By Carol G. Leonard
Though the Pilgrims held the first Thanks-giving dinner, the establishment of the day we now celebrate nationwide was largely the result of the diligent effort of magazine edi-tor, Sarah Josepha Hale. Hale, at the time, was editor of the popular Boston “Ladies’ Maga-zine”. Her editorials argued for the observance of a national Thanksgiving holiday and she en-couraged the public to write to their local politi-cians.
Because Mrs. Hale was editor of the largest periodical of its kind in the country, her read-ership of 150,000 were exposed to her vigorous and patriotic editorials. In addition, she wrote hundreds of letters to governors, ministers, newspaper editors and each incumbent presi-dent for almost 40 years. She always made the same request: that the last Thursday in Novem-ber be set aside to “offer to God our Tribute of joy and gratitude for the blessings of the year”.
Finally, as a result of national events, Mrs. Hale’s request became a reality. By 1863, the civ-il War had divided the nation into two armed camps. Mrs. Hale’s final editorial, highly emo-tional and patriotic, appeared in September of the year, just weeks after the Battle of Gettys-burg. In spite of the staggering toll of Union and Confederate soldier casualties, Gettysburg was considered an important victory for the North.
History was made. A general feeling of tri-umph, together with the clamor produced by Mrs. Hale’s widely circulated editorial, prompt-ed President Abraham Lincoln to respond. He issued a proclamation on October 3, 1863, setting aside the last Thursday in November as national Thanksgiving Day.
Since then, there has been one controversial ‘change’ with the tradition. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt shifted Thanksgiving back one week, to the third Thursday in No-vember, because store merchants requested an increase in the number of shopping days be-tween Thanksgiving and Christmas. This move pleased the merchants, but no one else! Protests were staged throughout the country. Millions of Americans, in defiance of the presidential proc-lamation, continued to celebrate the last Thurs-day, and they took the day off from work.
Protest grew even louder the following year. Not wanting to go down in history as the ‘Grin-ch’ who stole Thanksgiving, in the spring of 1941 Roosevelt publicly admitted he had made an error in judgement. He then returned the holiday to the last Thursday in November. The merchants countered by offering sales and dis-counts, thus beginning the annual practice of promoting Christmas early.
By Lee David Hamberg for the
Southwick Historical Society, Inc.
“It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh.“ (Silent Spring by Rachel Carson)
Flanking the eastern and southern borders of the Southwick History Museum is an unde-veloped field, with brush and small trees buffer-ing it from College Highway, a seasonal brook to the south, and Palmer Brook to the rear. Unlike the opening lines of Silent Spring, a cacophony of birds still pierce the cool morning air. Mourn-ing doves exude their “cooo-cooo.” The “quack, quack” of ducks can be heard as they swim in spring-flooded portions of the field among the cattails. The screech of a hovering hawk breaks forth like an alarm to the scuttling mice and voles in the field below. Joining them are their larger mammalian cousins, the sneaky raccoon, burrowing woodchuck, and sauntering bear. And let us not forget that graceful white-tailed deer are also frequent guests, cautiously step-ping out into the open in the foggy morning air, or nibbling on an herbaceous snack before bed-ding down for the night. This reality has varied but little since time immemorial.
Fast-forward to an imaginary 2025. You’re speeding north from the Connecticut line on College Highway. About a mile up on your right, you see that same landscape, but with commercial de-velopment. Whether it’s a gas station, rows of mini-warehouses, or a solar field, matters very little. Hemmed in by this development is a historical museum with ancient house and timber frame barn, isolated from the scenery that once was. If you’ve never been here before, this scene may very well create your first impres-sion of Southwick. Would you want to live in a town where another gas station is a priority over open space? Does a historic house with open space surrounding it serve as a visual reminder of the community’s heritage and deep roots to the land? With paradise paved, how many birds and other wildlife will stay for a while?
The Southwick Historical Society, Inc. is pur-suing the acquisition of the ten-and-one-half-acre parcel of undeveloped land, known as 74 College Highway. At present, it is zoned Indus-trial Restricted (IR), which allows for almost any type of commercial development, with a special permit. Our goal is to buy the land, make it ac-cessible to the public, at no charge, for passive recreation such as hiking, and have the local Southwick Conservation Commission hold a permanent conservation restriction on the land, dramatically reducing its development poten-tial. That action alone will lower the value of the property by $125,000. The Conservation Com-mission voted to hold the conservation restric-tion. The Community Preservation Committee recently approved providing funds to purchase the value of the conservation restriction and costs for signage, kiosk, and trail.
The next important step will empower vot-ers at a Special Town Meeting to ultimately de-cide if conservation of the land and habitat is a worthy endeavor. Which landscape would you prefer to see?
By Clifton (Jerry) Noble Sr.
I married Elizabeth Atwater on November 21, 1959. At first my widowed mother, Min-nie E. Noble (nicknamed “Hes-ter” by me) lived with us at Pink House in Montgomery. The end of November 1960 she got her-self a front upstairs room at Sar-ah Gillett Home on Westfield’s Broad Street for $95 a month. (That huge old house has been replaced by an apartment building.)
Since October 1947 I had been working in the survey section of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works, Elementary engineering knowl-edge gained in Fresno, California, plus book study of algebra and trigonometry furthered me by Civil Service exams through Mass. grades one, two, and three. Salary amounts seem to in-dicate that I achieved the position of grade four Assistant Engineer in 1960. In January I earned $139.50 a week (net $110.11), and September it was $155.75. (State tax, $2.35. retirement deduc-tion, $7.79, and federal withholding tax of $23.36 reduced this to a net of $122.25.
The only “college” cost might have been about $40 for 20 lessons and certificate in “El-ementary Surveying.” By expense account the state paid me three cents a mile to carry crew and equipment in my own car rather than fur-nish me with an uninsured carryall. Gasoline cost $0.279 a gallon. Lube and oil change were $8. Work plus private trips put 19,000 miles on the car for the year.
Sample grocery prices (all in cents) show why I could feel prosperous. 2 bananas 15, bread 25, celery 25, Crisco 30, 12 eggs 41, 5 # flour 39, lettuce 33, 2 quarts milk 42, oatmeal 29, oleo 26, olives 15, 6 oranges 39, 10# potatoes 27, raisins 29, 1# sausage 43, spinach 37, 5# sugar 56, and turnip 11. Suspecting a need for more protein I invested $18 in 10 pounds of brewers yeast to make “tiger milk” per a recipe of Adelle Davis in her book Lets Eat Right to Keep Fit. This was a mistake! Eventually too much protein caused a painful case of “poor man’s gout” in my feet.
In February I bought a jacket for $5.69 and 3 cowboy shirts with snaps in-stead of buttons from Fred Muel-ler Company in Denver for $11.33. Dungarees were $2.72. two pair sneakers $3.15, overshoes $4.97. Mystery books (Agatha Christie etc.) ranged in price from 35 to 75 cents, but I did get a Sherlock Holmes omnibus for $2.36. A 50-foot reel of 8 mm movie film was $2.77 including developing.
Monthly telephone bill was about $6 and electric $12.50. Fuel oil for the furnace was 16.4 cents a gallon. Cooking gas was $12 a tank which lasted at least 8 months.
Larger expenses were a file cabinet, $11.78, an electric fan for $14.88, a stove $52.90, a 4-speed record player, $69.95, and an electric pump for my dug well, $254.22.
Property taxes for our “schoolhouse,” Pink House and about 40 acres of land were $198.62. Back then there was a $2 poll tax. I bought extra land twice for $100 and $150.
Restaurant dinners for two could be had for $4.87.
There was plenty left over for incidentals like tree removal and building repairs.
A week’s vacation at Christmas Cove, Maine took $121.05 including $85 for double room at the Coveside Inn and a boat trip for six.
Because it was inadvisable to run detergents into our septic tank we paid Mrs. Tella on Ridge-way Street in Westfield $3 or $4 a week to do our washing and ironing. Many was the winter day that I carried clothes baskets 50 yards in and out because her lot was too clogged with snow and ice.
Elizabeth was expecting in April of ’61 so was seeing Dr. Wonson monthly at $5 a visit.
We spent $97.13 for Christmas.
Younger Russell boys were friendly. Taking junk to the dump I found a group shooting BBs at cans. They insisted I try a shot. The gun sight must have been perfect. To everyone’s surprise I hit the can but resisted the clamor to try again. My 120 pounds made me smaller than older youths. Joe Dufresne was a state boy cared for by nurse Sharkey along with her own sons, Pat and Mike. Joe seemed a tough guy.
Margaret Peckham, wife of Charles, from whom we bought our land, baked and took part in church and town activities. Driving half way to Westfield she met me walking home from a car left for repairs. She turned around and brought me home. One evening in front of Bridge Store she found Dufresne and gang about to make sport of me. She shut those kids up pronto. (Years later Joe saw me with a broken lawn mower and stopped to help fix it. I insisted on paying him and we were friends till he died.)
Before she married author Alan Becket and moved to West Springfield Evelyn Allyn lived at the inn on the corner of Main and River Streets in Russell. She worked in the office of the Westfield River Paper Company on the east side of the river. Hence she was well acquainted with Russell folks.
When Hester and I first needed the services of a doctor Evy recommended Jacob Arenstam who lived on Main Street opposite the post of-fice. He would do house calls. His wife Beatrice was one of the Mortimer girls and sister to the postmistress. As a result of my grade 3 Civil Ser-vice exam I was a registered land surveyor, but Department work left little time for private sur-veys. Most requests were from people needing a lawyer more than a surveyor, and I told them so. However Mrs. Arenstam just wanted her westerly sideline reproduced. Her son helped one evening and I charged her $2. The doctor charged $4 for office calls. Once I forgot to pay till I met him on the street.
My regular working hours were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but there were some months when I had to check, without overtime, on contract survey parties starting on Springfield construction at 7 a.m. Once in this period I needed to get an ur-gent message to the doctor about my mother. From a Springfield pay phone I called him at home at 7:30 a.m. He started to bawl me out. “Dr. Arenstam,” I said, “I’m on the job in Springfield NOW.” He listened.
By G. P. Johnson
This war in Vietnam
has taken my friend away
It is for my friend
that I write this poem today
He died before his time-
his age was twenty-one.
My friend didn’t die of natural cause,
but by another man’s gun.
I knew him as a person;
a better friend I never had.
When I think about it,
I become depressed and sad.
I’ve often asked the question,
as to why him and not me?
But my question remains unanswered;
only memories of him I see.
It wasn’t by choice he came
to fight this unwanted war.
Yet he sacrificed his life,
to reassure us of peace once more.
We often discussed the war,
and how we wished it would end.
Now it’s too late for my friend-
his wound will never mend.
Once again I’ll pray for him,
though in a different way.
My time will come, I’m sure,
when I join my friend someday!
Nov. 2013
Remembering
1960
Cousin Lester Emerson who helped build “Pink House” across Herrick Road from Schoolhouse.
Save
not
to
Save
To
or
Nov. 1991
Gratitude is much more than a polite re-sponse – it’s a powerful habit that helps chil-dren develop emotional resilience, empathy, and a positive outlook on life. In a world where children are often overwhelmed with messages about what they don’t have, gratitude helps in-dividuals shift their attention toward their ex-isting blessings, promoting feelings of content-ment and enhancing their self-esteem. Research consistently shows that children who practice gratitude experience increased happiness, have more positive relationships, and even perform better academically (Greater Good Science Cen-ter, 2023; Mindfulness Awareness Research Cen-ter, 2023).
As parents, we can introduce gratitude in small ways that add up over time, helping our children build this invaluable life skill. Beyond temporary moments of joy, practicing gratitude builds a sense of connection to others and helps children view challenges through a more bal-anced lens. When children learn to appreciate both the big and small things in life, they’re bet-ter able to cope with setbacks and disappoint-ments. Starting in November, with its focus on thankfulness, is a natural opportunity for par-ents to introduce gratitude practices. But grati-tude isn’t just for the holidays – by making it a consistent part of our lives, we can help children view gratitude as a daily practice that promotes well-being, fosters empathy, and strengthens family bonds all year long.
1. Start a Family Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal is a wonderful way to encourage everyone to think about what they’re grateful for. Keep a notebook in a central place, like the living room or kitchen, and make it a routine for family members to add an entry at the end of each day or week. Kids can write or draw what they’re thankful for if they’re too young to express it in words. Activity Tip: Give each entry a specific theme every week to keep it fresh! For example, “something that made me smile today” or “a person who helped me recently.”
2. Make a Thankful Tree
The Thankful Tree is a creative, visual way to practice gratitude, and it’s especially popular around Thanksgiving! Gather some branches from outside, arrange them in a vase, and make colorful “leaves” from paper. Each day, have family members write something they’re thank-ful for on a paper leaf and attach it to the tree. Activity Tip: Keep this tree up year-round by chang-ing the leaves with the seasons! This helps reinforce the idea that gratitude is something we practice all the time, not just in November.
3. Gratitude Jars for Everyone
Each family member can have their own jar where they add a note of gratitude every day or every week. The jars can be filled with col-orful notes or drawings, and over time, they’ll create a collection of happy memories and posi-tive moments. This is especially useful when a child feels down or discouraged – they can look through their jar and remember the good things in their life. Activity Tip: Have a “gratitude jar re-veal” once a month where each family member reads a few notes aloud. This encourages sharing and may spark positive conversations.
4. Practice “Thankful Thinking” During Mealtime
Dinner is a great time to reflect as a family. Try a simple “thankfulness round” where ev-eryone shares one thing they’re grateful for that day. Even something small, like “I’m thankful for warm soup on a cold day,” can help chil-dren understand that gratitude doesn’t have to be about big things. Activity Tip: Use a “grati-tude stone” or “thankful token” that each family member holds while they share their thoughts, then pass it to the next person. This helps build a mindful and engaging tradition.
5. Encourage Thank-You Notes (with a Twist!)
Thank-you notes are a classic way to express gratitude, but you don’t have to wait until gift-giving times. Encourage your child to write (or draw) thank-you notes for everyday acts of kindness. They could thank a teacher for a fun class, a friend for playing with them, or even a sibling for sharing a toy. Activity Tip: Make a habit of thanking each other within the family. Parents can also model this by leaving thank-you notes for their children or partners, show-ing how gratitude is appreciated and valued by everyone.
6. Create a “Grat-i-tude Jar” for Acts of Kindness
This one is a little differ-ent from the personal gratitude jars – it’s a family activity that doubles as a kindness chal-lenge. Write down small, doable acts of kindness on slips of pa-per, put them in a jar, and have family members draw one ev-ery week. Completing the act can be something to feel grateful for, knowing that kind-ness was shared! Ac-tivity Tip: Some acts could include “help a neighbor,” “give a com-pliment,” or “do a sibling’s chore for a day.” These acts encourage empathy and appreciation for others.
7. Model Gratitude in Daily Conversations
Children learn so much by observing the adults around them. Make gratitude a part of your daily conversations by saying things like, “I’m so grateful for this cozy home” or “I’m thankful we got to spend time together.” Verbal-izing these thoughts out loud allows children to see that gratitude isn’t just a holiday activity – it’s something we can carry in our hearts every day. Activity Tip: If you’re comfortable, share stories of people who overcame difficulties through gratitude or moments when being thankful helped you in your life. Personal stories make gratitude feel more real and impactful.
8. Practice Mindful Gratitude Exercises
Mindfulness and gratitude go hand in hand. Guide your child in a short gratitude meditation, where you both close your eyes, breathe deeply, and think about things you’re grateful for – like the sun shining or a good friend. This practice helps children slow down and appreciate the present moment. Activity Tip: Try a “gratitude walk.” Take a stroll in the neighborhood or a nearby park and encourage children to notice things they’re grateful for – the beautiful flowers, the smell of fresh air, or the birds singing.
9. Create a Gratitude Collage
Use photos, magazine cutouts, or hand-drawn pictures to create a collage of things your child is grateful for. This activity is creative and visually reinforces positive memories and emo-tions. You can hang the collage somewhere vis-ible to remind your child of all the wonderful things in their life. Activity Tip: Add to the col-lage throughout the year by printing new pho-tos or adding drawings, creating an evolving “Gratitude Wall” that grows with your family’s experiences.
10. Read Stories that Highlight Gratitude and Empathy
Stories are a great way to introduce grati-tude concepts, especially for younger children. Find picture books or chapter books that focus on thankfulness, kindness, and appreciation, and discuss them as a family. Ask open-ended questions like, “What are you grateful for?” and “How did the characters show appreciation?” Activity Tip: Use the storybooks to role-play moments of gratitude and kindness with your child,letting them practice saying “thank you” or showing kindness as they play different characters.
Conclusion
It’s not only about helping them say “thank you” but about cultivating a mindset that can bring joy and resilience into their lives. When children recognize the positives in each day and value what they have, they develop an inner re-silience that pulls them through life’s challeng-es. Practicing gratitude as a family strengthens your bond, creates memories, and reminds chil-dren of the love and support they always have around them.
By incorporating gratitude throughout the year, you’re making it more than just a seasonal gesture – it becomes part of your family’s daily life, a tool your children can carry with them wherever they go. Gratitude has the power to brighten even the simplest of days, and by nur-turing it in our children, we give them a skill that will last a lifetime.
So often our mind is either in the past – fo-cused on what didn’t work out, who did us wrong, mistakes we’ve made … or it’s in the fu-ture – thinking about our goals, worried about what might happen. The problem with being in the past or the future is you miss the present.
Let me ask you something … Are you fully engaged, making the most of every moment, loving your family, enjoying your friends, and appreciating the simple things in life? Or are you in yesterday? Are you in tomorrow?
If you’re going to be fulfilled, you have to show up for your life.
I know a man who travels a lot for his busi-ness. One time, he had the chance to bring his wife with him on a trip to Paris. They were so excited! It was going to be their very first trip to Paris together. They couldn’t wait.
Life was good! The week before they left for Paris, they put an offer in on a new house. They loved that house, it had a beautiful yard with big trees and an open floor plan with lots of light. It was perfect.
So, when they arrived in Paris, the first thing they did was call their realtor to ask if she’d heard anything. She said, “No, nothing.” The next morning, they woke up and the first thing they did was call the realtor again: “Any news?” “Still nothing.”
During the day, they went around and looked at all the sights, but the whole time they were talking about that house. As they walked the streets of Paris, they took pictures of things they wanted to do to that house. “Hey, we could do the front like this! We could do the landscap-ing like that!” They were in Paris… but they weren’t really there.
Their minds were in the future, and all the while they were missing the present. They could have been making the most of those mo-ments together, taking in that beautiful city. But because they were so focused on what they wanted they missed what they had.
What’s funny is that when they arrived home, the agent called and said, “I’m sorry. You didn’t get the house. They went with another offer.”
They thought, You mean we wasted our time in Paris, focused on that house back home, dreaming about that house, decorating that house, landscaping that house and we didn’t even get that house?
Don’t lose what you have while going after what you want.
You don’t have to go to Paris to miss some-thing great. You can miss your child growing up while you go after what you want. You can miss who you’re married to, and all the great things about them, because you’re consumed with your business, with your hobby, with how you’re going to fix all those problems.
Let me tell you something: The people in your life are not always going to be there. Don’t take them for granted. There will always be plenty of work, plenty of challenges, plenty of problems to solve. Those things never go away.
Make the most of each day.
I heard about a woman who was a very suc-cessful executive for a large company. But after she had been working there for 19 years, the company did some restructuring, and she was unexpectedly let go. It wasn’t anything that she did wrong; her position was just no longer need-ed. She was disappointed but knew something else would open up.
She has two master’s degrees and is very ex-perienced, very personable, and a leader in her field. She applied to company after company, even in other states, but no response. No one was interested. She couldn’t understand it.
A couple of months after she lost her job, her mother became ill and needed someone to care for her. So, this woman decided she would care for her mom while she was looking for a job. She would go to her mother’s house every day, and they would visit and run errands. In return, her mother helped her redecorate her house. She had so much fun with her mother, and she made a lot of great memories. Ten months later, her mother passed away.
Three days after she laid her mother to rest, she started getting one phone call after anoth-er from the companies that she had applied to months earlier. Not just one great offer – four great offers came in!
She accepted a position with more respon-sibility, income, and a better work environment than her old job. She said, “It’s a position that I enjoy much more than my previous job.”
Look how God works! The company unex-pectedly letting her go seemed like a bad break at the time. It seemed unfair. Then, with her cre-dentials, experience, and education, the closed doors didn’t make any sense.
She could have been upset. Why is this hap-pening to me? Instead, she took that time to enjoy where God had her. She made the most of each day. Had she not done that, she would have missed that time with her mother. Had she lived stressed out, she wouldn’t have those great memories that she’ll cherish forever. She would tell you what I’m telling you …
Don’t fight where you are; embrace where you are.
The Bible says, “Make the most of this day.” It doesn’t say make the most of yesterday. It doesn’t say make the most of tomorrow. It says make the most of this day – today. What are you doing … with today?
When life took the roll call today, did you show up? Did you show up passionately, loving your family, enjoying your friends, and looking forward to another great day?
Maybe you would say, “Well, Jeff, I would – but I’ve had some disappointments. People have done me wrong. My dream didn’t work out.”
Don’t get twenty years down the road and see it all come together, then say, “Wow! I spent so much of my life worried, mad at people, not enjoying my family.”
Do you know what? Thousands of people went to bed last night and didn’t wake up this morning. And they would give anything for what you have. You have … today.
Today is a gift. People always say, “Today is a gift – that’s why we call it the Present.” Well, then it’s time to unwrap that gift! Use it! Enjoy it! Love it! Love life – and it will love you back!
By Todd Shiveley
If you ask a tourist or a native New Eng-lander, what makes our landscape both memo-rable and unique, chances are they will say our miles of stone walls, the white-painted Puritan-influenced churches with the steeples reaching to the skies, and our countless covered bridges.
Indeed we do have them all, however sadly the latter we are losing them, though most towns are repairing and or rebuilding them.
Even though the haunted season of October is behind us, what many tourists and probably a large percentage of our population most associ-ate with covered bridges and New England is Washington Irvings’ famous story ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’!
The irony for starters is that Terry Town {Sleepy Hollow}of New York isn’t part of New England and in the actual tale, there is never a mention of the bridge ever being covered, though every cartoon and film carrying the name shows a covered bridge. The story, dating to the colonial age 20 years after the Revolution-ary War, wasn’t even published till 1820 and roughly five years before the first covered bridge was built and documented.
In relation to the Revolutionary War period, though it was an ordinary bridge, and probably rebuilt since 1740, a band of loyal patriot women in the town of Pepperell, Mass dressed in men’s minute man outfits captured Tory spies on the bridge and held them till they were arrested; and the wood from the original was used to later build the later covered bridge. There is a covered bridge in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, and not far from the New Boston Inn which was where minute men were trained. And then there is the Eunice Williams covered bridge in Greenfield, Massachusetts that has ties to the earlier French Indian war, and a beautiful, bridge now literally being rebuilt in Chatfield Hollow Park, in Kill-ingworth, CT that has ties to Native Americans.
Now, to move on to more splendid reflections of these bridges, the past and beloved painter Bob Ross, over his career of 20-plus seasons had added them into his peaceful works, at least sev-en different times. Before his fame, countless jig-saw puzzles, many of which I helped my mother piece together- always showed these wooden covered marvels, which the famous Thomas Kinkade also set into the wonderous and often holiday-orientated landscapes of his paintings. Less we forget our own New England master of the brush, Norman Rockwell, who painted one of his own of Vermont’s West Arlington covered bridge right next to the gothic steeped chapel on the green and down the street from his previous home.
Finally, with my love of this archi-tecture and recent trips to see as many as possible from Connecticut’s Bull’s Bridge in Kent, and further North, the beautiful red one covering 172 feet, West Cornwall’s bridge that had a scene in the famous 1967 film ‘The Valley of the Dolls’. The other known Ct aqueduct is the Comstock-covered bridge in Colchester, dated to around 1840.
In Massachusetts, we have one in Shef-field, built-in 1840 but rebuilt in 1994, and the Burkeville Bridge in Conway, beyond those I’ve already mentioned. In the past around the early 20th century, we were surrounded by covered bridges, the one large bridge crossing from the old Whip City building in Westfield leading towards the mass pike, as well as one on City View Road. There was once a beautiful one in Norwich (Huntington) on Route 112 crossing Montgomery st, and one in North Chester on Smith Road, across from a tavern and their old school house. Yet it appears they were virtually everywhere but the demand with heavier traffic of cars over horses led to bridges of cement and metals like steel, thus if they weren’t still being driven under they became more like relics from the past to appreciate.
So I bid you to take a wonderful tour before these wooden bridges crossing our many New England rivers and brooks, disappear or can no longer be crossed over or even visited; because I know I am.
Chatfield Hollow - Killingworth CT.Picture by Author
Both sides of Comstock Bridge, in Colchester, CT. Built in 1791.Pic-ture by Author
Live in the
Present
A Psychologist’s Guide
Inside the Young Mind:
Gratitude Practices for Kids: Thankfulness Year-Round
By Dr. Simone Phillips
10-5
By Michael Dubilo
Let us shine a welcoming light on an excep-tional holiday arriving soon, stuffed with treats galore. The colorful month of November brings us its gift as a tasteful family event, Thanksgiv-ing! I can smell the home-cooked flavors and triggering pleasure.
My thoughts focus on steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes with a slab of butter on top, cranberry sauce, turkey breast, or of course Su-sanna’s desire for wings and a lean leg and top it off with some sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and fresh apple pies. Please add some ice cream and warm chocolate fudge to those home-cooked pies. Your taste may vary, so fill an order of your desired delicious foods to gobble down with happiness.
Only to top the meal is good company. Join the dinner participants engaging in productive conversations and maybe watch some parades or good football games.
Many fine adults become grandparents and enjoy seeing their grandchildren during the holidays, providing knowledge, experiences, and loads of joy. When the grand blessings were young, did some of your elders ever say “gob-ble, gobble” to those lovable, wondering faces? Think back and be Thankful as some don’t have the same privilege. Those pleasures may not be readily available to all grandparents.
For various reasons one may be denied ac-cess to grandchildren resulting in lost moments of joy. A product of unhealthy thoughts wag-ing in the battlefield of the mind, yielding hurt-ful motives. We can murder with the tongue, as well as with the hand. In 1974 true words de-clared, “I taught you to swim, and now in 2013 you would drown me ”—and many times that comes to be a reality to others also. Season your words with the salt of grace.
Having passed through the above statements of anguish myself, I will say my broken heart was healed, by God’s grace. My feeble knees be-came steady. To those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear.” Then, I took a step in the right direction and prayed earnestly. “Open the door, so I can physically see and hug Skyylar (granddaughter) and Gavin (grandson) again” was the pleading cry.
After 11 years of no response, a blessing ar-rived. On a sun-filled Friday, Susanna and I decided to visit the Massachusetts Building on “Veterans Day” at this year’s Big E. In a timely fashion, I unknowingly appeared at a certain “business booth” and then to my surprise, I saw my treasured granddaughter, Skyylar.
With her back facing me, I boldly called out her name. She turned toward me, looking stunned with eyes locked on “Is this my grandfather?” Tears streamed down our faces, in joyful anticipa-tion. Even though the absence was put on ice for years, both of our hearts instinctively bonded, and tight hugs were strong. Rivers of love let loose, much like clear, pure water entering a fer-tile, farmland. Productive and enriching indeed.
A richly created beautiful soul, that woman is. Now, 22 years of age, Wow! In a few days of reality checks, I became an active, involved grandpa again. Hard to believe but graciously true. Prayers, saturated with gobbles of Thanks-giving, keep flowing from my heart. Enjoy the picture of Skyylar’s arm around Grandpa. Mo-ments of thanksgiving for each other.
Give thanks for the food and relationships that you have pleasure in. Put on an attitude of diligence and trust. It also helps to have some regular habits of prayer. Strive to comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, and be patient with all. Always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Let your belly be like riv-ers flowing with thankful words and behaviors.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you wonderful people. Magnify the treasures that you have. En-joy every day, with a smile attached to a cheerful face. Susanna and I will give thanks for each other and the people in our lives.
A Thankful Thanksgiving
To include your event, please send information by the 1st of the month. We will print as many listings as space allows. Our usual publication date is around the 10th of the month. Email to: magazine@southwoods.info.
Southwick Congregational Church
Holly Bazaar
Saturday, December 7, 2024, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. The Southwick Congregational Church in Southwick, MA will be having their annual Holly Bazaar on Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM.
Friends of the Southwick Public Library
Annual Holiday Basket Raffle
The BASKETS are back! The Friends of the Southwick Public Library are excited to announce the return of their Annual Holiday Basket Raffle. Many baskets have been generously donated from our business community and friends of the Library! The baskets will be displayed in the Library (95 Feeding Hills Road, Southwick) from November 18th through December 11th. Raffle tickets are available for purchase at the Library during this time.
On December 11th, the Friends will be holding a Hot Chocolate Bar and the Basket Raffle Drawing 5:30-6:30pm. Warm up to a hot chocolate bar with all the trimmings. All are welcome to attend whether you purchased raffle tickets or not! The Friends will be drawing the basket raffle winners between 5:30-5:45 pm. *You do not need to be present to win.*
All proceeds from this raffle will provide funding to the Library for many of the programs and resources not in their general budget. Plan to stop by the Library to see the wonderful array of baskets and purchase your raffle tickets! Thank you for your support!!
Southwick Lions Club
Breakfast with Santa
Sunday December 8th, 2024 from 8-11:30am at the Southwick Recreational Center. Join the Southwick Lions Club as Santa swings by Southwick for a quick breakfast and to hand out small gifts to all the children before heading back to the North Pole! On the menu is pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, ham and a beverage. Adults $10, children 5-12 $5, children under 5 are free. We will also have a 50/50 raffle. We hope to see you there!
Southwick Historical Society
Captain Isaac Damon
Premier Church Architect of Western Massachu-setts
Thursday, November 21st, 2024 at 7:00pm at the Southwick Congregational Church, 488 College Highway, Southwick, MA. An illustrated talk on “Capt. Isaac Damon, will be offered in the historic 1824 Southwick Congregational Church by local historian and author Lee David Hamberg. Learn about Isaac Damon such as why he used the title “Captain,” and about his specialty in churches and court houses, along with major covered bridges including still standing designs found in New Haven, Simsbury, East Granby, Southwick, Blandford, Springfield, Whately, and Hatfield. This event is free with parking off of Depot Street. Light refreshments will be available. This presentation is open to the public and is part of the 2024-25 program series offered by the Southwick Historical Society. For more information, contact: Southwick Historical Society President Denise Muldrew at 413-210-5870.
Pilgrim Covenant Church
Granby Artists Holiday Gift Show
December 7th, 10-5 p.m. - The Granby Artists Association (GAA) will host their annual Holiday Gift Show at Pilgrim Covenant Church, 605 Salmon Brook Street, Granby, CT, for one day only, December 7th, 10-5 p.m. Shop for original works of art created by your favorite local artists. The event will also include a silent auction featuring works donated by GAA member artists with all proceeds benefiting a local charity! Bring a friend and discover the talents of your neighbors!
Pilgrim Covenant Church
Christmas Family Fun Day
Saturday, December 14th, 10-2 p.m. Pilgrim Covenant Church invites you to enjoy the best of Christmas traditions all in one place! Join us for ornament making, cookie decorating, a Christmas movie, and indoor free play in our heated gym with coffee, hot cocoa and treats. There will also be a gift-wrapping station with everything you need to get wrapping off your to-do list provided. Wrap them yourself or let one of our volunteers take care of it for you! This is a free event; however, donations are welcome. All donations will go towards funding Granby Mom Group events and play groups in the new year. 605 Salmon Brook Street, Granby, CT.
St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church
Community Baked Chicken Dinner
November 17th at 12 noon - St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church at 73 Main Street in Westfield is hosting a Community Dinner on Sunday, November 17th at 12 noon. This community dinner will feature succulent Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast with Gravy, Butternut Squash, Green Peas, and Cranberry Sauce. Dessert served will be homemade Pumpkin Pie. Local Apple Cider, Coffee and Bottled Water will also be served.
Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Everyone is welcome. To purchase tickets and reserve your place, text or telephone Cliff at (413) 977-2007 and if leaving a message, provide your name and telephone number. Deadline for purchasing tickets is November 13th. A limited number of Take-Out Meals-To-Go will be available for pick-up at 12:30pm. When ordering tickets, please indicate if dinner is To-Go. All community members are welcome. Please join us for a wonderful and delicious Sunday dinner!
Wyben Union Church
Christmas Craft Fair
Saturday, December 7th at Wyben Union Church - The Wyben Christmas Craft Fair is taking place on Saturday, December 7th at Wyben Union Church, Westfield, MA. Attendees can look forward to a wonderful assortment of crafts & holiday items, handspun wearables, garden accents, handcrafted cards & journals, woodwork, and other unique wares. The Wyben 4-H Club will be on hand selling their fresh evergreen wreaths. All proceeds from the church kitchen (including the corn chowder luncheon and popcorn sales), baked goods table, and raffle sales are donated to a worthy cause; this year’s recipient will be the Westfield Food Pantry. Doors are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The church is located at 678 Montgomery Road, Westfield. Come and do a little shopping and grab a bite to eat. You’ll be supporting a worthy cause as you do!
Montgomery Library
Upcoming Events
NIA Every Tuesday at 10 am. You are invited to dance, no experience necessary just the desire to feel good, moving in your own bodies way. NIA is a meditative dance practice that integrates elements of dance, martial arts and healing arts into one joyful practice. Think the mediation of yoga and the grace of Tai Chi. This class is free and open to everyone.
Cookbook Book Club – Friendsgiving Edition November 21 @ 6:30 PM - Stop by the library and pick up this month’s Cookbook Club selection before November 21. We’re on the hunt for that perfect new side dish, appetizer, or dessert to impress your holiday guests then join a festive Friendsgiving on November 21 at 6:30 PM. Bring a dish inspired by your favorite recipe, and let’s share and savor each other’s creations. We’ll provide the beverages—you bring the flavor!
Yoga Wednesdays - Find your zen every Wednesday night at 6 PM. Reserve your spot by contacting Chris Brown at chrisbro40@yahoo.com.
Music in Montgomery - Enjoy live music every Thursday at 3 PM.
Kissing Balls Workshop with Julie & Laurie November 30 @ 10 AM - Make a festive holiday decoration! The $5 fee covers all supplies, except for pruning shears and any additional decorations you want to add. Pre-register at the library by November 27 to secure your spot.
COUNTRY PEDDLER
CLASSIFIEDS
GOODS & SERVICES
traprock driveways built & repaired. Gravel, loam, fill deliveries. Tractor services, equipment moved, York Rake. Bill Armstrong Trucking. 413-531-0498.
DELREO HOME IMPROVEMENT for all your exterior home improvement needs, ROOFING, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, DECKS & GUTTERS extensive references, fully licensed & insured in MA & CT. Southwick ONLY residential snowplowing. Limited spots available. Call Gary Delcamp 413-569-3733
RECORDS WANTED BY COLLECTOR - Rock & Roll, Country, Jazz of the 50’s and 60’s All speeds. Sorry - no classical, showtunes, polkas or pop. Fair prices paid. No quantity too small or too large. Gerry 860-668-5783 or G.Crane@cox.net
GOODS & SERVICES
Lakeside Property management - For all your landscaping needs. Mowing, new lawn installs, sod, mulch/stone installation, bush trimming, retaining walls, snow plowing/removal, etc. Serving Southwick, Suffield, Granby, Agawam, Westfield, Simsbury. Residential and commercial. Call Joe 413-885-8376. Give us a call and let us get that property looking the way you want it! Now accepting major credit cards.
