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Our Grail
By Linda Barnette
Like the knights of old who traveled far to find the Holy Grail,
My son and I searched for our family grail today.
We found it in the woods far from anything,
A ghostly specter of what had been our ancestral home,
No longer watching proudly as the sentinel it once was,
But broken and barely standing, neglected but sublime.

I thought of all the family reunions, gatherings, and such
That when I was a little girl I used to dread so much.
But as I saw it there today so lonely and alone,
I wished for one more golden day that I could go back home.

My ancestors will never know that
I cared enough to search for them today.
But I am here because of them
And my son because of me,
So the spirit of a family abides
For all eternity.
 
Hildene
By: E. Bishop
A great place to visit in Manchester, Vermont and learn some history is Hildene. This name is taken from two old English words “Hil” meaning “hill” and “dene” meaning “valley with stream.” The name fits perfectly. Right in front of the (Robert Todd)) Lincoln Family Home portico (Hildene), there is a section of lawn that is manicured detailing the smallness of Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace. It is a statement to remind people of where this famous family’s humble beginnings started.
Robert Todd Lincoln was the only child of President and Mary Todd Lincoln to survive into adulthood. History tells an interesting story of this almost not happening. When Robert was 17 years old, while a student at Harvard when the Civil War broke out, he was saved from serious injury or possible death. The incident occurred on a train platform in New Jersey when he became stuck on a switching track. Edwin Booth (whose brother John Wilkes Booth was President Lincoln’s assassin) saved Robert by getting him out of harm’s way just in time.
After the Civil War and the assassination of his father, Robert Todd Lincoln achieved much success in his own right. An 1864 graduate of Harvard, he served as U. S. Secretary of War under James A. Garfield, U. S. Ambassador to Great Britain under Harrison and was president of the Pullman Car Company, the largest manufacturing corporation in the country at the time.
At the turn of the century, Mr. Lincoln and wife Mary built the summer home named Hildene and moved into the 24 room Georgian Revival style home in 1905. The house was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1977. In 1978, Friends of Hildene raised money to purchase the estate to save it from developers. They then proceeded to restore the home and formal gardens you can enjoy today. The estate consists of the home, 412 acres, 12 miles of trails, 600 foot floating boardwalk, formal and production gardens, working farm with solar powered goat dairy and cheesemaking facility, 1903 restored Pullman Palace railcar, and a telescope observatory perched on a hill overlooking beautiful mountains and countryside.
Robert Lincoln’s granddaughter (Mary “Peggy” Lincoln Beckwith) inherited Hildene in 1938, at the age of 40. She was Abraham Lincoln’s great-granddaughter, but thought of herself as an ordinary person. But, she was far from the average woman of the time, enjoying financial security and freedom to enjoy life. An exhibit at the home celebrates her life and interests. She was the last member of the family to live on the estate and abiding by her grandmother’s wishes, she willed the mansion to Christian Science Church, which eventually agreed to sell to the Friends of Hildene.
The estate embodies a true legacy of deep commitment to conservation, stewardship, sustainability and education. Another great treasure, saved from the wrecking ball, for all to enjoy.
 
Chinese New Year 2025
By Denise Bell
I love a celebration, especially birthday and New Year. They both are times of reflection and renewal for me. Clean Slate. Aspirations and Resolutions. The passing of yet another year. I like to check my horoscope on the first day of 2025, just to perhaps get a glimpse of what might be in store for me this year. What is this “new” year going to bring? While I was looking up my astrological horoscope, I fell upon the information about the Chinese New Year and a different horoscope. The lunar calendar is an astrological calendar which is in sync with the new moon.
The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February.
Based on the lunar calendar, every year is connected to one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. I have known this since I was young. My family would go out to eat at a local Chinese restaurant we all love. The placemat was the one with all the 12 animals. While we waited for our food, we would all find our zodiac animal. I was born the year of the Monkey—witty, inventive, playful and curious. I can see that might be close to true.
Chinese New Year is a festival that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In 2025, the Chinese New Year will begin on January 29, and the celebrations will continue for fifteen days. This is a time for family reunions, special food, music, and celebrations. It is also a time to honor their ancestors and share good wishes for the new year. This upcoming Chinese New Year is celebrating the year of the Wooden Snake. Each sign will experience the energy of the year differently.
There are many ways we all can celebrate the Chinese New Year. For me it is another theme for a craft or an outing with my grandchildren. With Pinterest, YouTube etc. the possibilities are endless. I plan to make lanterns with them. Greensboro has a celebration in February at the Historical Museum. Maybe we will plan a road trip and yummy Chinese food.
I am grateful to have learned so much more about another culture, the traditions and beliefs. I hope to continue to learn new things through the year, whether it is predicted by the stars or the moon. I am sure this year will be joyously eventful. Happy New Year!