Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons and give thanks.

My dear friend Anne always sees the Gifts.

She has taught me more about life than perhaps anyone else.

Two perspectives that have helped so many times over the years 

..Allow people to fall so that they may rise, and everyone has different abilities. 

Which when you realize, makes for less shaking of the head and more compassion and grace.

There are gifts in all things.

Missed opportunities. Wrong turns. Heartache.

The ham I saw Wednesday at the grocery, wedged in the rack of organic chocolates, 

could have been seen and judged as someone who was too lazy and inconsiderate to return it to the meat department.

Or it could have been there, left by someone with a different head about them, in divine order, to remind a poor stressed mother of three trying to keep her wits about her 

the night before she was to cook for 8

..that she forgot the ham.

A ripple. A bigger picture we cannot see yet.

Presents waiting.

~~~~~

Probably every small town is just the same.. 

Here in Skantown the night before Thanksgiving is THEEE biggest night of the year!

All the kids are home and everyone is out to play :)

Went down to Creekside to listen...DANCE...yep I actually kinda danceddd. (you cannot help it!)

to The Mere Mortals

 Mike and sisters Julia and Emma

Loveee them <3

Always cRaZy FUN when they're in town!

Music here is the best kept secret that really should be let out
It's been awhile..used to go allll the time
Think I should start again..might help pass these long winter months up ahead

Right after this I dropped my little take everywhere camera and it smashed to smithereens 

~~~

Thanksgiving

My favorite holiday of all.

A collective consciousness of gratitude.

Early Thanksgiving morning walking down to the annual Turkey Trot

Gathering

GO!

Finish line

 Anne's sweetloves.
Precious little trotter Julia in her uncle Byron's arms xox

Coffee, juice, and Bloody Mary's on the Sherwood Lawn

 Breakfast

..a little hair of the dog from the night before.

...must remember to eat SOMEthing before going out.

~~~

Milli girl could not get home so we did things a little differently.

Set dinner up in the living room instead of the dining room

Being the most perfect weather and since we weren't eating until later, I decided not to fuss and to spend as much time outside in walking prayer as I could.

Two years ago I saw a sweet lady in the grocery the day before Thanksgiving 

She was buying a tiny cornish hen and a small sweet potato.

Went down by the lake and wept.

The hardest part for this heart of mine especially this time of year. 

Those who are sad and alone.

I have so regretted not inviting her.

 simplesimple appetizers
..always way too much food on this day.

My very favorite ironstone platter and the fork Lacy and I HAD to have..found at a local estate sale.

Got a tiny Organic 12lb turkey this year...63.00

Seams like maybe a lot of money but a small price for a life I think.

 sweets of hearts

 <3 

 Look who's down in the bottom corner!

Carolyn!!

Her back end was completely paralyzed. After 5 months of crate rest...recommended by Dachshund specialists, she's 95% better!!

Running, skipping and laughing again! 

..just a little humped and crooked sometimes.

YAY CAROLYN <3 <3 <3!!

 One, not 6 deserts. Told you simple.

Baked apples with vanilla ice cream

~~~

Friday

Kick off to Dickens' Christmas!

The costumes always so pretty and handsome 

Hey Byron!

 Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past

 Father Christmas

 He tried to scare me

:)

 santasweetface

 Been watching the asbestos siding come off this house all week

Soooo pretty the wood underneath.

Sadsadsad to think they are going to reside over it. Breaks my heart.

Be on the lookout!

The Creekside Elf will be hiding these each weekend til Christmas

Return to Creekside Books and Coffee for free gift card!

 Scrooge at Creekside looking at cookbooks

 Look Brent!
The Beekman 1802

Heirloom Cookbook!!!

Next up Christmas
Used to be sucha crazyyyy Christmasgirl!
Thought I would pop waiting til Thanksgiving was over to deck the halls top to bottom inside and out.
Christmas consumerism and greed slowly crept in and stole it from my heart.
This year I will turn from the stores, endless music on the radio..in shops, and forced obligations.
I will look for the gifts of natural beauty and the twinkle of love.

Where Women Cook, Dare and Dream

Jo Packham, publisher of the magazines Where Women Create and Where Women Cook, and her wonderful photographer Tiffany Kirchner Dixon, came to town again this week to do photo shoots for both magazines.

Two years ago when WW Create came here it was a total (ish) breeze.

Leaving the house to have coffee with friends when I got a call that they were "just stopping by".

Jo and her photographer Dana ended up staying 3 hours and doing a photo shoot right then and there!

The house and I were just as we were. It was what it was and it was fine.

This time I had more notice for WW Cook

which made me panic!

I used to be a, but not lately, (but maybe newly ignited) cookergirl.
...and I'm reeeallyreally shy about having my picture taken.

Corralled (begged) my Lacy who's an amazinggg cook in to help.

...mamas do get worn out after all the years of thinking, planning, shopping, preparing...time to pass on that ole torch

Lacy made Home Fries with Poached Eggs and Cheese (sooo good!), I made oven baked Puff Pancake, and we both made, Baked Apples with maple syrup, Cinnamon Toast, and fresh squeezed orange juice with san pell and mint

It was a bit C R A Z Y with the oven situation and CAMERA but we did it!

I don't remember what ANYthing tasted like but every bit got eaten :)

The night before we met for dinner at Joelle's French Restaurant just up the road.

Appetizers by the fire 

There's cute Jo in her cute little skirt :)

current issue

Patience Brewster, Jo, Shelly Kennedy and Tiffany

Patience was to cook too and they were shooting Shelly's studio for WW Create

I adore them all <3 

Chef Joelle's precious gifts to us

 Squash carrot soup

!!!!!

Roasted romaine salad. No, really..!!!!

 Alain our Host kept our glasses full and treated us like Princesses

Champagne with Edelweiss

...told you PRINCESSES

 Divine little mushroom parcels

 Muscles to perfection

Alain serving Joelle's specialty

Moroccan Tangine

 Heaven.

Joelle even made me gluten free choices. Potatoes instead of the traditional couscous and risotto for the mushrooms. So very sweet of her.

1, 2, THREE Deserts!!!

 COOKERgirl  Extraordinaire..Joelle came to visit after our amazing feast

We could feel her love intention in every bite

x o x

My house 9 AM THE NEXT MORNING....cRaZyCrAzY..2hrs. sleep

Tiffany

Fell head over heals in love with her xoxox

 x o x

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By Thursday morning I was feeling rested and up to fighting a cause dear to my heart.
Headed to Binghamton NY for the DEC public debate hearing on Hydrofracking

 so cute and generous of time and love

 My dear friend Mary who brought the awareness of the dangers of Hydrofracking to our town

 LOVE her! SO brave and KNOWS what she's talkin' about!

 Caretaker of our signs

Not allowed inside the hearing

 Fluttering of fingers...YES

 NO
Boooo

 My girl Mary speaking on the dangers that evening

flutterflutterflutter

...still can't stop giggling how 9pm that night we could not find our car and needed the aid of a taxi!

A lot of brain cells were used that day!

~~~~~~~

Ending the week with the magical dreamworld of Patience Brewster

Her Annual Holiday Friends and Family Sale

Treasures galore!!

so want a crystal ball!

:)

 Always so pretty, EVERYthing Patience does <3 

The warehouse takes your breath away!

 He'll be here before we know it!!!

...they really do come true.