our berkshiretimes magazine

413.528.9697 • WWW.BERKSHIRE.COOP42 BRIDGE STREET • GREAT BARRINGTON MONDAY - SATURDAY 8-8, SUNDAY 10-6

GOOD FOOD WITH

VALUE(s)

It’s more than a just a store – it’s a co-op.

An Education for Life. Toddler • Early Childhood • Elementary • Adolescent • Summer Program

Expect more.The Montessori School of the Berkshires

Independence

Innovation

Intellect

Summer at MSB Eight weeks of Children’s House and Elementary summer programs for ages 3-12 yrs.

This year’s themes include Glorious Garden Artists, Explore the Woods, Passport Around the World, Think It, Draw It, Build It & more.

Plus, new this year, four weeks of Toddler summer programs for ages 18 mos - 3 yrs.

Register online at BerkshireMontessori.org

Lenox Dale, MA (413) 637-3662

4 From the Publisher

4 Good Tidings

5 Art, Culture & Entertainment Event Sampler

7 What to Do & Where to Say Bridge of Flowers

7 Food & Drink Farmers' Markets, Recipe

10 Home, Garden & Landscape Meadow Maintenance

12 Education & Workshops Bard College at Simon's Rock

13 Animal Talk The Dog Days of Summer

14 Back to Nature Tales from the Trail

15 Our Berkshire Marketplace Spotlight on Local Products

15 Berkshire Bargains

Coupons! Discounts! Savings!

CONTENTS June - July 2012

About Us

PUBLISHERKathy I. [email protected]_______________

EDITORIALKathy I. [email protected]

Rodelinde [email protected]

Copyeditors/ProofreadersRodelinde AlbrechtPatty Strauch_______________

DESIGNMagazine Design/LayoutKathy I. Regan

Ads–Independent DesignersKatharine Adams, Rural Ethic [email protected]

Christine [email protected]

Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design [email protected]

Shirley Sparks, Graphic Design on a [email protected] _______________

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERPatty [email protected]______________

EVENT COORDINATORPatty [email protected]_______________

CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc.P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236Phone: (413) 274-1122, Fax: (413) 541-8000www.OurBerkshireGreen.comwww.OurBerkshireTimes.comwww.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Rocking Chairs R

16 Community Spotlight Great Barrington: A Remarkable History Gwendolyn Hampton VanSant

20 Health & Wellness Inflammation: The Root of Many Diseases

Event Sampler Is Gravity Dragging You Down?

24 Mind & Spirit The Warmth and Wisdom of Sheilaa Hite

25 Fashion & Beauty Exfoliate with Salt from the Dead Sea

25 Meet & Greet Event Sampler

26 In Business Build a Powerful Brand Personality

27 Directory of Advertisers

28 Index of Advertisers

IBC Sponsors

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All content in Our BerkshireTimes™ is accepted in good faith. We do not necessarily advocate and cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by our authors, illustrators, and advertisers. We reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. For printing errors of the publisher's responsibility, liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared. Unless otherwise noted, we use a Creative Commons License in place of a standard copyright.

Our BerkshireTimes™

Mary RemboldI connect with the land on a very deep level and delight in the integrity of the weathered buildings and lush landscapes found in New England. I enjoy juxtaposing these subjects

and exploring the intersection where they come together in my photographic greeting card line, Blue Thistle Studio. The spirit of bygone days is captured on paper and fabric in my handmade and vintage image greeting card line, Blue Thistle Paperie. Contact Mary at [email protected], www.bluethistlestudio.net.Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/BlueThistlePaperie

Our BerkshireTimes™ is an Our BerkshireGreen™ publication. We are dedicated to supporting our local economy and creating an ever-expanding, unified network of community-minded individuals, businesses, and organizations in our area. We give more than 50,000 readers per issue the opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and inspire one another through our publications, networking events, and growing online services.

Our bimonthly publication (six issues yearly) is free to the public and distributed throughout western MA, northern CT, eastern NY, and southern VT, starting in February of each year. See our website for a location near you.

Most of our editorial content is contributed by our community members. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback, and encourage you to submit original material for consideration through our website. You will find complete instructions on our online digital form.

Our popular networking events are held at fine locations throughout our region. There is no admission charge or reservation required for most events, and you will find great company, interesting speakers, delicious free appetizers, and a cash bar.

It’s all about community! To find out more about advertising, submitting editorial, attending one of our popular free networking events, and posting events on our free community calendar, see our websites at left, and join our mailing list to receive our free monthly eNewsletter.

4 June / July 2012 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

From the Publisher

Special thanks to Lyn at Bodhi Tree Gallery for hosting

our first community network-ing event in Connecticut! Join our mailing list at www.OurBerk shireTimes.com so you can re-ceive invitations to upcoming events (June 14 at the Good Purpose Gallery in Lee, MA, and July 18 at Naji’s Restau-rant in Great Barrington, MA

– both from 5:30-7:30pm). There is no admission charge or reservation required, and you will find great company, interesting speakers, delicious free appetizers, a cash bar, and a place to display your advertising material. Join us!

I can count on one hand the number of days I’ve spent

outside over the past several months. Usually I’m very content behind my computer enjoying publishing and the creative graphic design work I do for our magazine . . . that is until the sweet summer air of our Berkshire Mountains starts to stir.

Now I crave the sunshine (and all of that amazing natural vitamin D that is so good for our immune systems) and plan to spend as much time as possible in our organic garden and going on local ad-venture days with my husband, Kevin, and seven-year-old daughter, Brianna. We live in such a beautiful, culturally rich area, the only difficult part will be deciding what to do first! Susan Jameson, and our event sampler at right, provide some excellent suggestions. Happy summer. Enjoy!

Kathy I. ReganOur BerkshireGreen Publishing(413) 274-1122, [email protected]

Patty Strauch, Event Coordinator & Independent Account Representative(413) 269-6119, [email protected]

Summertime, and the living is . . . breezy and beauti-

ful in the Berkshires and in neighboring Vermont, New York, and Connecticut. We are pleased to showcase the products and services offered by our newly extended commu-nity. And we invite you to write about what interests and excites you. Send us your photos and

illustrations, too. Visit OurBerkshireGreen.com for hints and instructions about how to send in your editorial contri-butions. We love hearing from you, our readers!

Rodelinde Albrecht, Assistant Editor & Independent Account Representative(413) 243-4350, [email protected]

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It is summer at last and with it comes the Berkshires’ long tradition of rich and di-versified cultural offerings! Music, dance,

theatre, and visual arts organizations are known for presenting stellar concerts, popu-lar performing arts series (both masterpieces and innovative new works), art festivals, and delightful children’s theatre to inspire all ages. Whether you are a full-time Berkshires resi-dent, a second-home owner, or a first-time visitor, and whatever your artistic sensibility may be, Our BerkshireTimes welcomes you to be part of our own Berkshire community. This issue of Good Tidings celebrates the gifts of our community’s renowned arts organizations: Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, the Berkshire The-atre Group, and the Williamstown Theatre Fes-tival. Enjoy and may good bless you!

Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, offers a

number of family-friendly ticket programs, concerts, and activities throughout its 75th anniversary season, including a scavenger hunt for families on June 29; free lawn tickets for those ages 17 and under; a 50% discount on Friday-evening concert tickets for students 18 and older; and the August 25 Family Con-cert. Tanglewood on Parade takes place on August 7, offering a full day of musical ac-tivities for the entire family, culminating in a concert in the Shed followed by spectacular fireworks over the Stockbridge Bowl. The an-nual Berkshire Night gives Berkshire residents the chance to experience Tanglewood for free. www.tanglewood.org. ~ Kathleen Drohan, Associate Director of Public Relations, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA

The Williamstown Theatre Festival would be meaningless and adrift with-

out the Berkshire community. For the past 25 years, we’ve offered an annual “Free Theatre” production out of doors. In 1987 we did A Study in Scarlet, an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mystery. It starred a then little-known actor named Alec Baldwin and Tim Daly. This year, we commemorate that production with a new Holmes adaptation, The Valley of Fear. Steve Lawson, a Williamstown community member and long-time WTF artist, has been a Free Theatre instigator and playwright for many years, and he made this adaptation. It runs July 11-14 and July 20-27 at Poker Flats at 7pm, a great show for all ages, and pic-

nicking is encouraged. www. wtfestival.org ~ Jenny Gersten, Artistic Director of Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA

For eight decades, Jacob’s Pillow has been proud to serve not only a national

and international audience, but our own Berk-shire community. Our founder, modern dance pioneer Ted Shawn, believed in engaging and welcoming everyone to dance and the Pillow continues his work today. In addition to our ticketed performances, thousands of people from Berkshire County to Brazil come to see free outdoor Inside/Out performances every year; free exhibits and talks enlighten and enter-tain; and, perhaps most importantly, our beau-tiful natural setting provides an atmosphere that is welcoming, relaxing, and inspirational. We hope many people will visit this summer to try something new! www.jacobspillow.org ~ Mariclare Hulbert, Director of Marketing and Com-munication, Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Becket, MA

Berkshire Theatre Group is committed to serving our Berkshire community by

providing a wide-range of diversified pro-gramming at varied price points. This summer at the Colonial we feature rap icon Raekwon, jam band The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and comedian Bill Engvall. For most shows a number of balcony seats are offered for at least 50% less than the premium ticket price. For our produced shows this summer, includ-ing A Chorus Line at the Colonial, and A Thou-sand Clowns, The Puppetmaster of Lodz, A Class Act, Brace Yourself, and more at our Berkshire Theatre Festival campus in Stockbridge, Pre-view Performance tickets are set at only $37 or $35. Our free (suggested donation) Friday Reading Series and $10 Musical Mondays are always popular. www.berkshiretheatregroup.org ~ Rebecca A. Brighenti, Director of Marketing & Public Relations, Berkshire Theatre Group: The Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Stockbridge, MA

~ Susan Jameson is the founder of Humanity in Concert, and the co-found-er of Healing Winds and the Rock, Rattle & Drum Pow Wow. She is an inter-faith minister, dancer, and passionate metaphysician committed to her work in spiritual development. www.HealingWinds.net

Good Tidings

Empowering Our Community Through Arts & Culture / By Susan Jameson

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www.OurBerkshireTimes.com June / July 2012

Art, Culture & Entertainment

“Angel” Author LectureDate: Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 11amPlace: North Adams Public Library, 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA - (413) 662-3133 Price: Free. Author Lori Szepelak will chronicle her spiritual journey that began on a desolete road in Hancock, MA, and with the assistance from an angel, led to the publication of her first book, An Angel on My Shoulder. She will also explain how all of us can experience our own journey with the angels that surround us. Book signing to follow.

Integrative Pest Management WorkshopDate: Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 5-7pmPlace: Berkshire Botanical Garden, Intersection of Routes 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA (413) 298-3926. Price: Members $25; Nonmembers $35. Learn how to put Integrated Pest Man-agement (IPM) practices to work efficiently in a workshop designed for gardeners, landscapers and grounds managers. Led by Ron Kujawski, PhD, former Landscape and Nursery Specialist for UMass Cooperative Extension. Demonstra-tions of IPM tools and techniques and a close look at some of the most common insect, dis-ease and weed problems of woody ornamentals.

Fiber NightDate: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 5-7pmPlace: Bodhi Tree Galllery, 6 Gay Street, Sharon Shopping Center, Sharon, CT - (860) 364-5642Price: Free. Bring your needle work, and enjoy good company every Wednesday night for an open knitting group. We welcome all levels of needle workers of all kinds! Enjoyable company and refreshments served!

Williamstown July 4th ParadeDate: Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at 11amPlace: Downtown Williamstown, Spring Street Williamstown, MA - (413) 458-9077 Price: Free. July 4th will begin with the Williamstown Parade at 11am, winding up Route 2 from Southworth Street

and continuing down Spring Street where the Flat-bed Jazz Band will be playing. Enjoy a FREE bar-becue courtesy of Stop and Shop and Williams College. Following the barbecue at 1:30pm, a read-ing of the Declaration of Independence will be held at the Williams College Museum of Art.

Housatonic Valley Art League Juried Art Show 2012 Date: July 5-29, 2012 at 10am-5pmPlace: Dewey Memorial Hall, Main Street, Sheffield, MA. Price: Free.Juried Show open July 5, reception on July 6 from 4:30-6:30. Show includes a large collection of quality local artwork for sale at affordable prices. The public is welcome. Gallery hours are 10-5, Sundays 1-5, Wednesdays closed. The show concludes on July 29.

Summer Sundays in July Date: Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 2-10pmPlace: Spring Street and Water Street, William-stown, MA - (413) 458-9077 Price: Free. Riding on the success of 3 years of Summer Sunday festival fun, Summer Sundays will be return-ing this year with even more music, more fun and more food. Artisan sales starting at 2pm, music beginning at 4pm and special perfor-mances and participatory science activities at 6pm. Information and schedules can be found at www.summersundays.com.

Creative Berkshire HistoryDate: July 30-Aug 3, 2012 at 9am-3pmPlace: The Montessori School of the Berk-shires, 21 Patterson Road, Lenox Dale, MA (413) 637-3662 Price: $225. Creative Berk-shire History summer program for ages 6-12.Through lots of hands-on activities and ex-plorations, we’ll learn about and experience the incredible authors and artists who have gotten their creative inspiration here in the Berkshire hills.

June - July Event Sampler To see more events or to post your event for free go to

www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

Our BerkshireGreen Networking Events

Thursday, June 14 5:30-7:30pm

Good Purpose Gallery & The Starving Artist Cafe

40 Main Street, Lee, MAWednesday, July 18

5:30-7:30pmNaji's Restaurant

405 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

Join us. Free appetizers, cash bar, speakers,

door prizes!

7th ANNUAL ROCK, RATTLE & DRUM

AMERICAN INDIAN- POW WOW -AMERICA – HEALING HER SPIRIT!

- Sat. August 11th & Sun. August 12th, 2012 -

Pow Wow One Day AdmissionSeniors: $6 • Youth 11-17: $6 • Children Under 10: Free

- Authentic American Indian Dancing, -Drumming, Arts, Crafts and Demonstrations

MOUNT GREYLOCK (at the base of the mountain)Access road from Route 7 next to Vacation Village

WIRTES FARM, 45 GREYLOCK ROAD, LANESBORO, MA

Go to www.healingwinds.net for More Information

413-443-2481 • [email protected] CULTURAL COUNCIL OF NORTHERN BERKSHIRE 2012 GRANT RECIPIENT!POW WOW IS HAPPENING RAIN OR SHINE! • ALL TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE GATE.

SAT.ÊAUGUSTÊ11THÊ10AMÊÐÊ7PMSUN.ÊAUGUSTÊ12THÊ10AMÊÐÊ6PMGRANDÊ ENTRY:Ê 1:00PMÊ SAT.Ê &Ê SUN.

GRAMMY & NAMMYAWARD WINNER

Joseph FireCrow!

NAMMY AWARD WINNER“Lord of the Strings”

Arvel Bird!

$8

www.brucemandel.com / 413.269.7229

Bring the magic of music into your homeCall to discuss how to host a House Concert

- at no cost to you!

Bruce MandelSINGER/SONGWRITER, HOME & CONCERT PERFORMER

Klaze

flickr.com/photos/kayablaze

aya

Bphotography

[email protected](413)329-9553


williams.edu/arts

DNCE

POET Y

MU

IC LITERATURE

VISU

LMANCEPERFO

ALLATIONINS

PHOTOGRAPHY

ONGLIG

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Art, Culture & Entertainment

TOONERVILLE TROLLEY www.ToonervilleTrolleyRecords.com

RECORDS + CDsNEW • USED • IMPORTED

131 Water StreetWilliamstown, MA

OPEN 10-6 Mon-Sat413-478-5229

Hartsville Design Woodworking

(413) 528-6133

Art In Motion

www.HartsvilleDesign.com

JULY 8, 15, 22, 29IN WILLIAMSTOWN

www.SummerSundays01267.comSummer Sundays @ 6f

TONS OF

FAMILY FUN

LOCAL ARTS &

CRAFTS

OUTDOOR

MOVIES

LOCAL

MUSIC

MobilesHOTCHKISS

www.artmobiles.com

“Best Mobile Gallery in New England” -Yankee Magazine

•Sold inMuseum

StoresNationwide

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com June / July 2012 7

What to Do & Where to Stay

34 HOLDEN STREETNORTH ADAMS 413.664.4444

PUBLICeat+drink

CASUAL AMERICAN FOOD CRAFT BEER / LIVE MUSIC LATE NIGHT MENU / WIFI

WWW.PUBLICEATANDDRINK.COM

SERVING DINNER SUNDAY, MONDAY, AND WEDNESDAY 5-9PM; THURSDAY, FRIDAY,

AND SATURDAY 5-11:30PM. BAR UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR LATER.

Food & Drink

A Resort Getawayin the

Berkshire Foothillsof Connecticut

Enjoy the essence ofthe Berkshires!Nearby - but

without the tra�c.

www.InterlakenInn.com

Lodging & dining with a scenic outdoor setting.

(800) 222-2909

Lakeville, Connecticut

Resort, Spa,Nature.

Nearby State Parks

Lake Wononscopomuc

Hiking trails nearby

Originally a trolley bridge built by the Shelburne Falls & Col-rain Street Railway, the Bridge of Flowers is now a beauti-

ful garden pathway and local scenic attraction worth the visit. In 1908 the five-span, 400-foot concrete arched trolley

bridge, connecting the towns of Shelburne and Buckland, was constructed to help deliver heavy freight from the Shelburne Falls rail yard to the mills on the 7½-mile line along Route 112 North to Colrain, as well as passengers and local goods, such as milk, apples, and cotton.

The railway went bankrupt in 1927 and the bridge became overgrown with weeds in the two years following its demise. But then a local resident, Antoinette Burnham, had the idea to trans-form the old trolley bridge into a bridge of beauty – a bridge of flowers. The Shelburne Falls Woman’s Club sponsored this proj-ect in 1928, and by April 1929, 80 loads of loam and several loads of fertilizer were put on the bridge, all by donated labor.

For over 80 years now the Bridge has been cared for by the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club Bridge of Flowers Com-mittee and volunteer members from across the community who work hard to keep the Bridge’s many flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, and vines growing beautifully throughout the season. The Bridge is open April 1 through October 30 and is located off Route 2 on the Mohawk Trail in the beautiful village of Shelburne Falls, MA. [email protected], www.bridgeofflowersmass.org

Bridge of FlowersShelburne Falls, Massachusetts

329 main st, lakeville, ct 06039860 435 9765 cafegiuliact.com

local by nature

Millions Against Monsanto − Support the California GMO Labeling Ballot Initiative. California is poised to be the first state with mandatory GMO labeling laws through the 2012 California Ballot Initiative process. GMO foods have a profound hazardous effect on our health and our environment. A win for the California labeling laws will affect packaging and ingredient decisions nationwide. Find out how you can make a difference at www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/index.cfm.

Gardens, Grounds & Farms of Lee A Tour of Special Places

Visit six distinct and select Lee properties ~ a tour assured to delight and surprise ~

Saturday, June 23, 2012, Noon to 3:30 PM

Tickets: $15 in advance; $20 the day of the event

Tickets available at the Lee Chamber Information Booth, 3 Park Place

or call (413)243-0852

All proceeds benefit the Downtown Lee Hanging Flower Basket Project

Food & Drink

Connecticut

Enfield Farmers’ MarketWednesdays 3-6

Enfield Town Green, 820 Enfield Street

Norfolk Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 10-1, May 19 to Oct 13

19 Maple Avenue, Norfolk In front of Norfolk Town Hall

Lisa Auclair, [email protected](860) 542-5044, www.NorfolkFarmersMarket.org

Northeast CT Farmers’ Markets www.nectfarmersmarket.org

Danielson: Saturdays 9-12, June 9 to Oct 27Killingly Library, 25 Westcott Road, Killingly

Plainfield: Tuesdays 4-6, June 26 to OctDoyle’s Dollar Store, 732 Norwich Road (Rt 12)

Massachusetts

Berkshire Area Farmers’ MarketWednesdays and Saturdays 8-2, May 5 to Nov 24

Berkshire Mall parking lot, Lanesborough Lenita Bober, (413) 569-3663

Farmers’ Market at CHPThursdays 4-7, June 7 to Aug 30

442 Stockbridge Road, Great BarringtonMary Feuer & Michelle Derr, (413) 528-0457

www.CommunityHealthPrograms.org

Great Barrington Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 9-1, May 5 to Oct 27

44 Castle Street, Great Barrington Train Station, behind Town Hall

Rose Levine, (413) [email protected]

Lenox Farmers’ MarketFridays 1-5, May 11 to Oct 12

Shakespeare & Co., 70 Kemble Street, LenoxRose Levine, (413) 528-8950

[email protected]

North Adams Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 8-12:30, July 7 to Oct 6St. Anthony Drive, North Adams

Municipal parking lot, Marshall & Holden StreetLisa Loomis & Diana Kittler, (413) 662-3000

Otis Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 9-1, May 12 to Oct 6

2000 East Otis Road, OtisParking lot of Papa’s Healthy Food

Jess Ripley, [email protected], (413) 357-9919

Pittsfield Farmers’ MarketThursdays 3-7, June 21 to Oct 18

North Street by the Senior Center, PittsfieldBarry Hollister, [email protected], (413) 281-4114

Massachusetts

Pittsfield Farmers’ Market at Park SquareSaturdays 9-2, May 12 to Oct 20

Park Square’s Bank Row, PittsfieldBarry Hollister, [email protected]

www.BerkshireHarmony.com, (413) 281-4114

Sheffield Farmers’ MarketFridays 3-7, May 25 to Sept 7

340 South Main Street (Rt 7), SheffieldVillage Green parking lot of Old Parish Church

www.TheSheffieldFarmersMarket.com

West Stockbridge Farmers’ MarketThursdays 3-7, May 24 to Oct 18

Harris Street/Merritt Way, West [email protected]

www.WestStockridgeFarmersMarket.org

Williamstown Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 8:30-12:30, May 26 to Oct 27

South end of Spring Street, WilliamstownRoger & Nancy Johnson

& Ronald Turbin(413) 458-3933 or (413) 458-9930

New York

Kinderhook Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 8-12:30, mid June to mid Oct

Hudson Street & Village Green, KinderhookJean Brower (518) 758-1232

James Fleming (518) 758-9020

Lebanon Valley Farmers’ MarketSundays 10-2, May 27 to Oct 28

In the heart of New Lebanon, at Rt 20 & 22Carin de Jong, (518) [email protected]

Vermont

Brattleboro Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 9-2, May 5 to Oct 27

Rt 9, West Brattleboro(802) 254-8885

Chester Farmers’ MarketSundays, 11-2, May 20 to Oct 14

Rt 11 & 103 in front of Zachary’s Pizza, Chester (802) 875-2703

Manchester - West River Farmers’ MarketThursdays 3-6, May 24 to Oct 11

Dana Thompson Recreational Center Rt 30, Manchester Center

(802) 824-4492

Walloomsac Farmers’ Market Saturdays 10-1, starting May 5

Tuesdays 3:30-5, starting May 8150 Depot Street, Riverwalk Park, Bennington

(802) 688-7210, [email protected]

Farmers' Markets


5pm dinner only, seasonal hours150 Main StreetLee, Mass. 413.243.6397 cheznousbistro.com

BTW save room

French chef, American baker,

real food

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MARKETS

It’s Grilling Time!Come to LaBonne’s Market for the best steaks!

We’re an old fashioned butcher shop and a whole lot more!22 Academy St., Salisbury CT 860.435.2559

(present this ad at the meat counter for your FREE sample of our marinated meats.)

H O U R S :Monday – Friday 5:30 am – 9 pmSaturday 5:30 am – 3:30 pmSunday 7 am – 1 pmTel: 413-243-975685 Center Street, Lee, MA

Fine Dining with rustic elegance

e Boathouse, 349 Main Street, Lakeville, CT 06039private parties, special events, birthdays, rehearsal dinners, weddings

[T] 860-435-2111 www.theboathouseatlakeville.com [F] 860-435-4543

Food & DrinkCertified Piedmontese Beef™ Grilled Ribeye

With Onions & Peppers Agrodolce

Certified Piedmontese by Great Plains BeefAll Ingredients Available at Your LaBonne’s Markets – www.labonnes.com

Certified Piedmontese™ brings you naturally tender and flavorful beef without the saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories of traditional beef. The unique breed of cattle combines flavor and tenderness with good health in every delicious cut.

2 14-ounce Certified Piedmontese™ ribeye steaksOlive oilSalt and pepper

Preheat grill to 400°F. Rub both sides of the steaks with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper and place on the center of the grill. Close the lid and grill for about 7 minutes, while monitoring closely for flame-ups. Flip the steak and continue grilling the other side with the lid closed for about another 7 minutes, or until the steak reaches desired doneness.

Please note: Certified Piedmontese™ beef cooks faster than other beef, so when grilling, be careful not to overcook. We recommend a lower final temperature than you might use with traditional beef. A kitchen thermometer inserted into the steak should read 120°F for medium-rare, 125°F for medium. Remove steaks from the grill and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes.

Slice the ribeye across the grain and serve topped with Onions & Peppers Agrodolce. There is often some liquid left on the pan from roasting the peppers and onions, which tastes great drizzled over the steak as well.

Onions & Peppers Agrodolce: 1 large red onion, cut into ⅛-inch strips3 large bell peppers, cut into ⅛-inch strips2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, or other herb of your choiceSalt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the peppers and onions lengthwise into ⅛-inch strips. In a bowl, toss together the onions, peppers, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, salt, and pep-per. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the onion-and-pepper mixture in an even layer and place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.

Wine Pairing: Primitivo, an Italian varietal of Zinfandel.

~ Certified Piedmontese by Great Plains Beef, 100 West Grand Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521, (800) 544-1359. All ingredients available at your LaBonne’s Markets located at 22 Academy Street, Salisbury, CT – 639 Straits Turnpike, Watertown, CT – 238 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT. See as at right.

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See Our Stylish Collection of Unique Handcrafted Gifts & Home Decor

Exclusively featuring the works of local artisans!

Sharon Shopping Center, 6 Gay Street, Sharon, CT

860.364.5642 www.bodhitreegallery.com

Gallery of Fine Crafts

As more people begin to recognize the environmental impacts of traditional lawns, interest in native meadows

has grown tremendously. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, meadows provide important habitat for wildlife. As a result of their grow-ing popularity and recent decline from our local landscape, we frequently get calls about the proper installation and maintenance of meadows.

First, let us define a meadow. A meadow is a temporary stage in the ecological parade of succession. To maintain a meadow and prevent a field from returning to woodland, we must interrupt the process by mowing, grazing, or burning once or twice a year. Once a year mowing is sufficient to keep a mead-ow from reverting to woodland, but may not be sufficient to discourage woody seedlings, brambles, invasive vines, and multiflora rose. Mowing more than twice a year will only en-courage cool season grass species and create additional turf area.

Spring is the time of year that wildlife uti-lizes the meadow for reproduction. Mowing between April 1 and June 20, while appealing to suburban sensibilities, is the worst time to mow. Doing so destroys nests and eggs, and kills young birds and animals.

Recommended dates for mowing are ear-ly July for the first cutting and a second cut-ting, if necessary, the following March. This will maximize bird and animal habitat and promote desirable and attractive vegetation.

Mowing in late June or early July is desir-able in that it removes the browning cool sea-son species and provides growing space for the warm season species to grow, flower, and provide habitat for the remainder of the year.

Mowing between mid July and late Oc-tober does not allow the vegetation enough growing season to renew itself and therefore provides little food and cover for wildlife un-til the following spring. Mowing at this time of year would only be desirable if there was a noxious species, such as thistle or multiflora rose, that you want to stop from reproducing.

Mow meadows when the ground is dry and cut at a height of 6” to 8” during grow-ing season and 4” to 6” during the dormant season. When vegetation is allowed to grow beyond the height of a lawn, whether inten-tionally or not, it is often perceived as untidy, a sign of neglect, and a breeding ground for vermin. To give the appearance that a mead-ow is intentional and managed, maintain a mowed turf swath around the public edges and consider incorporating a trail network. Well maintained trails encourage people to get into the meadow and discov-er their beauty up close and first hand.

~ Project Native is a non-profit native plant farm, nurs-ery, and wildlife sanctuary in Housatonic, Massachusetts. To learn more, see their website at www.projectnative.org.

Meadow MaintenanceContributed By Project Native

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According to the Department of Systematic Biology at the National Museum of Natural History, dragonflies take the title for the fastest flying insects, with speeds reaching up

to 35 to 40 mph. They can also hover and fly backwards. There are more than 400 dragonfly and damselfly species in North America, and 5,000 species of dragonflies in the world.

As nymphs, dragonflies eat mosquito larvae, other aquatic insects and worms, and for a little variety even small aquatic vertebrates like tadpoles and small fish. As adults, these agile insect-devouring hunters are a welcome sight in any garden, consuming many insects including mosquitoes, gnats, midges, beetles, moths, flies, and mayflies.

If you would like to encourage dragonflies, build a pond! Ensure that the water and surrounding area is free of chemicals and pesticides, and that it has a good mix of marginal vegetation as well as submerged plants.

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The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that the proper place-ment of only three shade trees will save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually.

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Get ready for something new! Bard Col-lege at Simon’s Rock, long a leader in

engaging high school students ready for more educational challenge, is offering nonresiden-tial academic enrichment classes this July for teenagers.

Directed by longtime Simon’s Rock fac-ulty member Jennifer Browdy de Hernandez, the Summer Program will run for four weeks starting July 2. Students can choose from twelve different week-long half-day classes in science, history, literature, media studies, and the arts, taught by experienced college faculty with a passion for making learning fun.

Students will be able to use and enjoy the college’s state-of-the-art biology labs, as well as the new Daniel Arts Center, complete with theater and dance studios, cutting edge video and music editing labs, and well-stocked paint-ing studios. Field biology students will explore the 300-acre campus, complete with ponds, streams, forests, and fields, learning how to sample habitats and evaluate biodiversity.

Other classes will include science classes in biotechnology and the biology of life in extreme environments; local Native Ameri-can history; Flamenco dance; social psychol-ogy and pop culture; painting in the Impasto style of Van Gogh; reading and creating graphic novels; and a suite of digital media

classes that will engage students in the cre-ation of digital music, digital animation, and digital journalism.

Three unique half-day sessions will be offered each week of the Summer Program. New sessions start July 2, July 9, July 16, and July 23. Morning sessions will run from 9:30-12:30 followed by afternoon sessions from 1:30-4:30. Students can sign up for a half day or full day of classes. Tuition is $300 per week-long class, or $500 for two classes within the same week. In keep-ing with the Simon’s Rock ethos of small classes, class sizes are limited to 12 students, so early registration is suggested. To regis-ter, visit www.simons-rock.edu/summer or email [email protected].

Since its founding in 1966 by pioneer-ing educator Elizabeth Blodgett Hall, Bard College at Simon’s Rock has been dedicated to providing an innovative curriculum de-signed to engage and stimulate young people who are ready for an educational experience that takes them seriously as creative think-ers. Under the leadership of President Leon Botstein, the early college model has been growing successfully across the country, with Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) schools in New York, New Jersey, California, and New Orleans.

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12

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The long daylight hours and strong sun of June and July just beg for spending time

on or in the water. We are fortunate to have many ponds, lakes, and rivers to choose from, whether you are a boater, swimmer, or water-skier. Why not include your dog in your water sport activity? Swimming comes naturally to many dogs, and is an excellent exercise that burns lots of calories without incurring wear and tear on the joints, especially important if you have an older dog that has arthritis. Hesi-tant swimmers may develop more confidence if you join them in the water, and fitting these dogs with a life jacket will increase their buoy-ancy. A life jacket should be worn by any dog that is on a boat in a large enough body of wa-ter if you are unsure of your dogs’ ability to make it to shore in case of a boating mishap.

If your dog is looking for a little more excitement, consider dock diving, where you throw a toy into the water and your dog jumps off the dock with a running start to retrieve it. For more information, check out the web sites listed at the end of this article.

Remember to bring a towel for drying off your dog at the end of the day. This is espe-cially important in the long-haired breeds, as

wet fur can predispose to the development of hot spots if the underlying skin is moist for an extended period of time, especially in hot, hu-mid weather. Pay special attention to the neck and sides of the face, where floppy ears may impede natural drying.

Your dog will probably be fast sleep on the ride home, but securing your pet with a safety belt or in a crate will protect both of you, as dogs can become projectiles if you have to make an sudden stop, or are involved in an accident. Putting your dog in a crate on the roof is not a recommended method of transport, especially if you are considering running for public office in the future.

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14

Back to Nature

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook WineryOpen daily: 9am-5pm • (413) 698-3301

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Beautiful vistas, heritage apples, award-winning wines

Free wine tasting • Hiking • Fresh baked goods

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Lessons, Showing, Indoor & Outdoor Rings

Weekly Summer Programs 9 to 3:15 daily Quality horses for sale as well!

The Appalachian Trail is a narrow foot-path that winds it way through the ancient Appalachian Mountains from

Georgia to Maine for more than two thousand miles. It’s less than two feet wide in most plac-es and marked by a single white blaze randomly painted on trees, rocks, signs posts, bridges, buildings, and sidewalks. Each year thousands of people attempt to hike its entire length. Most years only a few hundred succeed. This is the improbable story of my thru-hike – im-probable because I never intended to leave my work and family for six months, walking 2,169 miles through fourteen states.

I flew to Georgia on March 17, 2010. My plan was to spend one month on the trail hik-ing north for approximately 340 miles into southern Tennessee. From there I would hitch a ride to Nashville and fly back to Albany. The rationale behind this month in the wilderness was linked to my preparation for the 2010 tri-athlon racing season. I have been a triathlete for twenty years and was looking forward to a strong summer of competition, concluding with Nationals in September. To compete at the level I desired, I needed more than speed and endurance. I needed mental toughness. A month alone on the Appalachian Trail – if that didn’t make a person tough, what would?

My first day on the Trail was perfect. Temps in the mid 50s, a warm sun shining

through bare tree branches and a gen-tle breeze carried the musty smell of a forest still in winter dormancy. The Trail was flat, dry, and exactly what this newbie hiker needed to boost her con-fidence. “Wow,” I thought, “This isn’t so hard.” By Day 3, I wasn’t so cer-tain. Blood Mountain loomed ahead and just saying the name aloud gave me shivers. To my amazement, I made the climb with no difficulty and was psyched to keep going. As the days turned into weeks, my joy in being on the Trail continued to grow and I real-ized it would be very hard to leave.

I clearly remember the first time I let myself seriously think about stay-ing. I longed to continue hiking, but felt terribly guilty for wanting to put my own desires before my responsi-bilities to others. Nightly journal en-tries reflected my inner conflict but on Sunday, April 4, I wrote in my journal,

“I have made the decision to hike to Maine. I am not ready to come back.”

Once I started walking the trail, something unexpected happened. A deep longing, unreal-

ized until my journey began, emerged. I abso-lutely loved trail life. Rise with the sun, eat when hungry, rest when tired, walk. The simplicity of this routine held deep appeal for me. During the long days of summer, I would spend 14 hours walking, my internal rhythms meshing with cycles of the sun and moon. Rise with the sun, eat when hungry, rest when tired, walk. It was that simple, that clear. With the complexi-ties of modern life stripped away, only the es-sentials remained: food, shelter, friends.

With this kind of clarity comes the rare opportunity for self-reflection and insight. A chance to discover what is important and what can be discarded. Gradually, I let go of my hurried, multitasking approach to life. My goal-oriented personality softened and I discovered new qualities: playfulness, humil-ity, acceptance, courage, and gratitude. With-out question, walking the trail was the hard-est thing I have ever done. I eventually made peace with the elements: rain, mud and cold; hail, sleet, and snow; withering heat, and fero-cious thunder and lightning storms. My body was bruised and frequently in pain, my feet blistered and bleeding. I would walk for days without seeing a soul. I felt fear, loneliness, exhaustion, anger, and sadness. But I also walked in tremendous joy and contentment, surrounded by an amazing beauty few witness. The babbling brooks sang me to sleep with their lullabies and the mourning dove awak-ened me with her song. I stood atop moun-tains with only more mountains in every di-rection. I savored the taste of cold mountain water on a hot summer’s day. I swam naked in crystal clear lakes and each night made my bed on a different patch of ground.

On April 14, Delta Flight 6317 from Nashville to Albany took off at 6:05am. Seat 2C was empty and I was greeting a new day in Hot Springs, North Carolina. I had walked 277 miles. Another 1,892 remained. On that morn-ing, I abandoned months of training and long-held goals for triathlon competition. I traded work, friends, and family for six months of woods, wet feet, and wonder. How is it pos-sible for someone not to know they are going to leave everything behind? It is possible when one is willing to heed an unexpected call and embrace the unknown.

~ Joanna Ezinga is a USA Triathlon and USA Cy-cling Coach and Certified Personal Trainer. In 2007 she founded Ezinga Fitness specializing in personal training for women over 50 and coaching for beginner triath-letes. In 2010 she completed a solo hike of the Appala-chian Trail and plans to lead future adventure backpack-ing trips on the AT. [email protected]

Back to NatureAnimal Talk

A month alone on the Appalachian Trail – if that didn't make a person tough, what would? ~ Joanna Ezinga

Tales from the Trail By Joanna Ezinga


Berkshire Bargains

Our Berkshire Marketplace

Leonard Weber Townscape - Hancock Shaker Village pictured above. Artist Leonard Weber began his Townscape Collection in 1980. Since then, he has painted more than fifty cities, towns, villages, restorations, and historical sites ranging in size from his small hometown of Monterey, Massachusetts, to West 57th Street in New York City. The watercolors in the Townscape Collection are created on location, each capturing a unique moment in the time, space, and history of the community. Prints are available for purchase through his website in two sizes. Large prints (approximately 12" x 38") are $55 and small prints (approximately 4" x 11") are $20 including shipping. See townscape of Great Barrington, MA, on pages 16 and 17 of this issue. Visit www.leonardweber.net.

Upstairs BasementRick Clayson, Manager/Owner

(413) 243-2565 • 53 Main Street • Lee, MA 01238Store Hours: Monday through Saturday 10-5, Sunday 1-4

C O N S I G N M E N T S H O P S O F T H E B E R K S H I R E S

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Critters Around the Berkshires Notecards - Original verses and artist images, blank side for personal message. $3 each, singles or sets, for gifts, birthdays, souvenirs. Available at Norman Rockwell Museum Gift Shop. All proceeds go to Educational Fund administered by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Ruth & Hans Heuberger, Gnu Press, Great Barrington, MA. For more information, contact Ruth & Hans at [email protected].

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Save Money. Eat 100% Organic All Year Round.No Soil! No Green Thumb Required! Coupon OBG10 for $10 off!Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman | 413-528-5200 | Sproutman.com

Uruguayan Amethyst pictured center, golden/violet African Spirit Quartz with Amethyst and Citrine just left of center, and Labradorite from Madagascar at far left. Specimens range in price $6-$10, up to $300 for two of the Amethysts in this display. Crystal Essence is a Gallery of Wonders of the Earth. They will be celebrating 27 extraordinary years this June. Enjoy their selection of Gorgeous Gemstone Jewelry, Minerals, Clothing, Pottery, Candles, Books, Music, Fair Trade Items, Yoga Items, Body Care, and more. Located at 39 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA. (413) 528 -2595, www.crystalwellness.com, www.crystalessence.com

Save 10% on GroceriesGuido’s Fresh Marketplace in Great Barrington and Pittsfield, MA, is offering 10% off your order when you present their advertisement (from page 19 of this issue) at checkout.

Save 10% off Martial Arts TuitionMartial Arts Institute of the Berkshires in Great Barrington, MA, is offering 10% off tuition when you present their adver-tisement (from page 19 of this issue) at time of purchase.

Free ConsultationSusan Spiegel Solovay is offering a free medical hypno-sis consultation (quit smoking, lose weight, pain relief, or stress/sleep issues) at her office in Hillsdale, NY, or Great Barrington, MA, when you present her advertisement (from page 20 of this issue).


16

Community Spotlight: Great Barrington

When glaciers from the most recent ice age began their last retreat, abun-dant plant and animal life returned

to the Housatonic valley. Mastodons and wooly mammoths roamed the turf, and hu-man visitors known as Paleo-Indians followed their prey here. The Great Barrington area was first inhabited by the Native Americans of the Algonquin nation. For unknown rea-sons, the ancient aboriginal settlements were abandoned, but later the Housatonic valley and surrounding hills became part-time hunt-ing grounds for Mohican Indians who drifted over from their Hudson River settlements.

When Dutch and English settlers arrived here prior to 1730, the local Native Americans lived in two small villages along the Housa-tonic River. According to tradition, one of the sites in Great Barrington was referred to as the “Great Wigwam.” In 1736, a permanent Indian mission was established in Stockbridge, and most of the local Indians moved there. Although many of the early white settlers in south Berkshire were of English extraction from the middle and eastern parts of Mas-sachusetts, as well as from Connecticut and Rhode Island, there were also many Dutch families who had settled here even earlier from adjacent areas of New York.

Great Barrington was known as the Upper or North Parish of Sheffield until 1761, when it was incorporated and named the Shire town of the new county of Berkshire. The towns of Pittsfield and Great Barrington were created by an act of the Great and General Court of Massa-chusetts in 1761, the former named for Britain’s Prime Minister, William Pitt, and (most likely) the latter for his war minister, Lord Barrington.

Following the Boston Tea Party in 1773, the English parliament took over the Massa-chusetts colony and assigned judges and magis-trates to replace the democratically elected local governments. On August 16, 1774, hundreds of Berkshire County residents, supported by scores of supporters from nearby Connecticut, occupied the courthouse in Great Barrington and prevented the British-appointed judges from sitting. It was the first organized resis-tance to British judicial rule in America!

An important trial that led to the aboli-tion of slavery in Massachusetts also occurred in the same Great Barrington courthouse. In 1781, Mum Bett aka Elizabeth Freeman was a slave in the Sheffield household of Colonel

John Ashley. After overhearing Ashley and his colleagues discussing human rights, Mum Bett was determined to win her own freedom. The brave woman approached lawyer Theo-dore Sedgwick, who agreed to help her. The case was heard at the Great Barrington court-house during the summer of 1781. Sedgwick argued that slavery was unconstitutional un-der the Massachusetts constitution which de-clared that all men are free. Mum Bett won her case and, after similar cases were upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Court, slavery was outlawed in the state.

In the early 1800s, Great Barrington re-mained primarily a quiet farming community. But by the 1830s and ’40s, the town prospered as it developed manufacturing industries. Even the village of Van Deusenville was home to several stores, a woolen mill, a post office, and an iron ore blast furnace. In Housatonic, Monument Mills was incorporated in 1850, and the Owen Paper Mill was started in 1856. The Housatonic Railroad fueled growth and helped position the town as a major center of trade. Numerous fires changed the downtown landscape during the lat-ter 1800s. Busy Railroad Street was devastated by fire in 1854 and again in 1896. It was rebuilt by resilient residents and remains today a mag-net for downtown shopping.

It was also in Great Barrington that the first practical use of modern electrical current dis-tribution was demonstrated. In 1886, inventor and electrical genius William Stanley powered lights outside shops along Main Street using alternating current transformers. This became the basis of the electric distribution system that is used today throughout the world.

Author, editor, scholar, and civil rights pi-oneer William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born and raised in Great Barrington. Du Bois excelled in school and graduated from Great Barrington High School in 1884. School Prin-cipal Frank Hosmer successfully lobbied local townsfolk to raise money to pay for Du Bois’s college tuition and expenses at Fisk University in Nashville. Du Bois went on to become the first African American to earn a doctorate at Harvard University.

Great Barrington recently celebrated its 250th anniversary with a year-long celebra-tion throughout 2011. The downtown district is a bustling center of commerce filled with fascinating architecture, attractive galleries, in-teresting stores, and popular restaurants. It is

Great Barrington A Remarkable History / By Gary Leveille

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no surprise to locals that Smithsonian Magazine recently selected Great Barrington as the best small town in America. With pleasures like majestic Monument Mountain, the Housa-tonic River Walk, the Guthrie Center, the Ma-haiwe Theatre (the list goes on and on), there is so much to enjoy and appreciate.

Historic Sites (Abbreviated List) Civil War Monument: The magnificent and unusual Winged Victory was sculpted by Tru-man Bartlett and erected in 1876. It is located in front of Town Hall.

Memorial Stone: Commemorates the first open resistance to British judicial rule in America in 1774. It is located in front of Town Hall.

Hopkins-Searles Castle: This amazing Main Street chateau was built in 1885-1888 by the widow of railroad magnate Mark Hopkins.

Newsboy Fountain: Erected in 1895 by Col. William Brown, part-owner of the first New York Daily News. It is located on Rt. 23 west.

Fairgrounds: Established by the Housatonic Agricultural Society in 1854. Devastated by a tornado in 1995.

Railroad Street: Late Victorian downtown business district with interesting shops and architecture.

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center: Located on Castle Street, the Mahaiwe is one of the oldest surviving theaters in the country.

Monument Mills Complex: Once a major manufacturer of bedspreads and cotton and wool products, located in Housatonic.

Rising Paper Mill: Eclectic 19th-century pa-per mill still operates today in Housatonic.

Housatonic River Walk: Access to this beau-tiful walkway is found to the left of Rite-Aid Pharmacy, behind St. Peter’s Church, and at the bottom of Church Street.

Monument Mountain: Prominent natural landmark of considerable beauty, and subject of legends and folktales.

1771 Truman Wheeler Farmstead: South Main Street headquarters of the Great Bar-rington Historical Society.

Prominent Citizens (Abbreviated List)

William Cullen Bryant: Beloved poet, edi-tor, writer, critic, activist.

Justin Dewey: Legislator and prominent judge. Presided at the Lizzie Borden trial.

W.E.B. Du Bois: Renowned African-Ameri-can author, educator, and civil rights pioneer.

Elizabeth Freeman (Mum Bett): Lived in Shef-field and Stockbridge, but her legendary trial chal-lenging slavery took place in Great Barrington.

Arlo Guthrie: Legendary musician, singer, storyteller, and humanitarian.

James Weldon Johnson: African-American poet, diplomat, essayist, lawyer, and author of God’s Trombones.

Chief Konkapot: Legendary Native Ameri-can sachem.

Aaron Schroeder: Prolific composer, song-writer, producer, and music publisher.

William Stanley: His experiments with electri-cal transformers resulted in Great Barrington being the first community in the world to be lighted by alternating current electrical power.

~ Gary Leveille is the author of several books including Eye of Shawenon (Egremont history), Around Great Bar-rington, and Old Route 7 – Along the Berkshire Highway. Gary is principal of Berkshire Creative Communications and has more than 30 years’ experience as a copywriter, edi-tor, author, and newspaper columnist. He is also an avid local historian and manager of a vintage photo archive: BerkshireArchive.com. [email protected]

SGreat Barrington Townscape by Leonard Weber. Leonard has painted more than

fifty cities, towns, villages, restorations, and historical sites ranging in size from his small hometown of Monterey, Massachusetts, to West 57th Street in New York City. Prints are available for purchase through his website. See page 15 of this issue for more informa-tion, and visit his website at www.leonardweber.net.


18


©' HOME ©'

Interior Design & Renovations

Landscape Design

Kitchens & Baths

Specialty Bedding

Window Treatments

Floral Shop & Antiques

Jenifer House Commons, Great Barrington, MA, 413-644-9960 wingateltd.com, Open daily: Mon. - Sat. 10 - 5, Sun. 12 - 5

How You Know HerGwendolyn is a bilingual African-American mother, wife, educator, and community ac-tivist/organizer. In addition to serving as a Commissioner on the Status of Women, Gwendolyn is cofounder and Executive Di-rector of Multicultural BRIDGE, a grass-roots organization dedicated to enhancing integration of the myriad of diverse peoples of Western Massachusetts and cultivating cultural competence within organizations throughout the Berkshires and beyond. With her background as an educator and her training as a diversity leader, she designs cur-riculum for workplace language classes as well as highly customized cultural competency training curriculum for groups of all kinds. Gwendolyn works with corporations, schools, universities, municipal departments, caregiv-ing organizations and more. Gwendolyn has received recognition by Governor Patrick, who praised her for her lead-ership in community, calling her a “treasure to Berkshire County and this commonwealth.”

You may know her as a local mom advo-cating for youth in the community and happy to join forces, support, and share her experi-ence with others.

Why the Berkshires In 1987, Gwendolyn came to the Berkshires to attend Bard College at Simon’s Rock. While in college, raising her first son, she never really planned on staying in the Berk-shires after graduation. Having formed a supportive community that was integral to her family life, she decided to stay. She fell in love with the quality of life, the beauty, the peacefulness of it all.

What We Would Never Guess About Her She came to Simon’s Rock as a math major. Exposure to liberal arts at school and within the area changed her mind and her life course.

InspirationGwendolyn is inspired by her family and each person she meets along this path of diversity work in our community.

Community, Health & Our EnvironmentOn a practical level, for many years Gwendolyn has run one of her cars on vegetable oil. On a spiritual level, the local access to practitioners trained in indigenous healing arts is close to her heart. She has participated in ceremonies and rituals from Peruvian, Native American,

and African traditions. During tough times in life she goes to local shaman-ic peoples to get healing, for keeping her centered. Gwendolyn believes these traditions allow us to in-teract with nature on a deep level of exchange, building mutually sustain-ing relationships with our serene surroundings and our community.

Professionally, the children’s programs at Multicultural BRIDGE, including Gideon’s Gar-den, Seed to Harvest collaboration with Taft Farm, and the Outdoor Curriculum, have signif-icant components that connect children to the earth. Gwendolyn draws from her eight years of teaching religious edu-cation at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting of South Berkshire. There, as in the youth programs at BRIDGE, she empha-sizes the interconnected-

ness of all life. The principle of interconnect-edness as a vehicle for education allows her to take every opportunity to bridge nature to learning about new cultures.

Find out more about Multicultural BRIDGE at www.multiculturalbridge.org. See their ad on the facing page.

~ Liz Blackshine is a writer, social worker, consultant, and a Monterey, MA, resident. She has a background in social work and mental health counseling. Liz has published articles concerning diversity in the Capital Region and abroad. She is a frequent attendee of the Berkshire South Friends Meeting.

Gwendolyn Hampton VanSantBy Elizabeth Blackshine

Favorite Inspirational QuoteI’m a woman

Phenomenally.Phenomenal woman,

That’s me. Excerpt from Phenomenal Woman, by Maya Angelou



CharlieSpence

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Please visit our website for current promotions and discounts,such as the Free First Exam for New Clients.

Dr. Goldman, a leading international figure in the practice and continuing education of Osteopathy, has been in practice in Sharon, CT since 1992. He now brings his extensive healthcare experience to Great Barrington and the surrounding communities.

As a certified specialist in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and fully licensed physician, Dr. Goldman treats the whole person not just the symptoms by emphasizing the interrelationships of structure, function, and the ability of the body to heal itself.

call for appointment and informationconcerning treatment protocol

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20

Health & Wellness

Traditional AcupunctureJeffrey Gordon, M.Ac., L.Ac.

Elle Day Spa at the Crowne Plaza • One West St., Pittsfield, MA 01201Appointments: 413.445.5600 • www.jgordonacupuncture.com

“Live with Calmness, Balance and Vitality”

MEDICAL HYPNOSISQuit Smoking ❖ Weight Loss ❖ Pain Relief Stress/Sleep Issues ❖ Prepare for Surgery

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3 Addiction 3 Co-dependency3 Grief, Loss & Transition Counseling

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Movement for renewed energy, health and well-being. Focus onalignment, back care, sports performance; special needs welcome.

Private sessions or small group classes in a beautifully equipped studio.

Catherine Brumley West Stockbridge, MA 413-232-7838

Low Back Pain • Sciatica • Disc Problems301 Walker Street ▪ Lenox, MA 01240

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FREE InitialConsultation

Joint problems and arthritis can affect any-one, young or old. There is hope for heal-ing, but it is best to determine the trigger

for the problem rather than to mask the pain with drugs. A holistic approach determines the underlying cause of the affliction – whether it be from injury, chronic use, diet, or lifestyle. In most cases inflammation is the cause.

Many people don’t believe arthritis can be prevented because there’s a common percep-tion that joint cartilage (the cushioning that covers the bones in a joint) sim-ply wears away with age. But actu-ally joint cartilage wears away with inflammation, which is a normal healing process. But if the inflam-matory response does not shut off and becomes chronic, it can not only affect joints, but blood vessel walls (atherosclero-sis), lining cells of the gut (as in lactose and gluten in-tolerance), and contribute to diseases like diabetes, cancer, strokes, and other illnesses.

If you can prevent chronic in-flammation you can prevent joint problems. Even if you al-ready have arthritis, reducing the amount of inflammation in your system will help relieve your symptoms and give you more freedom of movement – sometimes within weeks or even days. Highly movable joints such as the wrists, fingers, shoulders, hips, and knees, are the most likely to be af-fected by osteoarthritis. These are called syn-ovial joints because the two bones that meet in this type of joint are bathed in synovia – a clear fluid whose job is to provide lubrica-tion. Sometimes, though, the membrane that secretes the synovia becomes inflamed. Ac-cording to Dr. Vijaya Nair in her book Prevent Cancer, Strokes, Heart Attacks, and other Deadly Killers, “When an avalanche of inflammatory chemicals gets released, those inflammatory chemicals wear away joint cartilage. The first step in any program to combat arthritis and joint problems isn’t to stop the pain - it’s to stop the inflammation.”

Doctors can prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, but there are healthier ways to combat inflammation. People can alter their diet to include foods such as olive oil, cod, salmon,

sardines, kale, ginger, bok choy, mushrooms, avocados, cranberries, apples, cinnamon, and almonds, just to name a few. Avoiding sugar, processed foods, polyunsaturated oils that contain few omega-3s, and for some people, gluten and dairy can make a significant differ-ence. Hormone-laden meat can also trigger an inflammatory response as can pesticides and chemical ingredients in foodstuffs. Stress is probably the biggest factor because the chem-ical reaction our bodies create to stressors

lowers our immune response and allows inflammation to run unchecked.

In addition, I recommend a simple list of supplements that I have seen cre-ate an effective treatment. Probably the easiest, most effective anti-inflam-matory supplement is curcumin. But

be careful: not all curcumin is ef-fective. You need a blend that

has curcumin, demethoxycur-cumin and bisdemethoxycur-cumin – collectively known as curcuminoids. Not all curcumin supplements have these. The one we use is an ingredient in Dr. Nair’s Jiva Curcumin/Fermented Soy Complex (www.jivasupple ments.org). Other ingre-

dients that help inflammation are bromelain, reservatrol, ginger, alpha lipoid acid, and zinc. It is also prudent to take a good plant oil com-bination made from flax, primrose, and sun-flower oils.

Most of us run to drugs to alleviate pain, but the root of this pain may be runaway inflamma-tion. Therefore, it may be wiser to treat the cause than just to mask the problem with a painkiller. I personally have healed my ski-traumatized knee with foods and supplements that treat inflam-mation. If you’d like more information, I highly recommend reading Dr. Nair’s book.

~ Nina Anderson, of Sheffield, MA, is the CEO of Safe Goods Publishing, LJB Piper, and the COO of Jiva, Essence of Life, Inc. She holds a Spe-cialist in Performance Nutrition certification from the Interna-tional Sports Science Associa-tion. and has been involved in the natural healing industry for more than 20 years.

InflammationThe Root of Many Diseases / By Nina Anderson


Health & Wellness

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There are many pathways tohealing.


22

Health & Wellness

One thing is for certain, we all feel gravity. Just hold your arm out to the side, shoulder level, and in a very few moments the force will be with you, pulling your

arm back downwards. This force has been working on your posture all your life, and if you are feeling those effects

on your spine, shoulders, neck and head, low back, and those lowly feet, you are not alone. The compression that gravity causes upon the body is cumulative. If you are not working to elevate your posture in a bal-anced alignment, you most likely feel the victim of

time and weight drawing you down. Result? Pain and discomfort that increases with time.

Tips to Reverse That Nagging Downward Pull

While sitting, feel the lift your breath can have upon your skeleton. Draw the breath in deeply and slowly; feel the

filling of your breath in your chest like a balloon in-flating. Next, allow your exhalation to leave your body as if the balloon were now deflating . . . melt-ing downward with gravity into a concave shape. Repeat this breathing exercise a few times, so you

become acquainted with how your body feels as it rises upward and sinks downward.

When you have found the way you can lift your torso so that you now feel the pull of your head towards

the sky, keep rising an inch or so more, enough to give you the sensation that the lift is pulling you up from your hips and also pulling into your legs.

You may want to close your eyes and imagine you can see your skeleton lifted and supported by your

muscles to stay upward and lengthened.

As you allow your breath to release, try to keep the pull upward, while relaxing your body’s tensions from the inhalation aspect of the exercise. This means you

will not collapse downward, but instead maintain the lift as you exhale. Notice how you can find the deep core musculature that supports your body’s effort to

maintain uprightness. This may feel very strained and difficult at first – it is new to your body’s system of patterns. Keep working daily, and you will become more familiar with the pattern to go “UP.” Remem-ber . . . going up is just the start of working out of

that gravitational pull to collapse. Learn more by studying at Kine-

sphere Studio in Lee, where good posture and alignment are always on the menu.

~ Megan Reisel, registered somatic move-ment therapist, certified movement analyst and instructor of Gyrotonic® at Kinespshere Studio, located at 66 Main Street, Lee, MA. (413) 329-8219

Self-Healing with One Light Healing TouchDate: Thursday, June 14, 2012, at 6:30-8pmPlace: Little Chapel on the Hill, 55 Main Street, Lenox, MA - (917) 748-8463 Price: Suggested Offering $15-20 Presented by AnnE O’Neil, founder of your soul path, this class is a great opportunity to learn more about energy and how to work with it. It is an introductory class in which participants will: ex-perience a profound grounding exercise, allowing one to be more present; learn more about how life force energy flows; and begin to tap into one’s innate healing ability. www.yoursoulpath.com

Living Healthy for a Lifetime Spirit, Mind & Body Wellness FairDate: Sat., June 16, 2012, at 10:30am-2:30pmPlace: Lenox Community Center, 65 Walker Street, Lenox, MA - (413) 553-3533Price: FreeMany fields will be represented from fitness and weight loss, stress management, nutri-tion, life coaching, Chinese medicine, massage,

yoga, thriving through cancer treatments, to mentoring adult children caring for aging parents. Berkshire County is a well-spring of talented professionals helping people achieve their health and wellness goals and desires about living a zesty, vibrant, healthy and happy life – for a lifetime. We are still looking for vendors and sponsors. Call Jeannie at (413) 553-3533 or Kathleen at (413) 822-1280.

Fitness Fun!Date: July 16-20, 2012, at 9am-3pmPlace: The Montessori School of the Berkshires, 21 Patterson Road, Lenox Dale, MA - (413) 637-3662Price: $225Fitness fun! Summer program for ages 6-12. Learn about the Four Components of Fitness, while having a blast!We’ll play games for muscular strength, hop through aerobic and anaerobic activities, and relax into the proper way to stretch.www.BerkshireMontessori.org

June - July Event Sampler To see more events or to post your event for free go to

www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com Is Gravity Dragging You Down?

By Megan Reisel


Health & Wellness

Crowne Plaza, Pittsfield, MA(413) 684-4888 | [email protected]

Japanese Style Acupuncture • Five Element Essential Oils Master Cupping • Energy Balancing • Second Degree Reiki

Weight Loss • Smoking Cessation

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Ming Lash, rsmt

somatic movement therapist

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Phoebe Williams, Certifi ed Professional Coach413.232.7018 | www.BerkshireLifeCoaching.com

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Office Hours and House Calls

NCBTMB CertifiedLicensed Massage TherapistWendy Mae Nunnally

Traditional Naturopathic Care

respitegurgling blue waterssoothe my uncalm

they mirrorthe darkening skyof early evening

magnolias, honeysucklebutterfly bushes

encircle mebudless roses

were luminous coralbefore the deer ate them

the patio umbrella housesa lone bat and births

wasps in its foldslilies silently

trumpet their presence

O I wish I could see the color of the wings

or tufted headsof the birds

doing their evening chores

~ Poem by Gwen Gould, taken with permission from

her poetry chapbook, Luminations

Is Gravity Dragging You Down?

By Megan Reisel

Mind & Spirit

In a field crowded with wannabes and char-latans, Sheilaa Hite is known as one of the leading intuitive counselors in America. A full-time professional, her clientele is com-

prised of influential names, and she has regular bookings in major resorts, restaurants, and other establishments. A published author who has been widely featured on national television, she also leads workshops on astrology, Tarot, and life coaching. I met Sheila six years ago, when I was depressed and unmotivated. My hope was that she would convince me of her gift, and that her fore-cast would offer some relief.

An African American of middle age, she had a look that was different than your average New Eng-land lady of any ethnicity. Her wardrobe was color-ful without seeming garish, and if the clothes looked custom made, they likely were made by Sheilaa her-self, who was at one time a union costume designer. From a half-dozen Tarot decks, she had me choose two for this reading. In my hands she placed three odd-looking twelve-sided transparent dice, which I was instructed to roll after envisioning a color and a number. Drawing from both decks, she laid out a Tarot spread of eight cards. And as I turned over one card with the left hand, then another with the right, I made a wish for her reading to promise nothing but happiness. That was not to be the outcome.

“You’re on a raft, adrift at sea,” she reluctantly declared. “You feel alone and totally out of your ele-ment.” She couldn’t have been more accurate so she won my trust. By the end of the hour-long session, she did offer me hope. She predicted my neglected talents for music and performing would blossom in the new season, and my depression would also be lifted. After the three-month wait, I was truly feeling

much more confident at home and at work. And, as predicted, I suddenly found myself singing in my first national TV commercial! Sheilaa boasts over 95 percent accuracy, as documented in The 100 Top Psy-chics in America by Paulette Cooper. My experiences with her bear this out.

Having had several other sessions with her over the years, I was glad when this interview gave me the chance to learn more about this wise and mysterious soothsayer. First, I wanted to know when she discovered she had such a gift.

“When I was born, my grandmother told my mother and father that I would be a special child,” said Sheilaa when we met in her apartment in Lenox. “I was to be dressed in certain colors and listened to carefully for when the cadence changed in my voice. Whenever it did, they were all supposed to fol-low what I said.” Sheilaa’s late parents did obey her sometimes random commands, changing their daily schedules or routes or avoiding situations, which Sheilaa assumes may have prevented accidents or worse strokes of fate. If this sounds like a family of Gypsy fortune-tellers, consider that Sheilaa’s parents were conservative professionals, her father a union organizer turned marriage counselor and her mother a nurse turned psychologist, living in Hyde Park, a mixed, middle-class neighborhood in Chicago.

Ironically, these same parents – who did dress her in the specified colors and routinely obeyed her odd voice and dreams – were vehemently opposed to her pursuing a career based on these same intui-tive abilities. “They wanted me to get ‘a real job.’ They were unsupportive when I won a fashion scholarship to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I learned I had to live my life without their approval. When this worked, it amazed them!”

Clothing and costume design paid her bills when she first moved to Los Angeles. But from ear-ly on she did astrology on the side, earn-ing extra money. After learning Tarot, she impressed her friends so much that word of mouth began to spread. People started coming to her, pleading for advice and willing to pay. With such a boost of confidence from the public, it wasn’t so hard to leave costume designing. In that field the most secure job would be a 20-week TV series, so she was accustomed to always hustling up her next gig. After one transitional year, Sheilaa was able to leave designing and has been a full-time intuitive ever since.

When asked about her most amaz-ing prediction, Sheilaa, who has served more than 4,000 clients over the years, declines to cite one. “I don’t empha-size my predictions in the readings. My goal is to help people live. I help them understand their value and change the quality of their lives.”

She recounted the story of a young mother who came for a reading in the early ’80s. “She’d just had the baby, and

I said, ‘Oh, what did you name her?’ She said, ‘I just can’t think of anything to name her.’ I got chills, and I didn’t know why. I just knew the most important thing in the world was for her to name that baby! So I worked with her and I told her whatever her soul needed to hear about the importance of naming the baby. And we talked about names.”

Later she related the story to a psychothera-pist, who was alarmed. “‘Did the baby come from an abusive relationship?’ the therapist asked, and that was true,” said Sheilaa. “‘That means she sees the baby as part of that abuse. She’s going through postpartum depression, and without a name she’s not going to think of keeping her alive. So it’s good that you worked with her!’

“But I didn’t hear anything from the woman at all, until three years later. She told me she had come back west from New York and she had her daughter with her! And oh! My heart was so full! She came over with the little girl, who proceeded to wreck my apartment, but I didn’t care because I was so happy she was alive!”

Fast-forward 18 years and 3,000 miles away to the Berkshires, where Sheilaa has been in residence ten years. When a woman walks in for a reading, Sheilaa has a sudden flashback to this scene of so long ago in Los Angeles. The woman confirms she is the same one from that fateful reading and, yes, the baby is a young woman now, just about to graduate from college.

“That’s what I call a success story,” says Sheilaa Hite. “When people say, ‘I have found a better way of treating myself and of living my life because I spoke with you,’ that makes my heart feel good. It makes me know I’m doing the work I was sent here to do, and gives me reason to keep on living!”

~ Sheilaa is available by appointment at several locations in the Berkshires, including SEVEN salon.spa in Stockbridge, MA. (413) 298-0117, www.sevensalonspa.com.

Intuitive Counselor

“SHEILAA’s accuracy rate is 95-100%.”manager – malibu shaman bookstore – malibu, ca

S heilaa Hite

www.SheilaaHite.com

413-637-0085

Featured in Paulette Cooper’s directory,‘THE 100 TOP PSYCHICS in AMERICA’

Tarot • Astrology • Palmistry • PsychometryMediumship • Past Life Regression

Hypnotherapy • Life Coach

Consultations in Person, by Phone or Skype

Classes, Parties and Events

The Warmth and Wisdom of Sheilaa Hite / By Maurice Peterson


Fashion & Beauty Meet & Greet

A buildup of dead skin cells causes a rough and dull appearance. Gently removing

the top layers of desiccated cells oxygenates the skin and speeds up cell growth, promot-ing a youthful, glowing appearance. A twice- or thrice-weekly salt or sugar scrub can make your skin look supple! Exfoliating with salt from the Dead Sea will not only remove dead skin cells, but it will, at the same time, in-fuse your skin with the minerals that the Dead Sea is so famous for. A scrub that also contains natural and nourishing oils, such as Jojoba, Sweet Almond, Avocado, Olive, or other, will moisten the skin while exfoli-ating at the same time.

One comes across many offers – often at mall kiosks – of exfoliating scrubs, but just as often these scrubs contain artificial ingredients that can cause stress on the liver. Your skin is your larg-est organ. It both absorbs and expels toxins, vitamins, and minerals and your liver is always on the job to filter out any artificial ingredi-ents that the skin has absorbed. Synthetic ma-terials are interpreted as toxins by our bodies because they are unnatural and therefore do

not match the chemical makeup of the hu-man cells. This causes stress on the liver . . . and all the while you thought you were doing yourself a favor! Tests have shown that only 20 minutes after an application of products

containing parabens,* the par-bens showed up in the urine.

Be sure to read the ingredi-ents on everything you purchase. Many products are designed to look as if they are good for you, or are labeled “all natural,” but looks can be deceiving. Compa-nies spend a lot of money and research on packaging to make you think you are getting some-thing that is natural . . . but be-ware! These lesser-quality beauty products may contain parabens, petroleum, alcohol, and artificial preservatives, which are anything

but good for you. Choose carefully and spend your hard-earned money wisely. Local hand-crafted products are often of much higher qual-ity than mass-produced, slick-looking products and are sometimes even less expensive!

~ Jean Pollock, HHP, Mystical Rose Herbals, www.mysticalroseherbals.com. *Paraben: Any ester of parahy-droxybenzoic acid, some of which are used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and have been found in breast cancer tumors.

meet & greet June - July Event Sampler

To see more events or to post your event for free go to www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

Our BerkshireGreen Networking EventsConnect, Share, Grow, Prosper – It’s All About Community!

Join Our BerkshireGreen Publishing for great company, delicious free appetizers, cash bar, interesting speakers, and door prizes. Come get to know your community and enjoy!

Good Purpose Gallery and Starving Artist Creperie & CafeDate: Thursday, June 14, 2012, at 5:30-7:30pm

Place: 40 Main Street, Lee, MA - (413) 394-5045Price: Free. No reservation required.

Naji’s Mediterranean CuisineDate: Wednesday, July 18, 2012, at 5:30-7:30pm

Place: 405 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-5540Price: Free. No reservation required.

get to know your community

Exfoliate with Salt from the Dead SeaFor a Youthful, Glowing Appearance / By Jean Pollock, HHP

moonwhen the luster of the moon

reveals my worldshapes surrounding me are

visible in the night skyI am not alone

reflected light offers solaceluminous images comfort

my yearningtree shadows hold me in a loving embrace

~ Poem by Gwen Gould, taken with permission from

her poetry chapbook,Luminations

25


26 June / July 2012

In Business

Genne M. LeVasseurCERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

Business & Personal Accounting ;;

21 Bracelan Court, Lenox, MA 01240 Ph: (413) 637-0858, Fax: (413) 637-0165

Email: [email protected]

Inger Management

Inger Pause, BAHealth and Wellness Coach

Transformation from Within

Cheshire, MA | [email protected]

It’s human nature to personify things – cars, boats, pets, places, and yes, even your product and company. Imagine

your brand is a real person. Is it male or female, young or old, college-educated or street-smart, stylish or plain, thrifty or ex-travagant? Did you deliberately cultivate this personality, or has it just developed over time? More importantly, does this personality reflect who your target customers want your brand to be?

Consider the personalities of some legendary brands. IBM is viewed as mature and serious, while Apple carved out a niche based on its own personality attributes – cool, stylish, casu-al, and easygoing. Consumers from across the socioeconomic spectrum are willing to spend money hand over fist to be a part of the rebellious Harley-Davidson mystique. Each of these brands has developed subtle aspects that can only be ex-perienced, not quantified or measured. It can’t be easily replicated, creating a high barrier to entry for potential competitors.

Talk to your customers to find out what your brand’s personality truly is, not what you think it is. A bank that describes itself as “friendly, honest, and stable” might find that its customers use adjectives like greedy, dull, or boring. This “brand gap” – a con-tradiction in how you see your own brand

and how others perceive it – can result in inconsistent marketing.

Lay out your current print marketing materi-als in one place so you can consider every-thing as a whole. Do they have a consistent look, feel, message, and tone? Are there pieces that can be combined? Now look at

each piece individually. Does the message match the layout? For example, is your message spirited and carefree, but the layout is dark and somber? Who does your customer want you to be: the life of the party or the designated driver? You must understand the underly-ing emotional associations to market your brand effectively.

Thoughtfully develop a distinct brand personality to move buy-ers from simple customers to brand loyalists, creating power-

ful differentiation and real preference. This exercise will influence your strategy at every touchpoint, including the tone of your mar-keting communications, your visual brand identity, and how your frontline staff dress and communicate with customers.

~ This article cannot be reprinted without permis-sion. Quality Printing Company aka “Qualprint” of Pittsfield is a full service printer that was awarded two Bennys, the highest honor in the 2011 Premier Print Awards. For more information, visit their website at www.qualprint.com.

Think Abundanceget the most for your marketing dollars Our BerkshireTimes

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Build a Powerful Brand Personality Contributed By Qualprint

A Division of Quality Printing Company, Inc.

Imagine your brand is a real person. Is it male or female, young or old, college-educated or street-smart, stylish or plain, thrifty or extravagant?

S Dell Computers was started by a 19-year-old with only $1,000.

The company Adobe was named for Adobe Creek which ran behind the house of the co-founder, John Warnock.

In 1975 Microsoft made $16,005 in revenue in its first year of operation.

In 1974, the founder of FedEx saved the company by taking its last $5,000 and turning it into $32,000 by gambling in Las Vegas.

In 1987, American Airlines decided to omit one olive from each salad course in the first class. As a result, they made a savings of $40,000.

On February 10, 1964, the first self-adhesive stamps were issued.

The first product that Sony came out with was the rice cooker.

In 1939, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded HP in Packard’s garage with an initial investment of $538.

In 1969, 16-year-old Michael Kittredge made a scented candle in his garage out of melted crayons as a gift for his mother. The neighbors took notice and expressed interest in buying his candles, so he started mass-producing them. Today Yankee Candle is the largest manufac-turer of scented candles in the United States.

Fun Business Facts

27


Directory of AdvertisersAnimals BensDotter’s Pet ......................................13, 17, inside back coverChez Pet ............................................................................................13Petpourri, Inc. ..................................................................................13Sand Road Animal Hospital, LLC ................................................13Valley Veterinary Service ................................................................13VCA All Caring Animal Hospital .................................................19White Horse Hill .............................................................................14

Art, Culture & EntertainmentAmerican Indian Pow Wow, Rock, Rattle & Drum ......................5Bruce Mandel, Performing Songwriter ..........................................5Community Access to the Arts - CATA ........................................5Good Purpose Gallery .........................................inside back coverGraney Metal Design ........................................................................6Hartsville Design Woodworking ....................6, inside back coverHotchkiss Mobiles Gallery ............................................................6Housatonic Valley Art League .........................................................5Kaya Blaze Photography ..................................................................5Leonard Weber, Hayloft Art Gallery ............................................15Spectrum Playhouse ..............................................inside back coverToonerville Trolley Records .............................................................6Williams College - Arts at Williams ................................................6

Business ServicesGeiger Computers ...........................................................................26Genne M. LeVasseur, Certified Public Accountant ...................26Inger Management ..........................................................................26

Chambers of CommerceLee Chamber of Commerce ............................................................7Williamstown Chamber of Commerce ..........................................6

Education & WorkshopsBard College at Simon’s Rock Summer Program ......................12Berkshire Country Day School ...........................inside back coverBRIDGE, Berkshire Resources for the Integration

of Diverse Groups & Education .........................................19Darrow School .................................................................................12Milne Public Library .......................................................................12Montessori School of the Berkshires, The ......1, 12, inside back coverRenaissance Art School ..................................................................17Triple Gem School of Thai Massage ...........................................12

Fashion & BeautySEVEN salon.spa .............................................................................25Shear Illusions, LLC ........................................................................25Upstairs Basement ...........................................................................15

Food & Drink Berkshire Co-op Market ......................................inside front coverBerkshire Organics ............................................................................8Boathouse Restaurant at Lakeville, The .........................................9Cafe Giulia ..........................................................................................7Chez Nous Bistro ..............................................................................8Guido’s Fresh Marketplace ...........................................................19Joe’s Diner ..........................................................................................9LaBonne’s Markets ............................................................................9Mizza’s Pizza Restaurant ...................................................................8Naji’s Mediterranean Cuisine ..........................................................9Pastorale Bistro & Bar ......................................................................8Public eat+drink ................................................................................7Sproutman® ......................................................................................15Starving Artist Creperie & Cafe ......................................................7

Gift / Specialty ShopsCrystal Essence .........................................................................15, 16Gnu Press - Critters Around the Berkshires ...............................15

Health & WellnessAndrew M. Goldman, DO ............................................................19BLEND Solution ............................................................................27

Health & WellnessChristine M. Tobin, APRN, PC, A-HNC ....................................21Community Health Programs .........................................................2Dr Jerome F. Errico, Bd Cert Chiro Phys ................................20Eileen Lawlor, LICSW ....................................................................20Energy in Motion Studio, Catherine Brumley ............................20Frog Lotus Yoga Studio ..................................................................20Integrative Health Solutions ....................................................20, 23 InTouch Massage & Day Spa ........................................................21Jacqueline Nicholas, Reiki Master & Teacher .............................23Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy ............................................22Marion Bergan Irwin, Licensed Acupuncturist ..........................23Martial Arts Institute of the Berkshires ......................................19Matt Albert, Bodywork ...................................................................23Memory Clinic, The ........................................................................21Michelle Manto, Traditional Chinese Medicine - Acupuncture .....17Mikka Barkman, Native American Bodywork ............................16Ming Lash, Somatic Movement Therapist ..................................23Naomi Alson, Acupuncturist & Herbalist ...................................23NordiCare Physical Therapy, PC ..................................................21Phoebe Williams, Life Coach .........................................................23Sruti Yoga Center ............................................................................21Susan B. Lord, MD ...................................................................16, 23Susan Merritt Yoga ..........................................................................23Susan Spiegel Solovay, Certified Medical Hypnotist ..................20Traditional Acupuncture, Jeffrey Gordon, M.Ac., Lic.Ac. ..........20Traditional Naturopathic Care, Pam Youngquist .................17, 23TriYoga Berkshire ............................................................................21Veronique Rignault, Healing Ginger Therapy ............................21Wellness Bound Coaching, Kenly Brozman ...............................20Wendy Mae Nunnally Massage Therapist ...................................23WholePerson Movement, Sharon True .......................................16Yoga & Chakra Illuminations, Grace M. Tuma, MA .................23

Home & GardenAllegrone Construction Co., Inc. ..................................................11Berkshire Fabric & Wallpaper Outlet ...........................................11Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS) .....................................11Bodhi Tree Gallery ..........................................................................10Built to Last Stoneworks & Landscaping ....................................10Countrytown Marble & Tile ..........................................................10Eco-scape Gardens .........................................................................16George Yonnone Restorations ......................................................17Hardy Daylily Garden .....................................................................11Herrington’s .....................................................................................28Martha Flood Design ......................................................................11Michael Gilbert - Decorative Painting/Artist .............................11Okerstrom Lang, Ltd. .....................................................................18Upstairs Basement ...........................................................................15 Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center ................................................10Windy Hill Farm ..............................................................................17Wingate LTD ...................................................................................18Young Feng Shui .............................................................................10

LodgingBerkshires Shirakaba Guest House ..............................................21Interlaken Inn and Conference Center ..........................................7Sharon Country Inn .........................................................back cover

Mind & SpiritAzureGreen ......................................................................................24Sheilaa Hite, Intuitive Counseling .................................................24

NatureHilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery .............................14

Real EstateBarnbrook Realty ...................................................................................2John Harney Associates, LLC - Real Estate Brokerage ................27Kinderhook Group, Inc., Real Estate ...........................................11

Social NetworkingConcerned Singles ......................................................................25

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Index of AdvertisersAllegrone Construction Co., Inc. .....................11American Indian Pow Wow, Rock,

Rattle & Drum ..............................................5Andrew M. Goldman, DO ...............................19AzureGreen .........................................................24Bard College at Simon’s Rock Summer

Program .......................................................12Barnbrook Realty .................................................2BensDotter’s Pet .............13, 17, inside back coverBerkshire Co-op Market .............inside front coverBerkshire Country Day School ..inside back coverBerkshire Fabric & Wallpaper Outlet ..............11Berkshire Organics ...............................................8Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS) ........11Berkshires Shirakaba Guest House .................21BLEND Solution ................................................27Boathouse Restaurant at Lakeville, The ............9Bodhi Tree Gallery .............................................10BRIDGE, Berkshire Resources for the

Integration of Diverse Groups & Education ..19Bruce Mandel, Performing Songwriter .............5Built to Last Stoneworks & Landscaping .......10Cafe Giulia .............................................................7Chez Nous Bistro .................................................8Chez Pet ...............................................................13Christine M. Tobin, APRN, PC, A-HNC ........21Community Access to the Arts - CATA ...........5Community Health Programs .............................2Concerned Singles ..............................................25Countrytown Marble & Tile .............................10Crystal Essence ............................................15, 16

Darrow School ....................................................12Dr Jerome F. Errico, Bd Cert Chiro Phys ...20Eco-scape Gardens ............................................16Eileen Lawlor, LICSW ......................................20Energy in Motion Studio, Catherine Brumley ...20Frog Lotus Yoga Studio ......................................20Geiger Computers ..............................................26Genne M. LeVasseur, Certified Public

Accountant ..................................................26George Yonnone Restorations .........................17Gnu Press - Critters Around the Berkshires ....15Good Purpose Gallery ................inside back coverGraney Metal Design ...........................................6Guido’s Fresh Marketplace ..............................19Hardy Daylily Garden ........................................11Hartsville Design Woodworking .....6, inside back coverHerrington’s .......................................................28Hilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery ....14Hotchkiss Mobiles Gallery ..................................6Housatonic Valley Art League ............................5Inger Management .............................................26Integrative Health Solutions ......................20, 23Interlaken Inn and Conference Center .............7InTouch Massage & Day Spa ...........................21Jacqueline Nicholas, Reiki Master & Teacher ..23Joe’s Diner ............................................................9John Harney Associates, LLC

Real Estate Brokerage ................................27 Kaya Blaze Photography .....................................5Kinderhook Group, Inc., Real Estate ..............11LaBonne’s Markets ...............................................9

Lee Chamber of Commerce ...............................7Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy ...............22Leonard Weber, Hayloft Art Gallery ................15Marion Bergan Irwin, Licensed Acupuncturist ....23Martha Flood Design ........................................11Martial Arts Institute of the Berkshires .........19Matt Albert, Bodywork .....................................23Memory Clinic, The ...........................................21Michael Gilbert - Decorative Painting/Artist ..11Michelle Manto, Traditional Chinese

Medicine - Acupuncture ............................17Mikka Barkman, Native American Bodywork ..16Milne Public Library ..........................................12Ming Lash, Somatic Movement Therapist .....23Mizza’s Pizza Restaurant ....................................8Montessori School of the Berkshires, The

........................................1,12, inside back coverNaji’s Mediterranean Cuisine .............................9Naomi Alson, Acupuncturist & Herbalist ......23NordiCare Physical Therapy, P.C. ....................21Okerstrom Lang, Ltd. ........................................18Pastorale Bistro & Bar .........................................8Petpourri, Inc. .....................................................13Phoebe Williams, Life Coach ............................23Public eat+drink ...................................................7Renaissance Art School .....................................17Sand Road Animal Hospital, LLC ...................13SEVEN salon.spa ................................................25Sharon Country Inn .............................back coverShear Illusions, LLC ...........................................25Sheilaa Hite, Intuitive Counseling ....................24Spectrum Playhouse .....................inside back coverSproutman® ..........................................................15Sruti Yoga Center ...............................................21Starving Artist Creperie & Cafe .........................7Susan B. Lord, MD ......................................16, 23Susan Merritt Yoga ............................................23Susan Spiegel Solovay, Certified

Medical Hypnotist ......................................20Toonerville Trolley Records ................................6Traditional Acupuncture,

Jeffrey Gordon, M.Ac., Lic.Ac. .................20Traditional Naturopathic Care,

Pam Youngquist ...................................17, 23Triple Gem School of Thai Massage ..............12TriYoga Berkshire ..............................................21Upstairs Basement .............................................15Valley Veterinary Service ...................................13VCA All Caring Animal Hospital ....................19Veronique Rignault, Healing Ginger Therapy ...21Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center ...................10Wellness Bound Coaching, Kenly Brozman ....20Wendy Mae Nunnally Massage Therapist ......23White Horse Hill ................................................14WholePerson Movement, Sharon True ..........16Williams College - Arts at Williams ...................6Williamstown Chamber of Commerce .............6Windy Hill Farm .................................................17Wingate LTD ......................................................18Yoga & Chakra Illuminations,

Grace M. Tuma, MA ..................................23Young Feng Shui ................................................10

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