Yankee Shopper by Hersam Acorn

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Shopper

May 9, 2012

IN THIS ISSUE: Crossword......................... Page 11 Business & Services ........... Page 6 Classiﬁeds ........................... Page 7 Real Estate ........................ Page 10 Auto ................................... Page 14 Help Wanted..................... Page 15

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Editorial Deadline: 20th at noon the month before publication.

Classiﬁed Deadline: May 25, 2012

Display Deadline: May 25, 2012

Manager’s Memo

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800.234.1432 Fax 802.447.3270 Classiﬁed 800.234.1432 editorial email yankee@hersamacornma.com advertising email art@hersamacornma.com ■

Renee Tassone, General Manager Linda Devlin, Circulation Manager Carrie Devlin, Advertising Sales Jessica Floyd, Advertising Sales Kitty Lewis, Advertising Sales Sarah Masiero, Advertising Sales Mark Payton, Web Sales Jen Hathaway, Production Director Chris Sobolowski, Art Director Barbra Retzlaff, Graphic Artist ■

Editorial Deadline*: 20th of month prior Classiﬁed Deadline*: 20th of month prior Display Deadline*: 20th of month prior *Deadlines will change due to Holidays. See special deadline notices published before major holidays. ■

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Notice: The Yankee Shopper will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise, or reject any and all advertising, with or without cause being assigned, which in the publisher’s judgement is contrary to the interests of this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. ©2010, Hersam Acorn Newspapers. All contents of the Yankee Shopper are copyrighted, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Martin Hersam, Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Thomas B. Nash, Publisher

I know I have written about my pets in the past but here is a story for you that you have not heard from me. We have always had German Shepherds, Renee Tassone, three in the General Manager last 25 years. Sadly, none of them are alive today. We currently have two cats. One we adopted about two years ago, who we call Sam. He showed up at a co-workers house and wouldn’t leave, so I took him home. He is an outdoor cat and really only comes around when he is hungry. Our other cat is Casper, who is an indoor kitty we chose from a litter in Bennington. Just before Easter, Sam came home one morning limping, his front right paw was swollen and he couldn’t put it down. We waited a few days to see if his paw improved but it actually got worse. Easter night we got home and Sam was acting all crazy: eyes bugging out of his head and he was going after my husband; very strange activity from him. I decided to make an appointment at the vet. It is very difficult to make an appointment when you never know when he is going to show up at home but it worked out that he came home just before the scheduled appointment. It was even more difficult getting him to go in the pet carrier. I gave up trying since I was afraid of being late (story of my life) so I threw Sam in the back seat of my car. It was definitely an interesting ride for both of us thank goodness I was not going far. When we arrived at the vet I ran in to get a leash and slipped it over Sam’s head. On the way inside he started to freak, jumping out of my arms and in the process scratched me a few times on the hands and wrists. Once inside they hurried us into one of the exam rooms because they could see the difficulty I was having. The vet entered the room, immediately saw the blood oozing from my wrists and instantly started to panic about the possibility of the cat having AIDS, leukemia or rabies. Since we never really considered Sam to be our cat, we never vaccinated him. I was about to learn a very important lesson. Not knowing what animal had bitten Sam’s paw we had to explore all of the possibilities, and none of them were very appealing to me. We decided first we would test for AIDS and leukemia. The chance was great that he would have at least one and the test would only take about ten minutes. Luckily for Yankee Shopper

both of us, both tests were negative. Now all we had to worry about was rabies. After reviewing all of our options we decided that the cat could go back home since we did not have any kids living at home, but we would have to quarantine him for 6 months. Have you ever tried to quarantine a cat that has been outdoors his whole life? I thought for sure the vet was overreacting about this whole thing. I simply went to get an antibiotic for his paw, I did not expect to be choosing between euthanizing or quarantining him for six months. Now I had to worry about the possibility of me having rabies, so my first step was researching rabies in humans on the Internet, which was a bad idea. Everything I read said that rabies is 100% fatal if shots are not administered BEFORE symptoms begin. It seemed like as I was reading I instantly got a sore throat which, you guessed it, is typically the first rabies symptom a human gets. I’d had enough reading about rabies. I figured I better call my doctor. I made an appointment for the following day. When my doctor saw me he told me that he could not do anything for me and I better go straight to the emer-

gency room. I went to the ER and they started me on the round of rabies vaccinations. All the while, I was secretly hoping that it wasn’t too late and my sore throat was a coincidence. You receive a total of four rounds of vaccines on separate days; they started me with five shots for the first round. I had to get four of them in my butt and one in the arm. They told me I was lucky because they used to have to give the four shots in the abdomen, now it is the butt. I didn’t feel very lucky, that’s for sure. Not only are the shots painful, but expensive as well - a total of $7,000 for the four rounds of shots. Thank goodness for insurance. continued on page 5 May 9, 2012

Free Tomato Plant Giveaway at Old Sturbridge Village (STURBRIDGE, MA) – April 28, 2012: Visitors to Old Sturbridge Village on Saturday, May 19 will receive a free heirloom tomato plant grown by OSV horticulturists to celebrate the arrival of the spring gardening season. The free tomatoes will include varieties dating back to the 1830s: Brandywine, Yellow Pear, and Large Red. (Free tomatoes will be offered with museum admission, while supplies last, limit one plant per family). Museum visitors will receive a free tomato voucher upon arrival, which can be redeemed from 11:00 – 5:00 p.m. near the OSV Herb Garden Other heirloom plants grown by Village horticulturists will be offered for sale from11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and will include flowers like hollyhock, wild foxglove, blackberry lily, and herbs such as basil, thyme, and sage (prices range from $3-$5, depending on size). Museum members can learn how to deter destructive insects while attracting beneficial ones at a special Good Bug / Bad Bug garden workshop. OSV historians will discuss tomato-growing techniques in the Herb Garden, and will demonstrate hearth cooking with tomato catsup at the Freeman Farmhouse. For details: 800-SEE-1830; www.osv.org. “The taste of heirloom tomatoes is far superior to the taste of today’s supermarket tomatoes, which are often out of season and picked while they are still green,” notes Roberta McQuaid, Old Sturbridge Village staff horticulturist. “Some say the heirloom Brandywine tomato is the world’s best-tasting tomato. The Large Red tomato can grow as big as your fist, and the Yellow Pear tomato is produces large quantities of twoinch-long pear shaped fruit. These are the perfect size to pluck off the vine and pop in your mouth for a tasty snack while gardening.” According to Old Sturbridge Village historians, the tomato originated in South America, and spread to Mexico, where Spaniards associated the Aztec word tomatl, meaning “plump fruit” with the edible tomato, which the Aztecs called miltomatl. From Mexico, tomatoes traveled to Spain, Italy, England, and the rest of Europe. They were first imported into New England from the Mediterranean. Although tomatoes are prized today, they were a foreign addition to

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early American cuisine. At first, people did not know how to prepare tomatoes and they often did not like the taste. New Englanders began to enjoy tomatoes after famous domestic advice author Lydia Maria Child recommended them in her book, American Frugal Housewife, writing, “This is a delicious vegetable. It is easily cultivated, and yields a most abundant crop.” She went on to give a recipes for tomato pie and encouraged the use of tomato catsup as a flavoring in beef soup, curried fowl, chicken fricassee, and even in fish chowder. By the end of the 1830s, catsup, or “ketchup,” was well on its way to becoming America’s national condiment. Much of the historical interpretation at Old Sturbridge Village is centered around the museum’s many gardens, which include an extensive Herb Garden and formal exhibit area showcasing 400 heirloom plants in terraced beds; a farm kitchen garden with vegetables, herbs and fruits; the Parsonage kitchen garden showing more scientific and experimental gardening techniques of the day (including the cultivation of tomatoes); a “pleasure garden” of period flowers in formal design; and a children’s garden to encourage gardening curiosity among young people. OSV horticulturists are dedicated not only to preserving heirloom plants but also to demonstrating how they were cultivated in early New England. They rely on a number of research sources, including period letters, diaries, reminiscences, vintage seed and nursery catalogs, and early garden advice books. Old Sturbridge Village, one of the largest living history museums in the country, celebrates New England life in the 1830s and is open daily 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. Admission: adults $24; seniors $22; children 3-17, $8; children 2 and under, free. All programs are subject to change. Each admission includes free parking and a free second-day visit within 10 days. Woo Card subscribers get $5 off adult daytime admission; college Woo cardholders receive $12 off adult daytime admission. For times and details of all OSV activities visit: www. osv.org or call 1-800-SEE-1830.

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Have You Ashuwillticooked Lately?

Audition Call for ‘Oliver’

by Sara Bonthuis

The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is a perfect example of how easily the beauty of Berkshire County can be accessed and enjoyed, even by those pressed for free time. Running parallel to Route 8, the paved Trail from the Berkshire Visitors Bureau building in Adams to the Berkshire Mall entrance in Lanesborough is ten feet wide and 11.2 miles long with parking lots and restrooms at both ends and at designated locations along the way. The Berkshire Mall/Pittsfield Bus Route on Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) bus offers access to the Trail and each bus can carry two bikes. With a backdrop of mountain views and sections flanked by lakes and the Hoosic River, the Trail offers those with an hour to spare and those with a full day to spend a remarkably convenient opportunity to gather and expend energy outdoors. The �� length and the width of the Trail �� have the effect of dispersing even �� the largest number of users on a sunny weekend afternoon such �� that leashed dogs, serious and �� recreational bicyclists, wobbling �� toddlers, fishermen, walkers, �� geese, rollerbladers and runners can coexist with ease. Of course �� attention to trail etiquette is helpful to all but cooperation from �� the geese is spotty. Including a break for refresh�� ment is easy with shops offer�� ing snacks and restaurants vis�� ible from the Trail. A bike ride or walk from the deli counter �� at Whitney’s Farm Market to �� a bench or picnic table along �� the Trail is just one example of �� the many ways to extend the Ashuwillticook experience. In �� all of the varied and respectful �� ways it can be enjoyed, it’s a great �� time of the year to get out and �� take that first step on the Trail. Ashuwillticook Rail Trail �� details can be found on the �� website: mass.gov/dcr/parks/ western/asrt.htm ��

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Berkshire Theatre Group seeks child and adult actors, musicians, backstage crew, technical support, usher staff and parent volunteers to participate in its upcoming community production of the musical “Oliver!,” book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, based on Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist.” The production will be directed by Travis G. Daly. These roles and positions are open to members of the Berkshire community, third grade through adults. Rehearsals will begin in late July. Please note that rehearsals will take place in Stockbridge, Massachusets. Performances are September 7 to 9 at The Colonial Theatre located at 111 South Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Proceeds from the production will benefit BTG PLAYS!, Berkshire Theatre Group’s Year-Round Education Program. Funding provided by BTG sponsors will cover the theatre’s direct production costs. Auditions will occur on Monday, May 14 from 6 to 10 p.m., Tuesday, May 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. and Monday, May 21 from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, located at 111 South Street. Student auditions will be held during the first three hours of each session and the last hour will be for adults. Adults should be prepared to sing 16 bars of a song and bring the accompanying sheet music that is in the key in which they prefer to sing. Students will learn a song at the audition. Callbacks will take place as needed. Appointments are necessary to audition. Principal singing roles: Oliver Twist (a workhouse boy about 13 years of age); Mr. Bumble (a pompous man of 55); Widow Corney (a sharp-tongued, domineering widow of 50 - the Workhouse Mistress); Noah Claypole (the Undertaker’s apprentice); Mr. Sowerberry (the Undertaker); Mrs. Sowerberry (his overseer); Charlotte (their flirty young daughter); The Artful Dodger (Fagin’s brightest pupil) Fagin (an elderly receiver - runs training academy for young pickpockets); Nancy (23 years old - a graduate of Fagin’s academy, and Bill’s doxy); Charles Bates, and other boys in Fagin’s establishment: Bet (A 13-year-old lass in Fagin’s establishment - idolizes Nancy); Bill Sykes (a villain in his prime); Mrs. Bedwin (the Brownlows’ housekeeper). In addition, there will be a chorus of 40+ adults and 100+ children. To schedule an audition time slot or for further information, please call the Oliver! Hotline at 413-298-5536 extension 23. For more information, please visit our website at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org.

Community Tag Sale The Friends of The Charlemont Fairgrounds is having a Community Tag/Bake Sale fundraiser to be held May 19th. Once again money goes towards raising money for Yankee Doodle Days, Charlemont’s Home Town Fair held in July !!. There will be food served such as hamburger & hot dogs as well as snacks from the bake sale table. There will also be a silent auction table sponsored by the Charlemont 250 Committee as well as sales of American Flags to be offered by Charlemont’s Flag Committee. There are many private tables with an array of goods to be had. Really something for everyone !! More information can be sought out by visiting our website at charlemontfairgrounds.org or contact Kim Blakeslee at 413-339-4305 or kimalison65@yahoo.com

Yankee Shopper

May 9, 2012

Jazz Soloists and Ensembles Hit the Stage at Williams Small jazz ensembles perform at Williams College in the coming days, treating audiences to concerts by the musicians who make jazz at Williams so vibrant. All of these events are free and open to the public. Each of these four concerts is held in the Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall located on the Williams campus. Vocalist Laura Pierce sets the stage in the first concert with her growing studio of jazz talents. They sing standards from the Great American Song Book, backed by Andy Jaffe, piano and Kevin Lawkins ‘13, bass. This performance begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. Pianist Taylor Halperin ‘14 leads a jazz septet on Monday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. The group consists of rhythm section, trumpet, alto and tenor sax. They play compositions from Mr. Halperin’s own pen: “Indelyble,” “Twib,” and “To Whom Our Praise is Due” being among the offerings. Small Jazz Ensembles reinvigorates the scene with an evening of fresh new sounds. On Wednesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. the Small Jazz Ensembles appear under the leadership of Andy Jaffe, the man responsible for making the metronome of jazz at Williams tick. A tireless educator and performer, his group flavors the program with jazz originals: “So You Say,” and “Goose Chase” are two titles by Andy Jaff himself. Williams jazz students include Brad Polsky ‘12 (Jazz Program teaching assistant) alto sax and clarinet; Christopher Picardo ‘13, tenor and soprano saxophones Jonathan Dely ‘15, trumpet; Matthew Staiger ‘12, bass; Charlie Sellars ‘13, drums; Daniel Schwartz ‘13, guitar; and Taylor Halperin ‘14, piano. The program is shared with a jazz combo coached by musician Avery Sharpe, who has played with many greats, including Dizzy Gillespie and Pat Metheny. Mr. Sharpe’s group is comprised by Brice Green ‘15, alto sax; Kevin Lawkins ‘13, acoustic bass; Eugene Murphy ‘13, drums; Philip Parnell-drums ‘13, Eric Liao ‘14, piano; and Apoorva Lal ‘15, guitar. Drawing from his experience in the bands of such legendary Soul and R & B artists as Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops and The Temptations, Artist Associate of trombone John Wheeler and his students explore soulful and funky groove tunes from the 60s and 70s. Band members express themselves through their improvisation and collectively create their own arrangements of these classics. The group is part of a course that emphasizes a heightened musical awareness, spontaneity, and communication — all key components of improvisation and small group performance. Tenor sax, Ethan Gracer ‘14; alto sax, Jackson Scher ‘14; guitar, Andrew Beaudoin ‘15; bass, Kevin Lawkins ‘13; Dan Kohane ‘12, piano; and drummer Eugene Murphy ‘13 play classics including “Pick up the Pieces,” “Cold Sweat,” and “The Chicken,” by Pee Wee Ellis. A final concert takes place on Tuesday, May 15 at 7 p.m. with a performance of jazz guitarists from the studio of Robert Phelps. Accompanied by Mr. Phelps and his Gibson, these young musicians play standards and blues tunes. Jazz at Williams has many facets and these concerts at the end of the year celebrate a great American art form and delight those who love its traditions.

Hinsdale Lions Club The Hinsdale Lions Club dinner will be held on Saturday, May 19 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Club, Route 143, Hinsdale, Massachusetts. The menu will include chicken Parmesan, tossed salad, pasta, strawberry shortcake and assorted beverages. Cost of the dinner is $10 for adults and $5 for children under age 12. Please call 413-655-2973 for reservations or takeout. May 9, 2012

Manager’s Memo

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I am not sure what I dislike more - keeping my crazy outdoor cat indoors or getting shots every couple of days. Sam is driving everyone nuts including our other kitty who was used to having the run of the house and all of the attention. Now they fight constantly so most of the time we have to lock Sam in a bedroom to keep them apart. Sam is already on edge because he does not enjoy being locked inside any more than we are enjoying keeping him locked inside. The other day my husband was home for lunch and decided to lock Casper in the bedroom and let Sam have the run of the house. We got home about 5 hours later to find that Casper had broken through the screen window and jumped out of a two story window. This is the cat that is only a few months old and has never been outdoors. At this rate it seemed we were going to go from having two cats to none in a very short amount of time. One dying from rabies and the other one lost forever. My husband grabbed a flashlight and went out searching the area. Luckily, after about 30 minutes he found Casper looking very afraid under our front porch. Good thing because I don’t think that cat has any instinct for being outdoors. As of now my shots have been completed and the cat and I are still alive. Now we wait. Keep a close eye on him, looking for any strange behavior or sudden death and keep hoping that I did not wait too long to start the shots. The sore throat lasted two weeks, longer than any other sore throat I have ever had, but I just keep telling myself it is coincidence. If I start to howl at the moon then I will start to get nervous! But I do believe everything happens for a reason and I think this happened to me so that it would remind me to slow down and smell the roses. I think of my mother who was told she had 6 – 12 months to live. I am not sure what went on in her head after being diagnosed, but I have had some weird thoughts in my head since all this has happened. Slow down, enjoy each day because it could all change in an instant. Amazing how a simple cat scratch can change the way you look at things. Our next Celiac support group will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17 at North Adams Regional Hospital in North Adams. If you have questions or would like more information please call me anytime 413-329-4710. Hope to see you there! �� Remember, please tell our advertisers you saw their ad in the Yankee Shopper and Berkshire Pennysaver. Please also check out the list of gift certificates we offer for sale at a 20% discount. You can purchase them online at www.gooddealsne.com. We have �� sold over 500 gift certificates �� people love buying them at such a great discount! �� As always we encour�� age your feedback. Feel free to �� send us your press releases to yankee@hersamacornma.com �� or berkshire@hersamacornma. �� com. Check us out online at www.ishopberkshires.com. -Renee Tassone, �� General Manager

Yankee Shopper

Give the Gift of Green for Mother’s Day Mom may appreciate chocolate or flowers. But for children who want to offer her something a little more special -- especially for their ecoconscious moms -- there are a number of different gift options to make Mom’s big day as eco-friendly as it is enjoyable. An eco-friendly gift for Mom is a gift that keeps on giving. When you jot down your gift idea list, think about adding these “green” gifts. * Make a basket of gardening gear. Garden plants and supplies are perhaps the greenest gifts to give Mom. Plants are so plentiful and varied that there are bound to be ideal flowers or greenery for every mother’s tastes. Compile different gardening essentials, such as seeds or seedlings, organic soil mix, mulch, all-natural compost, and a few different planting containers. You can also include gardening gloves and ergonomic tools made of recycled materials. Finish the gift with the inclusion of a book that describes different garden designs and gives tips for beginners. * Dine at a local restaurant. Many families take Mom out for a meal on her special day. To make the experience eco-friendly, select among restaurants that are close to home in the area. Explore the possibilities of restaurants that may serve foods made with local, organic ingredients. If you cannot find such a restaurant, do not worry, just choose a local establishment to conserve fuel. * Pay for a car tune-up. Improving the gas mileage on Mom’s car is one gift that can be environmentally friendly. According to the United States Department of Energy, keeping a car in shape can help save money and improve fuel economy. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve Mom’s gas mileage by as much as 40 percent. Also, be sure to have her car tires properly inflated. She can

be losing gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in all four tires. Getting an oil change with the recommended grade of motor oil is another gas mileage improvement measure. * Purchase eco-friendly kitchen items. It may be a major faux pas to give Mom an appliance or a new vacuum for Mother’s Day. However, if your mother is an avid cook or baker, she may appreciate some new mixing bowls or utensils made from recycled materials. If Mom is the consummate entertainer, get her new glass tumblers and sipping straws made from recycled glass. They are perfect for serving cocktails and outdoor entertaining. * Pamper mom with organic products. What mom doesn’t enjoy a little pampering from time to time? You can treat your mother to a spa experience at home by assembling a basket full of organic shampoo, conditioner, massage oils, bath salts, and any other organic spa items you can find. * Select organic fruits and flowers. Companies like www.organicbouquet.com can assemble a bouquet made from responsibly grown flowers or even a wreath for a wall or door. They also have food gifts, from organic fruits to nuts. * Spend the day outdoors. Most moms cherish any gift from their children, whether lavish or simple. A nice, eco-friendly gift is to spend time together. Research local parks or hiking trails and plan a day where you both commune with nature. Or even head to the seaside for a relaxing day. Explore the landscape and be on the lookout for birds and washed up treasure from the sea. Plan to finish the day with a homemade, picnic lunch. TF125115

Famous Quotes for Mother’s Day Mother’s Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world. Many countries and cultures choose to celebrate Mother’s Day in March, April or May. Though the Mother’s Day many people know today dates back a little more than a century, historians note that ancient Romans kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of the Gods. In addition, Europe has several traditions aimed at honoring mothers that date back quite a while. One of the traditions associated with the current Mother’s Day is to give Mom a gift. Some people only give their own mothers and wives gifts, while others extend their generosity to sisters with children, mothers-in-law and even grandmothers. Chances are, over the years Mom’s gifts have run the gamut, from a homemade treasure kids made in elementary school to jewelry from hubby to breakfast in bed. For those who want to add a literary tilt to their Mother’s Day gift this year, consider including any of the following motherly quotes when preparing a gift Mom won’t soon forget.

• “Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” - Lin Yutang, Chinese writer • “Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes, American author • “A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.” - Irish proverb • “All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.” - Oscar Wilde, Irish poet • “If I was damned of body and soul, I know whose prayers would make me whole, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine.” - Rudyard Kipling, in his poem “Mother O’ Mine” • “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” - Honore de Balzac, French playwright • “The future destiny of a child is always the work of the mother.” Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France WT115848

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