april-may 2014 ourberkshiretimes magazine

Special Home, Garden & Landscape Feature Online Coupons at www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/Coupons!

Community News | Local Events | Personal Growth | Vibrant Living

Our BerkshireTimes™

April - May 2014, vol 13 Take One, It's Free!

OO

Parrot Tulips © Leslie Watkins

FRESH • ORGANIC • LOCAL

42 Bridge Street • Great Barrington, MA • 413.528.9697

Community Matters.Shop at a Co-op.www.berkshire.coop Food Shopping with Values.

Thompson Finch Farm Ancram, NY

3

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com April - May 2014

ContentsApril - May 2014

Our BerkshireTimes™

Leslie Watkins, Artist

A painter of landscapes and botanicals in oils and watercolor, Watkins’ artistic vision migrates from the canvas to the garden both at Dandelion Cottage (her studio), and for clients for whom she designs borders and gardens. She leads

art workshops in sketching and painting from nature, and is the founding director of the NWCT Berkshire Plein Air Painters. www.lesliewatkins.com, www.dandeliongardeningarts.com

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] _______________

TO ADVERTISE CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc.P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236Phone: (413) 274-1122, Fax: (413) [email protected]

www.OurBerkshireGreen.comwww.OurBerkshireTimes.comwww.OurBerkshireCalendar.com_______________

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Like Us On

4 art, culture & entertainment

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

10 food & drink BERKSHIRE ORGANICS EXPANDS

Our BerkshireTimes Magazine is a bimonthly publication (six issues yearly, starting in February), free to the public, and is enjoyed by community members, second home owners, and visitors alike. 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. To find out more about advertising, submitting editorial, and posting events on our free community calendar, see our websites at left, and join our mailing list to receive our free monthly eNewsletter.

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.

6 home & garden special feature ENJOY LIFE IN YOUR BACKYARD REWARDS OF HOME IMPROVEMENT DANDELION COTTAGE

12 animal talk

GUILT-FREE ESCAPE TO PARADISE

16 education & workshops

POSITIVE CHANGE

22 mother's day special feature

A CELEBRATION OF MOTHERS

23 featured advertisers

Savings! Go to: www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/coupons to find advertisers who are offering additional online coupons and deals with fantastic savings! Join our mailing list to receive our informative eNewsletter and coupons directly.

Our BerkshireTimes™ The Voice of Our Community!

EVENT SAMPLERST. FRANCIS GALLERY

18 health & wellness THE ELIXIR OF LIFE OSTEOPATHY AND NATURE YOUR GREATEST GIFT

Dragonfly © Leslie Watkins 2014

14 our berkshire marketplace

SHOP LOCAL SPRING GIFT GUIDE

YELLOW & RED TOMATO GALETTE

THANK YOU!

4 April - May 2014 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

art, culture & entertainment

april -may 2014 event sampler

see more events or post your event for free at www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

The Guru Is YouDate: Fri, April 4 - Sun, April 6, 2014. Three days/two nights Place: Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, 57 Interlken Road, Stockbridge, MA - (866) 200-5203Price: $245 The Guru is You: The Alchemy of Healing, Self-Empowerment, and Manifesting Your Fullest Potential. Learn how to sup-port your body’s innate ability to heal from a serious illness or injury, and realize your life’s true potential. Taught by a former network news war correspon-dent who healed himself from a broken back, failed surgery, and stage-four cancer using yoga and Ayurveda. www.kripalu.org

Music Marathon WeekendDate: Sat, April 5 - Sun, April 6, 2014, 10am-5pmPlace: Berkshire Music School Taft Recital Hall, 30 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA - (413) 442-1411Price: FreeAnnual music marathon week-end with students of all ages performing in five-minute incre-ments, having earned pledges for their performance. Bake sale. All proceeds go to BMS education programs. www.berkshiremusicschool.org

Early Childhood Puppet Show and Open HouseDate: Sat, April 12, 2014, 10:30amPlace: GBRSS, 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-4015, ext. 106Price: Free GBRSS early childhood teachers perform a special full-length marionette play for children up to seven years old, followed by playtime and an opportunity to

learn more about early childhood programs at the school. For more information, contact Tracy Fern-bacher at [email protected],www.gbrss.org

Children's Attic Spring 2014Date: Sat, May 3, 2014, 9am-3pm, and Sun, May 4, 9am-12pmPlace: West Stockbridge Town Hall (aka Village School), 21 Stateline Road, West Stockbridge, MA - (413) 528-0457Price: FreeCommunity Health Programs (CHP) is sponsoring The Chil-dren’s Attic Consignment (giant!) Sale which will include all types of quality, gently used items (sizes newborn to youth-14 and maternity gear) as well as toys, videos, games, books, furniture, and sporting equipment. www.communityhealthprograms.org

Wine Dinner at Cafe AdamDate: Thu, May 15, 2014, 5:30pm-9pmPlace: Cafe Adam, Route 7, Great Barrington, MA -(413) 442-1411 Price: $150Fundraiser for Berkshire Music School. Wine dinner at Café Adam; live music; live and silent auction. www.berkshiremusicschool.org

"CATAtude" Annual Performance & Gala Date: Sat, May 17, 2014, 6pmPlace: The Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Co., 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA - (413) 528-5485Price: $150An evening of dance, theater, and song featuring CATA’s performers with disabilities and faculty artists.www.community accesstothearts.org

TheArts atHotcHkiss

guest concert series ~ tremaine gallery ~ film screeningsdance ~ hotchkiss dramatic association ~ summer portals

programs september through July The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT

hotchkiss.org/arts(860) 435 - 4423All are welcome!

Welcome to the April-May 2014 issue of Our BerkshireTimes magazine.

It’s hard to believe that we launched our first issue in April of 2009, which means that this month already marks our sixth year in business.

Over the years, all of our cover art and most of our articles have been contributed by

our community members. It has been a personal joy and privilege of mine to edit, design, layout, and publish a vibrant living focused magazine that I truly consider to be the voice of our community. Special thanks to our readers, writers, advertisers, and my independent account representatives for your ongoing involvement, enthusi-asm, and appreciation of our magazine content. As many small business owners know, it is an amazing feeling, after putting your heart and soul into your work, to find out that people like what you do! It has also been rewarding to receive so much positive feedback, not only from our local community but from second home owners and tourists as well.

As some of you may already know, my dream of publishing grew out of my experience with stage-four lymph cancer more than 20 years ago. When conventional medicine failed and they sent me home to die, a new world opened up to me when I dis-covered and regained my health through integrative medicine. Af-ter giving birth to my daughter in 2005 (the child that doctors said I would not be able to have with my medical history), a sense of community became more important to me than ever. My dream of sharing information became a reality through Our Berkshire-Times (originally called Our BerkshireGreen) magazine.

My husband, Kevin, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish our beautiful daughter, Brianna Irene Regan, a very special Happy Ninth Birthday this May. And to everyone, may your Easter and Mother’s Day be filled with blessings and joy! Warmly,

letter from the publisher

5

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com April | May 2014

St. Francis Gallery is a unique art venue and a magical setting housed in the former St. Francis Chapel in South Lee on

Route 102, just two miles from the Red Lion Inn. Every six weeks from April to January the gallery proudly displays a dif-ferent collection of fine artwork by local artists, beautifully pre-sented and affordable. The creativity and the spirit of the talent presented fosters a gallery atmosphere that is a pleasurable jour-ney of exploration and stimulating discovery.

The gallery is also a partner and funding source for the Sawa Sawa Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to inspirational humani-tarian projects in Africa. Volunteers are now centered in Kenya, with ongoing projects that aid orphanages, the slums of Nairobi, and rural villages. The work is unique in that it brings skills and needed supplies for people to build fulfilling lives and break the cycle of poverty. Along with starting these innovative businesses and cooperatives there is a rich sharing and exchange of cultural and personal “gifts” between peoples of both countries.

The richness of the work in both the Art Gallery and these projects echo each other. Celebrate our creative community and visit us. A schedule of shows will be advertised in each issue of Our BerkshireTimes magazine. ~ Philip Pryjma, Director/Owner, St. Francis Gallery. www.saintfrancisgallery.com. See ad on this page.

art, culture & entertainment

st. francis galleryUNIQUE ART VENUE AND MAGICAL SETTING IN LEE, MA

by Philip Pryjma

the ambiance, rich history and intimacy in a beautiful gilded age mansion built

in 1893 create a truly unique setting for your wedding day.

104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA GildedAge.org

For more information contact us at 413-637-3206 or by e-mail at [email protected]

best wedding value in the berkshires

Reopening April 1, 2014

Open Fri thru Mon 11am - 5:30pm www.facebook.com/stfrancisgallery

Please join us for our Artists’ Reception on April 5, 2014 – 3 to 6pm

Route 102 (Next to the Fire Station)South Lee, MA ● (413) 717-5199

presenting

www.saintfrancisgallery.com

A FOOL'S PARADISE RE-VISIONING ART

Darrow School

110 Darrow Road

New Lebanon, NY 12125

www.darrowschool.org

518-322-3657

Choose a setting of unparalleled beauty at

historic Mount Lebanon Shaker Village.

Phot

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Jan

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4

Weddings at Darrow School

Photo by Michael Vidal

Photo by Michael Vidal

6 April | May 2014 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

home, garden & landscape special feature

Growing Annuals

` Planting and spacing - Plant transplants closely so they fill in quickly. Usually, the tag will say to plant 8 to 12 inches apart, so pick 8 inches for a great show of flowers more quickly. I actually take a ruler into the garden, or measure off the spacing with my trowel. If the plants are a bit potbound (roots circling around), cut an X into the bottom with a knife or use your fingers to tease the roots apart so they make better contact with soil.

` Watering - Annuals need water to thrive. Water them deeply two to three times a week after planting. The moist soil will en-courage good growth. For the best show of color all summer, don’t let up on the watering.

` Feed your plants - Once a week, feed your plants with a balanced all-purpose 20-20-20 fertilizer that you mix with wa-ter. You’ll find traditional or organic fertilizers – either will do the job. One good organic is fish emulsion, which I like to mix together with a kelp-based fertilizer. Your annuals will grow even better if you mix some compost or manure into your soil before you plant.

Growing Perennials

` Planting and spacing - Perennials can be planted through-out the year, but perform best when planted in the spring and fall. Careful attention should be paid to the mature height and spread of each plant. Refer to the care and culture tag on each plant, or ask one of our staff for more information.

` Watering - Perennials need water to establish them when first planted. Water them deeply two to three times a week after plant-ing. The moist soil will encourage good growth. As with the an-nuals, for the best show of color all summer, don’t let up on the watering. After the second or third season they should survive on the strength of seasonal precipitation. Mulching your perennials will help with moisture retention and reduce weeding. Take care not to bury the crowns as that might lead to rot.

` Feed your plants - You can feed your newly planted perenni-als as you would an annual. You should feed weekly with a water-soluble fertilizer, or add a time-release fertilizer when planting. You’ll find traditional or organic fertilizers – either will do the job. One good organic is fish emulsion, and your perennials will grow even better if you top dress with compost.

` Perennials can be divided seasonally - While some varieties have long taproots, most are clump forming like hosta, daylily, and most daisy types such as echinacea and rudbeckia. The best time for taking divisions would be early spring and fall. Water in well and treat as you would a new plant. Proper selection and placement of perennial plants can result in a sequence of blooms that can stretch from early spring to late fall. Make plans now to visit the garden center for best selection, plus the right advice to make the most of your selections.

Helpful Links

` www.plantdiagnostics.umd.edu - University of Maryland, Home and Garden Information Center’s Landscape Problem Solver Website. This site offers photographic keys to help diag-nose and solve plant problems, using Integrated Pest Manage-ment principles.

` www.plants.usda.gov - The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liv-erworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. It includes names, plant symbols, checklists, distributional data, species abstracts, characteristics, images, crop information, auto-mated tools, onward Web links, and references.

~ Whitney’s Farm Market, located in Cheshire, MA, is a third-generation farm that was started in 1940. This is a full service garden center that offers a complete line of garden supplies, a farm market with deli, bakey, and many delicious prepared foods, as well as helpful landscaping services. Whitney’s also has activities for children, including a free petting zoo and a free play yard with climbers, swings, and slides – great for kids of all ages. The dairy bar is open seasonally for lunches and ice cream treats and there is a tent area with picnic tables. See ad at left. www.whitneysfarm.com.

enjoy life in your own backyardGARDENING WISDOM FROM WHITNEY'S FARM MARKET

by Eric Whitney

Whitney’s Farm Market& Country Gardens

(413) 442-4749 ⓦ www.whitneysfarm.com1775 S. State Road, Rt.8 | Cheshire, MA 01225

GARDEN CENTERAnnuals | Perennials | Trees | Shrubs

GARDEN SUPPLIESTools | Mulch | Stone | Topsoil | Statuary

LANDSCAPE DESIGN SERVICES

Visit Our Gourmet Farm Market!

Enjoy Life in Your Own Backyard!


7


EMERGENCY ON CALL SERVICE24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK

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Emergency Water Damage RemediationHouse Wide & Post Construction Cleaning ● Carpet & Upholstery CleaningFloor Maintenance ● Animal Debris & Odor Clean Up ● Sewer & Septic Clean UpFire, Soot & Smoke Remediation ● Mold & Odor Remediation

3 Westview Road, Pittsfield, MA

Since 1985, recognized for careful designs, proven components and high quality workmanship,

BPVS solar electric systems are user friendly, efficient and reliable.

Member: American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable EnergyAssociation, Solar Energy Business Association of New England,

Solar Energy Industries Association.

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS46 Howland Avenue, Adams, MA 01220

Tel. 413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.comMA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150

r r

The Empire State Building has gone GREEN because of a window energy retrofit techniqueto remove, weatherproof and replace all 6,514 windows to help the famous landmark reach its goal of reducing energy consumptionby 38%. Exclusively sold at Morrison's.

Morrison’s window glass technology- energy efficiency higher than the rest!

Fuel Savings up to 50%

obtained by customers!

We don't brag about having the best windows,

our customers do it for us!"

413-442-3001674 North Street • Pittsfield, MA 01201

“Very satisfied with replacement window installation."“Windows have proved to keep the house cooler.""Noticed extreme difference right away.""I used less than a half tank of oil!""Gone are the rattles and the drafts.""Tremendous savings on fuel bills."

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Improving your home can be a fun and rewarding experience, and if planned wisely, even minor updates can yield major divi-

dends. Over the last decade there has been a large trend toward “green” home improvement projects that are not only healthier choices for you, your family, and the environment, but can also bring substantial financial savings either immediately or over time. Following are some smart home improvement tips and product recommendations that you may wish to consider this season.

It's been a long, cold winter. If you have vowed that this year you are going to re-in-sulate your home so next year you can reap the rewards of reduced energy consumption

and costs, check out safe, natural, and highly effective UltraTouch recycled denim insulation. This thermally superior insulation is easy to install, contributes to healthy indoor air quality, is fantastic for soundproofing applications, and it discourages pests from oc-cupying insulated cavities. It’s a Class-A Building Product that meets the highest ASTM testing standards for fire and smoke ratings, fungi resistance, and corrosiveness, and the best part is that it is so safe it does not require a warning label. Available through De Vries Building Supply in Sheffield, MA. www.devrieslumber.com

One of the simplest, most cost-effective home improvements you can make is to paint your home. BioShield Healthy Liv-ing Paints offers a gorgeous collection of

paints, stains, thinners, waxes, and cleaning products that are made primarily from naturally derived raw materials including citrus peel extracts, essential oils, seed oils, tree resins, inert min-eral fillers, tree and bee waxes, lead-free dryers, and natural pig-ments. Unlike other VOC-free paints and products that popular companies claim are healthy, Bioshield’s products truly set a high standard of integrity and responsibility. www.bioshieldpaint.com

A solar electric system is a great way to re-duce your electric bill, lower your carbon foot-print, and improve the value of your home.

Have you been considering the possibility but do not know what to do next? Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS), located in Adams, MA, is noted for their turnkey services from utility, permitting, and grant documentation to the neatness of their installation work and free ser-vice checks. They have been installing safe, efficient, and durable PV Systems since 1985 and will be happy to provide references, answer your questions, and conduct a free site assessment. www.bpvs.com

Hold onto your constitutional rights and protect your home and family by saying no to SMART meters. This is one

“home improvement” that you want to opt out of. They are not green, not healthy, not private, not safe, and they will not save you money. If you have not already heard, SMART meters are radio frequency emitting devices being placed on homes and businesses across the country (in place of safe analog meters) without consumers’ knowledge or consent. Power companies claim they are safe and will save consumers money; however, many stud-ies have shown they are not at all safe for your personal health or the safety of your home (potential fire hazard), and some recent audits such as the one by The Maine Public Utilities Commission predicts that rather than saving Maine’s consumers money, the program may actually cost them $80 million. Locally, the town of Sheffield is having a vote at their an-nual meeting in May regarding posting a mora-torium on SMART meter installations if the current National Grid Program gets approved by the state. See nomasssmartmeters.word press.com, stopsmartmetersmassachusetts.org, and haltmasmartmeters.org.

the rewards of home improvementTIPS AND PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONSIDER THIS SEASON


9


dandelion cottage

Keeping a Naturalist's Journal with Leslie Watkins. If you love nature and using your artistic creativity, nature journaling is the route both to spending time in the natural world and to using your visual and literary skills. Botanical and landscape artist Leslie Watkins leads inspiring art workshops throughout northwest Connecticut and the Berkshires on creating and keeping your own personal nature journal. Each journal is as unique as the individual creating it. Close observations of flowers, insects, birds, and natural objects will be depicted along with personal thoughts, poems, and notes. Participants will learn basic art techniques using pencil, pen and ink, and watercolor. Groups will meet in gardens, nature preserves, and local points of interest. Nature lovers of all ages are welcome, from seasoned painters to budding artists. ~ www.lesliewatkins.com, (860) 542-3920

The Petite Kitchen GardenSeed to Table

Seed Selection ` Seed Starting ` Planting ` Harvesting Seed Saving ` Culinary Tips ` Putting Food By

Learn the simple steps used to create your own petite kitchen garden, or enhance a pre-existing vegetable garden

through improved design and plant selection. Our course is designed to be fun and

easy with no prior gardening experi-ence needed, yet suitable for seasoned gardeners. Single workshop sessions are also offered. Individual consulta-tion throughout the growing season is available. If you are thinking of starting a kitchen garden, would like to know more about them, or

renovate one, our garden services and workshops are for you. For consultations, design, instal-lation and workshop and talk schedules, check our website

for more information.~ www.dandeliongardeningarts.com

(860) 542-3920

A TINY HOMESTEAD LOCATED IN THE CHARMING VILLAGE OF NORFOLK, CT

Illustrations © Leslie Watkins 2014

Dandelion Cottage is a tiny homestead located in the charming village of Norfolk, in the northwest corner of Connecticut. It is owned and cared for by Leslie

Watkins (this month’s Our BerkshireTimes cover artist), as an ex-perience in “living off the land” on just one acre. Small as it is, with the help of a cheerful and hardworking flock of bantam chickens, Dandelion Cottage’s Garden of Eatin’ produces al-most all of Leslie’s own food supply in season. Occasionally at the market table you will find the surplus: bouquets of fresh-cut flowers, bunches of herbs, vegetables, and seasonal small fruits. All of the elements work together in harmony to create a healthy,

organic, natural cycle. In addition to Leslie’s talent as an oil painter, botanical illustrator, and art teacher (www.lesliewatkins.com), she is a Connecticut Master Gardener, and holds a certificate in horticulture. Leslie owns Dandelion Gardening Arts, LLC, a garden design, consultation, installation, maintenance, and renovation company in northwest Connecticut. Leslie’s busi-ness partner, Lawrence Davis-Hollander, is an ethnobotanist and plantsman. He is the founding director of the Eastern Native Seed Conservancy, one of the first organizations dedi-cated to preserving and promoting heirloom vegetable varieties. ~ www.dandeliongardeningarts.com. See display ad on page 17.

S


food & drink

Cross Country Skiing andSnowshoeing with Amenities

� Warm up by the fi replace� Enjoy delicious mulled cider, hot chocolate and fresh baked goods� Taste any one of our wines for FREE Professionally groomed trails designed by Olympian John Morton.

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook WineryOpen daily 9am-5pm508 Canaan Rd/Rt 295 • Richmond, MA 01254Snow conditions: 800-833-6274 / Hilltoporchards.comCheck website for details of full moon snowshoe treks!

SNOWSHOE &

SKI RENTALS

Live Entertainment on Friday& Saturday evenings and Sunday brunch

Vegan, Gluten-free, Vegetarian upon request

Visit our historic landmarkRailroad Street, Lee, MA

(413) 243-2082

berkshire organicsEXCITING EXPANSION WELCOMES ARTISANS!

Syellow & red tomato galette

nAtURAlly CATERING AND TAKEOUT AT BERKSHIRE ORGANICS MARKET recipe by Aura Whitman

ingredients: 2 ½ c. cake flour - some for rolling | ½ tsp. salt | ½ tsp. sugar | ½ c. cold butter cut into cubes | 2 large egg yolks | 3 T. sour cream

instructions: In electric mixer with paddle, combine flour, sugar, and salt on low speed. Add cubes of butter

till pebbly looking. Combine yolks and sour cream and add to mixture. Mix on low until it all comes together. Turn mixture onto floured surface and form into disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refrig-erate for 1 hour. Roll out and place in fluted pan that can hold 4 ½ cups. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

filling:ingredients: 3 large eggs | 2 c. half & half | 1 c. each Swiss, cheddar, and parmesan cheese | ½ c. bleu cheese| 5 slices crumbled bacon | 1 T. each fresh Italian parsley and chives | 1 tsp. fresh thyme | salt & pepper | 2 medium tomatoes (1 red, 1 yellow) sliced ¼" thick

instructions: Mix eggs and half & half in bowl. Mix in salt, pepper and fresh herbs. Place cheeses and bacon in prepared pan. Pour egg mixture over cheeses and bacon. Lay tomatoes, alternating colors of red and yellow. Bake for 70 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. I love to serve it with greens.

Berkshire Organics Market, noted for its convenient

delivery service and work with local, organic farms,

brings you the freshest seasonal produce available. They began in 2007 when owner Aleisha Gibbons started the business out of her home with only $1,000 in start-up funds. As the business grew she made the wise decision to move into the Burgner’s Farm building space and Aleisha’s husband, Brian, left his business to join the company.

Customers can choose between shop-ping in person at Berkshire Organics’ comfortable location or shopping online through their well-designed website. Ben-efits to online shopping include avoiding crowds, long lines, and impulse buying, saving time (with just a few clicks of the mouse you can place your order and move on to other things), and shopping with con-fidence knowing that Berkshire Organics’ like-minded and capable staff are doing all the work for you (their main priority is to provide you with local, organic, and non-GMO products). When shopping, you can feel good knowing your money is going to

a locally owned business that works directly with small local farms and businesses.

Berkshire Organics has doubled the size of its storefront and has welcomed the following small food artisans into the space. Congratulations to all! For more in-formation, see www.berkshireorganics.com.

crust:

Bake Me Pretty's owner, Kate Miller, is excited about integrating more local, organic, and GMO-free products into her recipes.

Aura Whitman offers delicious to-go items and prepared meals including soups, sauces, sides, and even some pot pies and rustic desserts.

Co-owners Jazu Stine and James Burden are pleased to be offering custom cuts from grass-fed cows and woodland-raised pigs

Owners Topher Sabot and Suzy Konecky have set up a cheese counter with a wide variety of their local and award-winning cheeses.


11

food & drink

Come taste the “ancient flavors” of authentic Pompeian brick oven cooking & grilling, savored in an elegant, romantic ambiance in downtown Pittsfield.

“Antichi Sapori”

413-499-1192 p trattoria-rustica.com 26 McKay Street, Pittsfield, MA

Dinner daily from 5pm to closing. Closed Tuesdays. Reservations suggested.

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PUTTING FRESH, LOCAL & ORGANIC ON YOUR PLATE FOR 35 YEARSPITTSFIELD & GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

GUIDOSFRESHMARKETPLACE.COM

Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Lenox RoadLenox, MA 01240

Tel: 413.637.9777www.jaeslenox.com

Jae’s since 1990

dinner only • 150 Main St., Lee 413.243.6397 cheznousbistro.comcasual french dining

½entrées

available

M-m-m-yum!

Local and OrganicHome Delivery or MarketOpen 7 Days a Week

413.442.0888813 Dalton Division Rd., Dalton, MAwww.BerkshireOrganics.comLive Green. Eat Fresh

ALL OCCASION CAKESCatering for Weddings,

Office Parties & Special Events

413-443-5400179 South Street

Pittsfield, MA

www.benjerry.com/pittsfield

berkshire organicsEXCITING EXPANSION WELCOMES ARTISANS!


EXERCISE & PLAYBOARDING in a safe and supervised environment.

DAYCAREwww.lovecampwagalot.com

CAMP WAGALOTStockbridge, MA(413) 298-5300

Ahhhhh . . . spring in the Berkshires! Beautiful wildflower-covered hills

and yards – a refreshing getaway after a long, cold winter. What could be better than spending your time here? How about a relaxing trip to somewhere sunny and sandy? But wait, you have a dog. What can you do with your precious family member that will leave you guilt free and able to enjoy your trip to paradise?

Here are the most popular options 1) They can stay with a friend.2) Your neighbor’s son can watch them.3) They can be kenneled (traditional or social boarding).4) A pet sitter can come stay/visit in your home.

Let’s take a look at each of these options.

Staying with a friend - Sometimes this can go very well. You can save some money and your dog will be with someone they know. However, while your friend was gen-erous to help, it can be ultimately straining on your friendship. Dogs can act very differ-ent in another person’s home. So be sure to keep that in mind and be ready and willing to reciprocate or pay your friend one way or another to soften any edges that may arise.

Your neighbor’s son - Again, this can be a great choice with the right person. You can save a little money by not hir-ing a professional. However, depend-ing on the level of maturity this can be a tricky choice. Oftentimes I hear stories about the caretaker forgetting to show up or offering lousy care. Be sure that the caretaker is serious about what your dog needs and is able to deliver. Also keep in mind that while a professional may cost a little more, a professional has the skill set and problem-solving solutions required at their fingertips.

Kenneling - This is a great option as you are dealing with professionals. Traditional kennels

have runs set up with indoor and outdoor options for your dog. Many offer playtime and special “people care.” If your dog is not terribly social with other dogs or peo-ple this is a good option. They are kept safe and should have a decent experience if you have interviewed the kennel. All dogs should be up to date on their vac-cinations and staff should be trained, and Red Cross pet first aid certified.

Social boarding - Whether the dog is one of five dogs or one of thirty dogs, social boarding is just that, social. Your dog gets a doggie vacation doing just what social dogs want to do . . . play with other dogs! It is a fantastic way for your dog to keep busy while you are away. The critical criterion is that if dogs from different families are put together in a group, then they should have supervision, like a lifeguard, constantly.

Also, be sure to ask if the dogs are separated by size, age, temperament, en-ergy level, and play style. If all dogs stay-ing at a social boarding facility are put into one large group of say 25 dogs, nothing can be managed and it can be a reckless way to operate. Dogs can learn poor social behaviors and begin to bully or may pos-sibly be bullied. With groups that large, be sure to ask what happens if a fight breaks out: how the staff would manage a group that big if something were to go wrong.

Staff ratio to dogs should be one staff person to 10 to 15 dogs. Staff should be trained to understand dog body language, and clients’ dogs should never be used as introductory dogs. The initial intake meet-ing needs to be intensive with a full his-tory of the dog’s medical, behavioral, and training history.

Pet sitters - This is a wonderful option for many dogs, especially senior dogs who would prefer the comfort of their own home. The sitter should come with great recommendations and be bonded and in-sured. It is important to make sure they are an appropriate fit with your dog and

guilt-free escape to paradiseFINDING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR YOUR DOG WHEN TRAVELING

by Jennifer M. Andrews-Pikula, ABCDT

animal talk

Photo of Lucca By Sharon Vidal


13

940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230

CARING FOR PETS SINCE 1957

BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940

Your trusted source for quality foods

and supplies.

Your trusted resource for raw-feeding

information and advice.

Convenient Location with Ample Parking

on Route 7 less than a minute south of Guido’s

www.bensdotters.com

Mon-Fri 10a-6p Sat-Sun 10a-4p

are willing to meet with you before the actual stay. During this visit they can review your pet’s history and understand all of the intricacies of your home. Word of mouth is a terrific way to find a reputable sitter in your local area. But if you don’t have that you can contact PSI, a pet sitter’s organization for referrals in your area.

Links to helpful websiteswww.safeoffleashdogplay.comwww.petsit.comwww.ibpsa.comwww.petsitnet.com

All the best to you in your quest for finding proper care for your pet. I hope you enjoy your trip to paradise! ~ Jennifer M. Andrews-Pikula, ABCDT, Owner, Camp Wagalot, Stockbridge, MA. www.lovecampwagalot.com, (413) 298-5300. See ad on facing page.

S

Provides … Food for needy dogs and cats Reduced rate spay/neuter • Assistance with basic veterinary care costs

413.229.8579 518.781.0362 petpartnersberkshires.orgA division of Scientific Alliance For Education (S.A.F.E.), a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization

of the Tri-State BerkshiresPet Partners

Special Thanks to Our Local, CaringNonprofit Animal Protection Organizations

Please call Faith

Celebrating 10 years asChampions for Community Cats413.528.1328P.O. Box 1073, Pittsfield, MA 01202www.BerkshireAnimalDREAMS.org

find us on

Dog & Cat AdoptionsTues-Fri 12-6pmSat & Sun 12-5pmClosed Monday63 Downing ParkwayPittsfield413/448-9800pittsfieldanimals.org

& Tuesday

Wed

open Wednesday - sunday (413) 717-4244 berkshirehumane.org

berkshire humane society cat adoption center301 stockbridge road, great barrington, ma

adopt shop

413.997.2238

13

animal talk

14

gift guideOur Berkshire Marketplace

EASTER & MOTHER'S DAY SHOPPING!

High Mowing Organic Cosmos Seeds Slip a package of these Sensation Mix

Cosmos Seeds into a greeting card for a special surprise. Available at local stores like Guido's Fresh Marketplace, Berkshire Co-op Market, Berkshire Organics, and

online for $2.75. This sensational mix of white, pink, magenta, and lavender blooms

are 3-4” wide and make for showy summer borders, container plantings, or bouquets. Cosmos require little fertility or care, making them great for beginning gardeners. High

Mowing Organic Seeds began in 1996 by Tom Stearns with just 28 varieties. The business

has grown exponentially, and what started as a one-man operation is now a thriving business with more than 600 heirloom, open-pollinated, and hybrid varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seeds. www.highmowingseeds.com

Community Access to the Arts (CATA) Luggage Tags and Ceramic Magnets make bright and cheerful gifts. For travel lovers, never lose your luggage with eye-catching hand crafted Scenery Luggage Tags (shown above, 3 for $10). Super strong Vincent Van Gogh

inspired Ceramic Magnets measure 1 ⅞” x 1 ⅞” and are sold in a set of three for just $15. CATA celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts. Each week, a group

of adults with disabilities collaborate with community volunteers to create beautiful, eco-friendly products out of mostly recycled materials. Sales of these products provide income in the form of commissions to the participants, help fund the program, and tell CATA’s story wherever they are sold. You can purchase

their goods online and at shops around the county. Attend their annual performance and gala on May 17, 2014 (see page 4 and 5 of this issue).

www.communityaccesstothearts.org

Heirloom Vegetable Poster by Margaret Bradley Davis / This 18" x 24" eye-catching Heirloom Vegetable Poster depicts a few of the more commonly found heirloom vegetable varieties, and some rarities. Whether you grow these vegetables, eat them, or just like the way they look, this illustration is a beautiful decoration for your home. The colorful border will allow you to frame it without a mat if you want to reduce the total size (and cost!). If you enjoy this piece, you will also wish to purchase its companion poster, Heirloom Tomatoes ($15.95 each), representing both common and very rare heirloom varieties of this luscious and delectable fruit. You will find more of Margaret's creative artwork inspired by nature at www.botanicalposters.com.

shop local gift guide

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

15


shop local gift guide

gift guideViale Florist Gift Basket and TopiarySpring flowers are in the air and Viale Florist Inc. in Pittsfield has beautiful flowers for spring, Easter, and Mother's Day including tulips and Easter lilies! Delicious Delights Basket pictured above left, is a foody dream come true. Red apples and grapes, pears, dried cranberries, cheese, summer sausage, and crackers are all wrapped up in a wicker basket and ready to be enjoyed. Deliciously different for $64.95. The magical topiary bouquet at top right, Yellow Fellow, with two tiers of bright yellow blossoms contains yellow roses, asiatic lilies, button spray chrysanthemums, solidago, and greens with decorative yellow butterfly, and is delivered in a terra-cotta pot starting at $74.95 and measures approximately 12 ½" x 21½." Viale Florist is a family-owned business since 1906, specializing in fresh flowers, green and flowering plants, fruit and gift baskets, and balloons and gift items for every occasion. (413) 442-6956, www.vialeflorist.com

www.HartsvilleDesign.com

Do you want the kitchen that you’ve always

dreamed of?

Hartsville Design Woodworking

(413) 528-6133 FSC Certified Wood Upon Request

[email protected]

Call today.

It's time.

Kitchens • Baths • Entertainment Centers • Home Offices

Keys KPRO Cosmetics from Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy is your one step to vibrant beauty and natural skin care. Keys KPRO Cosmetics are chemical-free, and do not contain mica, silica, minerals, or talc. These fine cosmetics, selling for $30 to $35.99 each, were developed with Hollywood makeup artists and filmmakers. Keys KPRO line of corrections creams uses OptiFX™ Adaptive Color Technology to reflect, retract, and smooth skin tones adapting to light changes. It is a true anti-aging product that helps fill fine lines and eliminate shadows. LVIP has been family owned and operated for over 25 years, and continues that tradition today with the sister and brother team, Anne Browne and Joe Martragono. Keys KPRO Cosmetics are available in the Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy store. (413) 637-4700 x 113, [email protected], www.lviprx.com.

16

education & workshops

Mon

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ori’s discovery-based education...

can mean a whole new perspectiv

e for y

our c

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(413) 637-3662 BerkshireMontessori.org Lenox Dale, MA

Check out our summer programs at BerkshireMontessori.org/summer

Now enrollingfor the 2014-2015 school year.


17

education & workshops

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School

Waldor f Educat ion in the Berkshires for over 40 years

(413) 528-4015 www.gbrss.org Great Barrington, MA

We educate our students to meet life with courage, impart meaning and purpose to their lives, and respond with creativity and integrity to the needs of the world. Our well-rounded, hands-on education prepares students for their choice of high school and college – and to reach their full potential.

P a r e n t - B a b y • P r e - K • K i n d e r g a r t e n 1 s t - 8 t h G r a d e • S u m m e r P r o g r a m

Our brains are hard-wired to look for

problems and generate solutions. In The Neu-roscience of Change, Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist and lec-turer at Stanford Uni-versity, explains how

this brain state has been helpful for human evolution so we can improve our state of being. Looking for what’s wrong, however, often prevents us from seeing what is good in the present moment.

Because of this negative bias, we can easily become fo-cused on what children in our lives need to do better: pick up clothes, get ready faster, be quieter, solve math problems better, make less mess, and on and on. As a result, children can easily be bombarded by what they are not doing right.

Developmentally, young children need to hear requests or reminders framed in the positive. If we say, “don’t run,” the young child will still run. Author, parenting educator, and Mon-tessorian Maren Schmidt explains, “The young subconscious mind cannot differentiate between the commands, ‘Don’t hit’ and ‘Hit.’ They sound the same to the young brain.”

Thus, rather than saying what not to do, we should focus on behavior we want to see. We can say, “walk, please,” “touch gently,” or “please talk quietly.” A child hears how to be suc-cessful and thus can more easily be successful.

In addition to redirections, we can recast a child’s self-image by acknowledging times he is making a good choice. Schmidt simply states: “catch ’em doing something right.” To begin the process, Schmidt suggests making a list of all the things a child has done right over the course of a day and then telling him a story based on those good choices.

In Different Learners, Jane M. Healy, PhD, offers a strong reminder about the profound influence adults have: “One thing brain research tells us – loud and clear – is that the way we raise and teach our children not only helps shape their brains, but can also influence or even alter the way genes play out their roles.”

In this season of new growth, let’s offer positive reminders and in-the-moment acknowledgements to help our young peo-ple develop successfully. Doing so we will also be helping ourselves see the world in a more positive light.

~ Meagan Ledendecker has three children and is the Director of Education at The Mon-tessori School of the Berkshires. In addition to Montessori training for ages three through twelve, she has Assistants to Infancy training for prenatal through age three childhood development.

positive changeCATCH 'EM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT

by Meagan Ledendecker

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health & wellness

Psychiatric Wellness AlternativesAt Hawkmeadow Farm

Offering Treatment for & Prevention ofDepression • Anxiety

Insomnia • Dementia – throughLifestyle Changes • Diet & Nutrition

Supplementation and HerbsYogic Breathing & Meditation

Counseling

Karen BonhoteCert. Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

Richard CleaverCert. Kripalu Yoga Teacher

Lee, Massachusetts • 413-243-2224hawkmeadowinlee.com

Fruit and vegetable juices are probably the most concentrated edible forms

of life force available. This liquid energy goes straight to our bloodstream. Many people with chronic and terminal illness-es have experienced physical healing with the power of this living fluid.

So it makes sense that we should all try to incorporate fresh, live, organic raw juice in our diets, but why should we juice fast? By undertaking a short juice fast under the guidance of an expert (we are fortunate to have a few experts here in the Berkshires), you have a powerful cleansing tool at the cellular level that assists the body with physical heal-ing and rejuvenation. Fast-ing has been termed the “Elixir of Life” by Gabriel Cousins, MD. It allows the body to rest, eliminate toxins, balance, and normalize itself. When you rest, the body imme-diately goes into a repair and recovery mode – basically a downtime or vacation for your body that allows the process of restoration, leading to homeostasis.

The term homeostasis refers to the body’s balancing, centering, and stabilizing mechanisms. When you juice fast, it be-comes very easy for your body to create this state of being. The conservation of energy during such a profound period of rest creates a favorable condition for the biological process of healing. The human body is always trying to seek homeostasis, and a properly conducted fast supports and encourages that process.

Fragile and delicate individuals should not do a juice fast without their doctor’s approval. However, there are cleanses that are less demanding; these are comprised of juice smoothies that include the natural fiber of fruits and vegetables. For those who are un-able to undertake any type of fast, other de-toxification diet options are available.

As the body detoxifies (from fasting or other methods), it releases stored toxins from many areas. A lot of these toxins eventually travel to one of our largest elimination organs, the large intestine or colon. However, when fasting, there is a lack of solid food moving down the di-gestive tract so the peristalsis or rhythmic motion to move food and toxins out of the body is minimized, and the toxins will sit and be reabsorbed by the colon.

To avoid this, colon hydro-therapy is an extremely use-ful method to remove waste and toxins that have been hidden in our bodies. When we clean the colon, we start a chain reaction of cleansing that affects organs through-out the entire system. Natalia Rose, one of the top

nutritionists in the country, states “I believe colonics will be considered as essential to the maintenance of the body as brushing your teeth in a decade’s time.” She also recom-mends the “Gravity Method,” which is the method my husband Bruce and I use here at our colon hydrotherapy center, Hydro Health of Western Massachusetts. So this spring give your body a gift of rejuvenation and renewal by introducing fasting and colon hydrotherapy into your wellness program.

~ Concettina and Bruce Collingwood, I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrothera-pists, Hydo Health of Western

Massachusetts, Pittsfield, MA. [email protected], (413)445-7470, www.hydrohealth westernmass.com. See ad on facing page.

Fasting has been termed the “Elixir of Life”

by Gabriel Cousins, MD

the elixir of lifeTHE INSIDE STORY OF SPRING CLEANING

by Concettina Collingwood


19

health & wellness

• Best Methods for Detoxifi cation• Powerful Adjuncts for Optimizing Wellness and Longevity• Enhances healing and rejuvenation

51 Stearns Avenue, Pittsfi eld, MA 01201 413-445-7470 www.hydrohealthwesternmass.com

Concettina & Bruce Collingwood I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapists

Internal body cleansing is ultimately considered the � nest health insurance.

Hydro Health of Western MassachusettsColon Hydrotherapy Ozone & Far Infrared Sauna Therapy

530 Main Street, Bennington, VT 05201 802-445-3152www.stramcenter.com

Ronald Stram, M.D. Founder and Medical Director

Providing Holistic Primary Care, Integrative Medicine, Acupuncture &

Medical Massage

BCBS, Cigna, MVP, Medicaid Accepted for Certain Services

Great Barrington, ma 413-528-3334 | Sharon, ct 860-364-5990

goldman / tripposteopathic healthcare

As osteopathic physicians, we use our comprehensive knowledge of

anatomy and physiology to promote health and healing. We work gently

with our hands to help your body restore optimal function – based on

optimal structure – to help solve musculoskeletal problems

and health issues of all kinds.

As fully licensed physicians, we have all the full and current medical

pharmacopeia, nutritional science and medical training at our disposal.

Your individual treatment may include a wide range of approaches,

but is always founded on our gentle hands-on work.

Andrew M. Goldman, DO, Osteopathic Physician

Kim E. Tripp, DO, PhD, Osteopathic Physician

Osteopathy is the practice of medicine based on the es-sential relationship in all living things between structure

and function, that is, between anatomy and physiology, or be-tween physics and chemistry. Osteopathic physicians use our comprehensive, precise knowledge of anatomy and physiology to promote health and healing in our patients. We work gently with our hands to help your body restore its own best function based on optimal structure.

Our medical training as osteopathic physicians gives us a DO degree (Doctor of Osteopathy). We learn all the same mate-rial as our MD colleagues (DOs and MDs are the two fully-licensed medical physicians in the US). Our DO training dif-fers by also offering unique, in-depth work with anatomy in the context of treating our patients as whole people, not just as catalogs of symptoms. We learn to work with our hands using gentle, precise, and medically astute approaches to help your body heal. As physicians, the current medical pharma-copeia, nutritional science, and full medical training, includ-ing diagnostic testing are also at our disposal. Your individual treatment may therefore include a range of approaches, but will always be founded on our gentle hands-on work.

An Historic Tradition

Osteopathic medicine is an historic American tradition. Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, a brilliant US physician, was the founder of osteopathic medicine. He began osteopathic practice in 1874 and started the first school of osteopathic medicine here in the US. His inspired medical practice led to the development of more than 30 modern US osteopathic medical schools.

The practice of osteopathic medicine has a unique relationship with the natural world. Dr. Andrew Taylor Still made the bold statement that: “Osteopathy walks hand in hand with nothing but Nature’s laws, and for this reason alone it marks the most significant progress in the history of scientific research.”

Dr. Still was inspired by his deep study of nature, especially of human anatomy and its relationship to physiology. From this work, Dr. Still elucidated osteopathy. Osteopathy is an incred-ibly potent yet benign approach to the practice of medicine.

Nature’s First Principle of Health and Healing

Why is osteopathy so powerful yet benign? Because it studies and applies how nature heals. The relationship of structure and function is nature’s first principle of health and healing. Any biological system, from forest to flea, is not healthy if its struc-ture has gone awry: from macroscopic bones and muscles to

osteopathy & natureTHE ESSENTIAL RELATIONSHIP IN ALL LIVING THINGS

by Kim E. Tripp, DO, PhD

continued on page 20


health & wellness

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microscopic genes and molecules. A vessel, a nerve, a joint, even a brain, cannot work well if its structure is compromised. Nature shows us this through ecology.

Let’s consider a simplified example of the ecology of a lake. Many lakes depend on the inward flow of a stream at one end and free outward flow at the other end. The inward-flowing stream brings fresh water, oxygen, and nutrients from up-stream, creates a healthy current, and helps to maintain the lake’s level. The outward-flowing stream carries away stale water and wastes, and also helps to keep the lake level stable. This healthy flow and exchange of fluids in the lake supports a diversity of life from microscopic organisms and plants to fish, birds, and mammals.

What happens if either stream is blocked? Nutrient and fresh water supply are diminished, waste products build up, oxygen levels are depleted, microbes, plants, birds, fish, and mammals begin to sicken and die until the entire system is damaged.

Nature shows us that the same structure-function relation-ship is at work in all of us. If, for example, our circulation to an organ, a nerve, a bone, or even one group of cells is compromised, the health of that organ, nerve, bone, or group of cells is also compromised. Why? Because needed nutrients

cannot reach them and waste products cannot be removed. A chronic muscle spasm, a broken bone, an immobile rib that limits full breathing, all can lead to problems with gradually increasing consequences throughout the body if not healed and repaired.

Nature is a series of infinitely kaleidoscoping ecosystems that depends on the primary relationship of structure and function – from single molecule to cell to organ to organism to ecosys-tem and ultimately the entire planet. The human body is one of nature’s most beautiful and intricate manifestations whose health and healing depends on that primary relationship. Osteopathic physicians are unique in practicing medicine based on this fundamental example from nature.

An Invitation

Andrew M. Goldman, DO, and Kim E. Tripp, DO, PhD, at Gold-man-Tripp Osteopathic Healthcare, have dedicated their practice of osteopathic medicine to honor, study, and practice these lessons from nature – in the spirit of the founder of osteopathic medicine, Dr. A.T. Still. We invite you to call us in our Sharon, CT, office at (860) 364-5990, or our Great Barrington, MA, office at (413) 528-3334, or visit us on the web at www.GoldmanTripp.net to learn more about how we can help you. See ad on page 19.

osteopathy & nature / continued from page 19

OurBerkshireTimes.com/Coupons


21

health & wellness

osteopathy & nature / continued from page 19

The greatest crisis in your life might just be the best thing that ever hap-

pened to you. A 2013 study found that those who reported the highest levels of trauma and adversity also reported the highest levels of growth and self-

development. This was definitely true for me.I wasn’t always a positive person. In fact, I used to be a post-

er child for hopelessness. By my fiftieth birthday, I had lost my career as an NBC war correspondent to illness and injury. After I broke my back, failed surgery left me crippled and condemned to life in a body brace. I became addicted to painkillers, anti-depressants, uppers, and alcohol. I gained 80 pounds, and then was diagnosed with stage IV terminal throat cancer. I felt my life was over. The turning point for me came as I was dying and my two-year-old son begged, “Get up, Daddy.” Those three words became my motivator and my healing mantra. Here are lessons I learned from the adversity I had to overcome.

Working harder to get ahead won’t help you reach your potential. I used to think that working longer and harder in my profession as a journalist was the path to fulfillment. Even though I was recognized with a prestigious journalistic award and had many meaningful experiences, I lost my health, my marriage, and nearly lost my future. Identify your true potential as a person, not as a professional, and pursue that with maximum zeal.

Having a clear mantra or intention will carry you through difficult times. If you’re determined to make a major change in your lifestyle, approach the challenge relentlessly, passionately, and with unflagging motivation. Find something you desperately care about to propel you forward. In my case, whenever I faltered, I thought of my son’s three-word plea. When you anchor on a posi-tive thought, the whole world will rise up to support you.

We all have the power to take control of our health and the capacity to self-heal. Doctors may tell you your situation is hopeless or the alternative healing path you’ve chosen won’t work. You can support your body’s innate ability to self-heal through diet, detoxing, meditation, a spiritual discipline, the loving sup-port of friends and family, movement, mind-body therapies, and excellent teachers. The doctors called my recovery “a miracle.” I call it enabling my body to reach its full potential.

If you want to transform your health completely, make it your number one priority. I devoted myself to self-healing 12-14 hours a day. With the help of loved ones, healing became my primary job. When faced with a life-or-death decision, choose a healing path for yourself that will help you live this rich, wonderful life a little lon-ger. Don’t let naysayers, low-value people and activities, or outside pressure discourage you from your mission to heal.

Find a healing discipline and dive into it with your fullest passion and focus. I chose to heal using yoga combined with Ayurvedic medicine, diet, and purifications. Whatever discipline

you choose, don’t dabble – dig a deep well and stick with it. Do research, find teachers, take classes, go on retreats, enter a clinic, and engage in the discipline every day. For me, embracing yogic science 12-14 hours a day and changing what I put into my body was my “organic chemotherapy”– it altered my body chemistry and my state of mind, and opened my awareness to a deeper in-ner wisdom that is within us all.

You can’t make much progress on your health quest until you clean up your act. People who are very ill or seriously injured often feel their suffering entitles them to indulgences like a sugary dessert, steak dinner, or cocktails at night. My body was so riddled with alcohol, prescription drugs, and unhealthy food that it took a rehab facility to clean these toxins out of my body. It took many more months of cleanses and a complete overhaul of my diet to reverse the effect of the poisons so I could respond to yoga and all the other healing modalities I was using. In short, the purer your life, the more vibrant your health will be.

~ Learn more about how to self-heal from serious illness and injury at Kripalu Center in Stock-bridge, MA (www.kripalu.org), where I’ll be teaching a workshop April 4-6, 2014, entitled “The Guru Is You: The Alchemy of Healing, Self-Empowerment, and Manifesting Your Fullest Potential.”

your greatest gift SIX LESSONS THAT CAN HELP YOU HEAL FROM A SERIOUS CONDITION

by Bhava Ram

Intuitive Counselor

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mother's day special feature

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B efore I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I

had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom. ~ Unknown

A mother’s love – Your arms were always open when I needed a hug. Your heart understood when I needed a friend. Your

gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson. Your strength and love has guided me and gave me wings to fly. ~ Sarah Malin

Mother’s Day originated when the an-cient Greeks held annual spring fes-

tivities dedicated to maternal goddesses. In the 1600s in England, Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter) – children brought flowers and gifts to their mothers after a prayer ser-vice in church to honor the Virgin Mary. The very first Mother’s Day as we know

it, however, was suggested by Anna Jarvis in the early twenti-eth century and is now celebrated in many countries around the world but on different dates.

Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, was born in Webster, West Virginia. Anna’s mother was a vital, energetic woman who founded Mothers’ Day Work Clubs in five cities to improve sanitary and health conditions for local families. Two years after her mother’s death in the early 1900s, Anna held a memorial service for her mother to honor the work she had done, giving away carnations (her mother’s favorite flower) to everyone that attended. She encouraged the attendees to go to church and, afterward, for children to spend time writing a note of appreciation to their mothers. In 1910, Anna formed a committee and West Virginia became the first state to adopt the holiday. In 1914, President Wilson declared the second Sunday in May Mother’s Day.

Ironically, by the 1920s Anna Jarvis, who never married and had no children of her own, had become very unhappy about the commercialization of the holiday (printed cards in particular) and she and her sister Elsinore spent their family inheritance campaigning against what the holiday had become. So, in honor of Anna, take the time to write your mom a handwritten note!

A young boy said to his mother, “How old were you when I was born?” His mother replied, “23.” “Wow, that’s a lot of time we

missed spending together.” ~ Unknown

mother's dayA CELEBRATION HONORING MOTHERS AND MOTHERHOOD

by Kathy Regan


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