Arts & Life
Valley Bounty: Nothing says autumn like apple picking: Over 10 varieties available this year at Apex Orchards
By LISA GOODRICH
School is back in session, and the emblematic apple is in season at local orchards. Courtney Basil, co-owner of Apex Orchards in Shelburne Falls, reports “beautiful, bountiful peach and apple crops this season.”Apex planted several new varieties in...
Opening with an organist: Brick Church Music Series returns this weekend
By CHRIS LARABEE
The Brick Church Music Series returns to Old Deerfield this weekend, as the annual concert series welcomes folks for an organ concert on Sunday.The series begins its 2024-25 season on Sunday, Sept. 22, as it presents award-winning organist Aaron Tan...
Faith Matters: Are you ‘spiritual enough?’: Activities that fill us up or connect us to others on a deeper level are actually spiritual
By THE REV. CINDY LAJOY
Have you ever judged yourself for not being “spiritual enough?” And what does that even mean? Today in America we often find people speaking more about their spiritual journeys than their faith or religious journeys, and for many that is a much better...
Sounds Local: On the road again: Americana quintet, Fruition, comes to Hawks & Reed on first tour post-pandemic
By SHERYL HUNTER
The pandemic took its toll on musicians everywhere, but the Americana quintet Fruition managed to emerge from their forced time off the road fully recharged and sounding better than ever.The band, who have been together for over 15 years, recently...
Sharing her skills and her sweets: Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop a destination for great baked goods and classes for all levels
By TINKY WEISBLAT
Lucy Damkoehler of Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop in Bernardston is very much a hometown gal. Although she claims not to know the names of all her customers, she certainly seemed to know everyone in the shop the day photographer Paul Franz and I stopped in to...
Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: Time for a garden makeover: Seek help from professionals to see the big picture
By MICKEY RATHBUN
Late summer isn’t a pretty time in the garden, at least not in my garden. The recent mini-drought has bleached out what passes for lawn, several large hydrangeas are drooping as they beg me for water, the daylily borders are shriveled and brown....
Speaking of Nature: Abandoned by the gods: One unusually unlucky birding morning
By BILL DANIELSON
Long-time readers of mine will be familiar with my tales of the Photo Gods. These are those supernatural beings that look over me during my photographic endeavors and either smile down on me benevolently, or take issue with something that I have done...
Afro-Caribbean culture inspires Heath artist’s exhibit, ‘Heartbeats and Harmony’
By MADISON SCHOFIELD
A Heath glass artist has joined forces with a Cape Cod multimedia artist for an exhibit that highlights their shared appreciation for Afro-Caribbean culture, and music in particular.Heath resident Robert Dane has been glassblowing since 1973, when he...
You oughta see these pictures: Greenfield Garden Cinemas launches Talking Talkies series of essential 1930s films
By CHRIS LARABEE
As the Greenfield Garden Cinemas was completed in the late 1920s, Hollywood was introducing a novel idea into more and more movies: sound. In 2024, cinema co-owner Isaac Mass and local movie historian Jonathan Boschen are offering an opportunity to...
The snowy landscape of memory loss: New book from Shelburne Falls poet inspired by father’s dementia diagnosis
By MADISON SCHOFIELD
Award winning local poet Maria Williams will celebrate the publication of her new book, “White Doe,” with two readings next week. In “White Doe,” Williams cleverly uses exploring a snowy landscape as a metaphor for exploring memory loss. Williams says...
Poetry for the child in all of us: Buckland author’s new book wins first prize in children’s nonfiction at the International Book Awards
By TINKY WEISBLAT
I first met Laura Rodley of Buckland as a writing facilitator for seniors, whom she led to create a series of books titled “As You Write It.” Not surprisingly, Rodley herself is a writer and a poet.Her newest book, “Ribbons and Moths” (Kelsay Books,...
De-stressing the Pioneer Valley: A new campaign aims to teach Transcendental Meditation practices
By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN
According to a 2024 study by the American Psychological Association, nearly 50% of American adults report feeling more stressed out than ever. A national campaign, Meditate America, is looking to lower the collective blood pressure through...
Sounds Local: Bidding farewell to festival season: Many noteworthy concerts on the horizon as we head into fall
By SHERYL HUNTER
It’s never easy to bid farewell to summer, and fortunately, there are a few summer music series chugging along, providing us with a last gasp of the warm weather months before we have to resign ourselves to life in the great indoors. Let’s take a look...
Behold the winning peach pie: Justin Malone of South Deerfield won first place at Apex Orchards’ annual Peach Fest
By TINKY WEISBLAT
I recently participated in Apex Orchards’ annual Peach Fest. Owner Tim Smith couldn’t quite remember whether it was the third or fourth such occasion. I couldn’t remember either, although I go every time it happens and always enjoy visiting the...
Reflecting on 25 years of growth: Pleasant Street Community Garden in Greenfield celebrates a quarter century
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
The Pleasant Street Community Garden in Greenfield broke ground 25 years ago when local farmer Rich Pascale volunteered to till some land at the corner of School and Pleasant Streets, making it possible for locals to create a community garden on the...
Speaking of Nature: The great southward migration
By BILL DANIELSON
One of the most remarkable things about birding in September is the number of strangers that you see. Having spent so much time observing the birds during the summer months, I have a very clear roster in my head of who the “regulars” are. Not only...
Finger-picking good: Amherst autoharp workshop hosts weekly jams for all levels
By SCOTT MERZBACH
Music from centuries-old folk songs and contemporary and classical tunes emanates through the hallway at the Bangs Community Center on a recent morning, as some of the autoharp players hold the instrument upright against their shoulders and below...
The story of Local Mojo: How one group of students is changing the UMass music scene
By PAIGE HANSON
During his sophomore year of college in November 2021, Charley Blacker wanted to start an organization that was unique and new to the University of Massachusetts Amherst community: a group dedicated to promoting local musicians through playlists,...
Giving the gift of access: Pay it Forward program helps local artists realize their projects’ full potential
By ALEXA LEWIS
Easthampton’s Old Town Hall has once again opened its doors to a diverse assortment of local artistic talent as part of CitySpace’s 2024 Pay it Forward program. As summer winds to a close, the 10 artists and groups selected to this year’s cohort are...
Shea Theater mural taking shape in Turners Falls
By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN
North Carolina-based muralist Darion Fleming has arrived to Montague to begin working his creative magic on the 3,200-square-foot exterior wall of the Shea Theater Arts Center on Avenue A.The mural’s final design and painting timeline were released on...
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.
