Welcome to the second issue of Prime for 2026! This installment coincides with what I hope will be a welcome change in the season and a harbinger of a traditional spring and early summer.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of this year’s traditional winter, and I’m totally ready to tackle spring chores. Anything is better than more cold and shoveling.
What’s on your spring to do list? If the change in the weather has brought on thoughts of, or dread over, spring cleaning tasks such as decluttering or downsizing, you’re in luck! Prime has tapped the expertise of a local estate sale expert, Chrissy Fazio of East Longmeadow, for advice on tackling this often overwhelming task. She shares tips on how to break decluttering down into doable steps, including how to handle sorting, saving and parting with everything from your prized collections to the holiday ornaments your kids made years ago.
Whether or not you have a green thumb, the rising cost of food may have you thinking about raising some fresh veggies this summer, and spring is the time to start planning and planting.
No space for a garden? No problem! Prime has tapped the expertise of Ed Sourdiffe, know on TV 22’s MASS Appeal morning program as the Green Thumb Guru, for tips and tricks on making the most of growing veggies in containers.
Sourdiffe explains why container gardening can be a good choice for those with limited time and space, bringing a “kitchen garden” to their back porch, patio, balcony or stairs. Such proximity can lead to healthier menu choices in addition to helping keep food costs down, Sourdiffe said. Container gardening can also be a slam-dunk for those with mobility issues, eliminating the walk to a garden plot and the need to carry tools.
Check out his go-to tips, and some perfect plant pairings to help provide a plentiful harvest!
But the biggest story in this issue has more to do with a season of life, not a season on the calendar.
It’s something every woman will go through, but up until recently, wasn’t something as openly discussed as we see now.
I’m talking about perimenopause and menopause - “The Change” - and all the physical and emotional ramifications of this time in a woman’s life.
I had the opportunity to attend a round table led by board certified women’s health nurse practitioner Kelly Tull, owner of Venus Collective Women’s Health and Intimacy of East Longmeadow, MA., where she discussed the wealth of information in the new book “The New Menopause - Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power and Facts” by board-certified OB/GYN, and certified menopause practitioner, Dr. Mary Claire Haver. It was an enlightening, insightful and affirming talk, and provided the basis for this month’s Health focus.
Though I wish I’d had much of the information Tull imparted a decade ago, I still found plenty that’s answered questions I still have, along with some tips to make this season of my life easier to handle. If you’re at any point in that season, I encourage you to give the article a look.
You’ll also find info on using the internet to find in-person groups to join in this quarter’s Tech column, as well as a curated calendar of things to do in April, May and June, and our recurring feature,Six Things You Need To Know. Check out that column for info on Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” appearing at Tanglewood on June 20!
May the much-anticipated spring weather bring you joy, peace and happiness, and as always, thanks for reading,
Debbie Gardner
dgardner@thereminder.com