Arts & Life
‘Meant to only last the summer’: Amherst artist’s wheatpaste murals among those now decorating Montague
By CAROLYN BROWN
Earlier this year, three Massachusetts artists were chosen to create six wheatpaste murals total to decorate the town of Montague, a public art project funded by a $15,000 grant. The most local of the three – graphic designer and illustrator Sophie Foulkes – recently installed her murals at Montague Town Hall and 20 Masonic St. in Montague.
Valley Bounty: New farm with an old-fashioned feel: Moody Family Farm in Bernardston opens their farm stand this month
By LISA GOODRICH
When farming is in the family, the land calls no matter where else life takes you. Aaron Moody, owner-operator of Moody Family Farm, was born in Greenfield, and from the beginning, he knew that he loved working with animals. Three generations of Moody’s family farmed, and young Moody occasionally worked at his uncle’s dairy farm while growing up.
Move over, Dr. Dolittle: Belchertown resident shares her menagerie and helps heal animals
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
Jen Matos lives with an impressive menagerie and introduces her animals to people in inspiring ways. She also cares for sentient beings through her business, Touch Needed Massage Therapy and Wellness Center, “dedicated to helping you and your four-legged friends.”
Catharsis meets comedy: ‘Customers From Hell’ show will premiere at the Shea Theater on Sunday, June 15
By CAROLYN BROWN
Most people who have worked retail and food service jobs have dealt with customers who were rude, annoying, or just plain strange. A new comedy TV series written and filmed in the Pioneer Valley wants to answer the question: what if those customers were actually from Hell?
Faith Matters: Understanding the relentless love of God
By MARK E. ELLIS
One of my favorite books is a novel by Wm. Paul Young called “Cross Roads.” It is about a man whose life is the embodiment of evil and self-centeredness. He is so evil that after he divorced his wife, he decided he hadn’t hurt her enough. So, he wooed her and married her again so he could divorce her again and inflict more pain and damage on her.
Sounds Local: Returning to their roots: The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow brings annual Mountain Day festival to Berkshire East on Saturday
By SHERYL HUNTER
When the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow performed at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton in April, it was a good old-fashioned foot stompin’ rockin’ dance party complete with plenty of sing-alongs. Everyone had a great time, and it’s guaranteed to be more of the same when the band hosts their fourth annual Mountain Day festival at Berkshire East Ski Resort in Charlemont on Saturday, June 14, at 4 p.m.
Speaking of Nature: The pressures of parenthood: Bird dads, like human dads, deserve a happy Father’s Day
By BILL DANIELSON
June is upon us and we are all set to celebrate Father’s Day this coming weekend. If we have any luck at all the weather will be cooperative, but the pattern has been pretty dismal so far; 12 consecutive rainy weekends according to my brother. It has been a rough spring for outdoor activities, but that is seen strictly through the human lens. Our wild neighbors have a schedule to keep and the game is on rain or shine.
Simple and scrumptious: Welsh Rabbit is neither rabbit nor Welsh, but it’s supreme comfort food
By TINKY WEISBLAT
This week I’m doing for this column what I often do at the end of a long day, cooking something quick and easy and pleasing.
A star is born: Greenfield teen lands starring role first time acting in independent feature film
By CHRIS LARABEE
A Greenfield teen is making his silver screen debut in a new feature-length independent film.
Pride Day on the River returns: Annual event welcomes LGBTQ nature lovers and allies to kayak, raft and celebrate, June 21
BY MADISON SCHOFIELD
Pride Month is here, and to celebrate, LGBTQ+ nature and adventure enthusiasts are invited to gather for a day of paddling on the Deerfield River.
‘The perfect local event’: Coop Concert Series kicks off season of weekly concerts in Energy Park
By LUKE MACANNUCO
Rays of sunshine finally peeked through the clouds onto Energy Park on May 29 as members of the Franklin County Musician’s Cooperative, a non-profit collective of local musicians founded in 2004, worked together to set up the first Coop Concert of the summer.
Go fish: Greenfield Public Library teams up with MassWildlife to offer free fishing equipment rentals
By EVELINE MACDOUGALL
Fun, educational, and surprising things are happening this summer at – and through – the Greenfield Public Library. Although this column focuses on a fishy new pilot project, readers are encouraged to check out GPL offerings to learn about the astounding array of new and ongoing opportunities, including summer reading programs, the Common Seed Project, a community baby shower, free passes to regional museums, and Worldwide Knit in Public Day, coming up on June 14.
Faith Matters: We need to talk about mental health: The call to serve the poor also means serving people who feel lost
By THE REV. JASON A. BURNS
I have met people from all walks of life: wealthy, homeless, famous, not-so-famous, and most everything in between. I have had people tell me their life story while sitting at my son’s Tae Kwon Do practice and I still feel the pain of losing someone who didn’t share the more difficult parts of their life with me. The common denominator in my experiencing of people is that we all long for connection. The people who have shared their stories with me did so not because I could do anything about anything, but because they sensed that I was willing to listen, and the truth is that I was and am willing to listen.
Dine downtown: Amherst Restaurant Week is June 8-12
By SCOTT MERZBACH
A tradition for 28 years, the Taste of Amherst for most of its run brought restaurants to the Town Common in mid-June, with select menu items offered from various tents that attendees could enjoy while listening to live music.
Sounds Local: 1794 Meetinghouse abuzz with excitement: Christine Ohlman, the ‘Beehive Queen,’ returns this Saturday, June 7
By SHERYL HUNTER
In 2012, the Beehive Queen herself, Christine Ohlman, first performed at the 1794 Meetinghouse on South Main Street in New Salem. She kicked off that season, and since then, she has celebrated more summers at this historic venue than she can remember.
Speaking of Nature: Ghosts in the treetops: Getting to know the great crested flycatcher
By BILL DANIELSON
Anyone who has spent any time birding will understand that there are certain birds that are more difficult to find than others. Anyone who has spent a lifetime birding will understand that there are certain species that are diabolically difficult to find. Anyone who has spent any time trying to photograph birds will understand that there are some species that are diabolically difficult to find, but even more difficult to spot in the viewfinder of a camera. Today I introduce you to just such a bird, the great crested flycatcher (Myiarchuscrinitus).
Meet the Messy Rhubarb Fool: Part Mess, part Fool, it’s basically a rhubarb sundae with a base of meringue
By TINKY WEISBLAT
Some food names are impossible not to love. I have never made a Brown Betty, but I relish the idea of a crumbly dark dessert with a female name. I am still trying to figure out the difference between a Slump and a Grunt. Both appeal to me as descriptors.
Fabric of history: PVMA painting included in the Met’s ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ exhibition
By CHRIS LARABEE
As the national art and celebrity worlds coalesced at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Met Gala in early May, the exhibition coinciding with the event at the nation’s most-visited museum also featured several local ties.
Profiling ‘The Raider’: New book by UMass history professor Stephen Platt explores the life of a celebrated but unconventional Marine
By STEVE PFARRER
Stephen Platt, who teaches 19th and 20th century Chinese history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, made a significant name for himself with his two last books.
Valley Bounty: A growing Good Bunch: Shelburne Falls farm remains optimistic for the future
By JACOB NELSON
‘It’s usually around April 20 when I plant things in the field that can handle light frost,” says farmer Dan Greene of Good Bunch Farm. “Then there’s about a longer wait until the next big planting date in late May. By then the threat of frost is gone and you can finally plant all the warm-loving crops. After that, you really don’t have any time except for weeding and harvesting.”
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.
