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By BILL DANIELSON

We have reached that time of year when going to work in the morning becomes more difficult with every passing day. The world is waking up from its winter slumber and more and more items of interest present themselves to be observed and adored. I have a rather lengthy commute to work and as the amount of daylight increases each day, so to do the number of distractions. Like Odysseus tempted by the Sirens, I navigate this passage of temptation every day. There are mornings when I feel like my heart will break as I am forced to pilot myself past birds and flowers that sing out to me and beg me to stop and pay attention to them.

By TINKY WEISBLAT

We’re still in prime casserole weather so that’s what I’m making this week. This Tex-Mex dish is more Tex than Mex, but non-purists will enjoy its bubbly warmth.

By ADITI THUBE

Massachusetts gun rights advocates are pushing to overturn a 2024 update of the state’s already tough firearms law, collecting more than 90,000 signatures to place a repeal referendum on the 2026 ballot.

By LISA GOODRICH

Named for sunny citrus fruit grown far from the valley, Lemon Bakery in Amherst mixes the sweet with the tart. Four years ago, in the uncertainty of the pandemic, owner Rori Hanson built a bakery business with a model of curbside pickup and delivery rather than a storefront. Hanson’s menu follows the seasons by sourcing from local farms. Today, Lemon Bakery continues to sell through online pre-ordering and curbside pickup or delivery; there is no storefront cafe.

By ANITA WILSON

Have you gotten a text message saying you owe money for unpaid tolls?

By SHERYL HUNTER

Joan Osborne was in her 20s when she took a deep dive into the music of Bob Dylan – and once she immersed herself into the legendary artist’s amazing musical well, Dylan’s vast catalog became an important part of her own musical journey.

By HANNAH MORIN

ATHOL — When the annual River Rat Race returns on April 12, it will mark six decades of canoe racing, community spirit and unforgettable moments on the water.

By BILL DANIELSON

March Madness is a term that has been assigned to the sport of college basketball. The idea is that a huge tournament creates a frenzied “madness” of athletic exuberance as different teams from across the country compete in a clash of collegiate contenders to see who will be crowned as champion. There are brackets, debates and wagers involved and everyone seems to have a good time.

By TINKY WEISBLAT

When looking for inspiration for this column, I often consult lists of food holidays. I’m ambivalent about these holidays. On the down side, many of them were invented to serve corporate interests. On the plus side, new holidays are always fun to celebrate.

By DOUG SELWYN

Anguished cries coming out of school administration offices and school committee meetings signal the annual return of budget season. School district decision makers across the state desperately try to create budgets that serve the needs of all of their children. The money coming from the state and the drained treasuries of their local towns is nowhere near enough to cover the actual cost of educating the children.

By JACOB NELSON

Spring is here, and with it are signs of new life on farms around the Valley. Leaves are beginning to bud on fruit trees, farmers are preparing soil for the coming growing season, and at Little Brook Farm in Sunderland, day-old baby lambs are bounding around the lambing barn.

By EVELINE MACDOUGALL

Last week’s column featured Peter Ruhf, multimedia artist and philosopher. This week, we delve into Ruhf’s unusual upbringing and influences. By the time this goes to print, some will have attended the March 28 opening reception of “The Visionary, Surrealistic, and Psychedelic Art of Peter Ruhf” at Greenfield’s TEOLOS gallery. Those who missed it can take heart: the show runs through April 26.

By NANCY PICK

Asparagus, strawberries and sunflowers are, to my mind, three of the best reasons to live in western Massachusetts. It won’t be long now before the first asparagus spears poke out of the ground; those fertility symbols that usher in our dazzling farm produce season. To pose a riddle, what cool characteristic do these three plants have in common, one you might not notice unless you look quite closely?

By SHERYL HUNTER

Pete Seeger said that “the key to the future of the world is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known.”

By BILL DANIELSON

The plan was simple. Make a quick stop at a geologic feature that would provide a real-world example of topics that were being discussed in my biology classes. The topic was evolution and I was specifically looking for an example of rock formations that were being reshaped by the elements. It really couldn’t be any more straightforward, right? Well, perhaps a little background would help.

By TINKY WEISBLAT

As Massachusetts Maple Month comes to an end, I’m departing from my usual practice of making savory maple recipes. Instead, I’m preparing something sweet that most Americans associate with maple syrup: pancakes.

By GABRIEL O’HARA SALINI

The Massachusetts cannabis industry is a billion-dollar enterprise, with over 700 retailers operating across the state. Yet stores are closing, companies are firing their workers and retail and non-retail licenses are being surrendered by former operators as business owners clamor for regulatory changes to transform an industry they see as unsustainable.

By AALIANNA MARIETTA

GREENFIELD — Every Sunday morning like clockwork, volunteers with the “Sunday Soup & Sandwiches” program hand homemade soup, sandwiches and snacks through the windows at the Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew to a long line of waiting visitors.

By EVELINE MACDOUGALL

The March 28 reception to launch a Greenfield exhibit showcasing the work of Peter Ruhf will be no ordinary event, because Peter Ruhf is no ordinary fellow. The exhibit promises to shift perspectives about art, discipline and brilliance. Those in attendance will meet the man listed in the Guinness Book of World Records multiple times as Boomerang World Champion; if you’ve never met anyone who’s been featured on the cover of Life magazine, dear readers, here’s your chance.

By SHERYL HUNTER

You know that spring is here when music series start popping up and I’m excited to announce the new Petit Concert Series launching this weekend in downtown Orange. This series of free concerts will take place on three Sunday afternoons: March 23, April 6, and April 13, at the Stage on Main, located at 17 South Main St. The music will fill the air from 2 to 4 p.m.