A deep cold settled into New Hampshire in late December and is still with us, as I write this column today, to send off to the Maine Antique Digest.  Weather forecasters are indicating a bump up in temperatures around January 8th.  If they are right, it will end a two week cold snap that, right now, seems endless!

In spite of the cold, I traveled  the hour and a half to Portsmouth on January 1st to visit the Mavris Show which had a full house of dealers ready to get back to work after the holidays.  The next Portsmouth show will be February 4th, with March and April to round out this 2017-18 season.  And Milford continues every Sunday, 8:00 am to noon.

For those looking for more inside activities, the New Hampshire Historical Society is sponsoring a Heritage Lecture series which highlights the stories behind the state’s many historic and cultural attractions.  On January 13th, at 2:00 pm, join artist Bruce McColl, the Currier’s director of art education, as he shares an insider’s view of New Hampshire’s oldest art museum. How did industrial Manchester end up with a world-class art museum in an architectural gem of a building that would rival anything found in Boston or New York? And how has the Currier Museum of Art adapted over the years to suit the needs of a changing public? This lecture is included in the price of admission ($7). Society members and children 18 and under are admitted free of charge.

For those interested in genealogy, the Historical Society is also sponsoring a workshop on Saturday, January 20th, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.  The focus will be upon the use of DNA inn genealogy research.  Advances in DNA research have had huge implications for the field of genealogy. Yet, with the growing number of companies and options, it can be difficult to know what test is best for you. In this workshop Tom Dwyer of the New England Historic Genealogical Society will discuss the types of genetic tests available to family historians, the genealogical problems the tests can–and cannot–assist you with, and ultimately how to choose the right one(s) to further your family history research. Advance registration is required for this workshop; check out the NHHS website or call them for more information.

And don’t forget the antiques shops; a slightly more relaxed time of year to shop your favorites!

Stay warm,

Liz Kingsley

North Road Antiques

Alexandria, New Hampshire