Since the Litchfield Hills have been discovered by celebrities, it has become common to see the likes of Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder wandering around downtown New Milford, or driving through the hills and valleys of Litchfield County. Connecticut, it seems, has become Hollywood East, and last spring it played host to writer-director Rebecca Miller, who filmed her latest motion picture, "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee," here.

"Historical silences have largely contributed to the invisibility of the indigenous peoples of southern New England," wrote Schaghticoke elder Trudie Lamb Richmond in 1994. "Local histories have reduced our existence to a few short paragraphs in their writings. We are often discussed in the past tense and seldom in the present. But we have endured and survived in spite of being fragmented, factionalized, Christianized and Americanized. Our tenacity, our resilience, our stubbornness, and our beliefs enable us to continue and work toward rebuilding who we are: the indigenous people of this land."

Puppeteer Jim Henson believed life is meant to be fun, joyous and fulfilling, and he satisfied that dictum by providing millions of children and the young at heart with decades of laughter through his adorable Muppets. He also served as an inspiration for countless puppeteers.

With the economy struggling to recover, many are looking past materialism and focusing on the importance of family and togetherness. Hunt Hill Farm, taking a cue from the economic downturn and taking to heart the adage "home is where the heart is," is inviting its extended family to enjoy "A Hometown Holiday," the theme of this year's 37th annual Christmas tree and exhibition.

We all had imaginary friends at some point during our childhoods, friends possessing elaborate personalities who were our confidants, the repositories of our greatest fears, hopes and triumphs. But what if that friend were to hang around unnoticed and suddenly reappear one day in adulthood.