Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bettering yourself for the new year

Pete Seeger’s nephew offering dulcimer course in Newton


By Taryn Plumb

 |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENT   
DECEMBER 26, 2013


Jeremy Seeger, nephew of the famous folk legend Pete Seeger, will teach a course about playing the dulcimer through Newton Community Education.

Appalachian dulcimers are long, slender and curvy stringed instruments that produce a simple, rustic, melodious sound.
Jeremy Seeger, a nephew of folk legend Pete Seeger, has dedicated his life to crafting and playing them. He’ll share his knowledge of and deep appreciation for the admittedly “underground” instrument in a session of classes at Newton Community Education starting next month.
“The dulcimer, if you play it traditionally, is very easy to get good sound out of,” explained Seeger, who splits his time between Newton and Rochester, Vt.
It’s just one of many classes offered at schools, libraries, and community centers across the region this winter, from cooking instruction in Southborough to yoga in Shirley to personal fitness in Acton.
In Seeger’s eight-week session, to begin Jan. 16 at Newton North High School and open to newcomers to the instrument, he will introduce the fundamentals of playing the dulcimer, including strumming techniques and how to tune and replace strings. The goal, Seeger said, will be to start out with basic melodies, and have each player build up a repertoire of songs, and even compose their own.
“Everybody has a yearning to make music,’’ Seeger said. “People can come in never having played it.”
With just three (and sometimes four) strings and a simple fret pattern, the dulcimer is typically considered one of the easier string instruments to play. Tradition calls for it to be played while it lays flat on the lap, with the right hand plucking or strumming, and the left fretting.
“One of the beauties of the instrument is there’s not a false note on it,” said Seeger.
Unless you’re a Joni Mitchell or Jean Ritchie fan, you may not be familiar with it; Seeger calls its culture robust but “real underground,” with roughly 250 dulcimer clubs across the country, and several festivals held throughout the year.
“I’d say it’s alive and well, and not easily commercialized,” he said.
So how did he get into it? He called it “totally intuitive,” fitting in with how he’s “wired” for music. He started playing in 1968, and soon began crafting his own dulcimers; he now sells his instruments to artists all over the world. He also builds and sells Qilauts, a sacred Eskimo drum.
“Even though I come from a musical family, music has never come easy for me,” he explained. “I had to really work at it.”
Which translates to his instructing style.
“I teach to people’s abilities and how they’re wired for making music,” said Seeger, who is soft-spoken and has a laid-back demeanor. “Some people are fast runners and some people are long-distance runners. It’s the same with music. Some of us are wired for very fast, intricate work, and for others, it’s all about putting your heart into it, and expressing it.”
Tuition for “Play the Dulcimer” is $111, plus a materials fee of $20; participants provide their own dulcimers (which can be ordered through Seeger or at Music & Arts in Newton Centre).
Other offerings by Newton Community Education include ukulele instruction, beekeeping, fitness boxing, improvisational acting, and Chinese brush painting, among many others. Visitwww2.newtoncommunityed.org for details and to register.

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Gardening during winter at Tower Hill in Boylston


By Taryn Plumb

 |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENT   
DECEMBER 26, 2013


Dot Green, a volunteer at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, talked about the plants inside of The Orangerie to Kristin Mulvey of Shrewsbury (left) and Hannah Jackson of London, England.
JACKIE RICCIARDI FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE




Pretty as snow can be, the landscape enshrouded in it for months, devoid of plant life, can quickly become monotonous.

But, not to despair: There are other ways to get a little green in your life in the depths of winter.

Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, for instance, offers several educational, hands-on programs to get you interacting with plants and keep that green thumb of yours in shape in the offseason. (Not to mention that the location itself, with its views of Mount Wachusett and the reservoir, acres of gardens, indoor conservatories, and bouquet of smells and colors, is sure to perk you right up, whatever the weather has to deliver.)

“Gardens and gardening are really great for your overall well-being,” said education director Ann Marie Pilch, noting among the benefits are stress relief and exercise.

Also, don’t think of gardens as being solely relegated to the warmer seasons. If you plant them right, you can enjoy them all year long.
Such is the focus of a Feb. 1 workshop, “The Garden in Winter.” Holliston-based garden designers Jana Milbocker and Joan Butler will emphasize plants that have “winter interest,” Pilch explained, such as winterberry hollies with their bursts of red berries, evergreens with their “wide variety of texture and color,” “glowing” dogwood shrubs, and other trees with unique and varying barks.
The instructors will also discuss ways to lay out and group trees, shrubs and perennials to create the most dramatic effect.

“The garden can be a magical place in winter,” according to the course description.

Or, if you prefer, you can bring the outside in.

In a Feb. 8 class, “Flowering Branches,” Nancy Vargas of Southborough-based Le Jardin Blanc will focus on forcing cuttings, such as from forsythia or cherry trees, to bloom indoors.

“You can enjoy them as a pop of early spring,” said Pilch.

And it’s never too early to start planning for next season’s garden.

In “Hypertufa Planter Workshop,” also on Feb. 8, for example, participants will create their own planter from cement, peat moss and perlite that they can then use as an outdoor accent.

The March 29 “Healthy Lawns, and Lawn Alternatives,” on the other hand, will discuss various ways to maintain a lush expanse of grass with minimal environmental impact.

Meanwhile, “Life Cycle Gardening” on March 8 will highlight subtle changes that can make your garden easier to maintain as you age. One example, Pilcher said, is to choose lower-maintenance plants. “It’s all about how you can continue to garden as you grow older,” she said.

Ultimately, Tower Hill, which opened in 1986 and is operated by the Worcester County Horticultural Society, is underscoring health and wellness for “people, plants and the planet” throughout its programming next year.

Other events will focus on vegetable gardening, sustainable gardening, healthy cooking, yoga, meditation and tai chi. And guided garden tours are held Sundays throughout the year (weather permitting).

Classes range in cost from $15 to $80, and require reservations.

Visit www.towerhillbg.org for full details.


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Discover winter through Drumlin Farm


By Taryn Plumb

 |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENT   
DECEMBER 26, 2013


Drumlin Farm Teacher Naturalist Eleanor shares information on tapping maple trees with visitors during a nature walk about maple sugaring in New England.
Submitted/Drumlin staff

The world is a place to be explored — no matter the time of year.
Winter, as with each of the other seasons, provides its own distinctive gems and treasures that, through its wide variety of programs, the Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln strives to help visitors of all ages discover.
“Obviously the world looks a lot different now than it did back in September, or back in May, and that’s what we’re exploring,” said the Massachusetts Audubon Society property’s education manager, Kris Scopinich.
One such program that fosters this for teenagers is “Weekend Adventures Club: Exploring the Woods on Skis,” to be held Jan. 18 at Weston Ski Track. Participants will have the opportunity to cross-country ski for four hours — either with their own equipment or rentals from the facility — and analyze different landscapes swathed in white.
Similar adventurous programs for children and families include “Winter Explorers,” for ages 4 to 6 and running six weeks starting Jan. 23, and “Winter Explorations,” beginning Jan. 24, also running six weeks, and geared for the whole family.
Essentially, all examine what happens in various outdoor habitats in the colder months. “What do wetlands look like in the winter, what do forests look like, what do trees look like?” Scopinich said.
Another essential aspect, particularly after a batch of freshly fallen snow, is searching for animal tracks and other telltale signs of wildlife.
As Scopinich noted, “People are often surprised just how active wildlife is in the cold winter months.”
Equally important is what’s not around. For example, turtles hibernate underwater or in debris nearby; frogs and salamanders nestle underground; and many songbirds have migrated to warmer climates.
“Some animals are able to stick around, and have adapted to get through these cold winters,” Scopinich said, “others slow down their metabolisms, while others head south — and we’ll look forward to their return in the springtime.”
For adults, there are many classes and workshops at Drumlin on birding, digital photography, tree identification, and even making cheese.
“Generally, our programs are focused on what’s happening out in the natural world,” Scopinich said of the 206-acre property on South Great Road. “We’re just following the seasons.”
But the farm animals — sheep, chickens, goats, cows, pigs, and a pony, Midnight — require care, food, water, and space to roam year-round. Families can learn more about this process in such programs as “Caretaker for a Day,” for ages 10 to 14, on Jan. 20; “Winter Farm Family,” a six-week series starting Jan. 22; and the playful “Pigs and Blankets” on Jan. 24.
With each, both parents and children can see what’s going on in the barns, help out with chores, and learn about root cellars and sheep shearing.
Scopinich said it is important to get outside in the winter, not just to stay physically active, but to maintain emotional well-being. (And also get your daily dose of Vitamin D.)
“Definitely take the time to get outside and stay active and enjoy the natural world during this special time of year,” she urged.
For more details on programs, and to register, visit www.massaudubon.org.

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