Arts & Life

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Faith Matters: Faith mattered to Jimmy Carter: Mourning the loss of the former president who had the soul of a prophet

01-31-2025 9:40 AM

By BEN TOUSLEY, M.DIV

Listening to Jimmy Carter’s funeral service on Jan. 9, a national day of mourning, I found myself choking up as they brought his casket into the cathedral. My emotion certainly wasn’t because Carter’s life, at 100, had been cut short. He had lived out his calling as peacemaker, house builder, disease preventer and the like.


Sounds Local: She’s a little bit country: The Rendezvous hosts a special evening of honky-tonk music with Betsy-Dawn Williams

01-29-2025 2:35 PM

By SHERYL HUNTER

For three and a half years, multi-instrumentalist Michael Pattavina of Greenfield has hosted the Bluegrass and Beyond session at the Rendezvous in Turners Falls. These sessions occur on the last Friday of the month except during December and the warm weather months of May through August. This month’s session will be held on Friday, Jan. 31 at 9 p.m. and will be an evening of honky-tonk music with special guest Betsy-Dawn Williams.


Speaking of Nature: A spa for snakes: Finding signs of garter snakes and their skins in my woodpile

01-28-2025 1:34 PM

By BILL DANIELSON

It was a Sunday and a big storm was on the way. The morning was fairly calm, but clouds had moved in and there wasn’t much time before the snow started to fall. In a perfect world I could have simply kicked off my shoes and settled in for a quiet winter morning, but we don’t live in a perfect world. Instead, we live in a world that requires firewood to be moved from time to time, and, like it or not, it was time.


Longevity noodles to welcome a new year: An aptly shaped food for the Year of the Snake

01-27-2025 1:01 PM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

Early Wednesday morning (Jan. 29) we will welcome the Year of the Snake. As readers may know, the Chinese Zodiac comprises 12 signs. Each is assigned an animal, and the animals repeat in a 12-year cycle. This roughly corresponds to the time it takes Jupiter to orbit the sun.


Dance for your rights: Post-Inauguration Hangover Party Saturday night will benefit ACLU, Planned Parenthood

01-24-2025 10:18 AM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 25) at the Rendezvous, the band The Frost Heaves and Hales will play a show that band member Daniel Hales thought he’d never do again.


Become a filmmaker in two weeks: GCTV will hold fifth annual Lights! Camera! Greenfield! short film contest

01-24-2025 10:06 AM

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

Lights! Camera! Greenfield! is back for Greenfield Community Television’s fifth annual film sprint competition, challenging aspiring filmmakers to make a short film in just two weeks. 


Everybody loves ‘Bluey’: Over 240 guests of all ages attended the second annual Bluey Party last week

01-24-2025 10:05 AM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

The inter-generational love for the Australian children’s cartoon “Bluey” was on full display during the Montague Public Libraries sponsored Bluey Party last weekend as parents and their children enjoyed the activities together, while expressing their love for the popular Blue Heeler. 


Spreading the word about wild bees: UMass PhD candidate and Greenfield native devoted to tiny insects

01-24-2025 10:03 AM

By EVELINE MACDOUGALL

(Editor’s note: This is part two in a two-part series.)


Faith Matters: Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly: Taking the steps to return to God

01-24-2025 9:50 AM

By THE REV. DEREK IRVINE

Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Allow me to introduce, or shall I say re-introduce, myself, as I’ve had the opportunity to write for this column a few times before. My name is Pastor Derek Irvine and I have the privilege of now serving as the new senior pastor at the Advent Christian Church in Vernon, Vermont, after serving on staff for the past nine years as associate pastor. My family and I have settled in the beautiful town of Gill and we have loved living in Franklin County and serving in this area.


Sounds Local: New year means new music: Popular local bands have big plans for 2025

01-22-2025 2:24 PM

By SHERYL HUNTER

January is the month of new beginnings, and with the new year comes the arrival of new music. In the upcoming weeks, some popular Franklin County-based musicians playing their first local shows of 2025 where they will give audiences the chance to listen to new music before it is officially released.


Speaking of Nature: Reflected in a blue jay’s eye: A curious opportunity to try something a little artsy

01-21-2025 9:56 AM

By BILL DANIELSON

Anyone who has ever dabbled in the art of photography will understand that you find yourself at the mercy of your environment. Of course, I am speaking of outdoor photography in this case. Studio photography is an entirely different organism because in that particular endeavor the art lies in manufacturing an environment. If you are outdoors, however, you have to find ways to make due with what you’ve got on any particular day.


A sweet treat for cookie monsters: These peanut butter oat bars made my mother happy in the last year of her life

01-21-2025 9:55 AM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to bring something sweet to a meeting. The meeting took place on our National Day of Mourning for the late President Jimmy Carter so I decided to make something with peanuts or peanut butter. Carter was a peanut farmer before he went into politics.


Looky Here looks to the future: Greenfield’s ‘artist clubhouse’ finds small but mighty victories

01-17-2025 10:18 AM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

After Looky Here’s third annual fundraising campaign that concluded in December, the Greenfield non-profit and self-described artist clubhouse is looking to the future. 


He’s seen Bigfoot: Paranormal researcher Ronny Le Blanc to speak at Erving Public Library on Sunday, Jan. 19

01-17-2025 9:55 AM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Paranormal aficionado Ronny Le Blanc knows there’s something out there besides humans – knowledge he wants to share and explore during a talk at the Erving Public Library on Jan. 19. 


Meet the Bohemians of Franklin County: Northampton author will speak about his new book on the history of Bohemians in Turners Falls

01-17-2025 9:53 AM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

James Bridgman of Northampton will speak about his recent book, “Forgotten Immigrants: The Bohemians of Turners Falls, Massachusetts,” on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Great Falls Discovery Center on Avenue A in Turners Falls.


Faith Matters: Envisioning the only perfect government: True peace on earth will come from Jesus Christ

01-17-2025 9:52 AM

By PASTOR BRETT REITENBACH

History is filled with the rise and fall of governments. Some leaders stay in place for many years, but even those who stay in power a long time must eventually depart. In recent weeks, major leadership changes have happened in various parts of the world. Here in the United States, we are just two days away from Inauguration Day which will see our 47th president enter the office. Despite America’s political divisions and trying times throughout its history, the relative stability and consistency of elections and transfers of power for more than 230 years is remarkable.


‘When I see bees, I see beauty’: Local scientist explores the world of native bees

01-17-2025 9:51 AM

By EVELINE MACDOUGALL

Aliza Fassler is a scientist who spends a lot of time outdoors, and the Greenfield native offers a tip that can lead to an extraordinary experience. The next time you’re perspiring while outdoors on a warm day, keep an eye out for a tiny flying insect. If a golden green sweat bee (Augochlorella aurata) lands on you, there’s a chance you could observe it licking the salt on your skin. If you look carefully, you might even see its miniscule tongue. “It tickles!” said Fassler.


Sounds Local: Who says January is a slow month for music? Lots of free local music happening this weekend and beyond

01-15-2025 1:54 PM

By SHERYL HUNTER

There’s no denying that January is a slow time for live music, especially shows by more prominent musicians who choose not to tour this time of year. But all is not lost. You need not look further than our local breweries to find and enjoy some excellent local music. As a bonus, these shows are often free and in an intimate setting.


Speaking of Nature: The bird that changes outfits in the winter: The adult male American goldfinch opts for a less showy plumage

01-14-2025 3:12 PM

By BILL DANIELSON

Anyone who makes a regular habit of watching birds will recognize that there is a predictable rhythm to the seasons. Winter is the harshest time of year and as a result there are fewer species to look for. At my house, in the month of January, I have managed to see a maximum of 31 different species. Different people living in different places will probably see a smaller number than that, but there may be the occasional yard that has more species to offer.


The bread book we’ve been waiting for: ‘The King Arthur Baking Company Big Book of Bread’ is the first from the centuries-old brand

01-13-2025 2:39 PM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

Bread is one of humanity’s earliest foods. It is certainly the oldest food that uses cultivated crops. It is meaningful to us humans in many ways. It symbolizes warmth, nourishment and home.


Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."

Flipart

A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.

Really Bad Chess

Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.

SpellTower

Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.

Typeshift

Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.


Displaying articles 21 to 40 out of 642 total.
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