We had a very mellow Thanksgiving this year and we hope you did, too. The emphasis was on family and good friends. Laird's children, Ceilee and Jo, were here for a few days and Jo and Laird were the lead cooks for the festivities. The centerpiece this year was two of our own homegrown turkeys and we also enjoyed the bounty of our rich harvests this year. Several of the Rabbits came for dinner and brought some more lovely food. Sols parents Brian and Susan and her younger brother Mickey were here from Maryland and our good friend Gretchen drove down from Chicago.

The day after Thanksgiving saw folks scatter in different directions. Sue left for a three month stay with her parents in Montague, Michigan. Laird drove her there and they dropped off Jo in Chicago, where she caught a train back to school in New Hampshire. Laird participated in a joint birthday celebration for Sue's mom and dad while in Michigan and returned the following Monday.

Stan also left before first light on his annual trip to see his family in Canada. He is due home this Monday. Natalie and her girls headed off to St. Louis to meet her mom at the airport. She was joining them for their trip home to New Hampshire. Natalie, Persephone and Francesca are due to return in early January for an extended stay at Sandhill.

Ceilee back to Columbia Friday evening. He is in the final stages of getting his new business started and had a full schedule waiting for him when he got back. Sol's family and Gretchen also spent the day with us and headed home on Saturday morning.

A long-standing tradition at Sandhill is a home-made calendar for each month. They are done on large spiral bound art pads that hang in our kitchen sitting room. Members, visitors, guests and friends are welcome to try their hand at doing a month. Sol's mom did the last one for this year while she was here. It is a lot of fun to look through all the past calendars and see the creative ways that different people approached the task.

It has certainly been cosier with fewer of us on the farm. We have actually all been able to fit around the dining table for some of our suppers. Less people has meant some hopping to make sure the work gets done, but we have been managing.

This past weekend marked the close of this year's fair season. Michael and I were at the Christmas Fair in Memphis. The amount of work that goes into this event is impressive and the sponsors have a lot to be proud of. It was nice to see everyone and we look forward to the 2004 season.

We have decided to go ahead with a long-needed remodeling project on the smaller of the two rooms on the east side of Sugar Shack. Bekka is heading up the demolition phase and a good beginning has been made. Wiring, wall panel boards and insulation are disappearing. Gigi will be in charge of redoing the studs, windows, door and electrical work. Natalie will be reinstalling insulation and doing the dry wall work when she returns. Other members are pitching in where needed and it's fun to have something happening that gives us a chance to work together.