Garden report: The peonies are several inches high, the hosta, crane bill geraniums and day lilies are up. It’s time to get the wave petunias and plant green beans.
A weekend of sunshine, what a gift.
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A different kind of light will be visible May 8 when downtown gives off a blue glow to honor all the workers on the front lines. The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and the Business Improvement District invite everyone to drive downtown at 8 p.m. Friday to see the blue luminaria on the common, along with blue balloons and blue ribbons decorating posts and trees.
I will see if using blue magic marker on plastic wrap or wax paper and covering a flashlight creates a blue light.
For those who attended the luminaria in December on the common, you know the sight is magical.
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Liz Welsh, president of Amherst Neighbors, sent an email saying people can register to join by visiting amherstneighbors.org or calling 413-345-2555. She said the group offers wellness and check-in calls and has a list of resources available. She said the group will try to provide some virtual social events and discussions. The group was ready to launch when the pandemic hit.
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Amy Crawley, chair of Amherst Arts Night Plus, sent me an email about virtual programming. The May 7 art walk, 5-8 p.m., will be aired live on Amherst Media, Ch. 15. It can also be streamed at http://161.77.57.225/CablecastPublicSite/watch/2?channel=2
The program, which will air twice during the 5-8 p.m. time slot, consists of gallery presentations, area musicians and artist discussions. Galleries featured this month include The Bower Studio (artist: Opertura), Amherst Visitors Center (artist: Ricky Darell Barton), the University Museum of Contemporary Art (artist: Avital Sagalyn), Gallery A3 (artists: Laura Holland and Janet Walerstein Winston), and the Unitarian Universalist Church (video: “Journey of a Wandering Angel”), she wrote.
The O-Tones, Chris Smither, and The Jazz Mesmerizers will perform.
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The wait is over — here are my thought on toilet paper. Of course there would be a shortage when basic rolls consist of 132 sheets. Some packages boast that the six rolls equal 24 rolls. But that is misleading. The standard toilet paper roll is 1,000 sheets. Doesn’t everyone know that? Therefore, when the packages boasts it is a triple roll, it is really only one-third of a roll.
CVS sends emails about sales. Several month ago I could get 12 1,000-sheet rolls for five dollars and change. I clicked the offer to my card. I buy items on sale and save them to bring to my family in Rockville. The offer came twice more. When the toilet paper shortage hit, I had 36 1,000 -sheet rolls. If I were an entrepreneur, I could have doubled my money. However, the rolls will get to Maryland eventually.
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Keep well, keep safe. See you from my car on Friday. Look for a blue flashlight.
Send items for the Lehrer Report to phyllehrer@gmail.com.
