Country Decembre 2015 - Janvier 2016

Instead of buying my kids’ Halloween costumes the morning of trick-or-treating, I got them two weeks in advance (my daughter strutted her stuff in a princess costume while my son did his best to be a scary giraffe). Right after that purchase I created the family Christmas card, updated my mailing list and picked out the cookies the kids will “help” me bake. I’m planning for birthdays, too, and not just the family’s. A big one coming up this summer is the National Park Service’s 100th. To celebrate, Country is now gathering stories from readers about the parks and putting together a collection to run in the June/July issue—find out how to submit your stories on page 64. We’re also sponsoring a photo contest called “Our National Parks.” Go to…

Teresa Ambord works from her home in rural northern California. As she writes, she’s surrounded by a posse of three small dogs who inspire her life as well as her writing. Her parents taught her to love dogs, and it was their dog, Mercy, that you’ll meet on page 66. Bill Sparling grew up in a little town in California and became a city dweller in high school. But he always longed for the quiet peace of country life. Finally, in 2001, he and his wife moved to the country. Read about his most memorable Christmas tree on page 22. Doug Leen is a former ranger with the National Park Service. He’s spent years saving and reproducing posters created by artists for the Works Progress Administration. See a selection of…

Dear Country… I received the October/November issue today and was thrilled to read about the Garden of the Gods, which is located in the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois (“Hidden in the Hills,” page 26). I was so excited that I had to share this picture with you. My granddaughter Kylee Ridgley married her husband, Ricky Smith, at Table Rock on Sept. 5, 2015. It was a beautiful ceremony. Kylee grew up close to the Shawnee National Forest and wanted to be married in the fall in the place she dearly loved. During the ceremony hikers stopped, looked at the happy couple and smiled before continuing their hike. The little dog in the picture belongs to Ricky and was the ring bearer that day. I hope you enjoy the picture…

Winter in New England is about as charming as it gets. The first snow of the year gently brushes strokes of white along country roads, churches and homes dating back to the 1700s. The atmosphere is cozy and warm—defying the cold in the rebellious spirit of this region. Just when you think it can’t get any warmer, Christmas adds another layer. The fragrance of fresh-cut pine trees blends with the crisp air. Festoons of lights and wreaths on homes and businesses create a feeling of welcome that will have Scrooges singing carols. A New England Christmas is a sight to behold. Some say that Woodstock, Vermont, is one of the best places to experience it. Located in central Vermont on the edge of the Green Mountains, it’s known for its…

Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church in Sherman, Texas, recently marked the 60th anniversary of its Nativity portrayal. The rendition was special not just because of the anniversary, but because of a spur-of-the-moment plot twist. An eager almost 2-year-old dressed in a bathrobe stole the show. When this young shepherd named Landyn saw his grandmother, who in the role of Mary sat quietly with Baby Jesus, he ran past the other shepherds and straight to her. He smiled at his Nana and put his arms out for the baby, which she gave to him. Then he turned around and ran as fast as he could, making a beeline to show his granddad what he had found. People who had gathered on the sidewalk to watch laughed at how cute and sweet it…

During the Christmas season in 2012, my husband, Ken, and I came home from church and noticed something on the front porch. We walked over to it and saw it was a basket of goodies wrapped and tied with a beautiful bow. The attached note read “On the first day of Christmas.” We were thrilled someone was thinking of us, especially after losing our daughter in September. The next night, we checked and sure enough, there was a “second day of Christmas” gift. Try as we might, we couldn’t catch the elf or elves who left those gifts and the ones that followed over the next nine nights. Finally, on the twelfth night, the elves knocked on our door. Our friend Charlotte Everett and her children Parker and Reese stood…