Arts & Life
Earth Matters: In awe of the evolution of seeds: Seeds have lives and ecosystem roles far beyond their use to humans
By LAWRENCE WINSHIP
February in New England brings longer days, uncertain weather … and seed catalogs! We gardeners pour over highly anticipated pages of glossy photos offering the promise of gorgeous fruits and flowers, all for the small price of a seed packet.Seed...
The Beat Goes On: Chamber music at The Drake, a Saint Patrick’s weekend musical smorgasbord, and more
By STEVE PFARRER
Since opening in the spring of 2022, The Drake has featured a wide range of music, from blues to rock to folk (and various combinations thereof), to jazz and more.“More” includes the Amherst club’s periodic forays into classical music, with concerts...
Only Human with Joan Axelrod-Contrada: I want to ‘Paint it Black’: A rock ’n’ roll anthem provides validation through tough times
By JOAN AXELROD-CONTRADA
I heard the song “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones on the radio early in my late husband Fred’s illness.Never before had I listened to the lyrics carefully enough to know they were about grief. I’d always taken it as a song about generalized...
Speaking of Nature: The bird that surprised me: Brown Creeper uncommon for most of year, expertly camoflauges among dead trees
By BILL DANIELSON
It was the end of a very long day, but, because of the increasing daylight that we have all been enjoying, it was still light out when I got home. I pulled up to the garage, but I had to get out to open the garage door because my door opener had died....
Preserving a key part of Emily Dickinson’s legacy: Historic Evergreens house reopens at the Emily Dickinson Museum
By STEVE PFARRER
Between the “Dickinson” series on Apple TV+ and movies such as 2016’s “A Quiet Passion,” interest in Emily Dickinson has grown in the last several years, even beyond the already intense admiration that existed for her poetry among readers and literary...
Book Bag: ‘The Real Gatsby; George Gordon Moore’ by Mickey Rathbun; ‘The Book Eaters’ by Carolina Hotchandani
By STEVE PFARRER
The Real Gatsby: George Gordon MooreBy Mickey RathbunWhite River Press Just who was the inspiration for the character of the Great Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel of the same name?Scholars and literary detectives have tried for decades to...
Let’s Talk Relationships: Your voice matters: An open invitation to share your thoughts
By AMY NEWSHORE
I have always found the topic of relationships fascinating and intriguing. In my monthly column, I write about romantic love, along with other significant relationships, and the perplexing challenges that we all inevitably face.Although it may be easy...
Earth Matter: Unlike any other vertebrate: Exploring the strangeness of seahorses
By DAVID SPECTOR
Most vertebrates — the large group of animals that includes humans — have many features in common, but some oddball groups have lost some of those characteristics. For example, snakes have lost their limbs, but they retain most of the other features...
Valley Bounty: Building community, year-round: Holyoke Farmers Market is a source of positivity and local fare
By JACOB NELSON
‘When I was a kid in Puerto Rico, I always liked going to the roadside markets and farm stands,” says Alexis Diaz DeJesus. “People had their fruit and vegetables all displayed, and you could negotiate prices or even trade for things. Then there were...
Weekly Food Photo Contest: This week’s winner: Raisin Horn of South Hadley
Raisin Horn of South Hadley sent us this photo of John Horn’s bacon and scallion quiche, with a perfectly crispy top, along with the note “Dinner is always great with the fresh ingredients we find in the Pioneer Valley since moving here in 2023.”...
The night that changed Deerfield forever: New book gives a comprehensive look at the infamous Deerfield Massacre of 1704
By CHRIS LARABEE
If you’re from the region, you’ve probably come across the story of the 1704 attack on Deerfield, or, at least one of the many monuments placed around the county commemorating the English colonists.But how much do you really know of this time period,...
Greening our brains and our thumbs: The many opportunities in the Valley to increase your garden knowledge and skills
By PAT JAMES
After moving from the city into a rural home with land 25 years ago, I was excited that the property was mostly bare ground that I could bend to my will and create beautiful gardens over time. As a kid, I’d helped in the garden a lot, so how hard...
Chalk Talk: When kids turn work in late: Navigating the tricky balance of deadlines and support for students
By NICOLE GODDARD
It’s March again, which means that in many high schools a new semester is well underway. At the end of every grading period, the same conversation starts making the rounds in teaching circles, on social media, in the teacher’s lounge, all sharing a...
Arts Briefs: BIPOC poets and racy love letters in Northampton, music inspired by T.S. Eliot in Holyoke, and more
Poetry night celebrates BIPOC writers andorganizing workNORTHAMPTON — Franny Choi, the new poet laureate of Northampton, will do a reading tonight (Friday, March 1) at 6 p.m. at the Northampton Center for the Arts, where they’ll be joined by a number...
Around and About with Richard McCarthy: Turn on, tune in, drop out: Exploring Timothy Leary’s Pioneer Valley roots
By RICHARD MCCARTHY
I suspect a fair number of readers are aware who Timothy Leary was, and more still have heard his name as part of the lexicon of popular culture. For those who do not know, he was one of the more famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective)...
Speaking of Nature: From rare to regular: The Carolina Wren may soon become a regular backyard bird for all of us
By BILL DANIELSON
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2023 was the warmest year ever recorded. I remember it being hot in the summertime, but I think the effect of this heat was most noticed by me in the autumn. The Thinking Chair...
Best Bites: Ordering off the kid’s menu: 9-year-old budding food critic shares his top 15 places to eat
By AZAI DUGGER and ROBIN GOLDSTEIN
Note from Robin Goldstein: For this column, I asked my 9-year-old nephew and co-author Azai Dugger to choose his favorite restaurants and briefly describe each one — the same task as I undertook for my last Gazette column.With great difficulty and...
Valley Bounty: Empowering our local food system: River Valley Co-op invests in regional farms and the interests of community
By JACOB NELSON
In just 15 years, River Valley Co-op has grown into an indispensable part of the local food economy. For local farms, food businesses and community members who want easy access to local food, their continued growth is something to celebrate.“River...
The ABCs of children’s books: ‘Alphabet Soup’ at the Eric Carle Museum looks at how picture books come to life
By STEVE PFARRER
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has no shortage of material to draw on for exhibits.Aside from highlighting work from traveling exhibits, or showcasing illustrations of specific artists drawn from various sources, the Amherst museum can...
There is a Season with Molly Parr: Inspired by an old favorite: Mushroom Infinity is delicious, vegan and can be gluten-free
By MOLLY PARR
Not quite 30 years ago, I studied in Manhattan. I had my first computer and went online for the first time. Back then I still found most of my news from actual newspapers, and social media didn’t exist. Even though the “Seinfeld Diner” was practically...
