Welcome to the May 2008 edition of Jud’s New England Journal, the rather curious monthly musings of Judson Hale, editor-in-chief of Yankee Magazine, published since 1935 in Dublin, New Hampshire. New England’s Secret Season It’s not ever mentioned in regional or resort promotional material. Never.Get Our FREE Yankee Best New England Vacations Guide! Email(Required) Subscribe […]
New England honey ranges from light in color and softly fragrant to dark, rich, and intense. Maple syrup isn’t New England’s only deliciously sticky homegrown product — this region is one of the country’s leading producers of honey, too. Local New England honey is worth buying for more than its heavenly taste. Supporting small-scale beekeepers […]
When simply deadheading isn’t enough, here’s how to prune lilacs and rhododendrons that have become too tall.
In terms of a sustained vision of everyday beauty, painter Lois Dodd would be hard to beat. Since the 1950s, Dodd has pursued a simple, direct, pleasurable approach to painting the stuff of ordinary life — the landscapes around her, the environments she inhabits, her gardens and yards, her homes and her friends — all […]
Organic lawns aren’t just healthier; once established, they’re less expensive and less time-consuming to maintain. Whether you’re hiring a professional or doing it yourself, adopt a “buyer beware” mindset. When choosing an organic lawn care company, hire a NOFA-accredited firm — one that’s been trained by the Northeast Organic Farming Association and that agrees to […]
Here are 12 of our picks for the best art galleries in Maine. They’re sure to please any art enthusiast! In 30 years of writing about art in Maine and New England (with an occasional foray into New York), I’ve naturally become attached to some of the art galleries I’ve visited repeatedly. Were I to […]
The wind was blowing hard and cold through Manchester, New Hampshire, the first week of April when I paid a visit to the newly renovated Currier Museum of Art, now re-opened after two years of construction. The stiff wind was enough to set the curls of scrap metal atop the Currier’s new hood ornament, a […]
I’m still feeling the drag of the Daylight Savings time jump, but less so as the real spring weather seems more and more possible. Linda Clukay, our dulcet-voiced receptionist and den mother here at Yankee, swears that she sees signs of daffodils and tulips in her south-facing garden. So apparently there’s hope indeed. I’ve mentioned […]
There was a time in Boston’s Back Bay and Beacon Hill when the tiny brick-walled spaces behind homes were unadorned places that held drying laundry, extra coal, and outhouses. The spaces remain, but when the doors swing open today, you will likely find a plethora of annuals, perennials, flowering trees, and evergreens that provide homeowners […]
I spent last Friday with Guy and Mary Ann Esposito. They are just lovely people. You probably know Mary Ann Esposito from her television cooking show, Ciao Italia, the longest-running cooking program on TV—19 years, I believe. If not, she’s written more than a dozen cookbooks, so if you don’t know about her, you might want […]
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. […]
It’s time for spring cleaning, and I’ve learned that some of my favorite cleaning products can be toxic. What’s a good alternative?– M.R., Dover, VT Common household cleaners that contain chlorine, ammonia, and petroleum-based chemicals may contribute to respiratory problems, release harmful fumes, irritate allergies and chemical sensitivities, and burn skin or eyes on contact. […]
