Hilltown Families 
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year It’s the Winter Solstice! This year on December 22nd. The actual blessed event is three minutes after midnight on the 22nd, so we...
Post-Hurricane Irene Report So I went down to Shelburne Falls to see all the looters. Big shopping baskets full of well-made crafts being pushed up the hills, disappearing into random houses...
Hurricane Irene Report Update You know how much I love going overboard, well, you know this Cajun music festival we’re having on Thursday, September 1st with Joel Savoy and David Greely?...
Why It’s Comforting to Live in the Country We have three people from Goshen, MA who come to Elmer’s every Sunday for breakfast. They are a family: a brother (Dana), a...
The Wonderful World of Rob Yesterday I got to experience the full and secret world of Rob. In the Usual World, Rob and I work together, but generally separately on just...
Mystery Solved Okaaaaay! Now isn’t this better? I know that some of you are thinking it’s hot, but just remember some of the things I’ve said and with these you can...
The Great Cheerwine Mystery So what I think is most interesting is what is happening when you’re not around. Allegedly, nature abhors a vacuum, right? So you have this house that’s...
Fat Tuesday! So, when you think, “Nan is down in New Orleans for Mardi Gras!” you are probably not thinking, “Babysitting!” But I am today! Nina and Lola and their friend...
Big Dance Party Tonight for All Ages! Last night I dreamed that we were all set up at Elmer’s for a huge and gorgeous birthday party for one of our customers....
Night of Love and Chocolate! GRANDPARENTS AS FACEBOOK FRIENDS I just got friended by my dad on Facebook. Me, I got nothing to hide that I would show on Facebook anyway,...
Things That Happen When You Think They’re Not Going To My friend Nancy from Minnesota visited my friend Stuart in New York a couple of weeks ago for Christmas, and, Christmas...
Happy New Year & Happy Birthday Now we are in the hammock week of the year. You start out the year in January and, well, the year is like an egg....
Back to Our Story… And now it’s time to tell the further adventures of Mr. Justin Jones! As you may recall, last year at this time, Justin was fourteen years old...
Strange Coincidences I have a friend named Dave Taylor who I worked with in New Orleans. Dave now lives in New York. His best friend is named Seth Bernard. Seth lives...
Just in Case You Were Wondering … One day a few weeks ago, while walking down the sidewalk towards Elmer’s, I thought, “It’s almost Halloween! I should make bark-like faces to put...
Ashfield Fall Festival! Wait—Last Sunday in the middle of the 183 people coming in for breakfast, someone said to me, “Do you have those little individually wrapped butters?” And I said,...
Pirates ho! That’s right—we will be celebrating National Talk Like a Pirate Day with Greg Ruth, the book’s illustrator, at Elmer’s. He will be reading and signing his book from 10am...
My Day at the Fair I was very tired at the Cummington Fair because we had a booth where we sold pulled pork, spare ribs and BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. I decided...
Sex in the City Village I was in New York City on Wednesday! They have lots of well-dressed people there and lots of windows for you to look into while you’re...
Oh Summer! (Second Verse) Lawd, it’s hot! Now you see why southerners talk slower—it’s just hard to get up the energy to get worked up over having something to say. While...
The Quirks of Northern Gentlemen Last week I told you about Jim’s leaving and Donna then announced her retirement from the grocery and produce departments, as well. Happily, I am the...
Notes from Nan: Jim, Oh Jim done gone. By HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati One of the problems of having a tiny restaurant with an outstanding certified chef is that he...
Notes from Nan: And now, Spring. BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati You know what I like about snow? It piles up. You know you’re getting somewhere with it. Unless rain...
Notes from Nan: The Weather BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati I was just writing to my friends in New Orleans, telling them that day before yesterday it was 40 degrees...
Notes from Nan: Happy Mardi Gras! BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati My Favorite Overheard Conversations of the Past Week: The first, on the Dangers of Winning the Superbowl and Having...
God Bless Y’all Every One! Oh, you are some generous people! I called Regina Jones day before yesterday and said, “Regina Jones! I got a song to sing for you.” She...
Notes from Nan: Justin Jones I have a long story to tell in a short space. From 1985 to 1999 I lived in a low-income neighborhood in New Orleans. One day...
Notes from Nan: Admonition of the Week in Which You Learn a Whole Lot About the Restaurant Business BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati – So, there it was: Sunday morning...
Notes from Nan: Why I Never Invite You to My House for Dinner – BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati – Last week some people were coming to dinner at my...
Notes from Nan: Locally Made Fundraiser & Ashfield Fall Festival BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati Hey! You know what is one of the coolest ideas ever invented? Sanderson Academy coming...