now inspire a wide selection of New England designs for the home. We love the hydrangeas in this hand-hooked wool throw pillow (15 inches, $75) and chairpad ($30), framed print ($35), and magnet ($5). There’s nothing to water, and no worries about drooping petals. Rugs, mirrors, and notecards are […]
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Herbaceous Art
Maggie Lake wanders the Vermont woods collecting leaves, plant stems, and petals. At home in Putney, she crafts her “flower portraits,” which are framed in cherry or bird’s-eye maple by her husband, Tracy. Giclee prints are also available. Pictured here is Vermont Pond Flora (giclee, 8-1/2 x 31 inches, $195). 802-387-2474; vermontbotanical.com
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Fleurs de Light
Adorn your favorite lamp with a wreath of pressed blooms. Jennifer Allen crafts these delicate-yet-sturdy fiberglass lampshades ($50-$100) from organically grown flowers and other plant materials, picked and dried onsite. Available with white, cream, or tan background from Botanical Lampshades of North Sandwich, New Hampshire. 603-284-7468; botanicallampshades.com
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New England Products: Glass
The showroom at Pepi Herrmann Crystal, in Gilford, New Hampshire, positively sparkles. In the studio, craftsmen carefully hand-cut and hand-engrave delicate patterns in fine glass. The “Wildflower” design is our favorite, and one of the most popular among customers. Pictured are the large footed “Wildflower” bowl ($135) and assorted matching pieces (from $39). 800-426-3288, 603-528-1020; […]
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Sea Kayaking: Rhode Island
When our kids were younger, we rented double kayaks from The Kayak Centre in Wickford, on the western side of Narragansett Bay, and paddled past the docked yachts. Soon we were out in the quiet harbor, coasting alongside the oyster beds and sea grass meadows that make up the puckered shoreline. We could see century-old […]
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Family Biking, Kayaking, Canoeing
Stephen Jermanok, travel writer and father of two young children, reveals his favorite family adventure spots. Get ready for New England’s best adventures in rafting and biking in Massachusetts, mountain biking in Vermont, sea kayaking in Rhode Island, camping in Maine, and canoeing in New Hampshire.
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Homegrown: Fresh Morels
Although you can find dried morels year-round, their fresh counterparts have a very short growing season and are available in New England only from late April through the first week or so of June. These prized mushrooms look a lot like brown sponges on sticks — but their flavor is delicate and earthy, well worth […]