Let's make this birthday one to remember.

77 years old (Born on June 14, 1947)

Happy Birthday, Carolyn Chute! May your day be filled with enough beans and merry men to keep Egypt, Maine chatting for generations. Your novels have charmed us all; who knew that a small-town bean saga could sprout into literary greatness? Your wit is sharper than ever—and surely wiser than any scholarly lesson taught at The School on Heart's Content Road.

Here's hoping this year finds you celebrating new creative triumphs and perhaps fewer political tangles (although we secretly enjoy them!). Remember Carolyn: age only matters if you're cheese—or beans left too long in the pot. Cheers to timeless writing and many laughter-filled chapters ahead!