Mount Warner Explodes!

Before I get into the meat of this post, I will admit that I used a sensational headline to grab your attention.  Mont Warner isn't exploding with lava or ash rock or little chocolate and marshmallow candies.  Rather, it's exploding with excitement and new activity.

The preserved area of Mount Warner consists of 2000 contiguous acres of land held by multiple conservation groups and individuals.  The Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations has stewardship of the Mount Warner Reservation, 159 acres dedicated for "passive recreation" (i.e. hiking, walking, skiing, mountain biking, etcetera -- no motorized vehicles or hunting).  A public meeting at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum last night gave interested residents the opportunity to share information and exchange ideas.

 

The Trustees shared their goals to "Protect, Steward, Excite"; to protect the numerous historic and natural resources on Mount Warner, including 5 stone/brick-lined artesian wells, vernal pools, Lou's rock, native birds and plants, and beautiful vistas (for a Mount Warner resource inventory created by students at UMass, visit this link); to steward the land by building new sustainable trails, marking & mapping them (there's a new 2-mile trail nearly completed!), creating a parking lot,  and managing invasives; to excite by partnering with local colleges, vineyards, orchards, farms, conservation groups, naturalists, and community and creating programs.

It was a great meeting with lots of ideas shared and discussed -- and it was a great way to meet neighbours and other outdoor enthusiasts!

Want to get involved in protecting, improving, and enjoying the Mount Warner area?  Come to the Opening Celebration and talk to Josh, the reservation superintendent, who may be forming a property committee; join the Friends of Lake Warner and participate in their activities (water chestnut pull at 9:00 on August 4, bring a canoe or kayak if you have one); or, just get out into the hills -- you can hike, bike, bird-watch, rock-climb, cross-country ski, and more!  Whenever you go, please remember to USE, ENJOY, RESPECT.



As previously stated, the meeting was held at the PPH Museum, which hosts small shows of various artists (I believe there were three artists represented last night).  The colourful the work of Jane Thurber was a great backdrop for the meeting.

A Visit to the Carle

Just returned from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, wherein Mr. Madley and I enjoyed a discussion/lecture ("Eight Things You Cannot Do For Your Children") with Michael Thompson, clinical psychologist, took in the three wonderful art exhibits, and did a little shopping.

I can never recommend the ECMoPBA highly enough or frequently enough.  I have been an avid fan of Eric Carle and picture books since early in my youth, but the museum adds dimension to that and allows my love for children's books to expand.  Currently on exhibit at the Carle is an enrapturing display of Iconic Images -- a sampling from the 10,000 illustrations in the Carle's permanent collection, featuring Arnold Lobel, Eric Carle, William Steig, Mo Willems, Jules Feiffer, Trina Schart Hyman, and many other classic children's book illustrators.  I walked the exhibit twice and was just enamoured of it.
In the middle gallery, showing until mid-April, is an exhibit of Garth Williams' illustrations from E. B. White's beloved Charlotte's Web.  (As an aside, I am grateful that Charlotte's Web has not been "updated & improved" and "revisioned" with illustrations from modern illustrators.  Not that I don't love modern illustrators -- I do! -- but some books just belong with their original illustrations.)  Works include preliminary sketches and finished drawings.
In the third gallery, which I call the Carle Gallery, is a display (until Feb 24) of Eric Carle's independent art -- things he has worked on outside of his picture books.

The presentation by Michael Thompson is over, but you can still make good use of the museum and enjoy the fantastic exhibits currently being shown.  If you're worried about cost, the Goodwin Memorial Library has free-entry passes, and there are other ways to save, too.  The museum also shows movies, has a picture book library (and storytime!), provides art programs for children, presents plays and music, and has a wonderful gift shop (I can never go in without coming out with something).  Do yourself a favour a make a visit to the Carle.  If you've ever enjoyed an illustration in a book, creative word play, or learning, you'll be glad you did.

Big Saturday Events

Lots of big local Saturday events this week:

Barstow Burger Fest (Hadley)
Grand Re-opening of War Memorial Pool (Amherst)
Mo Willems @ the Eric Carle Museum (Amherst)
Perfect Spot of Tea (Hadley)

For details, check the calendar page and click on the event links.

5% Day

Wednesday Folk Traditions, Pt 2

Continuing the performance list from a previous post:

Happy 4th of July

July 11 La Charanga Libre, a newly formed ensemble of Valley musicians, performs authentic Cuban popular music of Charanga, a style introduced in Cuba in 1940 including Son, Cha Cha, Son Montuno, and Guaguanco. but known in New York as Salsa. Cuba and Puerto Rico remain the driving force behind this beautiful music, dancing, and singing emphasizing their true cultural spirit.

July 18 3rd Annual Horace Clarence Boyer Memorial Gospel Performance featuring The Total Praise Gospel Choir based at the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, MA, the twenty -voice choir performs a repertoire of contemporary and traditional gospel songs, including works by Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammond. Our 31st annual Gospel performance.

 July 25 Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble perform the traditional music of the Arab world preserving the rich legacy of Arabic culture through soulful vocals, haunting rhythms, hypnotic instrumental improvisations, and electrifying percussion. "The music of Layaali moves the soul and stirs the spirit. A combination of tradition, activism, and pride, the beat of the musicians ... sends you to the Arab world and awakens your senses." -- Jeff Mendez, The Palestine Center, Washington, D.C.

WEDNESDAY FOLK TRADITIONS 2012- 31st season. Performances are held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm. in the Sunken Garden at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, 130 River Drive, Route 47, Hadley MA 01035. Admission is $10, $2 children 16 and under. Picnickers are welcome on the museum grounds starting at 5:00 pm. This is a smoke-free site.

For further information please call (413) 584-4699 or view www.pphmuseum.org.
Wednesday Folk Traditions is funded, in part, by grants from: the Marion I. And Otto C. Kohler Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; and the Hadley Cultural Council, a local agency, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; and with generous support from many local businesses, including Hadley's Mountain Farms Mall and Easthampton Savings Bank, and the Walmart Foundation.

Wednesday Folk Traditions 2012

Wednesday Folk Traditions are coming back to the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum this summer -- check out the listing below for the great performance lineup.
All these performances are also listed on the calendar for easy reference.

WEDNESDAY FOLK TRADITIONS 2012 LISTING

 June 6 The Art Steele Blues Band, a staple on the New England scene, perform quintessential American music: "When we play we want to sweep people into our framework, paint a picture in their head and a feeling in their heart." "Blues is like religion for Steele...he has carried the mantle with fervor and zeal."- Donnie Moorehouse, BLUESWIRE magazine.

 June 13 Trine Cheile with Rosemary Caine- Trine Cheile, Gaelic for cheerful disorder, play an eclectic Celtic mix of chestnuts, including songs of those 'Wilde Irish Women' inspired by local Irish harpist and songster Rosie Caine and performed by a stunning quintet of Valley artists.

 June 20 Viva Quetzal- World/Afro-Andean/Latin/Jazz Fusion ... an astonishing array of exotic and familiar instruments and folkloric themes that creates a link among the rain forests of Central and South America, the carnivals of Brazil, the high plateaus of the Andes, and the urban barrios of Latin America and the United States. "more than eclectic or rhythmic, it's spiritual, it's all cultures existing as one. That's universal music!"- Rafael Charres, Cashbox Magazine (NYC)

 June 27 Gokh-Bi System - African hip hop ambassadors from Dakar, Senegal perform music that is both ancient and contemporary. They combine traditional drums with the forgotten ekonting, a beautiful and haunting string instrument from southern Senegal, adding unique four and five language rhythm-poetry, village dance styles and urban hip storytelling. "Hip hop takes a joyful, respectful place alongside traditionalism." -The New York Times

 Happy 4th of July

(Performances scheduled for after the Fourth of July will be posted in a few weeks.)

WEDNESDAY FOLK TRADITIONS 2012- 31st season. Performances are held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm. in the Sunken Garden at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, 130 River Drive, Route 47, Hadley MA 01035. Admission is $10, $2 children 16 and under. Picnickers are welcome on the museum grounds starting at 5:00 pm. This is a smoke-free site.

For further information please call (413) 584-4699 or view www.pphmuseum.org.
Wednesday Folk Traditions is funded, in part, by grants from: the Marion I. And Otto C. Kohler Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; and the Hadley Cultural Council, a local agency, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; and with generous support from many local businesses, including Hadley's Mountain Farms Mall and Easthampton Savings Bank, and the Walmart Foundation.

Fall Festival in Hadley

After seeing a couple of signs on the road and not being able to read all the information while driving past, I finally got around to snapping a picture of the sign for the First Congregational Church's Fall Festival that will be held this Saturday (24th) from 9-3 at the corner of Rts 9 & 47.

It appears to be cosponsored by the Hadley Farm Museum.
Sounds like fun!  If you go, maybe you'll see me there....

Library: Things You Should Know

1. New A/C -- Yes, the library is now a very pleasant place to visit during these long super-hot days of summer, because it has a brand new air conditioning unit.  Stop in to the library, pull up a chair, and chill out.

2. eBooks -- The library has access to all the materials available through the C/WMARS digital catalog. These include ebooks, audiobooks, and videos that can be downloaded and played on a variety of electronic devices, including computers, iPods, Nooks, and more.  It's easy to use (though there is an occasional glitch with setting up the Nook with Adobe Digital Editions -- troubleshoot here) and best of all, just like library books, these books are free to use!

3. Museum passes -- According to the library website, the library has museum passes available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Museums include MassMoCA, Norman Rockwell Museum, Eric Carle Museum, and more, and most of them are worth free admission for 2 adults and 2 children (though not all).  Check them out!

Mead Art Museum

The Mead Art Museum of Amherst College is part of Museums 10, a consortium of local museums (some of which I previously blogged in the Belch blog).  It holds the art collection of the college and includes works by Homer, Rubens, and Monet, as well as Japanese wood art, South African sculpture, Russian modernist art, and local artist pieces.

Mr. Madley and I have made 2 visits to this small art museum in the last few months.  The first was an introductory visit to see a special Goya exhibit.  The second visit was to hear a talk on the new Orra White Hitchcock exhibit, wife of Edward Hitchcock, former president of the college. 
The museum is beautiful, each exhibit room painted a different color.  There is a beautiful reconstructed walnut-paneled room from 1611 that is filled with medieval, baroque, and renaissance art, and at least 8 more galleries with displays (and comfy chairs).  The art is lovely and varied, and the pieces are rotated periodically (as they should be).  Visit this link to see what's on view now.
The museum also regularly hosts events including lectures, meditations, poetry slams, demonstrations, gallery talks, and even tai chi!

The museum is free and open to the public (which is wonderful).  Check hours and accessibility here.  I would definitely recommend considering a visit -- it's an especially good thing to do during the cold winter (it's well heated and has great hours).
Lost on campus?  Find the museum by looking for the Stearns Steeple.