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The holiday is gone, but the chocolate remains in this house. I've been mowing down on Hershey, Mars, Lindt and some Hawaiian treats like toffee, chocolate covered Macadamia nuts. When you love chocolate, it's all good, however, you always know when something is even better...that's where Swan Chocolates fits in. Before Christmas, I encouraged last minute shoppers to hit the Swan shop in either Merrimack or Nashua, NH...well, again, I am encouraging you to get out and make it a box of Swan truffles for New Year's. The New Year should always be celebrated with the best. Get started on the right foot, and get in to Swan!

With your New Year's party just days away, walk in the door with confidence. Tote a chocolate covered bottle of wine or Champagne - made to order! The staff at Swan is as divine as its product, and is able to pair a grape to a cocoa bean with expertise and enthusiasm. Imagine yourself offering guests a New Year's memory that will not be forgotten.

Let's not forget desserts! The gelatos and fresh roasted coffees offer a taste for every palate! Heck, rent a chocolate fountain, grab a bag of pretzel rods, fire engine red strawberries and dried apricots for dippers and make headlines! And if you're not the center stage kind of guy, find your pleasure in simplicity as well, which allows for you to bring that signature Keepsake box of truffles...there will be no disappointment.

Happy New Year's everyone...be safe and see you in January 2006!

Hi Kim - Thanks so much for the mention of Ski NH's ski free program for
fourth grade. I wanted to get you some updated information, as the link in
SkiMail was to information on last year's program ... the program is still
pretty much the same, with the only difference being that we have 37 ski
areas (rather than 38 - one of the cross country areas closed this past
summer) and there are different sponsors:
http://www.skinh.com/4th_Grade_Earn_Your_Turns.cfm

But here's the really big news - we have a new program this year for fifth
graders. Unlike Earn Your Turns where fourth graders earn their passbook by
doing a research project on the history of NH skiing, fifth graders'
families are offered the passbook for a $20 shipping/handling charge, $5 of
which is donated to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of NH. Our goal is to get
kids off the couch and active outdoors during the winter so we want to make
it easy and affordable for kids and their families to get to the slopes.
Here are the details in case you have some space/time to let parents of
fifth graders know about it:
http://www.skinh.com/5th_Grade_Snowsports_Passport.cfm
http://www.skinh.com/5thgradeoffers.cfm

Thanks again for mentioning the program and helping us get the word out. If
you need any other information on anything skiing in NH, please feel free to
contact me (alice@skinh.com) or Karl Stone, Ski NH's marketing director
(karl@skinh.com).
Alice

Alice Pearce
Executive Director
Ski NH

thanks so much for sending such great updates! The story has had a great success rate, so I will go back in and instead of editing the old one, I will update the info then post it with a current date so others will be sure to re-read or read it for the first time too....

take care
Kimberly

The family just left, what's left of the food is put away, and now it's time to wait for Santa. It's been a great fall for many reasons, and writing about my great state of New Hampshire has been a true pleasure. Stop reading this, and go enjoy the people in your lives, and be grateful for all the good things that surround you. I'll be back after Christmas!...take care everyone, Kimberly

There are many years I wake on the 22nd of the month and think, who is left on my list? This year is no different. Rest assured, it's pretty easy shopping this close to Christmas. The difficulty may only be in finding something that has not been torn to bits by the hounds. Shop local and personal, and have yourself a very Merry Christmas.

1. Swan Chocolates, Merrimack or Nashua, NH - Spectacular chocolates yes! But also, chocolate covered champagne bottles, coffees, gelatos, and even chocolate fountain rentals - now there's a hostess gift! If it's bought at Swan, it is special.

2. Absolutely NH, Main Street, Nashua, NH - Clothing, baking goods, spices, bath and body, and New Hampshire spun pots or knitted throws...local done well.

3. Antiques at Mayfair, Route 101A, Amherst, NH of course...refer to November's blog about this favorite place. Really and truly, something for everyone here. And not an ounce of character left behind.

4. Cooking Matters, Main Street Nashua NH - How can anyone disregard a wall of oils! Never mind the pate, the cheese, the coffee and every herb, rub or vinegar to top that special holiday dish. It's the kind of place where you can spend a day in, and leave with something you have never heard of!

5. Cool Jewels, Keene and Portsmouth, NH - an October's blog, but again, such a great place to hunker down and come up with a Thailand or Bali delight or jewels for the Queen in your life.

In the last 10 years, summers for me have usually meant a James Taylor concert stuck in between other notorious bands of summer - the Allman Brothers, Gypsy Kings or Neil Young. In between the golden beach days, gardening wild flowers and spontaneous road trips, there was time for James Taylor if luck would be by my side - meaning if I had the money or ability to land those coveted tickets. So it is with stupendous excitement that I mention a very near, December 20th James Taylor concert at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH. Merry Christmas to good friends, the Whitings, who will accompany us next Tuesday to melt away in the 6th row [well, ok, of the second floor section - but 6th row nonetheless!]!

Taylor has recorded his first-ever holiday CD, which was available beginning this past November. The album includes 11 previously unreleased James Taylor songs, including “Winter Wonderland”, “The Christmas Song”, “Jingle Bells”, and others. The album was produced by multiple Grammy and Oscar award winning producer/arranger Dave Grusin.

He may very well be able to move mountains...treat yourself this holiday to something you will never forget. Go to the Verizon Wireless Arena's website for details.

The Kitchen Chimney

Builder, in building the little house,
In every way you may please yourself;
But please please me in the kitchen chimney:
Don't build me a chimney upon a shelf.

However far you must go for bricks,
Whatever they cost a-piece or a pound,
But me enough for a full-length chimney,
And build the chimney clear from the ground.

It's not that I'm greatly afraid of fire,
But I never heard of a house that throve
(And I know of one that didn't thrive)
Where the chimney started above the stove.

And I dread the ominous stain of tar
That there always is on the papered walls,
And the smell of fire drowned in rain
That there always is when the chimney's false.

A shelf's for a clock or vase or picture,
But I don't see why it should have to bear
A chimney that only would serve to remind me
Of castles I used to build in air

I like the challenge of a mission. Especially where it involves finding exactly what you want, and for barely any money. Better yet, I like the idea of recycling, reusing and reducing...and no, I am not busy hugging trees all day long,... I have surely thrown away the occasional labeled can, or put my melon rind in the trash when the compost pile seems miles away. Like anyone, I do what I can, and when I can, I do. Mother & Child makes many of these tasks quite effortless. Where else could I find pairs of children's used ice skates, in super condition, for my sister-in-law Sarah's 4 darling children? Where else can I trade forgotten baby clothes and toys, for countless Step 1 books for my reading 5 year old? And surely you know where a pregnant woman can shop her heart out, without emptying her purse? Yes, all this accomplished and for so little time and money at Mother & Child in Nashua, NH. Owner Karen Keegan says it best, "What matters most to me is the ability to bring parents together, create community, make high-quality, natural products available, and recycle perfectly good children's clothing."

With winter in mind, I pray you consider Mother & Child. An entire section is dedicated to snow suits, winter coats, hats, mittens, and even ice skates and oodles of boots. A common mother's response to purchasing big ticket items like winter clothes, often goes something like this..."they just out-grow them way too fast...hope this can last for two seasons." Mother & Child consigns gently used items that are in great condition. Nothing is accepted with obvious signs of wear, missing buttons or even slightly stained. The selection of sizes is astounding as well...be assured you can shop for your 9 month old, 3 year old and 9 year old in the same shop.

There are new gifts to be bought at Mother & Child which makes this consignment shop all the more special...know anyone pregnant? Need a new baby gift? The choices abound here. With names like Nature's Gate, Badger, and Tom's of Maine. What about nursing bras, christening gowns or organic cotton blankets? Mother & Child. I just love this place.

Now here's the icing as I like to say. Consigning here is as easy as buying a hot dog at Fenway. Bring in 30 items or less, receive a Consignor number and you're done. The items are inspected before they are taken in, and if you would like to donate the items that didn't pass Mother & Child's quality control, you can leave them in a 'donate' pile and the items will find their way to people who might not mind a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee. My boys know that we do not walk in there with any money. If we want to 'buy' something, we check our credit and use it accordingly. I feel like the barter system has been brought back to life here, and I cherish that my boys understand the community purpose and simple economics behind it. See you there!

Mother & Child Clothing and Gifts
Greystone Plaza, Amherst Street
Nashua, NH
603.886.6727
www.mothersays.com

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

The snow's sure falling today. I love a fresh falling where the plush white fleece drapes over the limbs and eaves. So few footprints or markings of any kind. Just a winter's blanket. Get outside in it...enjoy it with a sleigh ride. Sleigh rides epitomize the romance of a New England winter. An immediate picture of families, lovers and friends bundled to beat the chill, often wearing smiles that could replace the stars above. "Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh...[go ahead, click and listen]" New Hampshire is a place where sleigh rides are seemingly around every corner. They are so common, I almost forgot to write about them! Book a sleigh ride this holiday season for the meditative outdoors and the chance to experience fun without a bit of technology, machinery or waiting in line.

Farm by the River - North Conway
Victorian Sleigh rides for two, and group rides for up to 16-18 people.
For rates and Reservations call 888-414-8353.

Charmingfare Farm - Candia
20 Passenger Sleigh
A one and a half hour journey will lead you through fields and forests while you, your family and friends relish the beauty of the season and breathe the fresh air. When you reach their secluded campfire, unpack the libations, and roast a marshmallow to sandwich in that Smore. The ride, including the 30 minute stop around the campfire, is offered during the day and evenings throughout the year. Group rates available.
10 Passenger Sleigh
A one hour journey will be plenty of time to relish the beauty of the season and breathe the fresh air. It is offered during the day and evenings throughout the year. Group rates available.
Single Horse-Drawn Sleigh
Perfect for couples and small families. Experience a one hour long ride through a wintery wonderland of snow. Our sleigh which seats four passengers is a recreation of an 18th century Vis-A-Vis style sleigh complete with antique lamps, maroon cloth seats and a warm sleigh robe.
For rates and reservations call 603-483-5623.

Mount Washington Hotel - Bretton Woods
A one Horse Private Sleigh provides a 25 minute ride around the Resort grounds. Maximum 2pp. Available daily.
A double Horse-Drawn Group Sleigh is a 25 minute ride around the Resort grounds. Maximum 16pp. Available daily.
Reservations are required and may be made by calling 800-314-1752.

Nestlenook Farm Inn - Jackson
Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides
A journey through the Victorian estate begins the moment you board our custom made Austrian Sleigh, fully upholstered for your comfort, pulled by magnificent draft horses. Sleighs stop so that you may visit with the European fallow deer in Emerald Forest.
Reservations are requested. Please call 603-383-9101.

Point of View Farm - Deerfield
Group Hay and Sleigh Rides
A one hour horse drawn sleigh ride runs along farm trails, past fields and through woods. At a midpoint stop at a secluded campfire, you'll have time to toast marshmallows over the open fire.
Returning from the sleigh ride, your group can enjoy spending an hour in the "Gathering Room." Warm up your around the wood stove, and sip hot cocoa. Bring your own refreshments or select from their wide range of offerings.
Sweetheart Sleigh Rides
Enjoy a private horse drawn sleigh ride in our "Portland Cutter" or "Vis-a-Vis" sleigh. Snuggled under a warm robe you'll be carried across the snow to the sound of jingle bells. At a campfire nestled in the woods, you'll stop briefly to enjoy hot chocolate beside an open fire. After the ride, you'll be served a country meal in a private dining room reserved for you alone.
Reservations are required. Please call 603-463-7974.

Stonewall Farm - Keene
Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides
Take a 45 minute ride along their wooded trails and open fields. Enjoy hot cider, hot chocolate, cookies and campfires with roasted marshmallows.
Reservations required. Please call 603-357-7278.

"I choose to be a plain New Hampshire farmer
With an income in cash of say a thousand
(From say a publisher in New York City)."
-- New Hampshire
Robert Frost

You've seen the bumper stickers for sure, "This Car Climbed MT. Washington!" The Northeast's highest peak, 6,288-foot Mt. Washington, is a majestic vision in whites, grays and purples. Its Auto Road has afforded people to experience the breathtaking vistas and magic of this mountain that have remained largely unchanged since travelers began winding their way up in 1861. An engineering achievement, the "Road to the Sky" remains the first man-made attraction in the United States. The Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center in Gorham, NH has provided the ultimate option in witnessing this natural beauty covered in winter whites. Ever ride a SnowCoach?

The Auto Road along with the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center now offers winter sightseeing tours to just above tree-line on Mt. Washington, on a warm and cozy 8 passenger van! Their SnowCoach has been specially built for the Auto Road offering an extremely comfortable and stable ride. [Stable? What is this relative to? The Starblaster at Canobie Lake Park? Or a gentle rocking hammock on St. Thomas? Some where after my first labor, I lost my love for motion and heights...so even though you wouldn't catch me up there in a jacked up, Pimp My Ride van, I do still realize there are other Richard Branson's out there!] The tour will take you where you'll look down into the 5,500 acre Great Gulf Wilderness area and over miles of snow covered peaks in the Northern Presidential range!

Snowcoach tours depart Great Glen Trails daily, weather permitting, on a first come, first served basis. Advance reservations are not available. Go ahead and live a little...let me know how it is!

Poet Robert Frost, who moved to Derry, NH in October of 1900, lived on a farm for some years there, eventually buying another farm in Franconia, NH in 1915. Frost wrote some of his most famous pieces while residing in our state...and most remind me of a New Hampshire winter. Enjoy.

"The only fault I find with old New Hampshire
Is that her mountains aren't quite high enough."
-- New Hampshire
Robert Frost

The infamous they told me that ice skating was like riding a bike...you know how the saying goes. Well, they lie. I grew up with a small pond in my back yard, and in the winter months, it became the treasured neighborhood hockey rink and ice arena for the Dorothy Hamill wannabes. Years ago, when I was teaching and the opportunity arose to play in a student/faculty hockey game, I jumped at the chance. I fell 36 times - 37 times if you count when I first stood up after lacing them up! All that being said, I am getting on ice skates this year, and will not stop trying, until I can easily execute a triple axle or a triple Lutz. [ok, true goal being to turn a corner without bruising the bottom...I would even settle on being able to stop without grabbing someone]

New Hampshire may not be as known for skating or hockey as Canada or even neighboring Massachusetts, but we do it well enough to call several great ice rinks our own. Got a first date in mind? How romantic would couples skating be! Holding hands, keeping warm, laughing at yourself...not to mention it would be a real great ice breaker. [ok forgive me for that.] Can't decide on what to do with the kids? Littles ones with skates or sneakers can proudly slide their feet and push a milk crate around, and around and around...imagine how they'll sleep! Take the family for a free skate. Or have the holiday pounds become a problem before we've even started? Skating is fantastic exercise. Rinks are in every corner of our great state - make a date to skate!

The Rinks at Exeter, Exeter, NH

Tri-Town Ice Arena, Hooksett, NH

Conway Ice Arena
8 Riverside Street
Nashua, NH 03062
Phone: (603) 595-2400

Campion Ice Skating Rink
Route 10
Hanover, NH 03755
Phone: (603) 643-1222

Dover Ice Arena
110 Portland Avenue
Dover, NH 03820
Phone: (603) 743-6060

Ham Arena
87 West Main Street
Conway, NH 03818
Phone: (603) 447-5886

Well, it's only 4 days into the month of December and I have already heard enough. "It's too cold," "I hate crowds," "Ugh, the traffic!", "More Snow?!" Well, it is New England, and it is December. The season with the biggest expectations, the welcoming of bitter cold and, of course, a calendar that might rival any of our world leaders. Believe it or not, we are in control of our lives, our calendars and our pleasures this season - it is what we make it. Fill the french press, put on your slippers and open up the calendar. Delete from the list and prioritize the important things. Finish your coffee, grow a smile, and tell the stranger sighing in line at the post office to 'Have a Nice Day.' This month is heavenly for many reasons, so enjoy the events, the weather AND most importantly, the people. In the weeks to come I have decided to cover the holiday festivities in New Hampshire, as well as, the things to do in cold, snowy weather just in case you don't Giant Slalom. Tune in, I might just help you welcome in the New Year rested, accomplished, and with a grin...