A Fresh Year, Seen Through Faithful Eyes
January 13, 2026
This may seem like an unlikely pairing, but as I was thinking about the new year stretched out before us, fresh, unwritten, and full of possibility, my thoughts turned in an unexpected direction: to my two faithful companions, Finley and Murphy. Finley is my 10-year-old Labradoodle, and Murphy my 8-year-old Standard Poodle. They have been my constants in a life that has not always been so. While seasons change, calendars flip, and plans evolve, they have remained steady present, loyal, and always ready to greet a new day with enthusiasm. When you stop to think about it, our pets are wonderful examples of how to approach the new year. That’s what I find myself encouraging you to do as well: take a moment to look at the year ahead through your pet’s eyes. As we close out the past year, this season naturally invites reflection, on the good, the bad, and everything in between. Too often, we replay those memories with judgment, disappointment, or regret. We dwell on what we wish we had done differently or moments we wish we could undo. Pets, on the other hand, do none of that. They don’t carry yesterday’s mistakes into today. Each morning, they wake up with tails wagging, ready to begin again, grateful for the simplest joys, a warm bed, a kind word, a familiar hand reaching out for a scratch behind their ears. Learn More
Two Towns, One Christmas
January 13, 2026
This past weekend, I experienced one of the most magical Christmas adventures of my life, an adventure through two of the most Christmas-themed towns in Pennsylvania, and perhaps even the country. Our first stop was a town that proudly calls itself “the town that saved Christmas,” and after learning its story, I wholeheartedly agree. That town is Wellsboro. Before World War II, most Christmas ornaments came from Germany. When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, a British blockade halted imports, cutting off an estimated 250 million ornaments needed to decorate American homes and businesses. At a time when the country was already reeling from the effects of war, even Christmas seemed at risk. Enter a small town in Pennsylvania’s Northern Tier, not far from the New York border. There, a Corning Glass Works factory, then producing light bulbs, rose to the occasion. Upon hearing of the ornament shortage, the factory retooled its machinery to mass-produce glass Christmas ornaments under the iconic brand name Shiny Brite. Christmas was saved. The factory ultimately produced millions of ornaments and, at one point, more than 90% of the world’s Christmas ornaments, earning the region the title “Glass Christmas Ornament Capital of the World.” I had always known Wellsboro as a Christmas mecca, famous for its glowing gas lampposts and month-long celebrations, but I hadn’t realized the historic reason behind its holiday significance. Learn More
Turning the Page: Discovering New Traditions in a Season of Gratitude
January 13, 2026
Holiday traditions continue to turn, like pages in a book, and I have learned that we must be prepared for what is found on the next, unseen page. We have a choice in how we react to what we find on the other side, there may be surprising plot twists, new characters introduced, love, loss, or even mysteries to solve. We can choose to respond with wide-eyed wonder and anticipation, or with dread and apprehension. This truth became abundantly clear to me as my family, and I recently celebrated Thanksgiving. This year was different in many ways, yet beautifully the same in all the ways that matter most. The first new page in our Thanksgiving book appeared when my two sons, my twins, David and Matthew, along with my husband and I, decided it would be a great idea to participate in a Turkey Trot. For those unfamiliar, a Turkey Trot is simply a nicer way of saying a Thanksgiving Day 5K race. I should note here that both of my boys are experienced runners, one having competed in NCAA Division I for Temple University. My husband and I, however, while faithful to our gym routine, are certainly not seasoned racers. Learn More
SHOP LOCAL AS AN ACT OF PATRIOTISM
December 2, 2025
As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th birthday in 2026, our thoughts are already beginning to turn to who we are, where we came from, what we value, and what has sustained us as a community and a country for nearly two hundred and fifty years. One of the most enduring American traditions, long before online shopping became the status quo, is the tradition of supporting your local craftsmen, entrepreneurs, and neighbors. Today, we call it shopping local. Years ago, it was simply called being an American. I am sure many of us can remember the trips to the corner store for penny candy, or the stops at the local dairy where our milk came in glass bottles and, if we were lucky, Mom would buy us a pack of Lance crackers from the glass jar on the counter. When we shop local during the holiday season, we are a part of something that reaches far beyond the exchanging of money for items. It’s a small but powerful act of patriotism, a way to support self-reliance, community pride, and neighbor-to-neighbor support that built this country. This entrepreneurial spirit was seen very early on in the establishment of our Juniata River Valley, as our founding mother, Dorcas Buchanan, and her husband ran a trading post. When you think about it, the trading post was a very important part of any community. It’s success or failure often determined if a settlement would prosper. It provided the very essentials settlers needed to survive such as tools, food, clothing, ammunition, and more. Learn More
