Western Mass Homes Lesley Lambert

Lesley's Life

Tobacco Season in Southwick, MA

I drive through Southwick, MA almost every day and as the growing season progresses, I get to enjoy the farms’ emerging lushness.

Prevalent in the farms of Southwick, MA is shade tobacco, a crop grown for cigars in this part of Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Yesterday I noticed one of the tobacco fields was teeming with teenagers working on the harvest and it brought me back to my teen years.

One of my first jobs was working on a tobacco farm in Southwick, MA. I started at 15 and because I was small and fast, I was able to make a good amount of money doing piecework. I was on a team of kids that went row by row tying the tobacco by string wrapped up the stem, but carefully between the tender leaves up to a wire frame above, then cutting the string with your fingers. I can still remember the taped callouses where the string had rubbed and I can still do the motions for the tying to this day!

Working tobacco was a right of passage in Southwick, MA when I was a kid. It was filthy and hot, but everyone did it and somehow we made it fun. There were field mice, tobacco worms (giant green caterpillars), 110 degrees or higher heat under the nets, tar stains on your hands and balls of tar on your hair and back breaking work, BUT it was a job.
Shade tobacco in Westfield MA
I had thought that kind of work ethic was gone until I saw the group of kids working in the field yesterday. I am glad to see that there are still kids willing to put in a hard days work for their paycheck. That lesson has brought me far and I know these kids will benefit from it, too.

Saying that makes me feel like an old fart, but so be it.

The Real Estate Wrapup

I am excited to share with you that I am going to be co-hosting a web based show called “The Real Estate Wrapup” or TREW. The show will begin production later this summer and will be featured on the Businews Channel.

My co-host and I will be discussing all things real estate, both from a local and national perspective. I will share with you when the program will air, but here is an intro video to get your attention:

Memorial Day in Western Massachusetts

I can’t believe that Memorial Day weekend is upon us!
It seems that we were just buried under record amounts of snow and wondering if we would ever see the grass again. Now we are preparing for the official kick off of summer!
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Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a holiday meant to honor and remember those who have died while in service to our nation. First observed on May 30, 1868, this holiday has turned into a large scale celebration of pride and gratitude.

While this three day weekend is a wonderful opportunity to gather with family and friends to celebrate the beginning of summer, it has a very serious root and I urge everyone to keep the true meaning of Memorial Day with them this year.

In 2000, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution was passed which asks that at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.”

My family enjoys attending a local parade on Memorial Day, many Western MA towns have them. It is a wonderful way to teach children the importance of remembering those that have given all to keep our country free and safe.

How do you celebrate Memorial Day in Western MA? Share your favorite parade, picnic spot or event.

Pool Time in Western MA!

Toes at the pool
This morning on my ride past the pool area at Stoney Hill Condominiums, the pool maintenance woman was vacuuming.

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start to pool time in Western Massachusetts!

I enjoy the pool at Stoney Hill Condos, especially since I don’t have to clean it! My daughters spend most of their free time swimming and enjoying the water.

As fun as pools are, there are some important safety issues, especially when their are children around. This link is a government page about pool safety and a great resource for parents and their children, alike.

Stay safe and enjoy! If you are at Stoney Hill Condos, see you poolside very soon!

Mother’s Day Reflections on How Being a member of the MuthahoodChanges You

I work hard all week long as a REALTOR in Western MA, but the job that is most important is my job as a Mom.
I am the proud mother of a 10 year old and 6 year old girl. These two ladies light up my life, and bring me much joy, but as I reflect upon my decade as a mom, well…I see some pretty big changes.
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#1- FREE TIME: While fairly minimal at all points in my life, free time has become one with the dinosaurs. When I am not working as a REALTOR, I am helping with homework, driving, cleaning, doing laundry (dratted laundry), cooking, grocery shopping, taking out the trash, watching yet another iCarly (barf), reading a cute book with the girls (yay!), helping with homework (because it still isn’t finished!), issuing a grounding, fetching a snack or any other in the number of “normal” activities that moms do.

#2- CLEAN: I have discovered that clean is relative. Clean before kids was white glove stuff. Clean now is,well…let’s just say an ever changing barometer is used to determine the proper level of clean. There is “I am fried this is clean enough clean”, “It is cleaner than it WAS clean”, “I will finish cleaning it tomorrow clean”, and the ever amusing “I am cleaning this until it shines clean and you will all help me goshdarnit clean”.

#3- PHONE TIME: There is no way to make a phone call when there are kids around. They can be napping, watching TV in the zone, playing contentedly but as soon as they see a phone in your hand they are needy , loud and insistent.

#4- ENTERTAINMENT: You used to see R rated sexy movies. You used to see mature comedy. You used to go to grown up concerts. Now you watch Disney movies and are grateful for the peace and quiet and the last concert you attended was the Wiggles or maybe Hannah Montana, if you were lucky.

On the flip side, you never realized how much you really really really need:

#1- HUGS: given for no reason, at a moment’s notice or upon request, there is nothing sweeter than a hug from your child.

#2- UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: What is better than “Mommy, you are so pretty, I love you”?

#3- PURPOSE: There is nothing more motivating than children. Each day I think I might give up and then I don’t. They are why.

#4- BEAUTY:Children slow you down and force you to see the beauty in things you would overlook. Suddenly you are peering at a caterpillar in a whole new light.

#5- PRIDE: I know, this is meant to be a sin, but I am so darn proud of my kids and that makes me happier than anything.

My mothering is imperfect and flawed, but I am happiest when working as a mother. I learned from the best of the best…my mother: Shelley (Sheila) who learned from her her mother and my kindred spirit: Myrtle Ryan.

These women sculpted me and are with me always. When I struggle as a mother I do one of two things: I call my mother or I ask myself, “What would Grandma Myrtle do?”.

Often I find the answer within myself, but I know who planted the seed of that answer…Shelley and Myrtle.

So, they weren’t perfect, but they loved me and did a great job. I am really, really not perfect, but I hope I will, too.

Enough with the deep , here is a bit of Mother’s Day Fun for you:

So, Happy Mother’s Day all you members of the “MUTHAHOOD”. Keep busting caps on the toothpaste!

By the way, if you were having a hard time deciding what to get me for Mother’s Day, I can help out….send me a referral! I love helping new people buy and sell their homes in Western MA!