The Puritan war on Christmas

Puritans were not ones for ostentatious displays, especially when it came to the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In fact, even a mention of it would get you a fine or worse in early New England. The early Puritans worried that celebrations led to drunkenness and then wanton sex — or Catholicism, …

And — just like that — they’re 5

This weekend, the grandtwins turned 5 with a family party on Saturday, though their actual birthday was Sunday, as they liked to remind me throughout the party. I’m not stupid. I know they are angling for double the presents, but no. I already bought them bikes a few weeks ago, and ball gloves this weekend because …

Happy birthday, Isabella Beecher Hooker

Born on this day in 1822 in Litchfield, Conn., the ninth child (and third daughter) of Lyman Beecher and his second wife, Harriet Porter. Isabella grew up a committed abolitionist, and suffragist. She and her husband, John, wrote a bill that granted to women the right to own property. She pushed for votes for women, rewrote …

How will you honor the Rev. King?

Jac sends these links — this one and this one — about how people will honor the Rev. Martin Luther King, whose official birthday is coming up on Monday. I really love the effort in “Kentuckiana,” creating 40 days of peace around Dr. King’s birthday.  

Happy birthday, Letha Dawson Scanzoni, feminist extraordinaire

Letha Dawson Scanzoni, she of multiple books, treatises and articles, turns 80 today. Go out and celebrate as you see fit.

And, just like that, he’s 31.

We called this his “Disturbed Poet” picture, but really, he was just a hard-headed little kid who didn’t like sweaters because they scratched. So when he was forced to wear this sweater for picture day, this is the picture we got. He was actually a happier kid than this would make things seem, and now …

This is Frank.

I did not know him then, but that doesn’t matter because today, Frank turns 60 and I want to take this opportunity to say: 1. He still has these trunks — or the grown-up version thereof. 2. He still has the same body type. 3. And I love him. Happy birthday, Frank.

Happy birthday, Leftover

This blog would not be the same without you.

Goodbye, Ron. See you at the Bluebird.

We will mark the passing of Ron Georgeff, a hell of a journalist, and a really good man, this morning at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford. That’s Ron in the blue sweater, standing in front of a crowd that gathered for his 70th birthday last year. Ron was the national editor at the Hartford Courant for a …

The “I Have a Dream Speech”

Because it’s still beautiful and oh-so-relevant. As you probably know, the Rev. King’s actual birthday was Jan. 15, but we’re taking today to mark it.