By Mary Ellen Shaw Recently there has been talk about the possibility of no more snow days in some schools. What a disappointment that would have been when I was a student! Back in the 50s and 60s remote learning would have been considered “science fiction.” If you weren’t in your classroom, education came to…

By Dom Cioffi Like many children across the country, my son has been learning remotely for the better part of a year. Unlike some kids who struggled with staying focused amidst the distractions of home and the ease of slouching off during Zoom meetings, my son’s performance in school actually improved. Of course, it didn’t…

By Kevin Theissen Certain red flags could increase your chances of getting the attention of the IRS. Luckily, the chances that your tax return will be chosen for an audit are very low. The IRS audited less than 0.5% of all tax returns in 2019. The majority of exams were by mail, which means that…

By Tiffany Soukup Last summer I regularly passed a stand of towering white pine trees at Camp Plymouth State Park in Ludlow, where I live and work. Most days I saw at least one hairy woodpecker, a few blue jays, chickadees, a pair of broad-winged hawks, and a multitude of red squirrels around the trees.…

By Cassandra Tyndall This week brings an exceptionally rare lineup of planets. Out of the seven visible planets astrologers consult, six of these will be in Aquarius. A similar lineup hasn’t been seen since 1962. This much cosmic focus will highlight a particular area of your own life. If you’re not sure what that might…

How embracing the word ‘slower’ lead to a new sport: snow swimming By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever made your own speed limits? After I received two speeding tickets and a warning within six weeks—I realized I had a problem. With an excellent, 40-year driving record before this life “phase,” I suddenly found myself…

By Merisa Sherman We were lost. Well, not quite. I guess it would depend on your definition of lost. If it meant that we had no specific idea where we were or that we weren’t exactly where we thought we would be, then I guess you could say we were lost. But then again, if…

By Dom Cioffi I saw an individual driving on the interstate the other day with a certain representation of the male anatomy hanging from the ball mount on their truck. As is the case in these moments, my curiosity got the best of me, so I sped up to get a look at the driver.…

By Gary Salmon It’s February, a tree’s dormant season between leaf fall, starch storage in the roots, and sugaring season. A time perhaps to dream of green days ahead, to read a good book, or otherwise shorten our dormant season. This line of thought brought me to ship building and the long history of wooden…

By Kevin Theissen Around the world, Covid helped make 2020 one of the most challenging years ever for dentists. The Dental Tribune reported most dental offices around the world closed their doors in March. While most eventually reopened, the impact on dental practices and suppliers was significant. Many adopted cost-cutting measures. The Tooth Fairy did…

By Susan Shea A woodpecker frequently visits our feeder, alighting on the wooden supporting post and hopping up the post to the suet. Its medium size and striking markings – black wings spotted with white, a large white patch on the back, and a red spot on the back of the head – identify the…

By Cassandra Tyndall The astrology of February is quite unique. With a total of six of the seven visible planets all congregating in the sign of Aquarius, there will be one area of life where you’ll be exerting a great deal of mental energy. Take note of the direction of the thoughts that occupy your…

By Shelby Graves If you love snow, you will be sure to love skiing and snowboarding. On top of the sport, you will have a great chance of getting fit while doing so. The activity will improve your strength, flexibility and balance. It also helps to build on your coordination, which is used in many…

By Trent Miller Snowboarding and skiing are both great workouts on the mountain. While there isn’t a huge difference between the two in terms of a workout, I feel that snowboarding can be more challenging for the body and more of a workout. Snowboarding is a harder workout than skiing because snowboarders spend a lot…

By Merisa Sherman It’s cold. And not just a little bit cold but the kind of cold where you can put your hand on the wall of your house and feel the outside seeping in. It’s the kind of cold where you learn all the little cracks and crevices that will need to be re-caulked…