The Walking exhibit at the Art Garden in Shelburne Falls has closed but I am carrying the image of this joyful road by Pamela Snow and Ursula Snow with me as I start on the road to the holidays, beginning today when I set up the Silent Auction for Holiday Village at the Charlemont Federated Church. The Silent Auction will have everything up for bid from bags of Donovan's potatoes, blown glass, gorgeous jewels, and passes for the Zoar Outdoor…
Last Friday night was the premier broadcast of Let's Talk - with Pat Leuchtman on our local cable TV station. I was talking with Lori Pirkot, the owner of Boswell's Books in Shelburne Falls. We had a great time talking about the wonderful books for children that are available this season, many of them by local (ish) authors and illustrators. I think there is no better present for a child than a good book. My grandchildren will tell…
I was at a dinner party recently and one of the guests confessed that she liked 'toys.' The toys we had been discussing were Kindles and iPads and who knows what all. They hold no fascination for me, but when I am at a nursery or garden center (or browsing a catalog) I confess I am tempted by all the tools and doodads that abound. When I was at Nasami Farm this fall I saw this EcoSpout for…
Just about everyone knows that I am a reader. Therefore there is nothing (well, almost nothing) I like better as a gift than a book. When I had regular paid employment I always prayed that the day after Christmas would be on a weekend so I could devote that day to reading my Christmas book. And I’ll confess, I often bought myself a book – for just in case, but I never needed to worry. Here are some…
Yesterday Elizabeth Licata at Garden Rant wrote about Tovah Martin's new book, The New Terrarium. I haven't ever made a terrarium but at least three and possibly four years ago a dear friend gave me a berry bowl for Christmas. Elizabeth's post reminded me that I hadn't seen it for a while. I went to look. The berry bowl, planted with moss and partridgeberry (?) has always lived in our Great Room. It is usually not heated in…
The dictionary defines the word gift as “Something that is bestowed voluntarily.” Sometimes, at this time of the year with Christmas garlands around every product in the supermarket, drugstore, department store and boutique there doesn’t seem to be much of the ‘voluntary’ available. And yet, sometimes a gift is not only truly voluntary, it is inspired, perfectly suited to the recipient at that particular moment, a gift that fills a secret need or desire. My first…
The artist Robert Strong Woodward spent most of his life in Buckland - and in a wheelchair. At the age of 21 he was injured in a hunting accident in California where he was living. Paralyzed from the waist down he returned to New England where he was born, studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and then moved to Buckland. It was his intent to make his living as an artist. He was…
Because it is my second Blogoversary, both Storey Publishing and CowPots are making it possible to have two Give Aways. Right Rose, Right Place: 359 Perfect Choices by rose lover and expert Peter Schneider will be a lovely and useful holiday treat for any rose gardener, or would-be rose gardener. There is advice here for the experienced gardener as well as for the novice. I have already added a number of roses I never knew about to my…