Highfield Hall will be hopping today, tonight, and for the rest of the week, with a full slate of activities scheduled. Ranging from cooking, to puppetry, to gardening, to art, the events offer something for just about everyone.
Today at 1 p.m., local gourmet Gail Blakely will be on hand to teach a class on Cooking the Flavors of Summer. Blakely will demonstrate how to use herbs to give dishes a satisfyingly summertime taste, cooking up swordfish with pesto sauce, green beans with thyme, roasted red peppers with rosemary, and, for dessert, lavender butter cookies with minted fruit compote.
If you somehow have any leftovers after trying out those recipes, you can pack them up in a picnic basket and bring it to Highfield's tennis lawn for a Family Night Out. Starting at 5 tonight, families can spread their blankets, set up their chairs, and tuck in, while enjoying crafts, games, and friendly conversation. At 6, puppeteer Tom Knight and his friends—including Allie the Alligator and Henry the Magician—will entertain kids with skits and songs.
Tomorrow at 4 p.m., William Maloney will conduct a Plein Air Demonstration, to open Highfield's new exhibit, Fresh Air. Maloney will discuss the challenges and rewards of capturing landscapes and other scenes in ever-shifting light and weather conditions. The show, which brings together the works of Maloney and other local outdoor painters, runs daily through Sept. 23.
On Saturday, between 10 a.m and noon, gardeners will want to check out Growing Green, an event providing information and tips for grownups, fun activities for kids, and ideas for future projects for the whole family, all with an eye toward environmentally sound practices. Plenty of local experts will demonstrate innovative ways to recycle, compost, and keep your lawn chemical free. Kids will get the chance to start their own lettuce and herb plants from seeds.
Sunday is another doubleheader day, beginning with an Estate Walk at 1 p.m. A docent will walk visitors around the property, and share the history of the Beebe family, as well as the fate of Tanglewood, Highfield's vanished sister mansion.
And at 4p.m., WXTK's C.L. Fornari, will be at Highfield for In the Garden: FYI. Discuss the latest developments in plants, products, and good garden practices with the Garden Lady herself.
For more information on any of these events, contact Highfield Hall at (508) 495-1878 or info@highfieldhall.org, or visit http://www.highfieldhall.org/.