Are We There Yet?: Warm Up On a Cold Weekend

I posted a picture on the iBerkshires Facebook page the other day that said that Christmas was coming despite the mild weather we were having. As is common around these parts, two days later brings another story.

Man, is it cold! And the forecast for the weekend is not looking much better, with temperatures hovering only in the 40s. I know, it's November in the Berkshires, so what do I expect? And this column is not a weather report. So onward with some good (indoor) family choices for this weekend.

And what better way to keep warm than to snuggle in your jammies? Tonight, Friday, Nov. 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield will host  WeeMuse Pajama Night. The event, now in its third year, is free and open to the public. Each gallery will feature different stories and storytellers – for example, visit the aquarium to hear a story about the ocean; explore Spark!Lab and hear about inventors and inventions; and in Berkshire Backyard, listen to stories about woodland creatures just like those who live right here in Western Massachusetts. Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House series, and her sister, Natalie Pope Boyce, author of the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker series, will be special guest readers. An array of local officials and personalities will also be guest readers, including Van Shields, the museum’s executive director. Fun, educational and warm; can't beat that!

The Berkshire Mall is likely to be a warm spot on Saturday, Nov. 8, when the 19th annual Community Baby Shower will be held in the mall's Center Court. This free event, co-hosted by Child Care of the Berkshires and Berkshire North WIC, is for pregnant women and their partners, parents, and grandparents of young children. Agencies from throughout Berkshire County will be present and will have information on a variety of topics related to pregnancy and parenting young children. Some of the topics include infant development, nutrition, breastfeeding, infant care, preparing for baby’s birth, the importance of early literacy, and selecting child care, as well as many community resources for families and children. Additional activities at the event include blood pressure screening, craft activities for children and parents, and a StoryWalk featuring the book "Where the Wild Things Are." Nothing is as warming as thinking about babies ...

... except maybe volcanoes! Also on Saturday, Indie pop siren Elska, who has purportedly discovered a newly formed volcanic island off the coast of Iceland and makes “crazy awesome electronic funderworld faerie tunes for the whole family,” will perform a concert at Mass MoCA in North Adams at 2 p.m. And apparently, she’s the Bjork of kids’ music ... which might not mean anything to kids, but maybe some of their parents will know Bjork. And the volcanic island thing? You'll just have to see for yourself. (Seriously, because I don't really understand what that's all about just from looking her up on the Internet. If you go and find out, let me know!) Tickets are $8.

My last pick is a shout-out to Betsy Reali, the awesome music teacher at Williamstown Elementary School. She has helped organize a Veterans Day concert at 6:30 p.m. on Monday that features the Sixth Grade Chorus, Sixth Grade Band and Girl Scout Cadette Troop 40003. The concert is titled "United We Honor Our Heroes, Our Home: WES Sings for our Veterans" and will be held in the Williamstown Elementary School auditorium at 115 Church St. The concert is free and open to the public. Anyone who has ever seen one of the WES sixth-grade musicals knows what an amazing job Miss Reali does with the kids.

I'm sure this concert will warm your heart.

Rebecca Dravis is the community editor at iBerkshires. She can be reached at rdravis@iberkshires.com.