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  • Meadowyards

    Number of comments: 0
    The fog was hanging low over the Holyoke range on this rainy Friday afternoon, and I took a drive out towards the Meadows section of Northampton for a better look.



    Unfortunately by the time I got out there and successfully negotiated through or [...]
    Posted: November 27, 2009, 10:49pm EST
    by Tony
  • Football With All The Trimmings

    Number of comments: 0
    Having followed the Longmeadow Lancers more or less throughout this football season, we had to see their game vs. equally potent rival East Longmeadow Spartans, for the AA conference championship. Parking lots were brimming over, the stands were full, and the field was ringed with onlookers on this Thanksgiving morning.[...]
    Posted: November 26, 2009, 11:09pm EST
    by Tony
  • Cameras?...I Eat Cameras.

    Enclosure: [download]
    Number of comments: 3

    [...]
    Posted: November 22, 2009, 11:55pm EST
    by Tony
  • A Fact Among Pigeons

    Number of comments: 2
    A couple pigeon shots...



    Ever present. Living symbiotically with us; intertwined with the follies of man. Forever cleaning up after what we see fit to waste. Squirrels of the air.



    A small flock of them cautiously [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 11:57pm EST
    by Tony
  • Wet, Yes. Undaunted, Yes.

    Number of comments: 0
    A rainy Saturday drive over Mount Tom into Easthampton brought on a craving for some woodsy trekking at good ol' Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, even if it's a wet trek.



    Ok, I get it. Summer's over.



    Whatever' [...]
    Posted: November 14, 2009, 11:57pm EST
    by Tony
  • Friday Night Lights

    Number of comments: 0
    A blossoming interest in local high school football resurfaced again and I checked out the second half of Minnechaug high school's defence against powerhouse Longmeadow on Friday night...



    It was drizzling out but warm enough, and the stands were pretty full for this [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 11:52pm EST
    by Tony
  • Spiders

    Number of comments: 1
    On the Sturbridge/ Brimfield line there's a wooded spot called the Leadmine Wildlife Management Area. And in part of that area is a short wooded path called the Heins Farm tail, where I happened to find myself strolling Monday afternoon.



    It's a short [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 11:50pm EST
    by Tony
  • Apple Sour

    Number of comments: 2


    It was getting pretty late in the afternoon when we finally managed to set out for a visit to one of the farms participating in the annual, Franklin County-wide, Cider Days event. We tried the Clarkdale Fruit Farm last year during the [...]
    Posted: November 07, 2009, 8:42pm EST
    by Tony
  • Well. What's It Going To Be, Then...

    Number of comments: 2
    The much anticipated day is here.



    This local election cycle has brought some interesting dramatics and several surprising challenges to long time incumbents.





    I can't remember there being such an' [...]
    Posted: November 03, 2009, 8:16am EST
    by Tony
  • Indoor Getaway

    Number of comments: 5
    Pouring rain sending us indoors, we took the opportunity to get a look at Mt. Holyoke College's art museum recently...



    There's an exhibit of famed photographer Lisette Model and her disciples (going on until Dec. 13th), that I'd been wanting' [...]
    Posted: October 27, 2009, 11:35pm EDT
    by Tony
  • McCray, I Say

    Number of comments: 4
    We headed out for a couple of rare sunny hours on Sunday afternoon...



    Rolling along leaf peeping without really having a destination in mind, we came upon McCray's Farm in South Hadley...



    With so many' [...]
    Posted: October 25, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Cloudburst

    Number of comments: 2




    With all the attention being lavished on the lavish changing foliage lately, here's a quick honorable mention to that other unsung source of color and magic:



    [...]
    Posted: October 22, 2009, 11:54pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Columbus Past

    Number of comments: 2
    (A little late on this Columbus Day Weekend post, but since we're still in the throes of autumn -eh- still pertinent, I'll hazard...)

    Kelly and the baby were up in Maine visiting her BFF that weekend. Not content to just hang around until they got back; the kid and [...]
    Posted: October 20, 2009, 11:53pm EDT
    by Tony
  • 'Something Fally'

    Number of comments: 5
    Having to work for a good chunk of Saturday morning, we were only able to set out later in the afternoon as the cloud cover set back in. The mission was to do what what Kelly pronounced as 'Something Fally'...

    We headed north on 202, through Belchertown and detoured [...]
    Posted: October 17, 2009, 11:58am EDT
    by Tony
  • Westerlies

    Number of comments: 3
    My bud Mario was in town from California this past weekend. Not having been back in the valley during the leaf change in a decade or so, we took him up to the Mount Tom cliff sides so he could re-acclimate himself to some of autumn's fiery scenery.

    [...]
    Posted: October 14, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Varsity Victories

    Number of comments: 0


    The football game the other day in Easthamtpon was fun, so I swung by Longmeadow High School Friday night to catch some of that game between their Lancers, and Catholic Memorial...freshly bussed in from a school in Roxbury, out Boston way.

    It [...]
    Posted: October 10, 2009, 11:21pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Radio Waves

    Number of comments: 7


    Memo: 'in the valley' owes 'About Amherst' a beer (or beers) of their choosing...Mary Carey put in a good word for me with Jaz Tupelo, radio engineer-extraordinaire, over at WHMP in Northampton.



    It seems they're' [...]
    Posted: October 08, 2009, 11:56pm EDT
    by Tony
  • O'er The Hills

    Number of comments: 6
    We received an email alerting us to the coming of the 'Festival of the Hills'. It's a harvest-time fest, way up yonder, in the town of Conway. A perfect destination for a Sunday drive.



    We passed many farms on the way, and' [...]
    Posted: October 05, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Football, You Bet!

    Number of comments: 0
    This seemingly rainiest year ever continued it's trend on Saturday, dimming but not completely dampening the colors that are just beginning to burst.



    Passing the Williston Northampton school, we saw there was a football game going on. Football is one of the few' [...]
    Posted: October 03, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Pieces Of Eight

    Number of comments: 5
    Looking for stuff to turn the new macro-reversing-ring on, I threw some loose change in front of the lens. Not many things are so indicative of what a country is all about, or at least how they see themselves, as what people put on their money.

    [...]
    Posted: October 02, 2009, 7:58pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Wet Behind The Ears

    Number of comments: 3
    With the season for outdoor spectacle beginning to wane, we've stepped up our efforts to get in on what's out there, before it's all gone. This past weekend included a look at Amherst's 250th birthday parade, (and an additional contribution to several other eye-witness accounts...)

    Arriving [...]
    Posted: September 28, 2009, 11:52pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Autism Walks

    Number of comments: 2


    One of Kelly's friends is involved in the effort to help those with autism, and asked her to participate in the "Walk Now For Autism" fundraiser at Stanley Park in Westfield. I was invited by proxy...camera loaded.

    I had never heard' [...]
    Posted: September 26, 2009, 11:53pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Survival Of The Meekest

    Number of comments: 5
    A call-of-the-wild moment presented itself the other day as we were driving home; A fine example of a red-tail hawk was busy doing what they do best, and smack in the middle of a road-side field, just begging for someone to blog it...


    [...]
    Posted: September 24, 2009, 11:58pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Macro Park

    Number of comments: 7
    We hit the dog park on Sunday...



    I always bring the camera on these walks, to try and catch whatever bits of natural wonder or beauty we come across.



    ...big or small...

    [...]
    Posted: September 22, 2009, 7:30pm EDT
    by Tony
  • A Mixed Bag

    Number of comments: 3


    We took a trip out to Boston on Saturday, (on a tip from the Cosmos Report), to get a sense of the festivities a-happenin' on the Common, at the 20th annual Freedom Rally to legalize marijuana.

    The event started at 'high [...]
    Posted: September 19, 2009, 11:56pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Battle Royal

    Number of comments: 3
    Ever a sucker for military history, I made my third pilgrimage to that great corridor of 18th century conflict, the Lake George/ Fort Ticonderoga region of New York state.



    I had to drag Kelly, the kid, bloggerette, and the canine -all four kicking [...]
    Posted: September 16, 2009, 11:56pm EDT
    by Tony
  • American Idol

    Number of comments: 3


    I missed the beginning of the Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies that had started about 5:30 at Symphony Hall in Springfield. But looking for something to do at about 7-ish, I thought a quick swing by downtown might produce a glimpse at the [...]
    Posted: September 12, 2009, 2:15pm EDT
    by Tony
  • [nt]

    Number of comments: 1
    [...]
    Posted: September 11, 2009, 8:46am EDT
    by Tony
  • Night Flight

    Number of comments: 6


    Part two of our assault on Mt. Tom last week involved a night-time ascent up the southern end to the towers. I met up with Radar Check and Berry, another droog, at about 10 p.m. Friday night in the Log Cabin parking lot. A [...]
    Posted: September 05, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • The Hike Ride

    Number of comments: 6


    My buddy Radar Check gave me a call late on a sparkling afternoon, and asked if I was interested in taking the bikes out for a ride on one of the rail trails. I agreed but with the condition that we stop in [...]
    Posted: September 03, 2009, 11:58pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Seeking September

    Number of comments: 5
    I launched out Tuesday afternoon in search of September...



    This balloon emerged over the treetops in Hadley...



    ...and in the mood for an easy distraction, I found myself driving down back roads and playing catch, trying [...]
    Posted: September 01, 2009, 11:48pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Good Night, August

    Number of comments: 2
    Kelly works on Monday nights, leaving me on my own to venture out with the baby and dog (no mean feat, single handedly) if I want to make any good use of my after-work hours...



    So the past few Monday's the three of [...]
    Posted: August 31, 2009, 11:57pm EDT
    by Tony
  • The Dredge Report

    Number of comments: 1
    A recent look at Nashawannuck Pond in Easthamtpon showed that the dredging project going on there is well under way...



    Water levels used to go to just under this raised platform.



    There's now a broad' [...]
    Posted: August 29, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
    by Tony
  • I Was There, Man

    Number of comments: 5
    Getting to Look Park in Northampton just early enough to scarf up a couple of tickets to the 19th annual Transperformance show before it was too late, it looked like others weren't so lucky...



    With much of the local population strongly rooted (ideologically)' [...]
    Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Enveloped

    Number of comments: 4
    Finding his humans resigned to docile indoor slavery to the rumbling air conditioner, the dog demanded that we snap back to life, and go out for a walk, anywhere...now.



    We headed for Mount Holyoke to try to gain some elevation in the hopes [...]
    Posted: August 21, 2009, 11:54pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Hot Rods And Other Hazards

    Number of comments: 5
    Here's a couple of recent visuals from the wide open road:

    Firstly, when you see someone weaving all over the lanes, don't automatically assume he's drunk.



    He could just be catching up with the afternoon news.

    [...]
    Posted: August 18, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Radar....Checked.

    Number of comments: 0


    Some thanks to my buddy Radar Check, for turning us on to Crystal Lake in Ellington Connecticut...



    It's close, clean, and cool. And has helped us mightily during this scorching second half of summer.

    [...]
    Posted: August 17, 2009, 11:52pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Phoenix, Massachusetts

    Number of comments: 7


    Never having had the good fortune to visit the old Mountain Park back in the day, I had to be there for it's rebirth. They were having a free day-long concert on Saturday to launch the new Mountain Park, and I arrived around sunset [...]
    Posted: August 15, 2009, 11:57pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Searching For Perseids

    Number of comments: 2
    We sat atop Mt. Pollux Thursday evening, the first semi-cloudless night this week, hoping for a glimpse of the Perseid meteor showers that were coming through this week...





    But saw not a one.

    [...]
    Posted: August 13, 2009, 11:54pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Pitthnicity

    Number of comments: 3


    I was reading about the Pittsfield Ethnic Fair recently on Valley Kids Stuff 's excellent events calendar. It was going to be a rain or shine event, and since it was both raining and shining that day, we decided to chance it and' [...]
    Posted: August 11, 2009, 10:26pm EDT
    by Tony
  • When Deval Comes To Town

    Number of comments: 8


    I was just stepping out the door Thursday, to look for something to take pictures of before the sun set, when Kelly mentioned that Governor Deval Patrick was having a town-hall style meeting in Chicopee. Outside, behind the library. In half an hour...
    [...]
    Posted: August 07, 2009, 11:56pm EDT
    by Tony
  • V-Twins

    Number of comments: 4
    My perennial motorcycle-riding-cohort Tony Costa met me up in Northampton last Saturday, to take advantage of the near perfect weather conditions for a two wheeled road flight over the rolling Berkshires, to the toppermost of Massachusetts....the towering Mount Greylock.

    But first, the man was craving some pizza for [...]
    Posted: August 05, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Wrap It Up, I'll Take It

    Number of comments: 4
    Some pics to round out a hot and humid July...

    Firstly, I finally made it up to Northampton last Saturday for a morning coffee and paper. It's the first time this year that I was able to make a trip that used to be a (semi-regular) summer routine for [...]
    Posted: July 30, 2009, 12:18am EDT
    by Tony
  • Go Figure

    Number of comments: 1


    I can see the appeal of the horse. I'm not a fanatic, nor a buff, nor a farmer; have never even ridden on one, but I appreciate the noble animal. The horse has certainly been among mankind's most helpful and loyal animal companions through' [...]
    Posted: July 27, 2009, 11:26pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Oxbowski

    Number of comments: 1
    I was able to catch some of the water ski tournament going on at the Oxbow this weekend, getting there just as the individual act competition was wrapping up with this talented young lady, showing her stuff...



    It was a decent crowd [...]
    Posted: July 25, 2009, 11:59pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Ham N' Eggs

    Number of comments: 3
    We drove down to the shores of Connecticut for our first run to the ocean this year, only to find too many people had the same idea. Craftily flanking two traffic jams on the way down, we arrived at our destination, Rocky Neck State Beach, to find it completely [...]
    Posted: July 21, 2009, 11:48pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Labour Of Love

    Number of comments: 0
    [...]
    Posted: July 19, 2009, 11:34pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Atmospherics

    Number of comments: 2


    We were up in the Northampton area on Thursday just as a late day storm was threatening to broil through. We detoured into the meadows for a better look, (mostly) free of the clutter of man...

    The whole day had been hot, sticky [...]
    Posted: July 17, 2009, 11:53pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Downspout

    Number of comments: 4
    We finally honored a long-promised return visit to Rattlesnake Gutter up in Leverett. It was beautiful the last time we were up there in the late winter of last year. Back then the melting snow was gushing melt water down the sides of the ravine in several narrow spontaneous [...]
    Posted: July 14, 2009, 11:49pm EDT
    by Tony
  • Walk This Way

    Number of comments: 2
    Sometimes it feels like bicycling has ruined me for walking. When Kelly suggested a stroll along the Norwottuck rail trail recently, I kind of grimaced to myself. It's hard to trudge slowly along the same paths we've briskly breezed along so often on the bikes. But, sucking it up (mostly), [...]
    Posted: July 11, 2009, 11:52pm EDT
    by Tony

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