Arts & Life
Sounds Local: Joni Mitchell tribute comes to Turners Falls: Big Yellow Taxi to perform ‘Court and Spark’ in its entirety, May 18 at the Shea
By SHERYL HUNTER
If you are a Joni Mitchell fan (and who isn’t), you’ll want to be at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls on Saturday, May 18, at 8 p.m. when the premier Joni Mitchell tribute band here in the Northeast, Big Yellow Taxi, takes the stage. This...
On Mother’s Day, we’ll always have Paris: A crêpe recipe in honor of my French-speaking mother
By TINKY WEISBLAT
I recently received an odd email from Macy’s. It said that the retailer understood that not everyone wanted to receive Mother’s Day emails and offered me the opportunity to opt out of those missives.I’m not sure why Mother’s Day was singled in out...
Providing opportunity for people to grow: The United Arc of Franklin County’s annual Gardening with Steve event a highlight of spring
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
Steve McConley credits his wife, Doreen, for his interest in growing plants. Doreen brought solid gardening skills to their union, and Steve appreciates her encouragement. The McConleys have a garden at their Bernardston home, and now Steve shares...
Speaking of Nature: Capturing my Bermuda nemesis: The Great Kiskadee nearly evaded me, until I followed its song
By BILL DANIELSON
We’ve reached that point in the school year when it is actually painful (I mean physically painful) for me to leave my yard in the morning. May is the true month of the reawakening and blooming of Nature’s splendor and last week she was in full...
The house that therapy built: Multimedia artist Lisa Winter to display “My House” at the Wendell Meetinghouse this Sunday
By DOMENIC POLI
Lisa Winter is a multimedia artist who has dabbled in miniatures for decades, but life as a registered nurse during a time of political turmoil (and, eventually, a global pandemic) took a toll that led her to therapy “just to sort things out.” The...
Fun Fest returns to Turners Falls: Música Franklin hosts 6th annual family-friendly, free event, May 11
By SHERYL HUNTER
Música Franklin will host its sixth annual Fun Fest at Unity Park in Turners Falls on Saturday, May 11, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. This free festival will feature world-class musical performances, entertainment, and crafts for the whole family. You can...
Valley Bounty: Delivering local food onto students’ plates: Marty’s Local connects farms to businesses
By LISA GOODRICH
Nick Martinelli, CEO of Marty’s Local, began his career with a stint at the Farm School in Athol, hoping to learn how he might participate in the local agricultural economy. While conducting market research in 2015, he recognized there was a lot of...
Let’s Talk Relationships: Breaking up is hard to do: These tools can help it feel easier
By AMY NEWSHORE
All of us have probably decided to end a relationship at some point in our lives, as well as having been in a relationship where we were broken up with.A breakup, separation, or divorce is a pivotal and tender time in one’s life. I’d like to shed some...
Faith Matters: It gets better, and harder: Discovering a growing need to see your commitment all the way through
By THE REV. DAVID JONES
There is and there always has been within the Christian tradition a lively debate about the divinity of the person Jesus. We encounter it in our own pews at the holiest times of the year, in our unease, at Christmas, with the virgin birth, and in our...
Sounds Local: Broadway star returns to Greenfield for concert: Kevin Duda to sing with Franklin County Community Chorus this Sunday
By SHERYL HUNTER
There’s nothing like the powerful sound of voices joining together in song, and you can experience that when The Franklin County Community Chorus celebrates its 10th anniversary with a concert on Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. at the Greenfield High School...
Sharing the gift of spring: The tradition of making May Baskets for May Day
By TINKY WEISBLAT
May 1, May Day, arrives almost halfway between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice. Although spring officially arrives on the former day, our weather often doesn’t feel springlike until April … and, as recent weeks have shown, it can sometime...
Tips for planning a successful garden: Creating a healthy garden is all about maintaining good habits
By HENRY HOMEYER
Despite late snowstorms that dumped deep snow over much of New England, spring is finally here. Let’s take a look at some keys to a successful year in the vegetable garden.Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Yes, I grow about 40 tomato plants each...
Speaking of Nature: Bird of my dreams, it’s you: Spotting a White-tailed Tropicbird on our cruise in Bermuda
By BILL DANIELSON
It was the morning of April 16 and I was up early. It seems to be impossible for me to sleep late at this time of year because I am so excited about seeing the first birds of the season, but this particular morning was a little different. It was the...
Proof that it’s never too late: Solo exhibit and free workshops honor the late Frederick Gao, a Belchertown resident who became a painter in his last five years
By CHRIS LARABEE
For the months of May and June, the Sunderland Public Library’s Lane Family Reading Room Gallery will turn into a fount of inspiration, as the library honors the work of a late-blooming artist.Through “Awing & Honoring Frederick Gao,” the library will...
Self-expression on display: See ServiceNet members’ artwork at Greenfield Public Library
By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
Mental health and human services provider ServiceNet will host a display of its members’ artwork at the Greenfield Public Library from Saturday, April 27, until the end of May.The nonprofit’s exhibit will display a collection of paintings,...
Embracing both new and old: Da Camera Singers celebrates 50 years in the best way they know how
By JUDSON BROWN
Da Camera Singers Director Sheila Heffernon wasn’t hiding her exasperation in addressing her tenor section after a recent rehearsal preparing the group for a 50th anniversary concert coming up May 11 and 12.“Watch me! Watch me! Watch me!” she wrote on...
Faith Matters: A pastor celebrating Passover: Unmasking false theology that has been used to justify antisemitism
By THE REV. RANDOLPH CALVO
This weekend, Jews are celebrating the feast of Passover. Passover began at sundown this past Monday and ends at sundown this coming Tuesday. Usually, Passover and Easter coincide on the calendar. However, this is a Jewish leap year. The Jewish...
Time to celebrate kids and books: Mass Kids Lit Fest offers a wealth of programs in Valley during Children’s Book Week
By STEVE PFARRER
Just in time to coincide with Children’s Book Week, a national event established in 1905, the Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB) has created a children’s literary showcase right here in the Valley.The Mass Kids Lit Fest, a new book festival...
Sounds Local: A rock circus returns to Turners Falls: The Slambovian Circus of Dreams brings the fun Friday night at the Shea
By SHERYL HUNTER
The circus is coming to town, and not the kind with elephants and clowns. I’m talking about the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, a rock group from the Hudson Valley in New York that makes music as unique as its name. The band, which has frequently...
Rescuing food and feeding people: Rachel’s Table programs continue to expand throughout western Mass
By TINKY WEISBLAT
My great-grandmother’s oak dining table has graced my kitchen ever since my parents built the house in the 1980s. Looking at it makes me happy. The table — actually, almost any table — signifies history, nourishment, family and community.The...