Virtual Open House Grand Success

updated Dec 21, 2020

Oh my gosh, thank you all for such a fun day!! We learned and laughed so much.

We started our day out with a virtual show and tell where we heard from Roberta Wells, Jane Slayton and Dan Adams. Such great adventures they went on around the state. So glad they were able to share them with us. Several GSAs said they were impressed and inspired to do even more exploring around New Hampshire. Read their original submissions here.


Next up was NH Trivia with Virginia. Such a smart group! We started with the basics of NH’s official fruit, vegetable, poultry… and then moved on to things NH was First for; some NH history, portraits in the state house and more. We even had a little time after baking with the NH B&B Association that we had another round!

Here is a recap of some of the trivia questions:

Name the colors in the NH State Tartan: Green, purple, white, black and red

Who were NH’s first 2 women elected to the House of Representatives? Dr. Mary Farnum and Miss Jesse Doe

Name the 9 Women who have portraits on the walls of the State House:

Harriet Dame
Mary Baker Eddy
Hilda Brungot
Carolyn Gross
Vesta Roy
Donna Sytek
Marilla Ricker
Jeanne Shaheen
Dudley Dudley

This is the order they were hung up.

How many official State songs does NH have? 10

In order they are:

Old NH (this is THE official song…the others are now deemed as honorary NH songs)
NH My NH
NH Hills
Autumn in NH
New Hampshire’s Granite State
Oh NH – You’re My Home
Old Man of the Mountain
NH State March
NH Naturally ( the Shaw Brothers)
Live Free or Die

They all went through the legislative process, so they are officially adopted but when they added the 9th song, they noted that the others are honorary.

State Symbols:

Bird – Purple finch
Tree- white birch
Butterfly – karner blue
Beverage – apple cider
Wild cat – Bob cat
Raptor – red tailed hawk
Amphibian – red spotted newt
Dog – Chinook
Fruit – pumpkin
Vegetable – potatoe
Insect – ladybug
Flower- purple lilac
Wild flower- pink lady slipper
Sport – alpine skiing

NH Firsts:

First state to declare our independence from the British
First state to adopt a State constitution
First state to have skiing
First state to have an organized ski school
First state to vote
First state to have a female majority legislative body
First state to have all female federal delegation: Gov.Hassan, Sen. Shaheen, Sen. Ayotte, Congresswomen – Kuster and Shea-Porter…even the Chief Justice of NH Supreme Court was a woman that year- Justice Delanis


Ruth Graff, Innkeeper at the Benjamin Prescott Inn joined us on behalf of the NH Bed & Breakfast Association to teach us how to make her Orange Cranberry Scones. She had some great tips we can’t wait to try out when baking our own! Click here for the recipe to try them out for yourself!


Next up was a Lunch and Learn with Kris Neilsen, Communications Manager at the NH Division of Travel and Tourism. Catch up on the the division’s marketing efforts in this video presentation.


After our lunch, we relaxed and tried our hand at making Rope Coil Vessels aka little baskets. Our photos show us off to a great start. Roberta sent pictures of her completed basket. Beautiful!

Here are the instructions we followed and a few other examples of how to make them.

Hand Sew: http://www.we-are-scout.com/2013/05/tutorial-make-rope-coil-vessels.html
or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02X50_knL-A
Sewing machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqlef_18bTo&app=desktop


In our next segment, we learned that we should stick to our day jobs and not pursue a career as a Christmas Caroling troupe! We should have recorded it for a good laugh. Thank you Emily for sharing your musical gift with us. We are filing this one under, “What happens at the Zoom sing-a-long, stays at the Zoom sing-a-long!” Click here for a list of Holiday songs and their lyrics.


Our fun, busy day ended with the Social Committee’s cocktail party with toasts, fun polls and some serious merriment! Thank you everyone for a fantastic day. I think we all needed a spirit lift!


CONGRATULATIONS!
Epic Raffle Winners in drawing order

Explore NH Virtual Show & Tell
CC Barefoot Painting WJP – The Birches: Mary O’Brien
Patty’s Nuts Gift Box with White Wine: Joe Walker
4, 1 day trail admissions to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center: Kathryn Segreti
2 passes for the Mt Washington Auto Road: Joe Walker
$25 Portsmouth A la Carte Card: Dick Charpentier
Common Man $25 Card: Gretchen Ziegler
Participants only: $10 voucher for GSA store or cinch sak: Dan Adams

NH Trivia Game
Overnight Stay at Common Man Claremont: Marty Wagner
NH State House Ornament: Bill Peterson
2 trail passes with rentals to Eastman XC: Jackie Kelly
1 year membership to the Wright Museum: Karen Simmons
Admission for 2 adults and 2 children for Castle in Clouds: Diane Eilts
Participants only: $10 voucher for GSA store: Maryellen McGrath

Baking with NH Bed & Breakfast Association
Patty’s Nuts Gift Box with Red Wine: Gretchen Ziegler
$25 Diz Cafe: Vivian Villemure
4-pack admission to the Seacoast Science Center: Patty Mason
2 trail passes with rentals to Eastman XC: Howie Wheeler
Case of beer, bottles of vodka and rum plus a $25 gift card to Stark Brewing: Lyn Gelinas
$30 Blue Bistro at the Naswa Resort: Lillian Swenson
$15 Mad River Coffee: Marlene Taussig
Participants only: $10 voucher for GSA store: Karen Goulet

Lunch and Learn with DTTD
CC Barefoot Artist WJP Flowers Under Water: Howie Wheeler
$25 Diz Café: Liz Kotowski
Golf for 2 with cart at Eastman Golf Links: Robbie Grady
Overnight stay at Tru Hilton, Manchester: Judi Window
Old Man Quilt sewn by GSA Pam Magrath: Bill Peterson
2 Taste of Membership passes to the Currier Museum of Art: Marty Wagner
Participants only: $10 voucher for GSA store: Dawn Bourret

Crafting with Kelly & Two Truths and a Lie
$25 Portsmouth A la Carte Card: Patty Mason
$50 Flying Monkey: Rita Glasheen
$25 Diz Café: Dick Charpentier
2-pack Fisher Cats: Gretchen Ziegler
Branch Brook Campground: Michelle Demirjian
2 trail passes with rentals to Eastman XC: Emily Goulet
Cozy Tea Carte – tea, canister and teapot: Emma Bryer
Participants only: GSA cinch sak: Roberta Wells

Holiday Sing-a-long with Emily
$25 Diz Café: Gretchen Ziegler
4-pack admission to the Seacoast Science Center: Sue Geyer
4-pack Fisher Cats: Dick Charpentier
4-pack Fisher Cats: Diane Eilts
2 tickets to ride the Cog RR: Moe Demers
Golf for 2 with cart at Eastman Golf Links: Barbara Shea
2 tickets to Strawbery Banke: Patty Mason
$30 Blue Bistro at the Naswa Resort: Dawn Bourret
Participants only: $10 voucher for GSA store or cinch sak: Sonya Clay

Social Committee Cocktail Party
Grand Prize Drawing – $500 Portsmouth A-la-carte card to make your own Seacoast get-away package donated by Granite State Ambassadors: Carolyn O’Brien