Adopting a rescue pup leads to dark side of the animal trade

How our daughter Lily met Nina in the summer of 2007 is a contemporary love story: Girl fires up computer, clicks to www.Petfinder.com, sees pup of her dreams, and the music swells. Petfinder is an online matchmaker for people looking for pets of every scale and stripe — from labradoodle puppies to pythons to pigs. Roughly 310,000 homeless animals are available through the nonprofit in Massachusetts alone. A North American clearinghouse for rescue animals, Petfinder features adoptable pets from 13,000 rescue agencies registered with the website, of all types and sizes, from mom-and-pop operations to larger rescue efforts such as Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society.

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Pinterest a digital corkboard that's gaining traction

Oh, you pretty things. Just look at the mama giraffe nuzzling a baby giraffe, that lovely idea for an indoor planter made of mason jars and those perfectly cooked bacon strips cooling on a plate. This is what people are circulating on Pinterest, the latest website-of-the-moment for sharing things you love.

Gardener's checklist

Start seeds of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli indoors. Unless you're planning to host a major cabbage festival this year, don't start too many seeds at once. Stagger sowings at two- or three-week intervals through spring to have a continuous harvest through summer and fall. I like to start about six seedlings at each sowing.

From the editor

Jo Glading-DiLorenzo's cover story on the rescue pet movement was a difficult one to write. It was hard to separate the emotion surrounding animal abuse from fact - and there is a dearth of information on animal cruelty.

Bread pudding for breakfast? Savory strata adds sparkle to brunches

Bread pudding conjures up sweet, dessert memories for most people, but this homey dish has a savory side too. It's called a strata, and you can even serve it for breakfast.

Style Stop: Ashley Novak

Ashley Novak of Southampton was on a cigarette break from work at Shop Therapy in Northampton when the Hampshire Life style team's interest was piqued by her floral stretch pants. Novak says she put the outfit together in a hurry - she woke up late for class at Smith College.

ID: James Edwin Durfer

When the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade steps off this Sunday, Jim Durfer will be leading the Northampton contingent as its parade marshal. Durfer, a veteran of both the Navy and the Marine Corps, is well-known in Northampton thanks to years volunteering with youth sports teams.