A Small-Town Story For America's 250th Birthday I like to joke that my birthday is a national holiday. But the real national birthday is almost here... and it's a BIG one. America turns 250 this July 4, 2026! Fifty years ago, America was celebrating its Bicentennial, and I was eight years old. When I think back on those years, two memories immediately come to mind. The first is the American Freedom Train rolling through Potter Place in the spring of 1975. The second is Andover's Bicentennial...

It always amazes me how some traditions take shape- quietly, guided by the candlelight of one person. And become much more. Growing up, annual Christmas Eve party was our mom’s gift to her children, and to our friends and family alike. For weeks ahead of time, Mama, my sister, and I bake, planned, taste-tested, and prepared for the gathering. The stand-up freezer in the basement became filled with lasagnas, pies, and decadent treats that became traditions of their own, our mom talking us...

One of my favorite stories as a child was The Gift of the Magi . You may remember it, too. For Jim and Della, giving doesn’t come from abundance—it comes from within. Della sells her most treasured possession... her long, beautiful ha ir... to buy a gift for Jim. Not just any gift, but a watch band. A simple, perfect one. Jim’s watch is deeply sentimental, though the band has long been broken, and she wants to restore something he loves, something he carries with him each day. At the very...