Tag Archives: western massachusetts

The Ripple: River Walking

This month in “The Ripple: Stories About Western MA Rivers,” Hilltown Families Contributing Writer, Kurt Heidinger, writes about river access .Check out his 5 pointers on how to river walk, preventing a wipe out due to slippery rocks and strong current…

6 Western MA Naturalists and Educators

Naturalists and Educators to Know About in Western MA Support your live, local, free-lance, free-range, grass-fed naturalist! Some naturalists and educators are funded by a school or a camp. Others hang up their shingle and take the kids into the woods. This post offers a smattering of freelance naturalists in Western MA. They are people […]

The Ripple: Insects of Spring

Before May Flies, Meet the Mayfly Imagine never getting swarmed and bit by mayflies as you revel in the vivacities unleashed by the ubiquitous green fountain of spring. Imagine gardening, or hiking, or simply sitting on a park bench without having to constantly swat and flinch and keep from going mad as the mayflies crawl […]

Community Conversation: Talking to Your Kids About Sex, Part 3

Hilltown Families presents… “Puberty for Parents” part of the Talking to Your Kids About Sex Series of Community Conversations with Brooke Norton Held at Cup & Top Café in Florence Tuesday, May 21st from 6:30-8:30pm Hilltown Families and Cup and Top Café are presenting a series of free talks for parents with Brooke Norton, Certified […]

The Ripple: The Magic of Spring Peepers. The Science of Vernal Pools

How do spring peepers know when to start singing? How do spring peepers know when to start singing? They don’t have weather reports, or the ability to see the buds forming on trees, the snow melting, or teens walking around in shorts and T’s when it’s 40 degrees and climbing. Certainly, there are scientific reasons […]

Northampton History ❥ Finding Ways to Remember

Note 23, History For an upcoming issue of Preview Massachusetts Magazine, I was in Northampton interviewing a chef and a restaurant owner this week. It’s a space he relatively recently took over and we were recalling together what it had been in its last incarnation. That evening, my husband and I strained to recall what […]

History of Transportation in the Pioneer Valley

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles History of Transportation in the Pioneer Valley One of the best ways to learn about the changes that historical events and innovative inventions create is by studying local history.  By learning about broad concepts and eras within history, we can gain an understanding of how things changed on a large scale. […]

Fashion from the Gilded Age: A Local History

The Kimball-Salisbury Women: Chicago to Tor Court Local History & Fashion from the Gilded Age Arrowhead in Pittsfield, MA Learn about the Gilded Age’s local influence at the Berkshire Historical Society at Arrowhead!  The historical society is hosting an exhibit of items and artifacts from the lavish time period, including exquisite gowns worn by and […]

4 Winter Celebrations to Shake the Cold Away

Winter Festivals Warm Up Western MA Celebrates The coldest, bleakest stretch of winter upon us – and it’s time to celebrate! With the coming of February comes a host of community winter celebrations and festivals of all kinds, offering families a chance to enjoy time outside, try new foods, learn about cultural traditions, support local […]