As this powerful day comes to a close, I share this as a closing prayer.
Lesley's Life
The TREW Show: The Real Estate Wrapup
Today I shot the first episode of the TREW show: The Real Estate Wrapup. My co-host, Nick Gelfand, and I will be shooting a new show each week for a web based channel of programming called The Businews Channel.
While Nick and I are both REALTORS in Western Massachusetts, this program is not geographically specific and will be a great resource for anyone thinking of buying or selling their home.
Each week we will discuss segments such as: Spotlight Property, Current Events, Set the Stage, Property Phases and many more. Our discussion is meant to be a quick way for people considering making a real estate decision to get great information and resources that will ease the home buying and home selling process.
We are interested in knowing what you would like us to highlight on the show and hope that we can be interactive with our audience. You can reach us on Twitter @TREWshow or email trew@businewschannel.com.
The first episode isn’t up, yet, but I shot this video for my Abouthom.es vlog….we can call it a sneak peek!
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.
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!
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.
