Image Magazine - Spring 2015

image culture • community • lifestyle

Spring 2015 vol. 10 no. 1 $4.95

SILLOWAY

MAPLE

WOOD FIRED, SOLAR POWERED, FAMILY FUELED

MUSICIAN MYRA FLYNN

Up Close & Personal

UPPER VALLEY VIXENS Ready to Roll

Shop these fine stores at

Rte 12A, West Lebanon (Just o˜ I-89 - Exit 20)

The PowerHouse Mall

- Enjoy the Journey! -

• Visit

Historic Woodstock •

contents

features 30 | Silloway Maple Wood fired, solar powered, family fueled.

by Mary Gow

38 | Upper Valley

Vixens

A rolling renaissance.

by Mary Gow

54 | Musician

Myra Flynn

Inspired by her Green Mountain roots.

by Elizabeth Hewitt

ON THE COVER: Photo by Jack Rowell from the Silloway Maple story.

This page: The Upper Valley Vixens mascot Foxy Lady in a pre-game dance. Photo by Jack Rowell.

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Spring 2015

contents

63

47 72

departments 17 Editor’s Note

72 Travel Log

18 Contributors

by Lisa Densmore Ballard

Niagara Falls.

20 Online Exclusives

81 Cooks’ Corner

22 Monthly Tidbits

by Susan Nye

Facts, fun & adventure for spring.

47 Local Flavors Dairy country.

by Elizabeth Hewitt

63 Community

The Mudroom at AVA sparks storytellers.

by Kirsten Gehlbach

14 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

Pancakes to flip for.

86 The Pick

Calendar of local events.

91 Advertisers Index 92 Celebrate the Moment Readers share their photos.

28

Destination New London Shop, Dine & Be Pampered!

image culture

•

community

•

lifestyle

spring • 2015

Mountain View Publishing, LLC 135 Lyme Road Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-1830

www.uppervalleyimage.com Publishers

Bob Frisch Cheryl Frisch Executive Editor

Deborah Thompson Associate Editor

Kristy Erickson Copy Editor

Elaine Ambrose Creative Director/Design

Ellen Klempner-Béguin Advertising Design

Hutchens Media, LLC Web Design

Locable

Inbound Marketing Manager

Erin Frisch

Advertising

Bob Frisch

KEEP US POSTED: image magazine wants to hear from readers. Correspondence may be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, image, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or email us at: dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.com.

Advertising inquiries may be made by email to rcfrisch1@comcast.net. image is published quarterly by Mountain View Publishing, LLC © 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited. image magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

16 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

editor’s note

In Appreciation Spring’s arrival brings some of my favorite things: tiny, delicate, pale green leaves popping out all over; the fresh smell of grass underfoot; and getting outdoors to dig in the dirt after the long, harsh winter.

I’m always amazed that my plants and flowering shrubs somehow survived, and I’m thrilled that the warm sunshine and gentle showers will soon coax them into a breathtaking display of colors and textures.

Nature’s rebirth and renewal is truly a miracle.

Another of my favorite things is my job. I’ve been writing since I was very young, and I’m thankful every day for the opportunity to work at something I love.

It’s very rewarding to begin with nothing and end up with a magazine, a tangible item that you can hold in your hand. The creative process of turning ideas into articles and seeing the words come to life through the photography on our pages is remarkable. I think artists, musicians, architects and contractors, filmmakers— anyone who creates something that didn’t exist before—must feel the same way.

Putting the magazine together means working with many talented writers and photographers, and our dedicated, hard-working staff is simply too good to be true. It’s a great feeling to be able to work with so many people who also love what they do. I think what makes it so nice is that nothing they have to do is ever looked at as a chore, nothing is too much to ask, and they always go the extra mile, no matter what. They take great pride in their work, they never cut corners or take the easy way out, and I’m very proud of them. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to work with them every day, and I hope they know how much I appreciate them.

This spring, I hope you have much to appreciate. Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Executive Editor dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.com

LIKE US www.facebook.com/mountainviewpublishing Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

17

about our contributors

Lisa Densmore Ballard A three-time Emmywinning television producer and host, Lisa has been a familiar face around New England for her work on PBS and for various sports and outdoor networks.

An accomplished writer and photographer, she contributes regularly to over 30 regional and national magazines on various adventure travel, nature, and wildlife topics. She has written seven books, including Best Hikes with Dogs: New Hampshire and Vermont and Hiking the Green Mountains.

Kirsten Gehlbach Kirsten is a freelance writer and marketing consultant living in Norwich, Vermont. She grew up in the Northeast Kingdom and graduated from the University of Vermont. She enjoys public/press relations, music, art, travel, and writing about people and organizations.

Her articles have been published in Here in Hanover, Image, and Rutland magazines, and Juneau Empire with a firsthand account of climate change research in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Jack Rowell Jack has been a professional photographer for over 35 years, shooting documentary, commercial, and advertising photographs. He has had successful one-man exhibitions at Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College, the Chandler Gallery in Randolph, the Governor’s Reception Area in Montpelier, and the Main Street Museum in White River Junction, Vermont.

18 i m a g e •

Mary Gow Mary holds the middle place in a family with three generations of women writers. An arts correspondent for the Times Argus, she also writes regularly for regional magazines and is the author of history of science books for middle school students.

She lives in Warren, Vermont.

Susan Nye A corporate dropout, Susan left a 20-year career in international sales and marketing for the fun, flexibility, and fear of self-employment.

She is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and cook.

Susan’s work appears in magazines and newspapers throughout New England. When she’s not writing or cooking, Susan is hiking, biking, or kayaking near her New Hampshire home.

Gabrielle Varela Gabrielle is a photographer and bartender living in the Upper Valley. Her work has appeared in publications including Washington, DC’s Brightest Young Things, Smithsonian Magazine’s Editors’ Picks of 2010, National Geographic’s Intelligent Travel Blog, and the Valley News. For further reports about her musings and enterprises, you can follow her at MissVarelaBlog via Wordpress or tweet her @Miss_Varela.

Spring 2015

www.mountainviewpublishing.com •

PB

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image culture • community • lifestyle

Spring 2015 vol. 10 no. 1 $4.95

www.uppervalleyimage.com ONLINE EXCLUSIVES Find additional articles online at www.uppervalleyimage.com.

Go to the home page and click on the “In This Issue” button under the calendar.

SILLOWAY

MAPLE

WOOD FIRED, SOLAR POWERED, FAMILY FUELED

Pet of the Week

MUSICIAN MYRA FLYNN

Discover many adorable furry friends that are waiting for good homes.

Up Close & Personal

UPPER VALLEY VIXENS

Ready to Roll

eNEWSLETTER Sign up for our newsletter

Local Author Jessica Lahey SIGN UP TODAY!

www.uppervalleyimage.com

Jessica talks about her book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, set to be released in August.

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• A summary of our most popular articles and comments from our readers • Local event listings from our calendar • Special offers from image and local businesses

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New London Inn & Coach House Restaurant

uppervalleyimage.com, or share your comments on our site or on social media. You might even see your name in our next issue.

April

20 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

CLICK ON OUR ONLINE CALENDAR TO SEE LOCAL EVENTS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN EVENT FREE!

ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Check out these local businesses in our directory.

CLICK ON www.uppervalleyimage.com

A.M. PEISCH & COMPANY, LLP

LISTEN COMMUNITY SERVICES

ACTION GARAGE DOOR

LOCABLE

AMBROSE CUSTOM BUILDERS, INC

MARTHA E. DIEBOLD REAL ESTATE

ANNEMARIE SCHMIDT EUROPEAN FACE AND BODY STUDIO

MASCOMA INSURANCE AGENCY

ARTEMIS GLOBAL ART, LLC

MORNINGSIDE ADVENTURE FLIGHT PARK

ARTISTREE/PURPLE CRAYON PRODUCTIONS

NATURE CALLS

BARTON INSURANCE AGENCY BLOOD’S CATERING & PARTY RENTALS

NEW LONDON INN & COACH HOUSE RESTAURANT

BOYNTON CONSTRUCTION, INC.

NEXT STEP CONSULTING SERVICES

BRAESIDE MOTEL

NORTHCAPE DESIGN BUILD

BROWN’S AUTO & MARINE

NORTHERN MOTORSPORT LTD

BROWN’S FLOORMASTERS

NORWICH REGIONAL ANIMAL HOSPITAL

CABINETRY CONCEPTS

PELTZER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

CARPET KING & TILE

PRANA DESIGN PAINTING

COLDWELL BANKER-REDPATH & CO., REALTORS

QUALITY INN QUECHEE

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT

RIVER ROAD VETERINARY

COVENTRY CATERING

RIVERLIGHT BUILDERS

CROWN POINT CABINETRY

RODD ROOFING

DARTMOUTH SKIWAY

ROGER A. PHILLIPS, D.M.D.

DATAMANN

SEAN’S LAWN N’ GARDEN SERVICES

DAVID ANDERSON HILL, INC.

SIX LOOSE LADIES YARN & FIBER SHOP

db LANDSCAPING

STONE DENTAL, PLLC

DEAD RIVER COMPANY

SUNAPEE GETAWAYS

DORR MILL STORE

SURFACE SOLUTIONS

DOWDS’ COUNTRY INN

THE GRANITE GROUP, THE ULTIMATE BATH STORE

DOWDS’ INN EVENTS CENTER

MB PRO LANDSCAPE

RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT

ELIXIR RESTAURANT

THE HANOVER INN AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

ENGEL & VOELKERS, WOODSTOCK

THE LIGHTING CENTER

EVERGREEN RECYCLING

THE QUECHEE CLUB

EXCEL PLUMBING & HEATING

THE TAYLOR-PALMER AGENCY

GILBERTE INTERIORS

THE WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT

HANOVER COUNTRY CLUB

TWIN STATE DOOR

HANOVER EYECARE

VITT & ASSOCIATES

HOLLOWAY MOTOR CARS OF MANCHESTER

WHEELOCK TRAVEL

INFUSE ME

WHITE RIVER FAMILY EYECARE

JEFF WILMOT PAINTING & WALLPAPERING, INC.

WHITE RIVER YARNS

ELEMENT BY WESTIN HANOVER-LEBANON

JUNCTION FRAME SHOP

WILLIAMSON GROUP SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

KEEPERS A COUNTRY CAFÉ

WISE

L.F. TROTTIER & SONS

WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

LAVALLEY BUILDING SUPPLY LEDYARD FINANCIAL ADVISORS LEDYARD NATIONAL BANK

WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT

YOUNG’S DRYWALL

For more information about how your business can get listed on our ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY or for other online advertising opportunities, contact Bob Frisch at (603) 643-1830 or email rcfrisch1@comcast.net.

Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

21

MONTHLY TIDBITS F A C T S ,

F U N

&

A D V E N T U R E

MARCH

SPRING AHEAD

Despite losing an hour of sleep, spring is a time for celebration—it means more daylight. Remember to set your clocks one hour ahead on March 8, when daylight savings time begins. DST was established with the intent of using the existing hours of sunlight more efficiently. It was first adopted in select European countries in 1916 and was more internationally accepted during the energy crisis of the 1970s. Changing your clock has both historical and environmental implications; by participating, you help conserve energy by using more natural light at work and at home instead of artificial light sources.

So rise and shine with the sun!

Luck o’ the Irish On March 17, play a leprechaun for a fantastic St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Before your family comes downstairs in the morning, drop some green food dye into the milk. Leave chocolate coins in surprising places, like under pillows and in lunch boxes. Mix up a recipe for a white cake and dye the batter green. Bake, cool, and frost it so no one sees the inside until it is cut.

Don a felt leprechaun hat and a fake beard for extra spirit.

22 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

MERRY MAIDS Arm your children with dusters, and let them go to town, challenging each one to dust his or her bedroom and one other room in the house. You might offer a quarter or a dollar for each additional room that they (thoroughly) dust.

YOUR GREEN THUMB

Although the ground may still be frozen, you can look forward to summer’s bounty by planting seeds in containers indoors.

Buy squash, cucumber, eggplant, tomato, basil, and other assorted seed packets, and transplant the seedlings outside after Memorial Day. Potted seedlings also make great end-of-the-year school gifts come June. }

MONTHLY TIDBITS APRIL CONNECT WITH NATURE “It is about five o’clock in an evening that the first hour of spring strikes— autumn arrives in the early morning but spring at the close of a winter day.”

–Elizabeth Bowen, The Death of the Heart

SPRING BIRTH

Celebrate the season of birth by remembering the birthdays of friends and family. Record birthdays in your digital calendar and send a handwritten note to at least one lucky person each month for the rest of the year.

With more daylight comes more time to be aware of the wonders of nature. Consider how you can connect more deeply with nature during this time of new awakenings. You might write in a journal or sketch outdoors in the same place each week to observe the transformations as the Earth warms. Observe how your own body feels in this location and how your relationship to the place changes as the season progresses. Chances are that this meditative and peaceful practice will lend you a fuller appreciation of life.

OH BEAUTIFUL, FOR SPACIOUS SKIES

April is Keep America Beautiful Month. Experience the beauty of New England by visiting the Green or White Mountain National Forests in Vermont and New Hampshire, respectively.

Jump-Start the Season Ease back into your warm-weather exercise routine with daily outdoor activity in the morning and afternoon.

Wake up with a brisk walk or jog down the street as your family is getting dressed in the morning. Head over to the CCBA in Lebanon, New Hampshire, for outdoor tennis, basketball, or playground time for the kids.

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Spring 2015

SKI INTO SPRING With longer, brighter days and warmer air, spring is an inviting time to hit the slopes. Sugarloaf, Stowe, Killington, and many other local ski mountains offer skiing as late in the season as possible. You might even embrace a long-standing tradition— skiing in your bathing suit when temperatures really start to rise! Just be sure to wear ample sunscreen; snow is highly efficient at reflecting UV radiation, so exposed areas are at increased risk of sunburn and skin damage. You’ll also want to avoid goggle tans or bikini lines.

If you seek adventure, hike up to Tuckerman’s Ravine in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. You may get only one run down the mountain, but it will be a run to remember. Prepare for the trip by checking for avalanche warnings in advance.

For more information visit www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter. org/the-ravines/tuckerman-ravine. } Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

25

MONTHLY TIDBITS M AY SWEET MOMENTS May Day is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere on May 1. The day is filled with song, dance, and time spent in the garden. Traditionally, friends and lovers leave “May Baskets” on each other’s doorsteps—baskets filled with sweets, cakes, and fl owers. Treat your loved one to a bouquet of fresh flowers and a box of Brazilian sweets from My Brigadeiro in Hanover. Brigadeiros, chocolates with a fudgy truffl e consistency and appearance, come in fl avors such as pistachio, toasted coconut, raspberry lemon, cookie, ginger, and more. Stop into the store at 44 Main Street, or order an assorted box of these delicacies online.

A PLATEFUL OF GREEN

Celebrate the beginning of the growing season by purchasing fresh, local vegetables. Arugula is in season April though June, while asparagus will hit the farm stands in late May. Make a fresh salad of arugula, sliced pear, and slivered almonds, cashews or walnuts, and dress it in freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil.

Serve alongside a simple frittata: mix beaten eggs, milk, finely sliced fresh chives, crumbled goat cheese, and whole asparagus. Pour into a well-oiled, cast-iron skillet and bake at 350º for about 10 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of sea salt and red pepper flakes.

Thanks for Tuning In May 3 is Public Radio Day. Chances are your radio is already set to VPR or NHPR. If not, tune in on your way to work or school for stimulating commentary and news from around the world and right here in New England.

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Spring 2015

BEWARE OF PESKY CRITTERS May ushers in another tick season in the Northeast.

Protect yourself and your pets from tick-borne illnesses by washing your furry friends with fl ea and tick shampoo and checking them for pests after each outdoor adventure. Ask your veterinarian about effective fl ea and tick control for your pets.

FREE YOUR FEET— AND YOUR SOCKS Did you know that May 8 is designated No Socks Day? It’s a legitimate, copyrighted holiday and is observed annually by those in the know. According to the folks at wellcat. com, who initiated this quirky celebration, shedding your socks for a day cuts down on laundry, which contributes to a better environment.

Here’s hoping the weather in the Upper Valley cooperates so we can wear our sandals or flip-flops or even enjoy going barefoot and curling our toes around the warm grass.

A related holiday on May 9 is Lost Sock Memorial Day, a time set aside so we can all take a moment to fondly remember our cozy, cuddly socks that have gone astray. Every sock drawer contains at least a few unmatched socks, so be brave, pull open your drawer, and reflect on the ones missing from their lonely partners left behind.

Of course, we never throw away a single sock—the missing one may show up when we put away the next load of laundry, or six months from now. If you’re extremely courageous, think about using this special day every year to toss out your unmatched socks.

But before you take this drastic action, put your mind at ease and take a few minutes to search under the bed and behind the dresser, just so you know you gave your best effort to retrieving any wayward stragglers.

Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

27

Destination New London...

Unleashed 277 Newport Road New London, NH (603) 526-2088 Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm Sat 9am–5pm Sun 10am–2pm

New London Gallery Custom Picture Framing & Design Studio 209 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-7247 www.newlondongallery.com

Gourmet Garden

Floorcraft

195 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-6656 www.gourmetgardenonline.com

231 NH Route 11 Wilmot, NH (603) 526-2600 www.floorcraftnh.com

Tue–Sat 11am–7pm Sun 11am–3pm Anytime by appointment.

Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Sat 8am–1pm

The Flying Goose Brewpub

Morgan Hill Bookstore

40 Andover Road New London, NH (603) 526-6899 www.flyinggoose.com

253 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-5850 www.morganhillbookstore.com

Serving Daily 11:30am–9pm

Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm Sat 9am–5pm Sun 11am–3pm

Hole in the Fence Café

Mon– Fri 9am–4pm | Sat 9am–12pm

Serendipity

Jensen & Yurich Home

257 Newport Road New London, NH (603) 526-4475 www.serendipityofnewlondon.com

353 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-2827 www.jensenandyurichhome.com

420 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-6600 www.holeinthefencecafe.com

Mon–Sat 9:30am–5:30pm Sun 11am–4pm

Tue–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–3pm

Mon–Sat 9am–9pm

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Spring 2015

Shop, Dine & Be Pampered Tatewell Gallery

Game Set Mat

Lis Ann’s

255 Newport Road New London, NH (603) 526-2910 www.tatewell.com

15 South Main Street, Lower Level Hanover, NH (603) 277-9763 www.gamesetmat.com

420 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-9414

Mon–Sat 9am–5:30pm

Mon–Thu 10am to 5:30pm Fri–Sat 10am to 6pm Sun 11am to 5pm

Sunapee Getaways, Inc.

New London Opticians

420 Main Street PO Box 1367 New London, NH (603) 526-2436 www.sunapeegetaways.com Offi ce hours: Mon–Fri 10am–4pm Evenings & weekends by appointment.

3 Colonial Place New London, NH (603) 526-6990 Mon, Tue, Fri 9am–5pm Wed & Sat 9am–12pm Thu 9am–7pm

Millstone at 74 Main

Clarke’s Hardware

74 Newport Road New London, NH (603) 526-4201 www.74mainrestaurant.com

257 Newport Road New London, NH (603) 526-2800 www.clarkeshardware.com

Mon–Sat 11:30am–9pm Sun Brunch 11am–2pm

Mon–Fri 8am–5:30pm Sat 9am–5pm Sun 9am–1pm

Mon–Fri 10am–5:30pm Sat 10am–5pm

The Inn at Pleasant Lake 853 Pleasant Street New London, NH (603) 526-6271 www.innatpleasantlake.com Please visit our website for our current hours.

New London Inn & Coach House Restaurant 353 Main Street New London, NH (603) 526-2791 www.thenewlondoninn.com Please visit our website for our current hours.

Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

29

BY MARY GOW

6

PHOTOS BY JACK ROWELL

SILLOWAY MAPLE

Wood fired, solar powered, family fueled

Paul Lambert explains the efficiency of the gleaming new stainless-steel evaporator as his cousin and partner, John Silloway, shows off the RO—or reverse osmosis system.

Bette, Paul’s mother, serves fresh, feather-light raised donuts; her daughter, Rebecca, made 300 of them for this weekend. Drizzling expertly heated syrup into dishes of snow, Lynne, Paul’s aunt, passes out “sugar on snow” to delighted kids and adults looking on.

Like the sap in the trees, sugaring runs in the Silloway/Lambert family blood. For four generations and more than 70 years, the family has been tapping trees and making syrup in Randolph Center. Working hard and working together are cornerstones of their operation. Self-sufficiency and sustainability are too. Now, with a spiffy new solar-powered sugarhouse and energy-efficient equipment, Silloway Maple continues its strong family tradition while serving the growing market for Vermont maple products. ∞∞∞

30 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

Top row, from left: Chase Locke, Paul Lambert’s right-hand man for sugaring and logging, fires the arch.

Paul Lambert, co-owner and manager, draws off syrup.

Bottom: Steam rises during the boiling.

Bethany Silloway explains grade choices. Eager open house visitors sample the hot, new syrup.

Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

31

Silloway Maple Open House March 28, 10am–6pm and March 29, 1–6pm Old-fashioned raised doughnuts with maple syrup, sugar on snow, tours of the sugarhouse, and boiling (if possible).

Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association Open House Weekend, March 28–29 Visit vermontmaple.org for a schedule of events at sugarhouses and restaurants across the state.

32 i m a g e •

From top left: Seventy solar panels

by Integrity Energy of East Bethel, Vermont, soak up the sun on the south-facing roof of the new sugarhouse. Young visitors enjoy old-fashioned maple raised doughnuts and sugar on snow. Jackson, John and Bethany’s son, lets the syrup flow.

Spring 2015

IM_0215_30_37_silloway.indd 32

2/8/15 3:42 PM

Above: Paul Lambert explains the sugaring operation while manning the boiling.

Inset: Bethany and John Silloway.

A Family Affair

“‘Can you milk tonight?’ ‘Can you feed this noon?’ ‘What are you having for supper?’

‘Can you bring coffee to the sugarhouse?’ ‘Where are you?

Some folks from New York would like a tour.’ Someone is always available and willing to cover for another person.

That’s what’s special about working in the same family business for 70 years.”

–Bette Lambert

IM_0215_30_37_silloway.indd 33

“Our family just loves sugaring,” says Bette, one of the partners in this endeavor. “We have a lot of nights when we eat in the sugarhouse. We love that time together and working together—that’s something that has not changed at all.” The operation is a full family affair. Paul, Bette’s son, is now at the helm as manager.

Bette’s two brothers, Stuart and David Silloway, are also partners.

Silloway Maple dates back nearly three-quarters of a century, started just after newlyweds Louise and Paul Silloway purchased their Randolph Center farm and began dairy farming in 1940. Bette, David, and Stuart grew up tapping trees, hauling sap,

and spending hours in the steamy sugarhouse as the syrup boiled.

“Our operation was on buckets for many years and required the entire family and some hired help to gather sap during each run,” Bette recalls.

Her parents sold their syrup locally and by mail order, its fine quality earning many awards. Her father was honored as Vermont Sugar Maker of the Year.

Yet as steeped in tradition as they were, the Silloways were never ones to be left behind as innovation came to sugaring. Silloway Maple embraced new techniques that made sense for them, including, in the 1970s, switching from buckets to tubing to collect the sap.  Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

33

2/8/15 3:42 PM

Above: The sun shines on the solar panels of the sugarhouse, which is surrounded by stacks of firewood.

Right: Grandchildren Tessa Lambert and Devon Ward spend many happy hours at the sugarhouse.

“It is unusual these days to have 24 family members (counting little ones) living in several houses all along one dirt road within a mile of each other, the sugarhouse, and the family dairy farm.” –Bette Lambert “Interest in the all-natural sugar we are producing is growing,” says Paul, explaining the market that supports these recent changes and the expansion of Silloway Maple. Vermont’s maple industry is experiencing robust development.

Production has leaped back to levels last seen in the 1930s. In fact, the statewide 2013 maple crop of 34 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

1.32 million gallons was the first to reach that volume since 1942—a welcome rebound after the 1960s and 1970s when levels simmered at less than half of that amount. A range of innovative and efficient equipment helps sugar makers meet the ramped-up demand for maple syrup, maple cream, maple sugar, and a variety of maple treats.

AN EYE TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY

Once again, the Silloways live up to their reputation. This brand-new sugarhouse, which opened last spring, gives Silloway Maple the stateof-the-art facility it needs for the present and future. “Sustainability is something we really care about,” says Paul. Ample photovoltaic solar panels, an evaporator that captures and condenses steam, and a reverse osmosis system that results in staggeringly reduced fuel needs are among the features here.

Planning and building the sugarhouse, Paul had valuable help Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

35

Some of the wood for sugaring is stacked in huge hozhaufen, a German method of piling wood, resulting in the beehive-shaped mountains.

from a friend who happens to be a solar installer as well as a carpenter. “The orientation of the building was chosen for optimum solar,” says Paul. “So was the angle of the big south-facing roof.

Solar was really a no-brainer.” The system, he explains “should be good to go for 20 years.”

So far, this net-metered system produces enough electricity to meet all the sugarhouse’s needs, including for pumps, filters, blowers, lights, and about 50 percent of the electricity for the family’s dairy farm. “Driving up the road coming home, I always have a good feeling about it,” Paul says.

Other efficiencies are also notable.

Reverse osmosis has been a spectacular fuel saver for the maple industry. Maple sap, when it comes from the tree, is mostly water, with about 2 percent sugar. Maple syrup has a sugar content of 66.9 percent—thus the need for nearly 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup. By boiling the sap, water is removed through evaporation.

Reverse osmosis, using semi-permeable membranes, removes much of the water ahead of boiling, reducing necessary boiling time.

“Before the RO we burned about 100 cords of wood for 1,000 gallons of syrup,” Paul explains. “Now we burn about 20 cords.” Production now is between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons.

36 i m a g e •

Spring 2015

IM_0215_30_37_silloway.indd 36

2/8/15 3:45 PM

FUTURE GROWTH

These days, Silloway Maple has about 6,200 taps, approximately half on maples on their land, including some that Paul’s grandparents tapped in their day. Looking ahead, Paul explains that the goal is to increase to about 10,000 taps next year, and to 15,000 or 20,000 within fi ve years.

The sugarhouse is up to speed for large-scale production. The equipment meets present and anticipated high health standards. “We want everything that sap or syrup touches to be up to par.

The FDA is more involved now than in the past,” says Paul.

Also sustainable at Silloway Maple is the continued use of firewood as the fuel that burns in the arch to boil the sap. Many systems now use natural gas.

For the Silloways, though, wood makes sense—they grow their own. “We sell 200 to 400 cords of firewood each year,” says Paul, “so we have a lot of butt ends and a good supply of wood.” a ONLINE EXTRA

Enter to win a 10-ounce bag of Silloway’s Maple Sugar-Coated Almonds at www.uppervalleyimage.com.

Silloway Maple 1089 Silloway Road Randolph Center, VT (802) 728-3625 www.sillowaymaple.com Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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BY MARY GOW 6 PHOTOS BY JACK ROWELL

Bio-HazarJess cuts through the Brawlin’ Broads pack and pounds around the track. As she approaches the rival team again, the Vixens’ blockers play some offense, easing her pass through the Broads. In a fast-paced, skate-clattering two minutes, Bio-HazarJess scores a Grand Slam 10 points for the Vixens!

}}}

UPPER VALL A ROLLING RENAISSANCE

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“There is no force so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” —Everett Dirksen

Jammer (indicated by the star) Bio-HazarJess races around the track at a Vixens game at Union Arena.

LLEY VIXENS Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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Clockwise from top left: Lady and the Tramp Stamp and McChaos fend off blockers from the Brawlin’ Broads as Bio-HazarJess picks up some points. Dancing with the mascot. Bio-HazarJess pushes her way through a wall of Brawlin’ Broads.

Wild Rumpus fends off the opposing jammer. A happy Bio-HazarJess after a hard-fought game.

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“Derby is growing rapidly and it is evolving. The sport has gone to more athleticism; it has moved away from a focus on flashy girls and instead is focused on strength, ability, and the game,” says Pauline McClain, aka Kelly Ripa to Shreds.

Kids and adults cheer wildly. Foxy Lady, the Vixens’ svelte furry mascot, does a little victory dance. In a few seconds, an official blows the whistle, and the wheels start tearing around the track in the next jam.

From Flashy to Family Friendly This spring, the Upper Valley Vixens open their fourth year of competition for flat track roller derby. With strong, fit, and dedicated women athletes from around the region, the team keeps up an active schedule of games at its home track, Union Arena in Woodstock. High energy and fun, Vixens’ games are absolutely family friendly.

“Derby is growing rapidly and it is evolving. The sport has gone to more athleticism; it has moved away from a focus on flashy girls and instead is focused on strength, ability, and the game,” says Pauline McClain, aka Kelly Ripa to Shreds. The Vixens are among hundreds—thousands, actually—of new teams rolling in derby’s renaissance. Like other teams in this scorchingly fast contact sport, the Vixens’ team members are a diverse bunch. Pauline describes her off-track self as “a stay at home mom with four kids.” Bio-HazarJess, the youngest member of the team at 23 years old, is by day Jesse Mast, PhD student at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. A baker, a nanny, educators, Dartmouth staff, and others are Vixens too.

A Sport Evolves The Vixens’ games and roller derby today are vastly different from the theatrical events of the sport’s earlier iterations.

Dating back to the 1930s, derby was originally skated on a banked track. With staged stunts and tricks, it was akin to the performance art of professional wrestling.  Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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Clockwise from right: Slamwise Gamgee is all smiles as she warms up. The Brawlin’ Broads’ jammer breaks free from the pack.

Lady and the Tramp Stamp tunes up her skates.

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“This is not a watereddown men’s sport. You are expected to do your strongest skating and give your strongest hits.

There are no apologies unless you do something against the rules. And there’s a mutual respect,” says Pauline.

Now held on a flat track—more athletically demanding and more readily available—contemporary derby is real competition with rules, officials, league divisions, a World Cup, and aspirations for Olympic status. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), founded in 2004, sets rules and safety standards and has an accreditation procedure. Twin State Derby, the Vixens’ league, follows WFTDA protocols and is considering starting the detailed accreditation process. Although historically a women’s sport, men’s and junior derby teams are emerging.

With fast and agile skating, body checks, whip assists, hip hits, and other permitted blocks, derby is a contact sport. “This is not a watered-down men’s sport. You are expected to do your strongest skating and give your strongest hits. There are no apologies unless you do something against the rules. And there’s a mutual respect,” says Pauline.

The basics of derby are fairly straightforward, but for skaters, officials, and aficionados, derby is layered with complexity. Each team has five skaters on the track—a jammer, with a star on her helmet; a pivot, with a stripe on her helmet; and three blockers.

Each 30-minute half is constituted by a series of jams, lasting up to two minutes apiece. The first jammer to exit the pack on the initial pass is proclaimed the lead jammer. On their additional passes through the pack, jammers score points by legally passing the opposing blockers’ hips. The lead jammer has the privilege Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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Clockwise from top: Bio-HazarJess gets through the pack to pick up points.

Young Vixens fans enjoy the game. Lady and the Tramp Stamp takes a spill from a hard block.

of calling off the jam to maximize the point differential. The blockers try to impede the opposing team’s jammer and ease their own jammer’s path, essentially playing offense and defense at once. The pivot is a blocker who sets the pace for the pack, calls the plays, and—in derby’s quirkiness—can swap in for the jammer.

“It’s a hard sport to be good at. It’s very intense and very hard,” says ElizaDeath Taylor, aka Taylor Long in her off-track life as a photographer, writer, and communications specialist at Dartmouth. “We know that it can be hard to follow at first, 44 i m a g e •

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but once you have a basic understanding you will fall in love with it like we have.”

From Fishnet Stockings to Protective Gear Since organizing in 2010, the Vixens have worked to excel, even training for a year before starting their first competition season. They currently train twice a week year-round at the Great View Roller Rink in Enfield. After their annual recruitment period, rookies build skating skills and then learn derby moves and rules in “boot camp.” Twin Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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State Derby now has three teams—Upper Valley Vixens are like the travel team; White Mountain Mayhem and Green Grass Kickers are home teams, giving skaters an introductory level for competition as they develop experience.

Besides the competitors, the Vixens and the Twin State Derby community includes a range of referees and volunteers.

Every game requires multiple skating and nonskating officials. Volunteers provide support in ticket sales, announcing, setting the track, and other tasks.

Roller derby’s look and equipment have changed in its recent surge. Spandex shorts and team jerseys have largely replaced the old fishnet stockings and booty shorts.

Competitors wear protective helmets and pads. Specialized derby equipment is emerging as athletes seek lighter, faster, stronger gear.

Theatrical names, one of the vestiges of the earlier sport, may or may not survive in new derby. For now, though, they are still in the game. “I love the idea that when you hit the track you can take on an identity and feel strong and intimidating. It’s a fun way to put yourself in the mind-set. In the day I am at my job, but at night I’m on the track and kicking butt,” says Taylor Long. That’s ElizaDeath Taylor. a For more information and the Vixens’ schedule, go to www.twinstatederby.com.

ONLINE EXTRA

See more great photos of the Vixens at www. uppervalleyimage.com.

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local flavors

by Elizabeth Hewitt photos by Gabrielle Varela UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

JASPER HILL FARM

LAZY LADY FARM

Dairy Country Three cheese makers who are building Vermont’s reputation as a cheese mecca

TWIG FARM

Move over, maple syrup. In the past two decades, the small state of Vermont has made a name for itself with its growing production of artisan cheeses that can compete with centuries-old European products. In step with a cheese-making revolution that’s taking place across the nation, the Green Mountain state is home to a number of artisan cheese crafters, all dedicated to producing the best products they can. The state even boasts the Vermont Cheese Trail, featured in National Geographic’s “Drives of a Lifetime” series. You’ll find not only sharp cheddar next to that jug of maple syrup but also award-winning varieties of chèvre, feta, gouda, and more—all being crafted by local alchemists. We proudly feature three of these cheese wizards here. }

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local fl avors

JASPER HILL FARM In just over 15 years, Jasper Hill Farm is well on its way to joining the leagues of Vermont’s best-known flavors. Even if you don’t know the name from its long list of accolades—including, late last year, the formidable honor of “World’s Best Unpasteurized Cheese” for the Bayley Hazen Blue—you surely will recognize the bright

blue label on neatly wrapped white packages in your local grocery store.

But before the seven underground cheese-aging vaults, the staff of nearly four dozen, and the hefty collection of awards, Jasper Hill Farm started with a humble ambition. Andy and Mateo Kehler bought the land in Greensboro, equipped with just a cow barn, in 1999 and added their small amount of industry experience. But the brothers were

Far left: The award-winning Bayley Hazen Blue on the cheese board of Market Table in Hanover, New Hampshire. A variety of products.

Center: Mateo, one of the founding brothers of Jasper Hill Farm, shows off a wheel. Bayley Hazen aging in the cellars at Jasper Hill.

Top and above: Churning milk and straining curds for Bayley Hazen Blue.

Right: The barn with mural at Jasper Hill in Greensboro.

Far right: Shelves full of cheese.

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also motivated to try to help slow the disappearance of Vermont’s dairies.

“Preserving the landscape was something very important to both of the brothers,” says Molly Browne, a former cheesemonger who joined the Jasper Hill team in 2014. “They wanted the land to sustain them, but they also wanted to sustain the landscape.”

In addition to milk from their own cows, Jasper Hill works with a small network of Vermont farms to produce a wide range of diverse cheeses—from clothbound cheddar from the dairy powerhouse Cabot to the up-and-coming Von Trapp Farmstead in Waitsfield, which produces Oma, a highly sought-after tomme (a term used to describe a group of cheeses produced in Switzerland and the French Alps).

Meanwhile, Jasper Hill strives to bolster the agriculture in its hometown as well. They recently acquired a

Greensboro dairy that will soon be solely responsible for producing the Alpha Tolman, an alpine-style hard cheese named for a local philanthropic dairy farmer.

Jasper Hill’s investment in the community is apt, in many ways, for a company that credits much of its flavor to the surrounding environment. “The indigenous microflora that live here on our farm are present in the grass that the cows eat and present in the bodies of the cows,” Molly says. “Those indigenous microbial communities are what produce the taste of place.”

Combined with aging in the state-ofthe-art cellars, the process often produces a visual result in addition to flavor. And Molly encourages cheese consumers to indulge in the multisensory experience.

“You get to see a lot of crazy mottling on the rinds,” Molly says, referring to the colorful patterns that can appear on the rind of cheeses like the Winnimere or the Harbison. “And that’s just normal. Those are just crazy molds that exist in our environment.” a Jasper Hill Farm Greensboro, VT (802) 533-2566 www.jasperhillfarm.com

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local fl avors LAZY LADY FARM To some, Laini Fondilier is the original Vermont artisanal cheese maker.

She settled on her property in Westfield more than 25 years ago, before power lines made it that far, and set about making goat cheese the way she had learned in Europe. She’s still off the grid, but now she operates on solar panels.

With a background in dairy and an interest in registered cattle genealogy, Laini first stumbled across artisanal cheese making while traveling in Europe. She set a goal to branch out from her bovine background and soon found a new love. “I was going to get into dairy and milk cows, and then stumbled across the cheese-making process while I was kicking around France,” she says. “When I was over there, I decided to learn about other animals besides cows.”

When she returned to the states, she landed in Vermont where she found work with registered dairy herds. But she kept up her interest in cheese making and eventually, in 1987, set up shop on her farm in Westfield. “I liked the idea of being able to be small and still make a living,” Laini says of the cheese-making process, noting that other dairy operations are forced to expand in order to be profitable.

Laini keeps a herd of 40 alpine goats, which supply the milk for her cheeses for most of the year. When the goats dry off for the winter, she sources cows’ milk from nearby farms. Laini produces “around 20” cheeses under the Lazy Lady label. Bestsellers include the Thin Red Line, a bloomy rind cheese punctured with a dusting of smoked Spanish paprika, and Moondance, a washed-rind cows’ milk cheese. Vermont cheese lovers might remember the wittingly named Barick Obama and the raw goat’s milk Tomme Delay.

“You’ve got all these ingredients and forms and temperatures to work with, and for me, I can’t resist the temptation to try something new.”

Laini issues a warning to her customers. If the traits of a certain cheese seem to differ from season to season, don’t be alarmed. “It’s not that easy to make the exact same cheese each time,” Laini says. Her cheese uniquely reflects all the details of her Westfield environment—from what the goats find to eat at a certain point in the summer to the weather. “All these ingredients, cultures, exterior cultures, yeasts,” Laini says. “There’s a lot going on that works from the inside and outside.” a Lazy Lady Farm Westfield, VT (802) 744-6365 www.lazyladyfarm.com 50 i m a g e •

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Left: Laini, who started the farm in the 1980s, makes most of the cheese herself.

Below, from left: Packaging cheese at Lazy Lady. Laini wanted to work with goats after learning about cheese making in France. Lazy Lady works primarily with goat milk from the farm but also uses local organic cows' milk when the goats dry off for winter.

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Courtesy of Twig Farm

local fl avors

TWIG FARM For Michael Lee of Twig Farm, cheese making relies on a process—definitely not on a cookbook. “I don’t know of any recipes I could follow to make cheese,” Michael says. “There are steps you take to make cheese. What steps you take determines what kind of cheese you make.”

Whatever steps Michael takes, they are working. In the cheese-making game since 2005, Michael’s process for working with goats’ milk and cows’ milk has won awards and earned Twig Farm a good reputation that is known and 52 i m a g e •

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respected from Boston to San Francisco.

The Maine native first entered the dairy game working as a cheesemonger at a shop in Boston. His wife’s family lived in West Cornwall, and in 2004, he and Emily decided to try Vermont living for themselves. “I had a long-standing desire to do something I guess you’d loosely call farming related,” Michael says.

While they got set up on the farm, Michael did an apprenticeship with a nearby cheese maker. Then, in March 2005, he began producing his own cheese. Over the years, Twig Farm’s herd has grown to more than 40 alpine goats.

“I was coming from selling cheese, and I said, this is a kind of cheese that’s not

made, or if it is made, it isn’t made well.

I’m going to make it.”

So what makes Twig Farm’s goat tomme so different from others? To some degree, it might be the way it’s made. Michael credits much of the unique quality of his cheese with the way he has gone about personalizing the process. “You learn how to make cheese from a workshop or working with somebody,” Michael says. “Then you bring it home and you say, this is how my day goes. How can I fit that into my day?”

Another aspect is scale, Michael says.

Twig Farm produces between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds annually—in other words, not a lot of cheese. But the smallscale operation allows the process to be

Far left: Twig Farm cheese has a nationwide following.

Michael started making his own cheese after working as a cheesemonger in Boston.

Center: Michael knows each of his goats by name and personality.

Above and left: Twig Farm started out using milk from another local goat farm but has been raising its own herd for almost a decade.

very transparent. He gestures to the barn/cheese-making facility/milking room, right next to the goats’ paddock.

“You walk down here and you can see how it happens—it’s very clear,” Michael says, glancing toward the 35 goats meandering around the meadow in front of his house.

Perhaps it’s just this level of personal preference that makes Vermont artisanal cheeses so exceptional. “I don’t think there is a right or wrong way,” Michael says. “This is just how I’m doing it. a Twig Farm West Cornwall, VT (802) 462-3363 twigfarm.com Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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“There is no force so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” —Everett Dirksen

Myra Flynn settles into her bar stool. The singer-songwriter’s voice is still a little scratchy from her 21-date tour around Vermont. In a few days, she’ll be in a Los Angeles recording studio }}

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working with her new management team to put together her fourth album.

But for now, she’s sipping her 14 Hand Cabernet Sauvignon, chatting with the bartender at Elixir in White River Junction, and savoring a brief moment of rest in the Green Mountains.

With a base in Brooklyn and a management team in Los Angeles, Myra’s rising star keeps her bouncing between coasts. But for rest and inspiration, the artist turns to her home in White River Junction, completing a trifecta of locales that feed the prismatic musical styling of Myra Flynn.

SPACE TO CREATE “You can be soulful and lyrical, and folky, and funky,” Myra says. “People, I think, are starting to crave some more substance from their music, but they also like a nice groove.”

A lifelong pianist, Myra writes soulful melodies, weaving in R&B, Celtic threads, and pop influences.

Meanwhile, her lyrics, delivered in her sensuous and robust alto, tackle love, heartbreak, and the human experience in the affecting poetic tradition of Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell.

Myra herself embodies a delicate balance of extremes. She rocks six-inch heels and a backless leather dress with the panache of a diva, yet on a daily basis puts in the hours and exertion of a dairy farmer.

“My mom’s black, my dad’s Irish, and I grew up in a house where they were highly musical and blasted the extremes of both sides,” Myra says of her upbringing in rural Vermont. “I try to stay very true to that sound. Whatever that sound is, it is the sound of races mixing.”

The young musician attributes many aspects of her musical success to her childhood in rural Vermont.

“The expectation is that you have a strong work ethic,” Myra says, “and that you’re humble and that you’re kind to your neighbor.” }

“I try to stay very true to that sound. Whatever that sound is, it is the sound of races mixing.”

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g.”

MYRA’S JEWELRY CREATIONS In 2014 Myra partnered with Patrick Branstetter of the Village Piano Shop in White River Junction to launch a jewelry line. Friends since they met as young performers at Randolph’s Mud Season Variety Show, Myra and Patrick began experimenting with retired parts out of the old pianos Patrick worked to restore.

The line, named the Light of March 7 (LOM7 for short) in a nod to the end of winter, uses tuning pins and piano wire

recycled from an 1896 Steinway, with incorporated elements like leather from local hunters and organic hemp.

Another set of pieces, vanity plates, feature small brass rectangles imprinted with antique letter stamps. The 802 plate is the most popular, but Myra and Patrick take custom orders up to eight characters long.

“I’m a writer,” Myra Flynn says with a laugh. “If I was going to make a jewelry line, of course it would have words on it.”

ONLINE EXTRA

Learn more about Myra’s jewelry creations and view photos of her collection online at www.uppervalleyimage.com.

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Myra began studying classical piano at age four. She kept diaries as she grew and began experimenting with composing melodies in her teenage years.

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Growing up in a house her father built in West Brookfield, Myra began studying classical piano at age four.

She kept diaries as she grew and began experimenting with composing melodies in her teenage years. She soon realized that the combination of her two passions produced a special sort of outlet for her.

“I was an interracial chick growing up in Vermont and felt a certain way about that at times,” Myra says. “But I was also just a weirdo artist—always have been.

I never really wanted to have groups or cliques, never was a follower, always had really weird clothes.”

But even if her platform shoes and big hairstyles made her stand out from her peers, she enjoyed the freedom she felt to express herself. “Vermont gives you a lot of space, I think, to be creative,” she says.

POISED FOR SUCCESS After beginning college in Philadelphia, where she pursued her music career for a while, she returned to Vermont to finish her final year at Norwich University. A journalism major, she went on to work for the Burlington Free Press, where she eventually became an arts writer.

Meanwhile, Myra kept on rocking.

Heading the group Myra Flynn and Spark, she developed a bit of a following in Vermont—enough that when she was laid off from the newspaper, she decided to try her hand at making music full time. } Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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Myra soon relocated to Brooklyn and threw herself into her career in the city.

Eventually, she headed west and spent some time in Los Angeles, where she was picked up by a management team.

At the end of 2014, she began recording her fourth album with the help of Grammy-winning producer Jared Lee Gosselin.

Inspiration strikes Myra in many ways, be it a turn of phrase or an angle she finds to be particularly important, and she views herself as a writer first.

When she sets about recording her work, she thinks in albums, not in singles. “There needs to be a story line.

There needs to be a theme,” Myra says.

Myra was also inspired to start a line of jewelry in 2014 (see sidebar).

Meanwhile, the musician devotes a huge amount of time and mileage to playing live shows. Myra has performed in the Northeast, the Midwest, and on the West Coast. She has gigged in London, Wales, and Australia.

She has played Vermont’s revered venues, like Higher Ground in Burlington and Randolph’s Chandler Music Hall. But she’ll also play to crowds packed into small intimate settings—house shows, for example, or her recent tour of Vermont wineries.

With a freshly recorded album under her belt and a management team shopping her to music labels in LA, Myra is poised to make giant leaps in her career in the year ahead. But even as her ventures draw her to faroff cities, the Vermonter consistently returns to her Green Mountain roots as an integral part of her creative process.

In White River Junction, Myra has found a place in a community where creative young people of many persuasions flourish. And when she returns to Vermont, she brings a bit of her LA and New York lives with her.

“We need to dream more,” Myra says.

“We need to still think that we can be movie stars like we did when we were little girls.” a

Find more information and hear one of Myra’s beautiful songs at www.myraflynn.com.

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community Story and photos

by Kirsten Gehlbach UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Debbe Callaghan, Kirsten Gehlbach, and Bente Torjusen, executive director of AVA Gallery and Art Center.

Emily Ridgway, MD and AVA board member, who is the “spark” behind AVA’s Mudroom. Photo courtesy of AVA Gallery.

An opportunity to tell your story

The Mudroom at AVA Sparks Storytellers

“Sparks”—what does the word bring to mind?

Six storytellers at the Mudroom at AVA Gallery and Art Center spoke of sparks in six different and unexpected ways. Dorothy Judd told her story about a house invasion. Mike Humphrey shared a memory of his teenage years, when sparks flew in more ways than one. Jennifer Rickards searched for a spark of recognition during a family vacation as a child, only to return with a focus on parenting her own children. John Fenley’s spark ignites hearts and minds at the Spark! Community Center for people of all abilities. Ashley Kehoe described rediscovering her inner spark during a year of transformation. For me, Sparks is my son, a true joy in my life. }

Dorothy Judd

Mike Humphrey

Jennifer Rickards

John Fenley

Ashley Kehoe

Kirsten Gehlbach

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community

“My biggest claim to fame is that I was Whitney Houston’s fifth-grade teacher!” says Dorothy.

Dorothy Judd

Mike’s story is based on his senior year when he met the spark of his life and fell in love.

Mike Humphrey

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The Mudroom, the brainchild of AVA board member and physician Emily Ridgway, was launched in September 2013 and has become a much-anticipated social gathering, with nearly 100 adults listening and applauding.

Share, Listen, Learn An age-old tradition, storytelling inspires writers and listeners to gather, share, learn, laugh, and cry together. This tradition is alive and well in the Upper Valley with the Mudroom at AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon. Modeled after the National Public Radio series The Moth Radio Hour, AVA Gallery has created a quarterly event where local people share real-life stories with a lively and engaged audience. Each event has a theme the storyteller explores in a seven-minute talk. The stories must be told, not read, without notes.

The Mudroom, the brainchild of AVA board member and physician Emily Ridgway, was launched in September 2013 and has become a much-anticipated social gathering, with nearly 100 adults listening and applauding. AVA Gallery opens its doors to encourage more people to explore and enjoy art as well as stories.

“Sparks” lit up the gallery in September 2014. “Outliers” told their stories in December. The next Mudroom will be on Thursday, March 26, with the theme “Paws and Claws.”

Everyone Has a Story Born and raised in the Boston area, Dorothy Judd taught elementary school in New Jersey for 27 years before moving to Hanover to help care for her grandchildren. “I missed being in the classroom, so I decided to try subbing, which I enjoyed so much that I am still at Hanover High after 13 years,” Dorothy says with a broad smile. “My biggest claim to fame is that I was Whitney Houston’s fifth-grade teacher!” Dorothy has published a number of personal essays as well as a book, Kiddle-Y-Winks, a collection of anecdotes from her years

of parenting and teaching.

Her story takes place 35 years ago and 300 miles away, but she recalls every detail. Her then husband, two of her children, ages 13 and 15 at the time, and Dorothy were victims of a home invasion by three armed men. They were tied up for an hour and a half while the intruders went through every drawer, every closet, and even the toilet tank and the freezer.

“The irony is that they had the wrong house, so we did not have the drugs and large amounts of cash they were hoping to find,” recalls Dorothy. “Despite their disappointment, we were not harmed, and for that I will be eternally grateful.”

She explains the connection: “Sparks was the name of one of the intruders.”

Young Love Raised in Northern Kentucky, Mike Humphrey attended high school in Northern New Jersey when his father was transferred to New York City. His story is based on his senior year when he met the spark of his life and fell in love. With classes in split sessions, the couple didn’t see each other enough until they hatched a plan—mornings at her house, with sparks flying, and forged, written excuses for the principal when Mike was late to class.

When the principal wised up to the scheme, the punishment was a torn-up National Honor Society card. Not bad, considering—until graduation and the long-awaited parties.

“Dad was upset. ‘There is no asterisk for National Honor society!’” recalls Mike of the earful his father gave the principal after the ceremony, after which he took away Mike’s car privileges. “All I wanted was to go to the parties.”

Lucky for Mike, his mother slipped Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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community

.

Jennifer Rickards with daughters Ellie and Leah.

him the keys. All good—until on the way home he scraped the side of the car on the cement wall lining the driveway. Sparks flew! When his father asked Mike if he knew what happened to the car, he simply said, “No.” An avid attendee of The Writer’s Center, Mike lives in White River Junction, Vermont, with his dog and cat. Now retired, his interesting 66 i m a g e •

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work history includes publishing, international insurance brokerage, tending bar, and owning a small general store in Northern Vermont.

After a cancer diagnosis, Mike started to write notes on paper to pass the time during radiation. “Once you get cancer, you lose all inhibitions,” he says with both resolve and a smile. “I chose life.”

“I went back there looking for a spark of recognition of my own childhood but instead spent a lot of time thinking about parenting,” explains Jennifer.

Putting Yourself Out There For Jennifer Rickards, childhood summer vacations to her grandmother’s home by the ocean in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, hold remarkable memories—swimming, biking, board games, and of course, ice cream every day. She enjoyed family time and a sense of togetherness—most of the time, good, some of the time, a bit much.

“You take your family baggage with you on vacation,” Jennifer remembers.

As a child, she saw the time together as a balance between fun and family comparisons. While summer vacations were wonderful fun, she wondered if she measured up and was “good enough.”

Wanting her children to enjoy the fun part of the balance, she and her husband and two daughters piled into the car and drove from Etna to Woods Hole. She was on a mission for fun family time and soul searching. “I went back there looking for a spark of recognition of my own childhood but instead spent a lot of time thinking about parenting,” explains Jennifer. “I left this vacation thinking less about my childhood and more about being the kind of parent I want to be, the kind I know I should be, and hoping it is good enough.”

It was good enough to be asked back to the Mudroom a second time.

Jennifer writes poetry and creative nonfiction, as well as writing in her professional life at the Montshire Museum. “Telling a personal story, putting yourself out there, vulnerable in front of a crowd, makes you a little nervous. The Mudroom is an appreciative audience.” } Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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community

“I don’t know what they call how a brain tumor starts.

Maybe it is a spark of the neurons.”

When John was three years old, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He survived four brain surgeries early in life and in recent years has become a speaker for the disabilities rights movement.

John Fenley

Courage in Action “My story might have even started with a spark,” John Fenley told the crowd at the Mudroom. “I don’t know what they call how a brain tumor starts. Maybe it is a spark of the neurons.” When John was three years old, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He survived four brain surgeries early in life and in recent years has become a speaker for the disabilities rights movement. He serves on many statewide boards and co-founded the Spark! Community Center on Bank Street in Lebanon.

John grew up in Hanover and now lives on his own in Lebanon with the help of aides in the mornings. Afternoons he can be found at Spark! reading books, although he is legally blind; singing and dancing; crafting Spark! bracelets; and having fun with friends.

After meeting people served by local agencies that provide services to allow them to live their lives seamlessly in the community, he would ask, “What did you do today?” The answers, which included “sat on the couch,” “walked around Walmart,” and “went to the airport to watch planes take off,” sparked frustration in John about the system.

“Wouldn’t it be great if there was a place we could go instead of loitering in a store—a place to find the inner spark?” he asked himself and fellow co-founder Lisa Green. He envisioned a place where friends with special abilities could gather to create arts and crafts, play music, write, read, put on theatrical performances, enjoy games, garden, and cook.

He sees all his friends not in terms of their disabilities but their abilities—and their amazing courage. No matter what has been thrown their way, they always come into the center with a smile on their faces. “Set on a different path than maybe my life could have been, I wouldn’t change it for the world,” John explains with his signature wave of the hands. “I have met so many amazing people and learned so much from it—humility, compassion, and empathy.”

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Ashley Kehoe

This time, says Ashley, the light bulb went off when she saw a sign on a bus, “Someday is Today.”

Finding the Spark Ashley Kehoe described a time in her life when she was completely “sparkless” in a snuggie on the couch and ordering pizza so often they knew her order. Not surprising in the Upper Valley, but she was living in Chicago, population three million.

“Someday,” she told herself, “I will get the spark going again.” She did find her spark when her father was diagnosed with leukemia, and she shaved all her hair off in support. This time, the light bulb went off when she saw a sign on a bus, “Someday is Today.”

“Something inside me lit that fire,” says Ashley. She started a blog and created a “30 before 30” list of things to do before her next milestone birthday. She called the past year the Year of Transformation and Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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“Over a year later, my health continues to improve every day, and I can get back to my love of writing. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without Sparks.”

community accomplished all but one of the things she said she would do, if you count the Mudroom as giving a commencement speech. Storytelling has been a part of family gatherings, but she never took the time to tell her own.

“I found so much joy in doing my list, at my own pace, and with friends and family,” says Ashley, transplanted to Lebanon with a day job at Dartmouth College developing high-impact learning experiences for students. “I like to do little things to make people’s days, create memories that turn into stories. When you are in a dark place, sometimes you need to light your own spark, to find the light inside yourself.”

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Reversed Roles For me, “Sparks” is my son, a nickname my sister gave him as a playful toddler who would run and hide, then pop out to surprise you. The name stuck. Sparks popped into the world nine weeks early. My first helicopter-parent moment was over an incubator. He thrived and grew, Kirsten Gehlbach lighting up rooms with his smile, his gentle nature, his creativity and imagination. At his young age of 24, our roles reversed when he became the caregiver. The Spark I had cared for was now caring for me. At one point, I was given six months and advised to get my affairs in order. Over a year later, my health continues to improve every day, and I can get back to my love of writing. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without Sparks.

I concur with Mike who says it well: After life challenges, when it comes to writing, “You lose all inhibitions,” although I admit telling a personal story in front of a room filled with strangers is a stretch. a AVA Gallery 11 Bank Street Lebanon, NH (603) 448-3117 avagallery.org

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travel log Story and photos by Lisa Densmore Ballard

NIAGARA

FALLS more than honeymooners

I held onto the railing, freeing one hand just long enough to take a soggy photo. Some moments in life need immortalizing regardless of the risk—in this case, getting blown off my feet by the hurricane-like wind. Water pellets pummeled the sturdy 80-foot Maid of the Mist, the boat that carried me into the aquatic tempest. Falling water crashed in a semicircle around its hull, yet the Maid gave hardly a bump or roll to the hundred passengers crowding her deck, straining with excitement against the soaking, blowing spray.

As the legendary cascade loomed closer and closer, the unfathomable power and deafening thunder from 600,000 gallons of water careening down the 165-foot wall every second humbled me. 

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Left: The Maid of the Mist carries sightseers to the bottom of Horseshoe Falls, the largest of the three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls.

From top: Jack Ballard gets wet on the Maid of the Mist despite the complimentary rain gear. The author climbs beside Bridal Veil Falls toward the Cave of the Wind. The base of Bridal Veil Falls.

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The Maid of the Mist nosed into the chaos just long enough for its passengers to feel a tinge of panic, and then she competently reversed course.

Originally a sidewheel steamer used to traverse the Niagara River between the American and Canadian sides of Niagara Falls, the Maid of the Mist took its first passengers on a waterfall-viewing tour in 1846. The original ship has been replaced a number of times over the years with larger, more modern passenger boats, but the thrill of nearly touching one of the natural wonders of the world remains timeless and among my most memorable experiences.

I’d heard of Niagara Falls since childhood, of course. This icon of the American landscape is as recognizable as the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore.

While the occasional movie character or real-life daredevil has plummeted over this mighty cascade, which boasts the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America, Niagara Falls is most famous for the millions of lovers who have kissed in its mist.

Niagara Falls has enjoyed a centurylong reputation as a honeymoon hot spot. Newly wed last summer, I thought it appropriate to finally visit this famous landmark. While lovers can certainly immerse themselves in candlelight dinners, I found much more than a romantic

Below: Thousands of gulls migrate past Niagara Falls each year.

Right: The Maid of the Mist approaches the falls.

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getaway. The Niagara area offers a mix of history, culture, and outdoor adventure appealing to vacationers of all ages.

The Falls Of course, Niagara Falls is the main attraction. Located in Niagara Falls State Park, New York’s oldest state park, the famous waterfall lies at the end of a deep gorge in the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario. It’s really three waterfalls. The largest, Horseshoe Falls, blocks the end of the cliff-framed ravine that separates the US and Canadian sides of the river. American Falls, the second largest, streams next to the 230-foot observation tower.

The smallest—a relative term, as it’s still impressively large—is Bridal Veil Falls, which visitors can approach on foot via a series of walkways and bridges to the Cave of the Wind.

Expecting some sort of rock cavern behind Bridal Veil Falls, my sweetheart Jack and I donned the trashbag-like ponchos and plastic sandals provided at the entrance. Instead of a cave, we found hundreds of gulls roosting, soaring, and diving as we walked down the paved path to the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls. Nineteen different species of gulls live around

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Above: Getting sprayed is half the fun of a Jet Ski adventure on the Niagara River.

Below: The top of American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.

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or migrate past Niagara Falls. Though 90 percent of the fish survive the drop over the falls, the turbulence below stuns them, creating a feast for the birds.

From the base of Bridal Veil Falls, the boardwalk zigzagged upward toward the middle of the impressive, multi-tiered cascade. The wind and spray intensified with each step. Soon the roar of the water, a mere foot from the platform, drowned our conversation. As the violent spray engulfed us, I realized the Cave of the Wind wasn’t rock but water—and not a place to linger. We retreated back to the shelter of the gatehouse, awestruck at the turbulence we had once again witnessed.

After exploring the falls, we got another soaking, this time aboard a 33-foot jet boat owned by Niagara Jet Adventures. Though the boat stopped short of the area around the main falls, it swerved and bucked its way up the Niagara River, zipping through class IV rapids and doing “doughnuts” in the choppy whitewater. It was an invigorating, drenching climax to the Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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day, and we decided that anyone planning a visit to Niagara Falls should plan on getting wet.

Wine and Calmer Water The next day we wet our palates rather than our entire bodies. The Niagara region is one of the largest grapegrowing areas in North America, with 30,000 acres of vineyards. Since the 1800s, the area has attracted growers with its well-drained soil and proximity to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, which create a moderating effect on the region’s climate. We sampled wines made from New York’s native Concord and Niagara grapes as well as ice wine, a rare dessert wine made from grapes that are picked on the

The pick-your-own cherries farm stand at Singer Farm Naturals.

INTERESTING EATS

DELICIOUS CHOICES Singer Farm Naturals (Appleton) U-Pick cherry farm with a unique gift shop in a solarand wind-powered straw bale barn with a low carbon footprint. www.singerfarmnaturals.com Mericana Restaurant (Lockport) One of Lockport’s newest and hippest restaurants. www.mericana-ny.com Orange Cat Coffee Company (Lewiston) The locals’ favorite for morning coffee and baked treats in Lewiston. (716) 754-2888 Carmelo’s Restaurant (Lewiston) At this chef-owned restaurant, the menu comprises a plethora of items you can’t make at home, such as blistered sugar snap peas with lemon zabaglione and desserts made with mulberries from the chef’s garden. www.carmelos-restaurant.com Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (Niagara Falls) Gourmet fare prepared by students, plus a bakery, deli, and wine boutique. www.nfculinary.org

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coldest night of the winter.

Later, we took a cruise on the Erie Canal through the Lockport locks, then returned to Lockport to the Flight of Five Winery. Both the winery and its signature wines are named for the series of five locks through the middle of the town. The tasting room was in a renovated city hall overlooking the canal. While sipping Lock 67, a dry red with soft cherry and plum undertones, it struck me how a one-time heavily industrialized area on a principal shipping corridor had been transformed into an attractive tourist destination.

More Water and a Fort The next day mixed water and history as well, beginning with an early morning NIAGARA WINE TRAIL Oenophiles can easily spend several days visiting the 20 wineries on the Niagara Wine Trail. If you love wine but tire of the usual cabernets and chardonnays, you’ll love tasting the many varietals and hybrids in the Niagara region. Here are a few of the unique tasting rooms in the region: Chateau Niagara Winery Behind its huge oak doors, you’ll find a number of less-familiar wines including Kagor, a dessert wine once made exclusively for Russia’s czars and now produced only by this winery in the Western hemisphere. www.chateauniagarawinery.com Long Cliff Vineyard & Winery This tasting room was originally built as a hog barn, but now pours Rieslings, Pinot whites, and Lemberger reds. www.longcliffwinery.com Schulze Vineyards & Winery Among German-born Martin Schultze’s many wines, look for the sweet, rare ice wine produced from grapes picked during the coldest night of winter. www.schultzewines.com Flight of Five Winery The only urban tasting room on the trail, Flight of Five is located beside the Erie Canal and named for the series of five canal locks below its front door. www.flightoffivewinery.com Honeymoon Trail Winery With more than 30 wines, wine lovers can blend tasting and romance by its massive fireplace. www.honeymoontrailwinery.com Johnson Estate Winery The oldest estate winery in New York has produced wine since Prohibition from grapes grown in its 120-acre vineyard. www.johnsonwinery.com Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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The "castle" at Old Fort Niagara.

paddle on Elliott Creek. Willows spilled over its banks, tickling the mist that rose gently from its glassy surface. The creek flowed without a ripple, in stark contrast to the raging Niagara River around Niagara Falls. We spied heron stalking tiny baitfish among the reeds and flirted with gaggles of Canada geese enjoying the serene morning.

We spent the rest of the day at the mouth of the Niagara River exploring

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Old Fort Niagara, a special stop on a trip filled with many highlights. The French established the fort in 1679 to control the Great Lakes and as a westward route into the continent’s interior. The British captured it during the French and Indian War, only to give it up to the Americans twice by treaty, the first time at the end of the American Revolution and the second time after the War of 1812. The US continued to use Old Fort Niagara as a training facility until 1963.

Wandering through the fort’s superbly maintained buildings and grounds was a time warp worth taking. Touring the sleeping quarters and commissary, I easily imagined life at the fort during the early 1800s. Soldiers dressed in uniforms from the various French and British eras taught colonial ball games to kids. A blacksmith hammered iron hooks in the forge. Other soldiers played cards with no numbers (they couldn’t read in the old days). We learned that colonial soldiers suffered tooth decay because their charcoal toothpaste stripped the enamel from their teeth, and that they bathed

only twice a year because the weather was too cold and the soap, made of lye, burned their skin.

We eventually climbed to the top of the French Castle, the main stronghold of the fortress. I peered across Lake Ontario through old, leaded glass windows, more pink and blue than clear. Endless water lay before me, much of which had traveled over Niagara Falls. Water has enticed people here for generations. I was happy I had the chance to whet my curiosity among the Niagara region’s many watery attractions. a MORE INFO Niagara Tourism & Convention: www.niagara-usa.com Niagara Falls State Park: www.niagarafallsstatepark.com Niagara Jet Adventures: www.niagarajet.com Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises: www.lockportlocks.com Paths, Peaks & Paddles: www.pathspeakspaddles.com Old Fort Niagara: www.oldfortniagara.org

cooks’ corner

By Susan Nye

Pancakes to Flip For

They’re not just for breakfast!

When we were kids, pancakes were a favorite treat. In the summer, my dad would whip up a batch of blueberry pancakes on Saturday mornings. He served them with lots of butter and warm maple syrup. As yummy as those sweet and sticky pancakes were, they were nothing compared to the wonderful blinis and caviar I sampled in Moscow many years later. Or maybe my taste buds grew up somewhere along the way.

Made with buckwheat, blinis will add international flair to your weekend brunch or make an interesting first course before a special dinner. These delicious little gems are also great for cocktail parties. Caviar not in your budget? Don’t despair—you can substitute an American salmon or trout roe. They are also delicious with slivers of smoked salmon, a few capers, scallions, and a touch of red onion. }

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cooks’ corner Not convinced? How about zucchini pancakes with fresh herbs and a little cheese? Instead of caviar, top them with a dab of tapenade. Perhaps you and your guests would prefer latkes. These fabulous potato pancakes are a staple in Eastern Europe. For a fun and festive change, take them south of the border with sweet potatoes and spicy black beans. They’re perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party.

Savory blinis, pancakes, and latkes will make a delicious addition to any spring celebration!

BLINIS AND CAVIAR Makes about 24 mini pancakes

K cup buckwheat flour K cup all-purpose flour Grated zest of K lemon 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp Kosher salt 4 Tbsp butter (approximately) 2 Tbsp sour cream 1 large egg O cup milk Garnish: About K cup sour cream combined with the grated zest of K lemon About 2 oz caviar or roe 1. Put the flours, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.

2. Melt a tablespoon of butter and put it in a small bowl with the sour cream and egg.

Whisk until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and combine.

3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.

4. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.

Drop tablespoons of batter onto the skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more.

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Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat until all the batter has been used up.

5. Garnish each blini with a small dollop of sour cream with lemon zest and a tiny (or not so tiny) spoonful of caviar.

ZUCCHINI PANCAKES WITH TAPENADE Makes about 16 regular pancakes or about 4 dozen minis

1K lb zucchini, trimmed and coarsely shredded 3–4 scallions, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced N cup chopped fresh mint 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste K cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated 2 large eggs N tsp hot sauce, or to taste Olive oil Garnish: Sour cream or plain yogurt Tapenade (recipe follows) 1. Preheat the oven to 175°.

2. Put the zucchini in a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt, and toss to combine. Let the zucchini sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Wrap the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

3. Put the zucchini in a large bowl and add the scallions, garlic, and herbs. Season with pepper and toss to combine.

4. Whisk the baking powder into the flour. Add the flour and cheeses to the zucchini and toss to combine.

5. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk in the hot sauce. Add the eggs to the zucchini and stir to combine.

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cooks’ corner not smoking. Working in batches, drop spoonfuls of batter into the skillet and flatten into pancakes. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

7. Drain on paper towels, transfer to an ovenproof platter, and place in a 175° oven to keep warm.

To serve: garnish each pancake with small dollops of sour cream or yogurt and tapenade.

The pancakes can be made in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for about 5 minutes.

TAPENADE Makes about 1 cup

3 cloves garlic 2–3 Tbsp dry white wine 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp capers 1 tsp anchovy paste 1 tsp herbs de Provence K tsp hot pepper flakes, or to taste Grated zest and juice of K lemon 8 oz dry-packed, oil-cured black Greek olives or your favorite black olive, pitted 1. Place all ingredients except the olives in a small food processor and process until the garlic and capers are finely chopped. Add the olives and process until the mixture becomes a nice paste.

You may need to add a little more olive oil.

2. Cover and let sit up to 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator to meld flavors before using.

Leftover tapenade is great with raw vegetables or warm pita bread. It can also add a bit of punch to sandwiches and pizza.

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WHAT TO DRINK WITH YOUR SAVORY PANCAKES? For blinis and caviar, you have one or two choices—more if you insist! Champagne or Prosecco will start any party on a festive note. If Champagne is not in the budget, try Pouilly-Fuissé or a crisp, unoaked Chardonnay. Icy cold vodka sipped from tiny glasses is also a great choice.

For zucchini pancakes, I’d never turn down a glass of Champagne. However, a nice, dry white wine will more than do. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is light and bright, perfect for spring.

And finally, for sweet potato latkes, not to sound like a broken record but Champagne works again! If you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo, tiny glasses of icy tequila would not be out of line, as well as a glass of Malbec or a Mexican beer. Cheers!

ONLINE EXTRA

For additional recipes and tips on making the perfect pancakes, visit www.uppervalleyimage.com.

Writer and chef Susan Nye lives in New Hampshire and writes for magazines throughout New England. She shares many of her favorite recipes and stories about family, friendship, and food on her award-winning blog at www.susannye. wordpress.com.

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the

pick

arts & en te r tain me n t

March 6–7 ATROPHY Claremont Opera House, www.claremontoperahouse.org, 7pm March 11–29 Northern Stage Presents Orwell in America Briggs Opera House, northernstage.org March 12 Beyond the Bog Road with Eileen Ivers Presented by LOH’s Youth Education Series Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 10am March 14 Return to Roseland with Rob Zappulla Quintet Claremont Opera House, www.claremontoperahouse.org, 7pm

The Pick is sponsored by St. Johnsbury Academy

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March 12 Beyond the Bog Road with Eileen Ivers Presented by LOH’s Youth Education Series Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 10am

March 16 Fly Guy and Other Stories Presented by LOH’s Youth Education Series Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 10am March 19 Preschool Program: Dinosaurs Big and Little Nature Museum, www.nature-museum.org, 10–11:30am March 27–28 Annie Claremont Opera House, www.claremontoperahouse.org, 27, 7pm; 28, 1 & 7pm March 28 The Country Jamboree Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 7:30pm April 8 Aesop’s Fables – Jim West & Puppets Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 10am April 8–May 3 Northern Stage Presents Songs for a New World Briggs Opera House, northernstage.org }}}

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the pick

Alice in Wonderland

April 11–12 City Center Ballet Presents Alice in Wonderland Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 1pm April 18 Country Music with Americana’s Most Wanted Claremont Opera House, www.claremontoperahouse.org, 7:30pm April 18–19 Five-Colleges Book Sale Lebanon High School, five-collegesbooksale. org, 18, 9am–5pm; 19, 9am–3pm (half-price day) April 19 Kathleen Madigan – Madigan Again Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 7:30pm April 20 Miss Nelson is Missing Presented by LOH’s Youth Education Series Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 10am May 1–3, 7–10 NNE Rep Presents Educating Rita Whipple Memorial Town Hall, www.nnertc.org May 16 Corvette Doo Wop Revue Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 7:30pm

Facebook Contests, Sweepstakes & Giveaways!

Like us on Facebook for your chance to win great prizes! www.facebook.com/mountainviewpublishing

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May 19 Dog Loves Books Presented by LOH’s Youth Education Series Lebanon Opera House, lebanonoperahouse.org, 10am

April 12, 26 Chamberworks Rollins Chapel, 1pm

Hopkins Center Highlights

April 17 Special Family Matinee: The Nile Project Spaulding Auditorium, 2 & 8pm

Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (603) 646-2422 www.hop.dartmouth.edu

April 18 HopStop Family Series: The Nile Project Alumni Hall, 11am

Dartmouth

May 23 HopStop Family Series: Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys Hop Plaza, 11am

Idol Finals

March 6 Dartmouth Idol Finals Spaulding Auditorium, 8pm March 7 Youth Wind Ensemble Spaulding Auditorium, 2pm March 21, 22 Met Opera in HD: La Donna del Lago 21, Loew Auditorium, 1pm; 22, Spaulding Auditorium, 1pm March 28 HopStop Family Series: Jeh Kulu Alumni Hall, 11am March 28 Claremont HopStop Family Show: Jeh Kulu Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, 3pm March 31, April 1 Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion The Moore Theater, 7pm April 7, 8 Hotel Modern: The Great War The Moore Theater, 7pm April 9, 10 Figaro! (90210) Spaulding Auditorium, 9, 7pm; 10, 8pm April 11 The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites The Moore Theater, 3pm Find image at www.uppervalleyimage.com •

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the pick April 18 Claremont HopStop Family Show: The Nile Project Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, 3pm April 19 Australian Chamber Orchestra with Martin Frost, Clarinet Spaulding Auditorium, 7pm April 22 Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Spaulding Auditorium, 7pm April 24 Double Bill: Terence Blanchard E-Collective and Ravi Coltrane Quartet Spaulding Auditorium, 8pm April 30 Alvin Lucier with the Callithumpian Consort Rollins Chapel, 7pm

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May 2 Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble Spaulding Auditorium, 8pm May 10 Dartmouth College Gospel Choir Spaulding Auditorium, 2pm May 16 Handel Society of Dartmouth College Spaulding Auditorium, 8pm May 19 Sally Pinkas, Piano Spaulding Auditorium, 7pm May 22, 23 Dartmouth Dance Ensemble The Moore Theater, 8pm May 23 HopStop Family Series: Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys Hop Plaza, 11am

World Music

Percussion

Ensemble

May 23 Claremont HopStop Family Show: Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, 3pm May 23 Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble Spaulding Auditorium, 8pm May 27 World Music Percussion Ensemble Spaulding Auditorium, 7pm May 30 Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra Spaulding Auditorium, 8pm

Advertisers Index Action Garage Door 87 Appletree Opticians 51 Artifactory 8 Artistree/Purple Crayon Productions 88 AVA Gallery 42 Barton Insurance 82 Belletetes Inside back cover Benjamin Edwards & Co. 69 Bentleys 79 Bouteille 76 Boynton Construction 42 Brown’s Floormasters 62 CPerry Photography 68 Canon Tire 66 Cardigan Mountain Summer Program 19 Carpet King & Tile 44 Charter Trust Company 17 Cioffredi & Associates 27 Claremont Opera House 49 Clarke’s Hardware 29 Clear Choice MD 79 Colonial Pharmacy 4 3 Cornucopia Journeys 37 Cota & Cota Oil 82 Country Kids Clothing 8 Crown Point Cabinetry 3 db Landscaping 27 Dorr Mill Store 60 Elixir 65 Encore Designer Consignment/Gear Traders 10 Essentials for Men 25 Eyeglass Outlet 87 Flat Rock Tile & Stone 67 Floorcraft 28 Four Seasons/Sotheby’s 5 Game Set Mat 29 Gateway Motors 90 Gilberte Interiors 53 Gourmet Garden 28 Hanover Country Club 77 Hanover Transfer & Storage 75 Henderson’s Tree & Garden Services 80 Hole in the Fence Café 28

Illuminations by Barre Electric 83 Infuse Me 1 Jancewicz & Son 11 Jeff Wilmot Painting 77 Jensen & Yurich Home 28 Junction Frame Shop 53 Keene Medical Products 75 Killington Golf Resort 45 King Arthur Flour 51 LF Trottier and Sons 62 Landforms 7 Lawn Master of Vermont 45 Lebanon Chamber of Commerce 68 Lis Ann’s 29 Little River Oriental Rugs 84 Longacres Nursery Center 34 Love’s Bedding & Furniture 71 MB Pro Landscape 37 MJ Harrington 74 Mascoma Savings Bank 2 Mertens House 65 Millstone at 74 Main 29 Morgan Hill Bookstore 28 Morningside/Kitty Hawk Kites 70 Mountain Meadow Golf Back cover Mt. Ascutney Hospital 46 Mystic Journeys 43 NT Ferro Estate and Custom Jewelers 10 Nature Calls 13 Neal Wallace Dental 83 New London Gallery Custom Picture Framing 28 New London Inn and Coach House Restaurant 29 & 67 New London Opticians 29 Northcape Design Build 46 Northern Motorsport 71 Old Hampshire Designs 59 Omer & Bob’s 78 On Stage 8 Osborne’s Marine 85 Perry’s Oil Service 60 Phoenix Rising Boutique 16 Prana Design Painting 44 Quechee Lakes Listing 61

Red Roof Frame Shop 25 Riverlight Builders 64 Royal Towne Gifts 64 Satellite Video 85 Serendipity 28 Simple Energy 4 Springfield Medical Center Inside front cover St. Johnsbury Academy 86 Stateline Sports 82 Sugar River Savings Bank 66 Summercrest Senior Living Community 58 Sunapee Getaways 29 Systems Plus Computers 59 TK Sportswear 83 Tatewell Gallery 29 The Carriage Shed 69 The Flying Goose Brewpub 28 The Hanover Inn 35 The Inn at Pleasant Lake 29 The Lighting Center at Rockingham Electric 6 The Quechee Club 84 The Taylor Palmer Agency 89 The Ultimate Bath Store 9 The Woodlands 36 The Woodstock Gallery 10 Top Drawer 8 Topstitch 16 Unleashed 28 Upper Valley Aquatic Center 35 Upper Valley Haven 21 Upper Valley Oral Surgery 85 Upper Valley Ride 74 Valley Regional Hospital 15 Vermont Facial Aesthetics 84 Vitt & Associates Law Office 87 Watermark Marine Construction 76 WISE 58 White River Family Eye Care 76 White River Growpro 79 William Smith Auctions 23 Wilson Tire 78 Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce 10 Woodstock Inn & Resort 36 & 88

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celebrate the moment

Phil and Koko Desmond enjoyed a bush plane flight over the fjords near Ketchikan, Alaska.

Avery Schellens (Norwich, Vermont) and Dan Balano (Charlottesville, Virginia) were married in Denver, Colorado, on September 6, 2014. Avery is the daughter of Beth Krusi (Montshire Museum).

Photo by Andrea Flanagan.

Alex Fogg got his driver’s license and a new truck.

“My mother, Inez Rowell, never would’ve settled for just pushing up daisies!”

Janet R. Miller, Braintree, Vermont. Photo by Jack Rowell.

Dianne Titus at base camp in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, after hiking up the mountain to spend an hour with a family of silver-backed gorillas in the mist.

Irene and Fred Greene’s wedding photo, September 7, 2013, in Rochester, Minnesota. Photo by Sally Serna.

celebrating YOU this spring!

Send photos of your special moments to dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.com.

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Spring 2015

Dan and Jayne Webb at their wedding on Anna Maria Island in Florida on July 17, 2014.