Arts & Life
‘I’ve met friends in my books’: Eric Carle Museum celebrates author, illustrator Grace Lin with retrospective exhibition
By CAROLYN BROWN
Florence-based author and illustrator Grace Lin is known for books like “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” (for which she received a Newbery Honor in 2010), “The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon,” “The Ugly Vegetables,” and “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” (for which she received a Caldecott Honor in 2019). Now, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst is celebrating Lin’s work with a career retrospective.
‘You can just do it forever’: Belly dance classes and shows grow steady local following
By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN
Greenfield business owner and belly dancer Elizabeth DeNeeve and South Deerfield belly dancer Emily Gaylord having been co-producing a belly dancing showcase called “Molten: An Evening of Belly Dancing at the LAVA Center” where the two aim to not only entertain, but educate audiences on the Middle Eastern style of dance.
With a little help from his community: Northfield Mount Hermon teacher fighting rare form of cancer begins clinical trial
By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN
A 48 year-old Gill native, Pillsbury was experiencing stomach pain while on vacation in April, and a trip to the doctor’s office led to a diagnosis of stage four, metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma – a rare form of cancer within the bile ducts connecting to the liver. As this cancer leaves no tracers in the blood like other cancers, discovery of the illness is often incidental, and too late.
Valley Bounty: Rain or shine, strawberries are here: Teddy C. Smiarowski Farm welcomes another pick-your-own season
By LISA GOODRICH
The Smiarowski family name has been a fixture in Valley farming since around 1923 when Alexander Smiarowski came from Poland, and purchased farmland in Montague for a dairy, along with cucumbers, asparagus and corn.
Let’s Talk Relationships: Bridging the emotional divide: Part 1: The impact of gender conditioning
By AMY NEWSHORE
Why is it so hard for many couples to connect emotionally, even when they love each other? So often, the answer lies in early messages — whether clearly stated or subtly implied — that teach each gender how to “do” emotion. Men are often told to “man up.” Women are told they’re “too emotional.” These lessons, absorbed in childhood, shape how we show up in adult relationships and quietly build walls between us. The emotional divide they create runs deep, and its impact on connection is profound.
New ways to see: Northfield artist shares gifts despite impending blindness
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
Faced with total vision loss in the near future, many people might understandably respond with despair, fear, anger, or all three. Yet Virginia “Jinx” Hastings, 80, faces such loss in inspiring ways. After undergoing more than a dozen procedures for glaucoma, Hastings learned that she’s exhausted surgical solutions; her response was to create art, which is currently on display through July at the Dickinson Memorial Library in Northfield.
Sounds Local: Green River Fest returns this weekend: Strong presence of local bands in the lineup this year
By SHERYL HUNTER
It’s finally here, the big weekend that so many of us have been waiting for. The Green River Festival will take place at the Franklin County Fairgrounds from Friday, June 20, through Sunday, June 22, and the good news is that tickets are still available.
Comedy, tragedy and pandemic tell relatable tale in Silverthorne Theater Co.’s latest production
By CAROLYN BROWN
In Silverthorne Theater Co.’s latest production, Jordan Harrison’s “The Amateurs,” a deft cast weaves its way through a complicated but comedic script with pandemic-era resonance.
Speaking of Nature: Pressure is on for the spotted turtle: Now is the point in the turtle life cycle when female turtles are most vulnerable
By BILL DANIELSON
The story of this spring has been the weather; specifically, the rain that just keeps falling. Add in the new arrival of the hazy smoke blowing south from Canadian wildfires and you’ve got a soggy, foggy, smoky, cloudy mess. The grass in my lawn is growing like crazy and the notion of a No Mow May wasn’t even really much of a choice so much as it was foisted upon us by the weather. When I finally get a dry moment to get out into the yard I am going to have to keep my eyes open for tigers and velociraptors in the tall grass.
Something red for Juneteenth: ‘The backbone of Juneteenth festivities has always been the table’
By TINKY WEISBLAT
Thursday is June 19, also known as Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, or Manumission Day.
‘Meant to only last the summer’: Amherst artist’s wheatpaste murals among those now decorating Montague
By CAROLYN BROWN
Earlier this year, three Massachusetts artists were chosen to create six wheatpaste murals total to decorate the town of Montague, a public art project funded by a $15,000 grant. The most local of the three – graphic designer and illustrator Sophie Foulkes – recently installed her murals at Montague Town Hall and 20 Masonic St. in Montague.
Valley Bounty: New farm with an old-fashioned feel: Moody Family Farm in Bernardston opens their farm stand this month
By LISA GOODRICH
When farming is in the family, the land calls no matter where else life takes you. Aaron Moody, owner-operator of Moody Family Farm, was born in Greenfield, and from the beginning, he knew that he loved working with animals. Three generations of Moody’s family farmed, and young Moody occasionally worked at his uncle’s dairy farm while growing up.
Move over, Dr. Dolittle: Belchertown resident shares her menagerie and helps heal animals
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
Jen Matos lives with an impressive menagerie and introduces her animals to people in inspiring ways. She also cares for sentient beings through her business, Touch Needed Massage Therapy and Wellness Center, “dedicated to helping you and your four-legged friends.”
Catharsis meets comedy: ‘Customers From Hell’ show will premiere at the Shea Theater on Sunday, June 15
By CAROLYN BROWN
Most people who have worked retail and food service jobs have dealt with customers who were rude, annoying, or just plain strange. A new comedy TV series written and filmed in the Pioneer Valley wants to answer the question: what if those customers were actually from Hell?
Faith Matters: Understanding the relentless love of God
By MARK E. ELLIS
One of my favorite books is a novel by Wm. Paul Young called “Cross Roads.” It is about a man whose life is the embodiment of evil and self-centeredness. He is so evil that after he divorced his wife, he decided he hadn’t hurt her enough. So, he wooed her and married her again so he could divorce her again and inflict more pain and damage on her.
Sounds Local: Returning to their roots: The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow brings annual Mountain Day festival to Berkshire East on Saturday
By SHERYL HUNTER
When the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow performed at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton in April, it was a good old-fashioned foot stompin’ rockin’ dance party complete with plenty of sing-alongs. Everyone had a great time, and it’s guaranteed to be more of the same when the band hosts their fourth annual Mountain Day festival at Berkshire East Ski Resort in Charlemont on Saturday, June 14, at 4 p.m.
Speaking of Nature: The pressures of parenthood: Bird dads, like human dads, deserve a happy Father’s Day
By BILL DANIELSON
June is upon us and we are all set to celebrate Father’s Day this coming weekend. If we have any luck at all the weather will be cooperative, but the pattern has been pretty dismal so far; 12 consecutive rainy weekends according to my brother. It has been a rough spring for outdoor activities, but that is seen strictly through the human lens. Our wild neighbors have a schedule to keep and the game is on rain or shine.
Simple and scrumptious: Welsh Rabbit is neither rabbit nor Welsh, but it’s supreme comfort food
By TINKY WEISBLAT
This week I’m doing for this column what I often do at the end of a long day, cooking something quick and easy and pleasing.
A star is born: Greenfield teen lands starring role first time acting in independent feature film
By CHRIS LARABEE
A Greenfield teen is making his silver screen debut in a new feature-length independent film.
Pride Day on the River returns: Annual event welcomes LGBTQ nature lovers and allies to kayak, raft and celebrate, June 21
BY MADISON SCHOFIELD
Pride Month is here, and to celebrate, LGBTQ+ nature and adventure enthusiasts are invited to gather for a day of paddling on the Deerfield River.
Your Daily Puzzles
An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."
A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.
Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.
Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.
Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
