What’s in a name? Shakespeare’s Juliet seemed to think that names were of “little consequence” when it came to expressing true love. But for centuries before Shakespeare’s time, many cultures around the world held the naming process in high esteem. The belief that names often symbolize a person’s ch...

Vocational programs attract students who do not want to attend a traditional college or university. Prospective trade school students can keep this information in mind as they consider if a career in the trades is right for them. Students can often learn a trade and enter a related profession within...

Local libraries are invaluable resources for residents, including students and their families. The value of libraries has been recognized for far longer than many may realize. The Franklin Public Library, opened in 1778 in Franklin, MA, is considered the first lending library in the U.S. Since then,...

Modern children have somewhat different ideas of what constitutes entertainment, especially when compared to youngsters from a generation or two ago. While it was once commonplace for kids to be out and about with their friends riding bikes and spending time in each other’s backyards – only returnin...

Snow is falling – my mittens are calling. Wearing mittens never gets old. Ya know why? They are warm with knitted soft fibers and someone’s love. Mittens also allow your fingers to share body heat, creating a warm microenvironment with the hanging thumb welcomed into the huddle when needed. A must w...

There’s no place like home, especially when that home is a comfortable and safe haven. One of the ways residents find comfort in their homes is by maintaining the right indoor temperatures, which fluctuate along with the seasons. While there is much to be said about opening windows and doors to let ...

Snow days always bring to mind Mama’s cozy pine-paneled kitchen and the familiar wintertime aromas of roasting peanuts, beef stew and cherry pie. Being cooped up in the house (except for outside chores and feeding) meant Mama had to get creative to keep us from driving her up the wall. She had a sur...

With National Reading Month taking place in March and Read Across America Day quickly approaching on March 3, Discover Dairy has a new book available – “Curious Clover” – to help bring dairy farming to life for elementary and middle school students. The book is available in both English and Spanish ...

After providing a safe home, veterinary care and nutritious food, the best thing a pet owner can do for a dog is provide adequate behavioral training. Some of the issues that result in pet surrenders can be traced to behaviors that might have been quashed had the dog undergone thorough obedience tra...

Valentine’s Day is steeped in tradition. Giving flowers is a popular tradition each Feb. 14, and the National Retail Federation estimates that people spend around $2.6 billion on flowers for Valentine’s Day, when an estimated 250 million stems of flowers are sold globally. Valentine’s Day is the mos...

Efforts to revive small business sectors have helped countless communities regain their prosperity and sense of community pride. Those efforts have been wildly effective in many urban areas, and they also can help rural economies recover from the many challenges they’ve been confronting. Rural commu...

Slow cookers can be unsung kitchen heroes any time of the year, but particularly during the colder seasons. That’s because slow cookers take on one-pot meals with ease. A person simply places all the ingredients inside the crock, then returns in eight hours or so to a completely cooked meal. Certain...

Space is a sought-after commodity in real estate. Buyers prioritize numerous variables when searching for a new home, and square footage is often near the top of their lists. The real estate market has been highly competitive in recent years, and home prices have remained high as a result. That real...

Walking a dog on a leash is required by law in many towns. Leashing a dog prevents the animal from trespassing on neighbors’ property and keeps it from jumping on people or other animals. A leashed dog can be restrained from sniffing the waste of other animals, which may help curb the spread of dise...

Unless you’re a professional chef or a provider (parent, grandparent or dedicated aunt or uncle) who has been cooking for decades, you probably are not utilizing your spice cabinet to its fullest potential when you cook. Even still, you probably stick to a few familiar characters. A consistent flavo...