Arts & Life
Sounds Local: Summer of music starts now: Free annual Montague World Music Mini-Festival is this Sunday
By SHERYL HUNTER
Pack your lawn chairs, polish your dancing shoes, and get those concert tickets for these upcoming must-see shows as June is set to be an exciting month in our local music scene. The Watermelon Wednesday and Coop Concert series are already in full swing, and mark your calendars for the Franklin County Pride celebration in Greenfield on Saturday, June 7. That same date, the 1794 Meetinghouse in New Salem will kick off its summer concert season for 2025.
Speaking of Nature: A great time to be a red eft: Part two in the three-part life cycle of the Eastern spotted newt
By BILL DANIELSON
It has been a long, wet, raw month of May and my outdoor time has been curtailed by rotten weather on the weekends. So, it was with the utmost enthusiasm that I capitalized on a rare rain-free Saturday morning to get down to the Thinking Chair and commune with Nature just a bit. The chickadees (at least one of them) were ready to resume the practice of landing on my hat for some treats and I was very happy about that. I was also keen to see what was going on deeper in the forest, so after an hour of quiet observation time I got up out of my chair and headed into the woods.
‘To Stir, with Love’: Cooking asparagus risotto is a combination of chemistry and magic
By TINKY WEISBLAT
Next week, I plan to feature rhubarb, one of my favorite spring foods. Today, however, I’m returning to that other beloved seasonal product in our area, asparagus, or spearage as a culinary historian friend calls it. A few days ago, I had a hankering to stir it into some risotto.
‘Irving Berlin’s View of the East River’ films in western Mass: Behind the scenes of an indie film set in the Valley
By EMILEE KLEIN
“Reset!”
Why are teachers unions so important?: The history and functions of unions in our education system
By DOUG SELWYN
Teachers unions have been in the news quite a bit recently. They were active in leading the successful action that ended the MCAS as a graduation requirement. They played a leading role in passing the Fair Share Amendment, which imposed an additional tax on the very wealthy to pay for education and transportation. They have been involved with strike actions at several school districts around the state, strikes held over concerns about a wide range of issues ranging from inadequate pay and benefits to concerns about safety and discipline policy, to the need to fully staff with instructional assistants, counselors, and psychiatrists in the wake of COVID.
‘When women encourage other women to empower themselves’: Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club celebrated 100th anniversary
By AALIANNA MARIETTA
The Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club celebrated its 100th anniversary at The Blue Rock Restaurant and Bar earlier this month. In twinkling dresses, faux feather boas and pearls, members danced to live music, sipped cocktails and listened to speeches from the club’s president, State Representative Natalie Blais, and retired NASA astronaut Col. Cady Coleman.
Let’s Talk Relationships: Listening well is a relationship superpower: Advice for building better communication
By AMY NEWSHORE
What do you think is the No. 1 issue couples bring to therapists and relationship coaches? If you guessed communication, you’re right.
‘They loved seeing the pride that the students had’: Mahar Makerfaire plans to open to public next year
By DOMENIC POLI
At least 200 students and staff members passed through the second-annual Mahar Makerfaire last week and its organizer was so encouraged by the feedback he plans to open the event to the public next year.
Faith Matters: The power of partnership: Since opening, The Nest has served over 275 families and supported more than 500 children
By KELLY BROWN
My name is Kelly Brown, and I’ve had the pleasure of serving as the office administrator at the United Church of Bernardston (UCB) for the past 10 years. In that time, I’ve been continually impressed by what this church can accomplish through pure volunteerism — and how many lives have been touched because of it.
Sounds Local: Viva Las Vegas: Travis Ledoyt brings 1970s Presley show home to Greenfield this Saturday
By SHERYL HUNTER
Elvis may have left the building, but he will soon return when Greenfield native Travis Ledoyt brings his Elvis Presley tribute act back to the Greenfield High School on Saturday, May 24, at 7 p.m.
Speaking of Nature: Celebrating 28 years of Speaking of Nature: A new resolution for the future of my bird-watching
By BILL DANIELSON
Last Saturday was a bit of a milestone for me. It might easily have come and gone without me realizing it, but thanks to my obsessive record keeping I happened to see a notation in the pages of my 2025 field diary and avoided an embarrassing oversight. Last Saturday marked the 28th anniversary of Speaking of Nature, an event that I don’t think I could have ever imagined back in 1997 when I sent in my first column.
In asparagus season, try Eggs Beatrice: The story behind one of the most popular brunch dishes
By TINKY WEISBLAT
Many people (and restaurants) contemplating brunch turn to Eggs Benedict.
In heavenly harmony: The Singing Priests to perform at Our Lady of Peace in Turners Falls, May 22
By DOMENIC POLI
It’s long been said that to sing is to pray twice. And a group of Catholic clergymen in western Massachusetts that truly takes that sentiment to heart is slated to spread some cheer in Franklin County later this month.
‘Once I started playing the organ, I was hooked’: Beloved longtime minister of music Dick Matteson bids farewell
By CAROLYN BROWN
After 65 years playing and directing church music, 17 of those as First Church Amherst minister of music, Dick Matteson is ready to celebrate his legacy with the Pioneer Valley. He plans to retire next month, and a farewell concert will be held this Saturday, May 17, at 2 p.m.
Preserving the work of a dear friend: Making Hilary Sloin’s acquaintance on the page
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
(This is part two of a two-part series about the literary work and life of Ashfield resident Hilary Sloin, who died in 2019.)
‘It’s the way I feel faith, like a river’: Greenfield’s All Souls Church celebrates 200th anniversary this Sunday
By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
As Greenfield’s All Souls Church congregation gears up to celebrate its 200th anniversary with a day of worship and celebration, lunch and music on May 18, Chair of Worship Kate Mason and Membership and Heritage Committee member Russ Pirkot discussed the ever-changing role Unitarianism brought the for those wishing to break free from more restrictive religions.
Faith Matters: How does faith matter in our present political and cultural distress?
By THE REV. ALLEN M. COMSTOCK
I wrote this article in 2020 but it seems even more appropriate now.
Valley Bounty: Hillside Nursery thrives in a niche market: Small plant farm in Ashfield specializes in lady-slipper orchids and woodland wildflowers
By LISA GOODRICH
The spring planting season is upon us, and home gardeners are out in full force on weekends, visiting farm stands and garden centers hunting for just the right elements for their gardens and outdoor spaces. The season celebrates the return of the sun and warmer overnight temperatures, with many sun-loving species taking center stage on magazine covers, websites, and in newsletters.
Sounds Local: StrangeCreekCampout returns next weekend: Family-friendly camping, jamming, and over 60 bands on three stages
By SHERYL HUNTER
For music fans, there is nothing better than enjoying music in the great outdoors, and we are about to have that experience when the StrangeCreek Campout kicks off festival season on Memorial Day weekend. The StrangeCreek Campout, now in its 21st year, will take place at Camp Kee-wanee in Greenfield, from May 23 to 26. Presented by Wormtown Trading Co. out of Worcester, this weekend festival features camping and music from over 60 bands performing on three stages, along with late-night shows in cabins in the woods.
Speaking of Nature: Learning bird songs: Ninety percent of bird-finding is done with one’s ears
By BILL DANIELSON
The great spring migration is in full swing and millions upon millions of birds are flying northward across our entire continent every night. The weather will always play a big role in the exact timing of the movements of the birds, but every morning offers up the opportunity to detect the presence of yet another new arrival. Birds often “surf” on waves of air associated with storms, so the first clear morning after a couple days of rain can be particularly exciting.
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.
