Upcoming Events to Be Aware Of

It's the holiday season, as I'm sure you can tell by the amount of catalogs in your mailbox.  Here are some important dates to look forward to this season:

Nov. 23-24: Monte's March, benefiting the Western Massachusetts Food Bank

Dec. 3: Hadley Master Plan Forum, 6:30pm, Hadley Senior Center
Dec. 6: Amherst College Vespers and Smith College Vespers @4pm & 730pm
Dec.13: Mount Holyoke College Vespers @ 4pm & 730pm

I was saddened to learn that Valley Gives Day is on hiatus until 2016 -- I look forward to that every year!  Not that that means I won't be giving during this season of gratitude giving and remembering, but VGD made it just a little more fun.

Photo Project

Calling photographers!
A UMass graduate student researcher is seeking 1-3 photographer volunteers to participate in a documentary community photography project on Hadley.  The purpose of the project is to study how community members value the landscape of the town and are motivated towards the preservation of its rural character.
This is going to be a fun opportunity to participate in a community-building project and share views on Hadley.  If you think you might be interested in joining this undertaking and would like more information, leave me a comment (it won't be published) with some contact information (email or phone) to pass on to the researcher.

The Blooms of Spring

March 5-March 20 marks the date for the Smith Spring Bulb Show at the Lyman Conservatory of Smith College.  The Spring Bulb Show is a wonderful preview of spring flowers -- tulips, daffodils, narcissi, crocus, hyacinths, cyclamen, forsythia, camellia, freesia, and more.  Mr. Madley and I went last night, and were exceedingly pleased -- the colours were vivid, the scents were intoxicating, and it felt just like spring!

 

I love flowers -- and I love spring. This is my second visit to the bulb show, and I can't even begin to tell you how happy it makes me -- so much beauty and hope compacted into that small space (especially after a winter like this one).  Today, during a walk around the yard (which is almost possible, with the melting and thawing), I discovered a few fresh shoots poking up out of the ground.  Not yet sure what they'll turn into, but I can't wait to see.

If you've never been to the Conservatory, I highly recommend it -- even outside of the special spring and fall shows.  There is a large variety of amazing plants organized into different collections.  More on the Lyman on a later post.

In the meantime, get to Smith for the bulb show.  Hours are 10-4 daily, 6-8 next Friday (March 18).  A donation of $2 is suggested at the door.  Go during the day or go at night -- just make sure to get there!

Mt Holyoke College also has a spring flower show going on.