Tree Talk By Gary Salmon One is a novel and the other a “how to book” detailing nature restoration, both serving to the reader an unforgettable message. Richard Powers’ powerful novel “The Overstory” reveals much of the ugly history of tree management in this country. Nearly a dozen characters are developed in “The Overstory” and…

By Gary Salmon At first I didn’t even notice it nestled under the root flare of a big white pine stump cut several years ago. But the idea of a white pine seedling growing while being sheltered by its larger former self was too much to ignore. The little 2-inch tall white pine seedling germinated…

By Merisa Sherman All I did was pull into the Kent Pond parking lot, moving from the paved apron and onto the extremely dry crushed rock. My mountain bike slipped out from underneath me and I found myself floating slow motion through the air. My left hand hit the ground and I saw my lower…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg It’s going to be a while before we can see live music in person once again. Even when it is eventually allowed, the best it will be is semi-normal. Online shows are the new thing and everyone is doing them. What caught my attention for this article is Silas McPrior who…

By Dom Cioffi I received an email recently from a metropolitan arena where I’ve seen numerous concerts and sporting events through the years. At some point, they got ahold of my email address, likely for ticketing or venue info, and now they semi-frequently send me marketing materials to further entice me into returning. However, this…

By Kevin Theissen In April, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) surveyed U.S. small businesses. It reported, late in 2019, before the coronavirus crisis, 35% were healthy, 35% were stable, 23% were at risk, and 6% were in distress. Having a majority of healthy and stable small companies is a positive economic sign…

The Outside Story By Susie Spikol Some people have life birds, species of birds they’ve waited their whole lives to see in the wild. I don’t have one of these, but I do have a life mole. I’ve been waiting to catch a glimpse of Condylura cristata, the star-nosed mole, ever since I learned about…

I had already been working as an astrologer for 20 years when I got invited to write this weekly column. It started out as a radio broadcast on WEBK, in Killington, Vermont. It morphed into a newspaper piece when the radio show folded and people wrote in asking if maybe the Mountain Times would run…

BYO newspaper By Kyle Finneron The grass is green, the nights are warming up, and if you’re anything like us you’re getting a little cabin fever. While the order has been extended and gyms are not able to open we know that everyone is getting a little stir crazy. Being active is essential for all…

By Dom Cioffi The last couple months of lockdown have certainly had an effect on society. For many, the loss of employment and underlying fear of sickness has been a constant source of stress and anxiety. I recently read a long-form magazine article, written by a distressed restaurant owner, that broke my heart. The author…

Aging in Place by Scott Funk Until Covid-19 turned our world upside down, we defined heroes in terms of the military or first responders. Quickly, the definition was broadened to include hospital, nursing home, and even essential service personnel, like grocery store check-out workers. After the tragic outbreak of the virus at a meat-packing plant,…

By Laurie D. Morrissey Once, when I was little, I was so thrilled to come across a gorgeous, dark-red trillium that I picked it and placed it in a vase in the house. I was disappointed when it quickly wilted. Not only that, but it smelled bad. Such is the dual nature of this spring…

By Cal Garrison a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Cancer Moon. In the last week or so, all my readings have been filled with questions about true love. It amazes me how all of us keep that flame burning no matter how many times life…

By Merisa Sherman It is an absolutely gorgeous Saturday morning in May. The daffodils, pansies and just mowed lawn are now covered with 4-6 inches of dense marshmallow snow and the sky is a stunningly bright blue. There atop the never-before-skied headwall, stands extreme skier and Pittsfield resident, Mark Bragg, prepping for one of the…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Flowers give pleasure not only to the one who plants them but also to those who view them. I learned that firsthand recently on a couple of occasions. A young local artist, Carrie Pill, asked if she could paint one of my gardens. It is near the city sidewalk making it…