By Charley Akers

Courtesy of Killington ART Garage Killington ART Garage hosts a birthday party of epic and artistic proportion, with guests creating much-larger-than-life, light-up snowflakes. Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. — KILLINGTON — This week at Killington ART Garage, join an art social on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m., “Love Letter” featuring calligraphy and cocktails with Kate…

Thursday, Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. — WOODSTOCK — The Norman Williams Public Library presents “Dogs in Art: A Panel Presentation” on Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. In ways both light-hearted and substantive, this panel presentation will explore the use of dogs in art, focusing on paintings created to depict stories in the Bible. The presenters will reflect…

Courtesy of Billings Farm & Museum A snowy field allows for horse-drawn sleigh rides at Billings Farm & Museum. Weather dependent, the sleigh rides can be replaced by a horse-drawn wagon ride. Feb. 13-21 — WOODSTOCK — Billings Farm & Museum’s Sleigh Ride Week is scheduled for Feb. 13 - 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.…

Submitted Learn to identify tracks of wild animals in a Working Woodlands Workshop at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park on Feb. 13. Saturday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. — WOODSTOCK — In 2016, the National Park Service celebrates 100 years as an agency dedicated to preserving, protecting, and providing for the enjoyment of public lands. To kick off…

Courtesy of Brandon Music

Courtesy of VINS Identify birds such as this cardinal with VINS for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Feb. 14-15 — QUECHEE — Join the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) for the 19th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count at the Nature Center campus on Sunday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Monday, Feb.…

Courtesy of BigTown Gallery Peter Moriarty is the photographer of “Royal Gardens at Kew,” taken in 2010, part of the exhibit “Hot Houses, Warm Curves” on display at BigTown Gallery. Sunday, Feb. 14 at 12 p.m. — ROCHESTER — BigTown Gallery’s exhibit “Hot Houses, Warm Curves” runs through Feb. 20. Join them the week prior for a…

Courtesy of wikipedia.org PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE Monday, Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. — PLYMOUTH — Coolidge Foundation program associate Rushad Thomas will bring the 1924 campaign to life in his talk at 2 p.m. on President’s Day, Feb. 15 at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. Thomas’s talk will cover all the ins and outs of the…

Courtesy of Chandler Music Hall A trio of young singers perform in Chandler’s Mini Mud annual variety show. Wednesday, Feb. 17 — RANDOLPH — Chandler Music Hall will hold auditions for Mini Mud, its annual variety show for youth ages 7 to 18 on Wednesday, Feb. 17. The show will be held on March 26. Contact Janet…

Courtesy of Lynn Pratt Ashley Pratt, right, is part of a local family that has raised over $85,000 for juvenile diabetes research. Ashley is a type 1 diabetic whose family is actively helping find a cure! Saturday, Feb. 20 at 8 a.m. — MENDON — The 6th annual Downhill for Diabetes fundraiser event will be held on…

Submitted Valentine’s Day is celebrated widely through the endulgence of chocolate confections and desserts. Friday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. — MIDDLEBURY — Join the Vermont Folklife Center on Friday, Feb. 12, for a celebration of love and chocolate! “Love Chocolate, Love Stories” is a day-long event featuring chocolate candy, chocolate desserts, and the opportunity to share…

By Thomas Ames, Jr. “The Boke of St. Albans,” a 15th century sportsman’s handbook, decreed that only a nobleman could hunt with a falcon, but a mere yeoman might settle for a goshawk. “In the talons there was death,” wrote T. H. White, who famously chronicled in “The Goshawk” his naive attempt to “man” one…

Have you ever encountered a situation in which, upon hearing that some misfortune has befallen a friend or acquaintance (a breakup, a death in the family, a lost wallet), you’ve felt compelled to say something like “I’m so sorry” to that friend or acquaintance? Have you ever, then, had your friend or acquaintance turn to…

Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. — WOODSTOCK — Cold climate heat pumps are a hot topic among homeowners these days, and for good reason. The technology has improved vastly in recent years and its efficiency makes it an attractive heating and cooling option. Join the HEAT Squad, Efficiency Vermont, and Green Mountain Power as they discuss…