After a recent snowstorm, my husband beckoned our daughter to the front door and told her to look out on the front sidewalk. There, clear as day in the fresh snow, was a trail of animal prints.

Noelle was delighted, and we spent the next few minutes from the warmth of the house guessing what animal could have left those prints. It was a probably a cat, we decided, although we rarely see stray cats in our neighborhood. We do have woods behind our house so we regularly see rabbits and deer and a woodchuck every now and then.

Say what you want about winter and snowstorms and snow days from school (oh, joy!), but the opportunity fresh snow presents in seeing the wildlife around us

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My family was first introduced to Jack and Annie of the Magic Tree House series in a most unlikely way: Wendy's.

A few years ago, well before my 7-year-old could read, Wendy's gave away CDs of Mary Pope Osborne reading her popular series with their kids' meals. We scored "Good Morning Gorillas" and proceeded to listen to it in the car over and over — and over again.

Thus began her love affair with Magic Tree House. We attended a reading in Stockbridge a couple years ago of the Christmas book that Pope Osborne herself attended. We have purchased and borrowed from the library many of the other books, and they have sparked my daughter's imagination

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Humane Society's new monthly television talk show, "Purr, Wag, Adopt ... with the Berkshire Humane Society" debuted on Tuesday on Pittsfield Community Television.

The 30-minute show, which is scheduled to run on Tuesdays at 4:30 and 8:30 p.m and Wednesdays at 4:30  and 8:30 a.m. on Channel 16 is hosted by Executive Director John Perrault. 

"This is something that we've wanted to do for a long time," Perrault said in a phone interview. "Our hope is that you'll learn something new every time you tune in. We'll be addressing current events issues, basic pet health and behavioral

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The cupboard is bare again at the Adams Friends of Animals' Pet Food Pantry. The year-old group of volunteers has been providing pet food to families in distress in cooperation with the Berkshire Humane Society.

Board member Roy Thompson said the pantry serves up to a dozen pet owners each week, helping them ensure the four-legged members of their families are fed properly.

But the donations have dropped off even as the need has increased; people on fixed incomes or those out of work are having trouble caring for their pets.

"We run out every week now and when we get it, we get it in small doses," said Thompson of food donations. "We use to give it out every 30 days,

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ADAMS, Mass. — The Town Clerk's office wants to remind residents that it's time to license your dog.

All puppies age 3 months and older must be licensed, and all dogs over the age of 6 months must have an active rabies vaccination in effect in order to get a license. The town will not issue a license without proof that the dog has received a rabies shot.

Licenses for non-spayed or non-neutered dogs are $20 each; the cost for spayed or neutered dogs is $8 each.

If your dog is newly spayed or neutered, bring a statement from your veterinarian, and you'll be eligible to receive the lower-priced license.

Licenses not purchased by

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