12 minute read
Around Michiana
NOV. 1-30 (SELECTED DATES) | SOUTH BEND Farmers Market
Indoor market featuring home-grown produce, dairy products, meats, eggs, maple syrup, jams and jellies, handcrafts, artwork, jewelry, more. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 1105 Northside Blvd. 574-282-1259 southbendfarmersmarket.com
NOV 19 | ELKHART Frankenmuth Shopping Bus Trip
Visit Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland and downtown Frankenmuth 7 a.m. Saturday departure, 9:30 p.m. Saturday return $60/person Register by Friday, Nov. 11, at elkhart.ezfacility.com or Parks and Recreation Office, 229 S. 2nd St. 574-295-7275 elkhartindiana.org/government/parks, facebook.com/elkhartparks
MULTI-EVENT VENUES
LERNER THEATER | ELKHART
• Nov. 11, “Whose Live Anyway?” 8 p.m. Friday, $35 to $65. • Nov. 15, Cirque Musica: “Holiday Wonderland,” 7 p.m. Tuesday, $25 to $160. • Nov. 18, Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy, 7 p.m. Friday, $39.75 to $100. • Nov. 19, 95.3 MNC’s Noise with special guest Lauren Southern, 4 p.m. Saturday, $40 to $100. • Nov. 20, Elkhart County Symphony: “Ode to Joy,” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, $14 to $27. • Nov. 26, Tutu School Winter Bravo Bash, 10 a.m. Saturday, $12/adult, free 12 and younger. • Nov. 26-27 “The Nutcracker,” 7 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, $12 to $25. 410 S. Main St. 574-293-4469 thelerner.com
GOSHEN THEATER | GOSHEN
• Nov. 11, Free Movie Night: Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out,” 7 p.m. Friday, mental health and community resource exhibits available 5-7 p.m. • Nov. 26, Free Movie: “Elf,” 7 p.m. Saturday. 216 S. Main St. 574-312-3701 goshentheater.com
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY PARKS | SOUTH BEND
• Nov. 19, Elves in the Park, find elves with a map, noon to 3 p.m., Brown Barn, SP, $5 per map. St. Patrick’s County Park (SP) , 50651 Laurel Road, South Bend; Bendix Woods County Park (BW), 56960 Timothy Road, New Carlisle Ferrettie/Baugo Creek County Park (F/B), 57057 Ash Road, Osceola 574-654-3155 sjcparks.org
MORRIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | SOUTH BEND
• Nov. 12, South Bend Symphony Orchestra: Debussy’s “La Mer,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, $19 to $79. • Nov. 14, Cocomelon Live! “JJ’s Journey,” 6 p.m. Monday, $33.50 to $78.50. • Nov. 18, The State Ballet Theater of Ukraine’s “Sleeping Beauty” Ballet, 7:30 p.m. Friday, $48.50 to $88.50. • Nov. 19, Paul Taylor, 7 p.m. Saturday, $29.50 to $68.50. • Nov. 23, DC Young Fly + Gary Owen and Friends “Thanksgiving Comedy Explosion,” 8 p.m. Wednesday, $42.50 to $128.50. • Nov. 29-30, Broadway in South Bend: “Come From Away,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, $83.50. 211 N. Michigan St. 574-235-9190 morriscenter.org
WELLFIELD BOTANICAL GARDENS | ELKHART
• Nov. 1-30, late fall hours, noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday $10/adults, $5/children 3-12 1011 N. Main St. 574-266-2006, ext. 105 wellfieldgardens.org
POTAWATOMI ZOO | SOUTH BEND
• Nov. 25-27, Gift of Lights 2022, 5-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, regular admission. $12/adults 15-61, $10/children 3-14 and adults 62+, free for members and children 2 and under. 500 S. Greenlawn Ave. 574-235-9800 potawatomizoo.org
RUTHMERE MANSION | ELKHART
• Nov. 25, Fall Concert Series: Nicholas Roth, “Black Friday Concert,” 7 p.m. Friday, $25/member, $40/nonmember, registration required. • Nov. 26 through Dec. 30, Ruthmere Museums Campus Holiday Tours: “A Merry Mousley Christmas,” times vary. All events at Ruthmere, 201 E. Beardsley Ave., unless otherwise specified. Havilah Beardsley House (HBH), 102 W. Beardsley Ave. Ruthmere: $10/adults, $4/students, free for children under 5 with adult Havilah Beardsley House: $5/adults, $2/ students, free for children under 5 with adult Tour times on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, corner of Lake and 17th streets. 574-264-0330 888-287-7696 ruthmere.org n
Snow’s Gotta Go
By Julie Young House and Home Feature Writer
As the weather turns colder and the flurries fly, homeowners have several options when planning their snow removal process. There is the tried-and-true shovel method, which requires little more than the proper tools and some elbow grease (although a willing teenager is also helpful!) You can also invest in a snow thrower, which can accomplish the job in less time. And finally, you can hire a professional to deal with the snow while you sleep in. However, before you hit that snooze button and roll over, it’s important to know the pros and cons for hiring a professional service.
THE PROS KNOW
While they may cost more than a broom, plastic shovel or a snow thrower, there are a lot of advantages to hiring a professional to remove snow from your property. In addition to being faster than doing it yourself, homeowners do not have to invest in, nor educate themselves on the operation and maintenance of specialized seasonal equipment. They also do not have to monitor the weather or do the prep work necessary to get ahead of the job (such as laying salt ahead of time.) You won’t have to worry
When the weather outside is frightful, removing snow is far from delightful. But as every homeowner knows: it’s gotta go, gotta go, gotta go!
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about supply shortages, and you will sleep well knowing your sidewalks and driveways will always be clear. Best of all, you won’t have to worry about sore muscles or potential injuries that come along with yearly snow removal.
‘CON’SIDER EVERYTHING
Naturally, professional snow removal does cost more than buying a snow thrower or shoveling the driveway yourself and that cost will largely depend on the level of service you require. Homeowners will also want to make sure the company they contract with provides its own liability insurance in the event of any accidents that may happen during a service.
Those accidents may include damage to one’s property such as cracked concrete or ripped landscape. While snow removal services are generally happy to make any necessary repairs they are responsible for, most of those repairs will have to wait until spring.
Another downside to a professional service is you may have to wait for the firm to get around to your property when the weather is bad. This can be problematic for homeowners on a tight schedule. Depending on the expected annual snowfall each year, hiring a snow removal service may not make the best financial sense.
Ultimately homeowners must decide which investment is right for them. While a snow thrower may cost more upfront, it costs less over time, provided you keep it serviced regularly. A service however is less physical and usually less expensive upfront but will cost more as the years go by. It just depends on what is right for you and your property! n
How to Light
By Dani Messick House and Home Writer
You can have your Christmas lights installed by professionals and it’s only $100 to $1,000. Having it done professionally decreases the risk of injury or damage, and it also saves you time. In addition to that, the pros know what they’re doing and can create some pretty elaborate designs you may not have considered.
Up the Holidays
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Hiring a pro also saves you storage space because you can rent decorations from them and have them picked up at the New Year. Some will even turn the inside of your house into a Winter Wonderland - for the right price. Not all lights and decorations are made equal, and the pros know what’s what.
But if you’re hoping to set up your own unique lighting display this year, here’s a few things the pros know, that will help you get your home’s exterior into the holiday spirit.
You’re going to need a plan to make a truly magical experience. If you need to measure to ensure you have enough, or enough of a particular style or color, do it. Draw the plan out, so you remember what the plan is.
An article from HGTV offers a calculation for ensuring you’re using the right distancing:
“Use this to calculate the materials needed using this equation: distance/6 = number of lights needed. This works for strands with 6-inch spacing, which we recommend using to achieve a fuller look.”
Another standard length calculation is 25 feet for a 50-light strand and a 50 feet strand containing 100 lights. What you use is up to you.
Make sure to account for the distance from the power source if you’re using plug-in lights. Don’t connect more lights together than the directions recommend. It’s a fire hazard. Battery powered lights are also a great option for locations where outlets might be too far away.
Choose a focal point, like the front door or an architectural feature, and stick with it. Place the brightest bulbs there or simply use more lights there. Use string lights to line driveways and sidewalks, and landscaping. You can also use them to outline the roof, but be careful climbing ladders. Don’t forget to use clips to help create stability on your lighting scene.
The hardware store boasts a lot of options for Christmas string lights. You don’t have to use the traditional ones, but if you choose to, remember “C” stands for either “cone” or “candle,” the traditional bulbous shape. The higher the number, the bigger the bulbs.
Check for flashing. An article from the Home Depot indicates almost 20% of Christmas lights are twinkling bulbs to some degree. Make sure the lights are rated for outdoor use. n
AMARYLLIS
offer quite the floral punch for little effort
By Loanne Harms Guest Writer Michiana Master Gardener
There are few houseplants that require so little of us yet provide such stunning beauty and winter relief as the amaryllis. The bulbs once in the soil require no special skills and will usually bloom with or without us. And what blooms they give.
Amaryllis bulbs are usually available in stores as kits beginning in late fall and into early winter. Just in time for Christmas giving. Boxed kits contain everything you need to grow the bulb and all for less than a grocery store bouquet of fresh flowers. When selecting a kit to take home, it’s a good idea to take a peek inside the box. Since these kits are packed months ahead and conditions for their storage vary greatly, you might find the bulb has already started growing or maybe even flowered. It’s best to purchase a bulb that has not started growing but looks solid and big.
Amaryllis bulbs are also available through many outlets online. If you choose to purchase bulbs online, they will often give you a wide variety of choices, a brief description of the plant and flower and the sizes of the bulbs in centimeters. Because a bigger bulb will give you more stems and more flowers it’s best to look for bulbs that are listed as 34 to 35 cm. Do read the descriptions, if a smaller variety, it should say, and then you’ll want to look for bulbs that are 28 to 30 cm.
Planting the amaryllis bulb is simple but because of the long stems and big flowers you should use a heavy pot with a wide base. Kits often come with plastic pots which can be used but be prepared to place the plastic pot into a sturdier outer pot as the plant grows to provide more stability. The pot itself should be about 2 inches wider than the bulb and if planting more than one bulb in a pot, allow an inch between each bulb.
The amaryllis kit will provide you with a sterile potting mix that only needs rehydrated to make plenty of potting medium for the bulb. When looking for your own potting mix it needs to drain well and be sterile to avoid fungus gnats. Products marked as potting mixes are soil-less mixes containing non-organic matter that will help with drainage and aeration and be sterile to help avoid diseases.
Fill the pot about halfway with potting mix, lightly tapping it down. Place the amaryllis bulb pointed side up on top of the mix and then fill in mix around the bulb to about an inch below the top of the pot, packing it gently around the bulb. You want to have 1/3 of the bulb exposed above the mix, so reposition the bulb if needed. Planted too deep, the bulb may rot. Water well at this point. Avoid watering directly into/onto the bulb.
Place the potted bulb in a place where there is bright, indirect light and somewhat cool temperature (68 degrees) but not near cold drafts and then wait. It may take a while for the bulb to wake up. Varieties differ, but they usually take 6 to 8 weeks to bloom. So, sit back, water sparingly (less than ¼ c a week) and wait.
Once you see growth, things will move right along. At two inches you can start watering regularly. No fertilizer is needed since the bulb has all it needs for this round of blooms. Rotate the pot often to help the plant to grow straight. You may need to add a stake or place the pot and all in another container for stability. Before long the flowers will appear and begin to open. The blooms can be used in floral displays and arrangements, but the big, bold, beautiful flowers atop the long green stem is often enough of a floral display for even the most artistic-minded. As the flowers fade, clip them off, and when all are done, cut the stem about an inch above the bulb. Then either throw it out or keep it watering sparingly, fertilizing lightly, still in indirect light until late spring to save and prep for next year. n
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