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The Francis William Bird Park is an 89-acre landscaped reserve in Walpole, Massachusetts, and commissioned in 1925 by the industrialist Charles Sumner Bird, Sr. in memory of his eldest son, Francis William Bird who died of pneumonia at age 37. He wanted a family-friendly space for carefree recreation in beautiful surroundings. The park's rolling lawns, meandering pathways, and streams are the perfect place for families to enjoy outdoor activities in nature. more 1. Meander Through the Park Take a relaxing stroll on the more than three miles of walking and bicycling paths that wind their way through the park. Wander through green meadows and leafy woodlands, past water features and frog ponds, and across babbling brooks on beautiful stone bridges. 2. Play Tennis or Basketball Bring a few friends and tennis rackets along and enjoy a game on one of the four well-maintained tennis courts. The park is also a great place to shoot some hoops and have a picnic after all the exhilarating activities. 3. Fun Sled Rides When there is enough snow on the ground, take a sled ride down the slope next to the stone stage. The park also offers a yearly President's Day sled ride where the Friends of the Park will be waiting for you with free steaming mugs of hot chocolate! 4. Picnic Under the Trees Roll out your blanket on the green lawns in the shade of mature trees and have a relaxing afternoon reading or just enjoying the tranquility. Unpack your picnic basket and have a peaceful lunch or sit on one of the benches scattered throughout the park and listen to the songbirds in the trees. 5. Ample Space for Kids to Play The park's rolling lawns provide ample space for you and your kids to run, kick a ball, or throw a frisbee. At the Tot Lot, the little ones can have loads of fun in the sun, but there is enough shade around the play area to cool down in. Sit under one of the trees and enjoy the scenery while allowing your kids to burn off some energy. 6. Park Events The park hosts fun-filled events for everyone throughout the year, from fun snow days to educational self-guided walks. Here is always something interesting happening. Keep an eye on the events calendar on the park's website for more information. 7. Volunteer Program The program allows you to combine your love of the outdoors with service by caring for and preserving the park for the community and future generations. There are different types of volunteer programs you can join to help keep the park in pristine condition. Visit the park's website for more information on the volunteer programs. Come to the park and spend some quality time with your family and friends in this beautifully designed space. Roll up your sleeves and volunteer for one of the programs. The park needs all the help it can get to continue to be one of the community's most beloved places. Visit Jack Madden Ford today and explore a wide range of new and pre-owned Ford vehicles. Photo courtesy of Pexels |Cropped from original

Ordering takeout or delivery can help reduce stress after a long day of work. These four popular places for takeout and delivery in Norwood are here to help you provide a hot, delicious meal even on nights when you don't feel like cooking. more Broadway Pizza and Grill Pizza is always on the menu when you're considering what to order for takeout or delivery, but Broadway Pizza and Grill offers so much more than just a tasty pizza. Calzones, sub sandwiches, grinders, salads, chicken, burgers, gyros, fish and chips, and more await you at this versatile restaurant. The nice thing about having such a large menu is that everyone in your family can get what they want rather than having to settle for pizza if they really don't want it. Popular pizzas include the chicken pesto pizza, the eggplant pesto delight the veggie deluxe pizza, and the herbivore pizza. The cheesesteaks are extremely popular as well, but don't forget to order baklava for dessert no matter what your entrée is because locals rave about this sweet treat from Broadway Pizza and Grill. Casa Loca Cantina Takeout Mexican food from Casa Loca Cantina will keep your family full and happy. The portion sizes here are massive, so you can either get a few entrees to share or save some of the scrumptious food for a second meal. Either way, you will be delighted with the flavor and presentation of any entrée you order from Casa Loca Cantina. Popular entrees at this restaurant include fajitas, empanadas, carnitas tacos, the Tijuana chicken quesadilla, and the Cajun salmon. As with other restaurants on this list, there are plenty of different foods to choose from so that everyone can order something they like. The service here is also excellent and will be one of the reasons you return over and over again. Shabu Lee Japanese food, Chinese food, and sushi are on the menu at Shabu Lee. Asian food is a standard for delivery and takeout, but finding a place that provides hot, delicious Asian food, fast is sometimes a challenge. Well, Shabu Lee has it down, and your meal will be one that you rave about for weeks. Traditional Chinese hot pot is a local favorite, but the sushi also gets high marks. As with many Asian restaurants, you will get more than you bargain for in terms of portion size. The takeout boxes are literally stuffed full and you won't pay a lot either. This means you will be able to get at least a couple of meals out of your order for one low price. However, the quality of the food does not suffer one bit for being on the cheaper side, so you win on both accounts. To Beirut The owners of To Beirut pride themselves on serving up authentic Lebanese and Greek dishes to its customers. You will find traditional meals such as kabobs, shawarma, falafel, Greek salads, grape leaves, and more on the menu, but for those who are not as adventurous, this restaurant also offers traditional American food as well. In fact, it offers one of the best cheeseburgers in the city, which is surprising considering its cuisine focus. No matter what kind of food you're craving, there is a restaurant in town that offers it for takeout and delivery. The four restaurants listed here are some of the best around, but it is certainly not an exhaustive list. For additional restaurant recommendations, drop by Jack Madden Ford and speak with one of our local residents who can give you the names of even more hidden gems.   Photo courtesy of Pexels

New England is an area rich in history and much of that history stems right from the Boston, Massachusetts, area. Regardless of whether you're just visiting Boston or you've lived in the area for years, you can learn a lot by taking one of these top tours. Walk Into History The Walk Into History Tour is one of the Freedom Trail Foundation's most popular tours, and it begins at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center. This tour is offered daily at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m., and you can expect it to take about 90 minutes to complete. On the tour, you'll learn about revolutionary history at stops such as the Massachusetts State House, the King's Chapel and Burying Ground, and the Old Corner Bookstore. There is a fee to take this tour, which varies based on age, but children under the age of 6 are free. more Harvard Yard in Ninety Minutes Learn more about the interesting history of Harvard by taking the Harvard Yard in Ninety Minutes Tour with a local guide. Guides tell stories of the religious battles that defined the founding of this well-known university, and you'll hear about some of its patriots, like Sam Adams and John Hancock, whose political and religious ideas were the basis for the American Revolution. Discover how Harvard played a role in the Civil War and see the residences of past presidents and movie stars who attended this school. The beautiful architecture of the Widener Library and Memorial Church can also be seen when you take this tour. Schedule this tour with a local guide. Salem Walking Tour Not far from Boston is the historically significant town of Salem. If you're interested in the history of this place, you should definitely take the two-hour Salem Walking Tour. On the tour, you'll learn more about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as well as visit other historic locations. See the Derby House — it was built in 1766 and was the home of America's first millionaire — and walk down Chestnut Street to view the stunning 19th-century mansions that line the way. Explore the historic waterfront and learn about its significance to the area, both past and present. Revolutionary Women Women played an important role in the American Revolutionary War, and on the Revolutionary Women Tour, you can find out more about these incredible ladies who changed history. This tour will last approximately 90 minutes and is available in March on select Saturdays and Sundays at 12:45 p.m. You'll hear stories about women such as Anne Hutchinson, Harriet Tubman, and Susan B. Anthony, among others. Stops at some of the locations where their voices were heard and works were published will provide insight into what it was like for these women who had no idea they were making history. Taking a guided tour in a historic city like Boston gives you a better understanding of the area. When you go on one of the tours listed here, you'll leave with new knowledge and fun memories that you won't soon forget.

Are you new to Boston or planning a trip to the area? Do you need a place to go where you can relax with a good book or pick up a copy of your favorite one? The city is full of fun sights and shops for even the most seasoned book lovers. If you're a fan of books, be sure to check out the following spots when you're in the city. Brattle Book Shop Brattle Book Shop is one of America's oldest and largest used book shops. At Brattle, you'll enjoy three floors filled with books. Two of the floors are full of your everyday used books, while the third floor features rare and antiquarian books, maps, postcards, and more. If you're looking to sell some books, Brattle has experienced buyers available throughout the day. For the extreme book-obsessed, Brattle also offers experienced staff that are ready to help decorate homes, movie sets, or whatever other projects might come up. more Trident Booksellers & Cafe Does it get any better than books, food, and drinks? Trident Booksellers & Cafe is located on Newbury Street and offers a full menu of delicious food and drinks, as well as good reads. You'll enjoy the contemporary book shop with many selections ranging from fiction to philosophy. The cafe takes up two levels and features specialty items such as their signature vegan cashew chili, vegetarian Tebetan momos, sandwiches, and all-day breakfast. There's nothing better than a good book and tasty food. Stop in, discover a new book, enjoy some good food, and sip on some fresh tea or cider from the tap. Boston Public Library The Boston Public Library is the world's first free municipal library, as well as America's only public Presidential Library and home to the papers of John Adams. At the Boston Public Library, you'll stumble upon current bestsellers like the 1623 First Folio, William Shakespeare's first collected edition of his works. The library's Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center includes an exhibition gallery for various exhibitions, a learning center filled with research books, a special reading room for rare map studies, a large world globe, and fun kids' nooks. Make sure you set aside an entire day so that you can adventure through this fun, historic library. Boston Athenaeum Another must visit location is the Boston Athenaeum. It is one of Boston's largest and oldest membership libraries, as well as the city's first museum of fine arts. A few well-loved collections include George Washington's personal library and art by John Singer Sargent. You'll get a chance to explore the many galleries, view fine art, and enjoy an art and architecture tour. The Boston Athenaeum also features scheduled exhibits for more fun and learning. If you'd like to check out a rare book, you can schedule an appointment with the library to get a look at some books from their permanent collection. Whether you live in Boston or you're planning a visit, book lovers will want to make sure they set aside many hours (or days) to check out all of the fantastic book sites the city has to offer.