Remember way back in history on 11 August (yes, just this year) I told you how busy a week I was having with friends and activities?    Well, it happened again today compressed into one day.  So, here goes briefly.

This is the weekend that the Congregational Church across the street has its Mistletoe Mart, the Episcopal Church on the corner has its Christmas Bazaar, and the Orchard School from Alstead has now changed its Christmas Craft Bazaar to this weekend in the Town Hall.  To all that add the farmer’s market in front of my house.  I will admit, that today I have never seen so many people in town for well into the afternoon.  It was nice, and it was a sunny warm day.

Farmer’s Market today in Walpole.

I cross the common from my house (on left with porch, car and shop) to Congo Church

I always enjoy going to the Mistletoe Mart.  No longer need any “stuff” but I always find

MISTLETOE MART

some nice handmade Christmas items or gifts in one section of the mart.  Today I did well with some items for grandchildren (I know, I know, too young to have any!!!), another miniature tree for my forests that I set up in the kitchen, and more candleholders – yes I am hooked on candles and candlesticks as a “hopeless romantic.”

Today is also the day that neighboring Marlow has its Christmas about town, and I debated but thought no.  But while waiting to enter the mart I was talking with Carolyn and Gretchen and they said they were going later for lunch.  The doors opened, I found my treasures and trotted them back home before continuing on the the Episcopal Church and Town Hall.

Walking home I said to Ray, “dummy, if you see Carolyn and Gretchen ask them if you can join them for lunch in Marlow.”  I saw them on the common, they said yes, and would stop by once they were done in town.   So, off we headed about 11:30 on pretty back roads (Gretchen grew up in the area) with me picking her memory for details of the area.

This neat building is the Methodist Chapel, now the Marlow Historical Society.  Lunch is Soup, Bread, Desert, Coffee for $5.  I treated the girls.

Marlow Historical Society

And here is “downtown” Marlow, looking west from the historical society.  The buildings open for the event all have steeples.  And typical of all New England steeples, they look ready to fall over.

Downtown Marlow, NH

My favorite building in town is Jones Hall.  Library is on ground floor, and the second floor has the most fascinating theater with balcony, etc.  Someday I will try to get in to get some artistic photos.  I measured the width of the floor boards – twenty-three inches – barely legal per the King’s edict.

Jones Hall

Ticket window

A couple quick photo studies: one of the two ticket windows on the first floor of Jones Hall prior to going upstairs to the theater, and a window study in the church in the center of the street view.  Sorry, no rocking chair studies today.

And, then it was time to head to the Fort at No. 4 for the Harvest Dinner.  Last weekend at a benefit dinner auction I won tickets for the event that Cathy and I used to go to.  The fort is a wonderful recreated 18th century treasure in Charlestown, just north of me.  It has been years since I have been there, and I asked my CLARION cohorts, Rob, Barbara, Jan, and his wife Jean to join me.  We all had a grand time.

Wine and cheese was served for the first time in the Parker House.  Most folks did not realize this was there, but I read all the detailed information ahead of time — the fires were cozy and, of course, all lighting is by candle.  Here are Rob, Jean and Jan.

We had dinner in the Doctor’s House and not the Great Hall.  More intimate, even with the  cramped tables.  From past experience I knew the light level, and impressed everyone when I whipped out this pewter candelabra (from today’s Mistletoe Mart) for added illumination.

And, there was entertainment.

And were we surprised to be greeted with snow on the ground when we went back outside.

It was worse on the way home on Route 12, and there was an accident south of and just outside of Charlestown. And I am now home safe and sound listening to sand trucks drive by the front of the house.

Thanks for reading through.  A CHRISTMAS CAROL continues, but I never know what else will pop up along the way to share.  Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY, as always, yours, RAY