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Articles by Emily Thurlow
Travel with Max: Ferries are the poor man’s cruise ship Original
Ferries are the poor man’s cruise ship — the working boats that carry commuters, day‑trippers, football fans and islanders with equal indifference. They don’t pamper, they don’t preen and they don’t pretend. Instead, they deliver something far more valuable: a front‑row seat to the water, the most democratic view in travel. Whether you drive a G-Wagen or a 1988 Volvo, you’re in the same ferry line, and everyone is equal.
Speaking of Nature: Embracing the fledgling frenzy: Witnessing baby birds following their parents around in a state of unbridled excitement
Father’s Day just happened to coincide with the first day of summer this year, and the morning of Sunday, June 21, was just about as perfect as one could want. Cool air and bright sun produced a morning of utter splendor, which was then improved in its quality by a chanced to sit on the back deck and sip coffee with love ones. Then, if you can imagine, it was improved further still by the appearance of fledgling birds following their parents around in a state of unbridled excitement.
Arts Briefs: Solo exhibit in Greenfield, The Klines in New Salem, and more
The Klines will bring the authentic sounds of Appalachian coal-mining songs and front-porch music to the 1794 Meetinghouse in New Salem on Saturday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. Michael and Carrie Kline deliver powerful country harmony duets on guitar and vocals, weaving together moving family stories and odes to immigrants that invite the audience to dance and sing along.
Real Estate Transactions: June 19, 2026
Omar Artu Valls sold to Jan Troche Pereira and Mikayla M. Thomas, 67 Anzio Road. $300,000. Elizabeth A. O Brien sold to Alexis Keohane, 68 Brayton St. $250,000. Sally Ann White sold to 2019 Theroux Family Trust and Robert E. Theroux, 502 Crescent St. $316,000. 55 Pike Street Nominee Trust and Paul J. Champagne sold to Resilient Investments LLC, 55 Pike St. $126,000. White Birch Lore LLC sold to Virginia Logan and Daryl Bergmann, 55 South St. $305,000. Allen Aiken and Michelle M.
Valley Bounty: CISA Local Hero Award winner Golonka Farm prepares for 70th summer in Whately
Golonka Farm is a beloved institution in Whately, famous locally for growing a wide variety of vegetables, for their fresh-picked sweet corn, and for the friendly, familiar faces that greet customers at their farm stand. The mission at Golonka Farm is straightforward: “We want people to come to our farmstand and feel welcome and safe,” said co-owner Jan Golonka.
Overcoming the odds: Turners Fall resident Kaitlyn John channels personal tragedy into a career of care
Turners Falls resident Kaitlyn John consciously chooses a grateful existence centered on healing herself and others. At age 44, the single mom has overcome significant obstacles and today runs a successful housecleaning business in addition to building a career as a massage therapist. It’s inspiring to learn about someone whose life has been marked by tragedies, yet who makes it a point to offer a helping hand.
Let’s Talk Relationships: When your partner is autistic
Many people are surprised to learn how common autism, a form of neurodiversity, actually is. Current research suggests that about one in 31 children and one in 36 adults are autistic. Greater awareness and improved screening have helped many people better understand themselves and make sense of patterns and experiences that may have felt confusing for years. Yet, despite growing awareness, autism is still often misunderstood, especially in intimate relationships.
Weekly Food Photo Contest: This week’s winner: Deborah Evans of Amherst
Deborah Evans of Amherst shared this photo. “Every spring we collect wild violets from the yard and make some kind of cake for them to crown.
Faith Matters: Forming real connections
Thich Nhat Hanh, renowned Buddhist monk and author, wrote, “Religion must serve humanity, not humanity religion.” In light of the mounting complaints by religions across the board that young people are no longer participating in their family’s faith path, I believe we must look at who faith paths are serving. One point of contention with many young people is that their religions, regardless of denomination or belief system, no longer offer them something to hang onto each week.
Making News in Business, June 12
EASTHAMPTON — Greenfield Savings Bank celebrated the grand opening of its new Easthampton branch on Monday, June 8, in a move bank officials say will strengthen the bank’s presence and long‑term commitment to the community.
Business Briefs: June 12, 2026
SOUTH DEERFIELD — The new owners of Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in South Deerfield will recognize the next chapter of their business with a grand reopening celebration on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 281 Greenfield Road in South Deerfield. The event will feature family activities, including face painting, fairy hair, henna, an origami butterfly workshop, farm animals in the outdoor gardens and a bracelet bar. Many of the activities are free.
Real Estate Transactions: June 12, 2026
Brendon W. Gray sold to Brendon W. Gray and Angelena J. Gray, 1392 Cape St. $1. 527 Main LLC sold to Franklin Reed Brown and Kate Brown, 527 Main St. $439,000. Ryan MacDonald sold to Kimberly Cutter and Shane Smith, 75 C St. $340,000. Brian Goudreau and Tracy Goudreau sold to Jamie Powell Jr. and Becky Powell, 63 Hampstead Place. $300,000. Isaiah Cleveland sold to Elijah Bosselait, 221 Harvard Ave. $311,900. Alice M. Woessner Estate and Jean C.
Arts Briefs: Cyanotype demonstration in Northampton, cemetery walking tour in Amherst, and more
The Northampton Jazz Festival will kick off its 2026 festival season with a documentary film, “The Girls in the Band,” on Thursday, June 11 at 8 p.m. at Northampton Center for the Arts, located at 33 Hawley St. The 2013 film, written, directed and produced by Judy Chaikin, tells the untold stories of female jazz and big band instrumentalists and their groundbreaking journeys from the late 20s to the present day.
Sounds Local: A band that ‘Kept Rising’: The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow celebrates a new era with a performance in Shelburne Falls
“Kept Rising” is an apt name for the new album by The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow. The band formed in 2014, and like any group that has been together that long, they have endured their share of ups and downs. But over the years, because of their commitment to their friendship and to the music, The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow has kept rising.
Arts Briefs: Classical piano quartets in Charlemont, Reggie Harris in Greenfield, and more
The Adaskin String Trio and pianist Sally Pinkas will perform piano quartets by Beethoven and Brahms, alongside works by Alexis Roland-Manuel and Joseph Marcello, on June 13 at 5 p.m. at the Charlemont Federated Church. The concert, part of the Mohawk Trail Concerts series, includes a suggested donation of $25. For more information, visit mohawktrailconcerts.org/2026-season.
Speaking of Nature: Reaping the rewards: How to build a successful birdhouse for bluebirds and wrens
One of those delightful chores that signals the beginning of spring is the task of building nest boxes for the birds in my yard. For the past 21 years, I have deployed several nest boxes in the hopes of attracting bluebirds to my yard. This works because I live in an open area with a lot of field and lawn, where the bluebirds feel most comfortable. I generally think of these man-made homes as “bluebird” boxes, but in fact there are four species that will regularly move in and start nesting.
No more mix-ups: Skipping the powder for a real French onion spread
I have a confession to make. I have always had a weakness for dip made with packaged onion-soup mix. When I was little and my mother made it — very occasionally, I must add — it seemed like a miracle that all that flavor could come out of one small package stirred into some sour cream. As a grown-up, I am more skeptical about packaged and processed foods than I was as a child. Back then, I was mesmerized by their novelty and convenience.
Faith Matters: A family heritage
Every once in a while, something small opens a much larger door. For me, it was a simple object — a small medallion from 1948 marking the first assembly of the World Council of Churches. A boat. A cross. A reminder of a moment when the global Church, after the devastation of war, tried to find its way toward unity again. At first, it was simply an interesting artifact. But as I began tracing its story, it quietly led me back into my own.
‘I’ve never encountered anyone like him’: Meet the 11-year-old from Shelburne playing 42 instruments
At 11 years old, Zachary Davis helps out on his Shelburne family farm, rides his bike, and bakes pies. He’s generally quiet until he picks up one of the 42 instruments he can play after fewer than three years of musical exploration. “I’ve never encountered anyone like him,” said longtime music educator Ted Wirt. “Zachary isn’t as talkative as his siblings, but he has musical gifts like no one I’ve ever seen in 45 years of teaching.
Weekly Food Photo Contest: This week’s winner: Barbara Rice of Amherst
Barbara Rice of Amherst shared this photo of how she “enjoys serving oatmeal cookies with a side of apples to her grandsons for a mostly healthy snack!” How to enter: Snap a pic of something delicious-looking and send it with your name, town and a sentence or two to features@gazettenet.com.
Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: Cultivating ‘beautiful rooms’: Step inside the artfully naturalistic Florence gardens of Linda and Geoff Post
Some gardens seem always to have been there. The gardens that Linda and Geoff Post have created around their home in Florence have that feel. This is in part because of the stately mature trees that grace their acre-and-a-half property, including silver maples and a wonderful European beech. But it’s also because of the artfully naturalistic plantings. Linda and Geoff Post in their garden at their home in Northampton. CAROL LOLLIS / Staff Photo “We plan what we’re going to do,” said Geoff.
Making News in Business, June 5
SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society has named Samantha Novak associate director of marketing. Novak will provide overall marketing, communications, and public relations strategy for the organization, with a specific emphasis on fostering and stewarding corporate and local partnerships. She will implement vision, priorities, and standards for all marketing activity, ensuring alignment across content, digital, design, public relations, and development efforts.
Business Briefs: June 5, 2026
NORTHAMPTON — Greenfield Cooperative Bank will hold its upcoming Networking for Good event benefiting Cooley Dickinson Hospital Behavioral Health Unit on Thursday, June 11, from 8 to 9 a.m., at Familiars Coffee and Tea, at 6 Strong Ave. in Northampton. To support the Behavioral Health Unit, GCB will collect new and gently used books — from graphic novels to romance and history — that are in good condition and appropriate for all readers.
Real Estate Transactions: June 5, 2026
Wayne A. Costa and Christine A. Costa sold to Merrimack Institute LLC, 67 Fern Ave. $205,000. Shamirah S. Nalule and Douglas Obanyi sold to Shamirah S. Nalule, 62 Lindsay Lane. $1. Maria Fernandez De Arias sold to Bouthoulou Mede Sr., 227 Riverbend St. $449,998. Craig Wagner sold to Cameron D. Verdieck, 95 South St. $350,000. Donald S. Foster II sold to Kelly Provencial, 111 Wood St. $325,000. C. William Llewelyn Jr. and Mary E. Llewelyn sold to Five Point Fields LLC, Off Route 5. $1. Sean K.
Arts Briefs: Exhibit celebrating aquatic life in Easthampton, free concert in Northampton, and more
Gallery A3 in Amherst will host “Gesture and Line,” a solo exhibition of recent abstract oil paintings by local artist Karen Iglehart from June 4 through June 27. Located at 28 Amity St., the contemporary fine arts gallery will hold an opening reception on Friday, June 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. Inspired by Buddhist meditation and the human experience, Iglehart’s work utilizes brushwork and palette knife application to create peaceful visual spaces.
Arts Briefs: Artist reception in Shelburne Falls, Talking Heads tribute band in Turners Falls, and more
Soprano Tinky Weisblat and pianist Jerry Noble will present “What I Did for Love,” a program of romantic numbers from the Great American Songbook, on Wednesday, June 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the Federated Church on Route 2 in Charlemont. The pair will survey love in its various phases: longing for love, discovering love, love for friends, love gone awry and looking back at love. Some songs will be funny; some, sad.
Sounds Local: 1794 Meetinghouse launches summer season: Soul group Ray & the Lovers kicks to take the stage, Meet the Artist program debuts
This week, we have more summer music series opening their doors or, in some cases, inviting people onto their lawns. The 1794 Meetinghouse in New Salem kicks off its impressive 2026 season on Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m., with Ray & the Lovers, a soul group from the Boston area known for their exciting live show. This show will also mark the launch of the new Meet the Artist program the 1794 Meetinghouse is implementing at concerts this year.
Sipping on the past: Mohawk Trail history teachers win big at Civics Trivia Night
Politics isn’t always an easy topic, particularly in these divided times. Nevertheless, a recent crowd at Mohawk Trail Regional School in Buckland managed to have a lot of fun discussing political affairs … and consuming politically themed beverages. The setting was Civics Trivia Night, an annual event hosted by the League of Women Voters of Franklin County along with the school’s “Museum on Main Street: More Voices, More Votes” program.
Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest: Winning adult category poems
After Galway Kinnell’s When One Has Lived a Long Time Alone When you have lived a long time in one place, you know where the red buds of trees first appear in spring. Look north, to the dividing windbreak on the property line where the logging road is overgrown and abandoned. When you have lived a long time in your home, the return of phoebes means welcoming valued friends, reclaiming their nest in the shed again where babies thrived, fledged, and graced the sky with light-gray wings.
Weekly Food Photo Contest: This week’s winner: Sheri Cheung of Florence
Sheri Cheung of Florence shared this photo of a meal she created: “The following is fried red snapper with piri piri sauce.” How to enter: Snap a pic of something delicious-looking and send it with your name, town and a sentence or two to features@gazettenet.com.
Real Estate Transactions: May 29, 2026
Raymond L. Donelson sold to BCLB Land Holdings LLC, Apple Valley Road. $20,000. Ashfield Properties LLC sold to David Rives Williams and Inger M. Williams, 240 Beldingville Road. $1,050,000. Reginald C. Haughton Jr. sold to Laurie Corazzini, 1 Lenox St. $439,000. Robert A. Muzzy and Cathy A. Muzzy sold to Cathy A. Muzzy, Spring St. $1. Wendy Marie Muzzy sold to Cathy A. Muzzy and Robert A. Muzzy, Spring St. $1. Daniel B. Muzzy and Jill M. Muzzy sold to Robert A. Muzzy and Cathy A. Muzzy, Spring St. $1. John F.
Business Briefs: May 29, 2026
SHELBURNE — The Vipassana Meditation Center invites the community to its first open house in over a decade on Sunday, May 31, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Located at 386 Colrain-Shelburne Road in Shelburne, this free public event welcomes curious newcomers, beginners and long-time practitioners alike to explore the serene grounds and tour the expanded year-round facilities.
Arts Briefs: ‘Untimely Monuments’ in Orange, short films in Shelburne Falls, and more
Massachusetts-born cartoonist and illustrator Hans Rickheit will present a new exhibition of drawings titled “Untimely Monuments: Premature Relics from Expired Futures” at Stage On Main in downtown Orange. According to a press release, the exhibition features a collection of monochromatic drawings depicting strange machines, biological oddities, surreal architecture and dreamlike figures that feel at once antique and futuristic.
Sounds Local: The summer’s setlist has arrived: Coop Concerts enters its 22nd season, the Good Music Makes Good Neighbors festival returns, and more
Music fans, get ready to fill your calendars. Summer is here, and with it comes a lineup of exciting music events. It all begins Thursday night, May 28, when the Coop Concerts launch their 2026 season at the Energy Park in Greenfield. The music runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and, as with most of their shows, will feature three different acts.
Speaking of Nature: Too bee or not to bee?: Why I’m swapping ‘No Mow May’ for a ‘Low Mow’ spring
Every spring, when the grass begins to grow, the property owner is faced with a choice: mow the lawn and keep everything tidy, or leave it be … for the bees. For many the choice is simple, but I imagine that mowing is generally the choice that is made. I have attempted the “No Mow May” idea and have felt both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat as a result. The victory comes when you start to see plants other than grass begin to thrive and bloom.
Stalking up for spring: Exploring the versatility of rhubarb in sweet and savory dishes
I may have mentioned once or twice before that I love rhubarb. It is the focus of my only single-subject book. “Love, Laughter, and Rhubarb” doesn’t sell a lot of copies except in the spring (now!), at holidays and at the occasional food festival. Even so, it is probably my favorite among my cookbooks. I favor it because I adore rhubarb. This vegetable masquerading as fruit has a lot to recommend it. It’s beautiful, with gorgeous red (and sometimes green) color. Its flavor is refreshing and tart.
Valley Bounty: Preserving a family legacy: Sunderland’s historic Laurenitis Farm rebrands as Starview Gardens under fifth-generation ownership
Laurenitis Farm stand was built in 1973 by Robert and Benigna Laurenitis, the fourth generation to farm on the family land in Sunderland. Karina Laurenitis is one of their eight children and now is the owner-operator of the farm. The transition of the farm from fourth to fifth generation brings a new name, Starview Gardens, to the business. With a full-time career in tech, Karina Laurenitis purchased the property in late 2024 and did some soul-searching about the future of her family’s business.
Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: The woods lend us trilliums: Spotting Emily Dickinson’s favorite spring wildflower
One recent morning, I was walking on the rail trail in South Amherst when something in the sun-dappled underbrush caught my eye. A dot of burgundy, then another. I stopped to look more closely and all at once there appeared a small multitude of trilliums gathered around the base of a mature maple tree. These are Trillium erectum, also known as wood lily, red trillium or purple trillium, native to the woodlands of the northeastern United States and Canada.
Reenactment group showcases family life in 18th-century Belchertown
For a day, the Stone House Museum in Belchertown transformed into an 18th-century reenactment, showing what family life was like around the time of the Revolutionary War. The day was complete with chicken roasting on a shovel over a fire, wool spinning, apothecary remedies, tin-lantern making and grazing farm animals. The annual event was held this year to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the 1776 start of the Revolutionary War.
Unveiling the silent presence: Jeanne Douillard explores French heritage in New England at Greenfield Public Library event
Before we delve into Jeanne Douillard’s fascinating cultural research, here’s a brief tutorial on how to pronounce her name. In French, “Jeanne” is the feminine version of “Jean,” which translates to the English “John.” But Douillard’s first name doesn’t rhyme with “seen.” Check it out: most people can handle the French male name “Jean,” with its initial “Zh” sound followed by vowels rhyming with “on,” but culminating in a swallowed “N” rather than an expressed one.
Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest: Winning youth (12-14) category poems
The phone rang — Bright, harmless, ordinary. I answered with a smile, didn’t realize it would turn into a longlasting nightmare. Your voice — calm. Careful. Too careful. And just like that, My summer shattered. Crushed, Like glass under a careless heel All my plans scattered across the floor, Gone. “Why can’t I go back to China!” “Why do you always say everything at the last second?!” The words burned in my throat.
Faith Matters: Pentecost and politics
Here in western Massachusetts, faith communities have always been part of the fabric of civic life. Churches that ran the Underground Railroad. Congregations that marched. Pulpits that preached, and people that acted. That tradition is alive, and this September, it shows up in a big way in the United Church of Christ. They say, Don’t talk about religion or politics at the table … Or, don’t bring “politics” into my church. However, Christian life together is political.
Real Estate Transactions: May 22, 2026
Joey A. Baldic Sr. and Dona M. Baldic sold to Joey A. Baldic Jr. and Joshua M. Baldic, 491 Doe Valley Road. $1. Michael W. Cygan and Kathleen Ann Cygan sold to Michael W. Cygan, 7 Greenwood Terrace. $1. V&J Real Estate Inc. and Jignesh Patel sold to Diana Kananga, 572 Pleasant St. $430,000. Hart Family Properties LLC and Brian L. Hunton II sold to Sarah Schouler, 392 S Main St. $290,000. David M. Price sold to Bonnie L. Price and David M. Price, 55 Twichell St. $1.
Rock On with Joan Axelrod-Contrada: When the harmonies deepen: Learning to let our children carry the note
I poured myself a glass of wine one evening — just a reasonably priced California vintage — and as it opened up, so did a thought I hadn’t had before: some songs don’t just last; they deepen. “Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young has aged for me like a fine Merlot. When it came out in 1970, I heard what I yearned to hear: “Teach your parents well.” I seized on that line like it had been written just for me. Finally, a song that flipped the script.
Sounds Local: Old-school hip-hop makes a resurgence: Colrain rapper Unagi releases 10-track album, ‘Western Mass Hysteria’
If you miss the days when old school hip-hop ruled, then the music of rapper and producer Unagi is just what you need. Based in Colrain, an area not exactly known for its hip-hop scene, Unagi released his new album “Western Mass Hysteria” on May 1. The album’s 10 tracks are heavy on the kind of samples, breakbeats and scratches that dominated the genre in the days before gangsta rap arrived and took the music in a darker direction.
Arts Briefs: Indigenous dye workshop in Turners Falls, memoir reading in Wendell, and more
RiverCulture, the creative economy program of Montague, invites the public to a unique hands-on workshop led by biologist and artist Elizabeth James-Perry (Wampanoag) on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Unity Park Riverfront in Turners Falls. A 2023 NEA Heritage Fellow from Aquinnah, Martha’s Vineyard, James-Perry will share her deep knowledge of coastal ecology and tribal heritage to this drop-in style workshop.
Sharing puffs of joy: How a local library event brought Burgundy to Charlemont
As readers of this column may have gathered, I love cheese. Whenever friends and I play the game of “what food would you choose for your last meal on death row” or “what food would you take with you if you could eat only one edible on a desert island,” my choice always involves cheese. This may not be terribly healthy, particularly in the desert-island scenario. Let’s face it, when we’re down to our last meal, its healthiness is no longer an issue.
Valley Bounty: Rooted in love: Couple’s passion for sustainability and beauty blossoms into three businesses
Rebecca Maillet started growing flowers in 2016 as a tribute to her soulmate, Ruth, whom she lost to cancer. In the denouement of their time together, the couple collected flowers from the backyard, spreading them through their home as gifts for one another. “I didn’t know at the time, but I was essentially incubating what is now Many Graces,” said Maillet. In 2018, Maillet met Kel Komenda, a skilled fine woodworker and furniture maker, who moved here for a full-time job.
There is a Season with Molly Parr: A tasty twist on leftovers
So far this spring, the locally-grown and seasonal bits and bobs entering my kitchen have come from the hydroponic garden tended by the fourth graders at Leeds Elementary School. We’ve enjoyed salads full of fresh sprouts, used the cilantro in creamy dips, and enjoyed the Swiss chard in these chard and quinoa patties. I actually came up with this recipe during Passover, with leftover quinoa, the not-quite-a-grain that Jews realized about 25 years ago they could eat during the holiday.
Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest: Winning youth (15-18) category poems
Thank you mom Your tongue quells an itch Right between my ears Then you walk As you always do, right? Out the door Traces of you are left In the air The same air coercing your Butterfly coercion of the door Closed and closing by that butterfly touch and Presumably it shall stay so, closed. Still standing as if I am gazing Upon your traces personified I bid my farewells for what will be the day. A smile. Tactfully paired with words of the same I love you sweetie. Have a great day.
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