When the family of artist Oliver Balf combed through a lifetime of paintings, they discovered truths about the artist’s passion, and themselves. October 2010: I remember his being tired but relieved after a long day of international travel. The spare kibbutz “guest house” that we arrived at in advance of a family wedding amused us […]
garden
New Englanders know that the hands-on growing and nurturing aspect of a garden is virtually out of the question during the long, cold winter months. However, a window view of a garden that’s been spiffed up for winter can offer hours of enjoyment. A visually inspiring winter garden scene is a sight to behold which […]
Before reaching the driveway, we caught a glimpse of our destination through a break in the trees. It was there in a sunny clearing, just beyond a brook. It was a bigger, more impressive-looking house than we’d expected. And, except for trim, it was all clear-stained wood. Although we already knew it had been built […]
Products made and/or grown and harvested by New England gardeners make great gifts for friends and family members. The money spent on these products stays local and supports the local economy in addition to supporting your area’s gardeners, farms and growers. Roadside farm stands, indoor farmer’s markets, craft fairs and country stores are all great […]
Dave Brown likes to make things. Along with his wife, Ann, he’s hewed most of their home’s furnishings: beds, tables, desks—everything but a brown couch and a reading chair that outfit the house they built. When it came time to make the spindles for the ladder back chairs, Dave purchased a second hand lathe, which […]
A year ago last spring, I put two healthy (still red) poinsettias in my garden. In the fall, I brought them back inside, still healthy but green. I though they would make red leaves for Christmas, but they didn’t. What went wrong? Why didn’t my poinsettia plants turn red? The red — or pink or […]
Fifty years after the death of President John F. Kennedy, those who knew him and his extended family in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, reflect on a time when Camelot was their neighbor.
Magazine
Angels Among Us 2013
Yankee Magazine profiles three New Englanders who are making an extraordinary difference in others’ lives.
When Pam Kueber bought her 1951 ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts, she became one of the country’s leading advocates for 1950s home decor. Take a tour of her colorful home!
Witch hazel is a fascinating plant because it blooms at the very end or the very beginning of the growing season. Find out more about this perennial plant.
Gardens
Fall Gardening Suggestions
When doing your fall garden cleanup, leave some of your seed heads and dried plant material for wildlife to use for winter food and shelter. Many butterflies and pollinators overwinter in the garden. Think of your winter landscape. Leave ornamental grasses, astilbe, butterfly bushes, sedum, and other plants standing for winter interest. It’s best not […]
Okay, all you trivia enthusiasts: What’s Hadley, Massachusetts, known for throughout the United States and Europe and even by the queen of England? Yes—asparagus. For some 50 years (1930 through the 1970s), Hadley was called “the Asparagus Capital of the World,” shipping what locals referred to as “Hadley grass” to the British royal family every […]