Last week, I rushed down the mountain — after dropping more than $100 at my new favorite yarn shop, The Woolery (nhwoolery.com ) — from my Yankee home in New Hampshire to my Boston home. I was almost late for an 8 o’clock reservation at Bistro du Midi (bistrodumidi.com). I was meeting my gal pals […]
garden
Magazine
Rock of Ages
People are always saying newspapers are full of bad news. I don’t find that to be the case, in fact, I find some of the best good news in our local papers. Maybe I just breeze by all the bizarre murders, ghoulish kidnappings and international wars, straight to the little notices that cheer me no […]
Massachusetts
Outer Cape Cod in Spring
READ MORE: More Cape Cod articles MORE PHOTOS: Cape Cod Photos by Alison Shaw It’s a light that glows from within, like driving into an Edward Hopper painting. Bright, buttery, demanding, it glances off the water and sinks into the sand and sea-weathered shingles. Paint me, notice me, it whispers–I’m spring for your eyes and […]
Gardens
Make a Terrarium | Plant Crafts
Grow in glass, and you can savor a tiny sample of summer at your elbow in any season. Today’s terrariums are sleek, simple, and fuss-free. Enlist any glass container–apothecary jar, soup tureen, cookie jar, canning jar, or whatever you have on hand. Choose one with a wide mouth for easy maintenance (put a lid on […]
Magazine
Deer Strike
This past Sunday I was slated to do a program in Kennebunkport with my friend, the author Carolyn Chute. Carolyn doesn’t drive so I was going to go pick her up which meant I was basically going to drive three sides of a triangle, from my home to Parsonsfield, Maine, down to Kennebunkport, and then […]
Gardens
10 Fall Garden Tips
Read these 10 fall garden tips to prepare for the long stretch of winter weather. 1. Check the garden shed and remove any aerosols, liquids, or other items that might freeze. Otherwise, the contents are likely to be unusable in the spring. 2. Dispose of any rose leaves that have dropped to the ground; they […]
Magazine
Here in New England: Hard Work
When strangers taste Nancy Brown’s balsamic vinaigrette, they know it’s special. What they don’t know is just how special.
In Newport, Rhode Island, a month-long tradition of giving and goodwill makes a memorable holiday getaway.
A meticulously restored Boston Brownstone provides the perfect setting for holiday family festivities.
Magazine
A Visit to Berlin
On Wednesday I went up to Berlin, New Hampshire, to give a talk. I’ve been giving these talks for the New Hampshire Humanities Council for some time now, gigs that take me all over the state to libraries large and small as well as historical societies, some housed in big old town halls and some […]
How To
16 Fall Cleaning Tips
Home Tips: Fall Chore Shortcuts 1. Clean painted woodwork with a solution of 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1 gallon of lukewarm water. No rinsing is necessary with this solution. 2. Clean vinyl shower curtains without taking them down by wiping them with a sponge dampened with white […]
Producer/Director Ken Burns describes his work as “emotional archaeology.” For nearly 30 years, Burns has unearthed compelling, surprising, complex stories surrounding seemingly well-documented subjects. His newest film, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, a six-part, 12-hour series, is scheduled to air on PBS stations beginning Sunday, September 27. We spoke with Burns in his office […]