Just got back from Thanksgiving in Vermont. It was filled with family and food...very nice and just right. There was hope that we would have snow for the holiday, but didnt. My sister in law knocked herself out with delicious food, comfortable beds, pleasant talk, plenty of tea and coffee and space to stretch out and talk with all the sisters, brothers, cousins and inlaws, outlaws etc. There were dogs to play with, apples to see, wonderful blue hills, and high skies. Our hostess created a list of tasks around Thanksgiving from cooking to tablesetting that we were all encouraged to sign up for which made it really fun with our assignments and an opportunity to work with everyone. This is well worth remembering as it works for everyone including the hostess...and gives us all a chance to help in a defined way. My brother supervised apple wood cutting and the smoker so we could have two different birds--a roasted one and a smoked one.

We had a little tour of Woodstock on Friday with a chance to go to Gillinghams (R. bought a shovel and I bought dish soap and bath soap). They had a remarkable selection of things (as usual) with the Christmas things (gorgeous advent calendars, bright red wool bags, ornaments, bottle brush ornaments, papergoods, bay candles,) being showcased and a glorious, perfect collection. Hammonds candycanes and candies abounded in millefiore confection. Each store was filled with glorious things from felted enormous mushrooms surrounding the clothes for your little ones for the holidays, wooden scenes of animals and creches, lovely little playhouses to go over card tables with embroidery and beautiful workmanship. We went to the holiday fair at the Woodstock Inn with a very nice collection of handmade things-- I bought a few things for friends and was tempted by quite a bit. I revelled in the amazing wreathes and swags, and holiday decor available at the Woodstock Farmers Market. Pepperberries, Juniper berries, giant sugarpine cones abounded. And it all smelled heavenly.