CALENDAR AT A GLANCE:

Register Online or call (401)-253-2707 exts. 16 or 21

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:                                

YOGA in the Gardens
Thursday mornings from June 4 - July 9, at 8:30– 9:30 am

Stress is difficult to avoid in today's world - but you can counteract the effects of stress through the practice of yoga. Yoga focuses the mind, relaxes the body, reduces everyday stress levels and boosts feelings of joy and serenity. Through the precise movements of yoga, you develop better body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination. Yoga offers a space for positive contemplation or spiritual reflection, harmonizing both mind and body. Its practice creates a non-competitive, go at your own pace atmosphere.

The Yoga Loft and Blithewold invite you to enjoy the benefits of yoga while soaking in the sights, smells, and sounds of the beautiful early morning landscape. This six week class is appropriate for anyone looking for a deeply relaxing experience. It is also an ideal for students looking to begin their practice or for those concerned with injury. The postures, breath work, and meditation can be a powerful tool for those who feel that their body is undergoing changes beyond their control, such as the effects of MS, recovery from trauma, or chronic pain from arthritis or injury. Also suitable for pregnant women.

Classes will be held in Blithewold’s lovely North Garden overlooking the Great Lawn and Narragansett Bay. Each session will teach yoga postures, alignment, breath-work and build core strength. Finish the class feeling your best and enjoy a light snack and a refreshing walk through the gardens.

Check in at the visitor center next to Blithewold’s main parking lot before each class. In the event of rain, yoga class will meet in the wedding tent. Please wear layers of comfortable clothes and bring a large beach towel, blanket or yoga mat. Chairs are also available.

The Yoga Loft serves the East Bay Community with group classes and private yoga instruction seven days a week at their studio in the Cutler Mills, Warren, RI. For more information, or to contact The Yoga Loft, visit www.YogaLoftRi.com or call 401-245-0881.

Advance registration is recommended, although drop-ins are welcome. Price: Six weeks - $60 Blithewold Members, $80 Non-Members. Drop in Class - $12 members, $15 non-members

Teachers' Biographies:

Jane Bergmark is the director of the Yoga Loft. Forever a student, she has studied the ancient arts of Yoga, Shiatsu, Qi Gong, and Makko-Ho Meridian stretches for over twelve years, and has taught Youth and Parent/Child Yoga at the YMCA and Yoga Loft for the past three years. Jane also teaches gentle and beginners yoga. Her classes emphasize breath, spiritual development, and fun!

Ni Ketut Tirta was born and raised in Lovina on the Island of Bali in Indonesia. Ni Ketut has practiced Ashtanga Yoga for the past 12 years, having begun her studies of yoga living for 8 years at the Tukadmungga Ashram in Bali. She started dancing as a small child with her family (all musicians and dancers), studying Balinese dance in depth with many teachers and completing her education at Saraswati School (a fine arts school). She began teaching dance at Sanggar Asri Bali in Lovina, Bali, and has taught and performed Balinese dance at public and private events for the past 15 years.

 “A Walk In The Woods”
Held last Sunday of the month, on Sunday, July 26th at 1:30 p.m.

Blithewold has 33 acres of amazing trails and is a wonderful place to take a hike!  We are now offering informal, yet informative walks through the arboretum. We are now offering informal, yet informative walks through the arboretum. Join Assistant Grounds Manager and Certified Horticulturist Dan Christina for a “Walk in the Woods” as he explores different topics each month including evergreens, winter interest plantings, native trees, small trees for the suburban homeowner, street trees in nature, and more! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore some of Blithewold’s collection of over 3000 trees and shrubs. (tour topics are subject to change)

Sunday, July 26 - "Blithewold's Giants"
Sunday, August 30 - "Late Summer Interest"

Advanced registration is recommended.  Drop-Ins welcome!  Price: FREE for Blithewold Members, $5  Non-members.  Woodland Walkers will meet will meet at the Carriage House.

“Book Worms” Book Club
Monday, July 27th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Norman Bird Sanctuary

Do you like to read? Are you interested in gardening, nature or the environment? Blithewold and the Norman Bird Sanctuary have teamed up to offer a forum for our members to discuss books related to our mission of conservation, preservation and education! The Book Worms book club is a fun way to enjoy our beautiful grounds, meet new people to discuss great books, and each meeting will be followed by a potluck social.

Bookworms Book Club July 27 at the Norman Bird Sanctuary – Essays

Bring your thoughts and a dish to share! The "Book Worms" Book Club will meet on the last Monday evening of each month, alternating sites between Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum and The Norman Bird Sanctuary.

FREE for Blithewold and Norman Bird Sanctuary members.
Club meetings take place in the Living Room at Blithewold Mansion or at the Norman Bird Sanctuary Studio.
For more information, contact Julie Murphy at 401-253-2707, x16 or Jen Klein at 401-846-2577, x32.

Blithewold Garden Soirees
Wednesday Evenings, 5 pm to Dusk

Back by popular demand...take a sojourn from the mundane & indulge yourself; each soiree showcases New England wines & cheeses, music by local musicians and spectacular scenery.

July 15 - Jason Roseman Steel Drum Calypso
August 19 - Bruce Hopkins Classical Ensemble
September 9 – Laszlo Gardony (piano) and John Lockwood (bass) Jazz Duo

Our soirees truly embrace all the fine things summer has to offer… beautiful gardens on a warm summer evening, watching the sunset as boats sail by and listening to relaxing music while sipping a glass of New England wine and sampling local cheeses. In  Blithewold’s commitment to stay “green” and sustainable, we will showcase wines and cheeses that have been produced closer to home, which means more locally grown grapes, small New England dairy farms and less transportation involved. Soirees at Blithewold are perfect for special occasions, casual picnickers, groups of friends, members, neighbors and those who are new to the community!  Picnic dinners, blankets and chairs are welcome. In the event of rain, soirees will be held in the tent.

Advanced registration is required.   In the event of rain, soirees will be held in the tent.

Prices: 
Individual Tickets:  $25 Individual Member, $30 Non Member
Couple Tickets: $45 Members, $55, Non-Member Couples
SPECIAL OFFER for Blithewold Members:  FOUR Soirees: $75 for Individual Members, $135 for Couples. 

Family Fun Friday featuring a performance by Christopher Carbone
Friday, July 10th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

July 10th activities will include a live performance by Christopher Carbone from 11am to noon, and a craft project, face painting, games, and scavenger hunt activity from noon to 1pm. 

Bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy these future shows.....
July 17
Be amazed as you watch a performance by MAD SCIENCE!

July 24
Join us for an exciting puppet show by Sparky’s Puppets called “Tales of the Sea and Shore”!

July 31
You won’t want to miss a special visit from REGAL Reptiles!

August 7
Watch a live performance of “The Jungle Book” by the All Children’s Theater!

August 14
The “Tandem Tellers” will entertain with a musical performance about the life of an ant!

All activities are FREE with museum admission!

Sakonnet View Farm Intimate Garden Tour
Wednesday, July 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

Treat yourself to a unique excursion to Sakonnet View Farm, Portsmouth RI. This certified National Wildlife Foundation Backyard Habitat was designed to attract local wildlife and to provide family and friends with organic food. This Master Gardener practices organic gardening to produce healthy vegetables and herbs as well as fresh flowers and greens, which are always found on the dinner table. In addition plants were selected by the homeowner to benefit wildlife. This ”Backyard Habitat” is divided into a series of themes including: a driveway alley, an entry courtyard, herbs and vegetable bed, berry patches, perennial gardens, woodland, ‘wild’ meadow and bee yard.

Sakonnet View Farm is a great example of sustainable horticultural practices. Join us on an intimate tour as the Homeowner/ NOFA Organic Land Care Professional/ URI Master Gardener shares her garden secrets! Learn how to amend the soil with compost, create mulch by using your own chopped leaves, encourage beneficial insects in the garden, work to control invasive plants, utilize companion planting, prune trees and shrubs appropriately, and protect plants from stress.

Each garden tour is unique, but all afford the opportunity to explore and ask questions. Light refreshments will be available at each tour. Directions to the site will be sent via email (or mailed if you do not have email) the week prior to the tour.

Advanced registration is required.
Price Ranges:
$30 Blithewold Members, $35 Non-Members.

**$50 - Rose level - 1 tour plus donation towards new outdoor furniture in Blithewold’s Display Garden
**$80 & up - Golden Rose level - 1 tour plus donation towards Blithewold’s Vegetable Garden project.
**To register for these tours AND donate to Blithewold's Garden projects, please call us at (401) 253 2707, ext. 21.

Blithewold GREEN KIDS CLUB presents:
Kids' Photography!
Saturday, July 25, 1– 2:30 pm

If you have a camera, this session is for you! Learn special techniques for taking photos of nature. Keep these photos of Blithewold as a souvenir!

Advanced registration is required. Price:$5 all materials included.  Appropriate for students in grades 1-5.

TAI CHI in the Trees
Tuesdays, August 4, 11, 18 & 25 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
 
Join us for Tai Chi in the trees. All classes are taught with a focus on the principles of Tai Chi. Classes consist of both group and individual instruction in a relaxed format. Each class starts with “softening” exercises, performed in a soft-standing position to assist the student in relaxing mussels and joints. These exercises utilize the navel for movement and promote natural breathing in preparation for learning the Tai Chi form. The main focus of each class is the Tai Chi form which is comprised of a number of individual moves arranged in a specific sequence. The form takes about 20 minutes and when performed as slow, smooth, flowing, coordinated movements, has the potential of leaving the student feeling refreshed, relaxed, strengthened and energized.

Instructor Jim Simon's background is comprised of over 20 years of training and teaching in the art of Tai Chi Chuan. He states “My training started in the US and has advanced under the guidance of a Grand Master in Hong Kong who I visit on a yearly basis. I am dedicated to the study of Tai Chi and have had the privilege of leading classes in a number of states in the US and the UK. My classes contain various age groups and levels of physical fitness. I teach beginner to advanced level group classes and private individual instruction in the Tai Chi form and Chi Kung. I also teach “by appointment” classes focusing on the Tai Chi sword set, the knife set, and the spear set and partner exercises to students who wish to pursue more advanced training.”

Advance registration is recommended, drop-ins are welcome.     
Price: 4 weeks $40 Blithewold Members, $50 Non-Members. Drop in Class - $12 Members, $15 Non-Members

Memberfest Membership Drive & Cocktail Party
Wednesday, August 5th, from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Enjoy a memorable evening at Blithewold!  We invite you to discover all the wonderful benefits of a Blithewold Membership.  Members, bring your friends and show them what they have been missing!  Enter to win a beautiful gift from Blithewold's gardens.  Round out the evening with wine and fine food from one of our foremost caterers.  This event is free and open to all!

Advance registration is required.  Please RSVP by July 29th at (402)253-2707 ext. 21

THE ART OF ENTERTAINING: Throw a Garden Party with STYLE
Wednesday, August 12, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Entertaining is an art; it takes organization, planning and execution skills. Entertaining is also about having a good time and should be very gratifying knowing you are creating something special that others can enjoy. Learn how to throw a garden party with style! Under Blithewold’s elegant Century Tent, we will unlock the secrets of the pros, exploring everything from invites and etiquette to centerpieces and canapés.

Instructor Olive Chase , Owner & President of The Casual Gourmet (www.thecasualgourmet.com), has 35+ years of industry experience and a true passion for her work. Olive is known for her utmost attention to detail and her unparalleled level of event planning as Cape Cod’s premier caterer. Olive currently sits on the Caterers Committee of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and the Membership Committee of the International Caterers Association.
www.thecasualgourmet.com

Advanced registration is required. Price: $10 Members, $15 Non-Members

Blithewold GREEN KIDS CLUB presents:
Life from the Shore to the Sea, with Karen Potter
Saturday, August 29th from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

From the sea to the shore and back, discover life as it is found on the beach, in the bay and out in the ocean! We will explore these ideas through activities games and crafts.

Advanced registration is required.  Price: $5 all materials included.  Appropriate for students in grades 1-5.

Family Night Hike
Friday Sept. 11, 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM

Get ready to tune up your night vision and explore the trails and woodlands of Blithewold! The creatures of the night, such as katydids, owls, and bats, will be your companions as you identify their voices and learn more about their lives. Also, have you ever looked up at the night sky and saw a figure of a person, animal or object? Learn how to identify your favorite constellations. Bring a small flashlight and your favorite pair of hiking boots. Kids in grades 1-5 and are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This program includes an easy hike, followed by refreshments.

Advance registration is required.  Price: $7 for Blithewold Members, $10 Non-Members, $5 for children under 16.  Check in at the Carriage House by 7:15pm.  Rain Date Friday, Sept. 18.

The Fall of the Leaf : Capturing The Splendor Of Blithewold
A digital photo workshop with Jan Armor.
Saturday, September 12, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM 

Join Award Winning professional photographer Jan Armor for a morning of photography in the lovely gardens and arboretum of Blithewold. In this four hour workshop, Mr. Armor will show you how to make (not take) great photographs using your digital camera. He will demonstrate many tips and techniques that you can apply as you stroll through the colorful arboretum that is Blithewold. The last hour will be for projection and discussion of your work on the big screen. After taking good quality close ups of plants and flowers, we shall break for a bag lunch review with the group! Bring your instruction manual, be sure your batteries are charged, and your memory card is clear!

Jan Armor has practiced the art and commerce of film and digital photography for over 40 years. Jan was the founder of Armor Photography, a long time photographic institution in Portsmouth, RI. He was President of the Newport Photographers' Guild for several terms, and is now serving as Vice President of the Portsmouth Arts Guild.  Jan has taught photography and Photoshop at Newport Art Museum, Tower Hill Botanical Gardens, Portsmouth Arts Guild, Bristol Art Museum, and has lectured at Rhode Island School of Design. He offers private lessons in photography, Photoshop, Elements and light room.  Visit www.armorphoto.com to see some of Jan's work. 

Students will photograph outdoors. Rain date is Sunday, September 20^th from 9 am-1 pm. Please bring a bag lunch.  

Advanced registration is required. Price: $30 Blithewold Members, $35 Non-Members.

Discover Dahlias
Saturday, Sept. 13, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Few flowers offer such variety in color and form as do dahlias. Dahlias are the backbone of many flower gardens with their bountiful production of attractive blossoms. Gail Read, Gardens Manager at Blithewold will give a special tour of the garden and then a helpful demonstration on the art of growing these wonderful flowers. The session will cover propagation, planting and staking, fertilizing, pest control, and pinching/disbudding for beautiful blooms.

Advanced registration is required.  Price: $7 Blithewold Members, $10 Non-Members.

Garage Open House –Ask Fred
Saturday, Sept. 26, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Ask Fred about tool sharpening, maintenance, pruning questions and more! Director of Horticulture Fred Perry and Assistant Grounds Manager, Dan Christina will open the doors to the garage for all to see. Learn what it takes to care for Blithewold’s 33 acres of land and bring your home gardening questions too!

This event takes place during the Autumn Splendor Festival (Sept. 27 - Oct. 11.)  FREE with Admission to Blithewold.

Family Fairy House Workshop
Sunday, Sept. 27, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM

Blithewold’s fairies need your help! The leaves will be falling soon, and the fairies need a place to live. The entire family is invited to share an enchanted afternoon in Blithewold’s enchanted forest on Sunday, September 27 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. During this workshop we will create tiny fairy houses out of natural materials and found objects. The goal is to entice garden fairies old and new to live and work their magic in our gardens. These charming houses will be left on display for all to see! Listen to stories about fairy lore and other woodland mysteries and enjoy a light snack. Bring your imagination and a blanket for relaxing outdoors.

Advanced registration is suggested. Price: $5 Blithewold Members, $7 Non-members.

Fairy House Village
Sept. 27th – October 11th

Bring your family to see Blithewold’s own Fairy Village! After our Family Fairy House Workshop, the fairy houses that are created will be left on display during Autumn Splendor. Your children will not want to miss this magical display!

This exhibit will be on display during the Autumn Splendor Festival (Sept 27 – October 11.)  FREE with Admission.

Goblins in the Garden
Saturday, October 3, from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Apple Pie Contest Judging
Saturday, October 3, 1:00 PM

Get revved up for a fun-filled afternoon of Costumes, the Trick-or-Treat Trail, music, wagon rides, and homemade apple pies! On Saturday, October 3rd Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum brings you the 1st ever Apple Pie Contest!
A fundraising event for Blithewold, this is an apple pie contest that will be held during the Goblins in the Garden family event that will draw amateur bakers and pastry pros from to compete for the coveted blue ribbon. It’s the “Clash of the Pie Pans!”

So if you’re a great baker, before you sharpen that paring knife, or break out the good rolling pin or hone your most delicious recipe, register to enter because there are only 75 contestant slots.  A panel of local chefs, restaurateurs, and pie lovers will donate their time and taste buds to judge dozens of apple pies, looking for the ultimate combination of appearance, taste and texture. Not much of a baker? No problem! Come on by to join the fun, bring the kids and just cheer on your favorite baker. But come hungry, because after the judges have their say, you can try some of those fabulous pies for just a few bucks and conduct your own taste test.

If you would like to register, please do so by Thursday, October 1, 2009. To register, please call us at either (401) 253-2707 ext. 21 or ext. 16  It costs $15 to enter a pie for judging.  Pies can be dropped off at Blithewold on Saturday October 3, from 9 am -11 am. Judging will take place on the same day at 1:00 pm. Winner will be announced and prizes will be given after the judging!

This event is FREE with Blithewold admission.  Part of the Autumn Splendor Festival!

Register Online or call (401)-253-2707 exts. 16 or 21