Thanksgiving Weekend

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you all have a safe and happy holiday. The day after Thanksgiving is the official start of the Christmas shopping season and most of the shops in our area are having sales to celebrate. Shopping our local downtowns is a really nice alternative to fighting the traffic and crowds at the mall. It also supports the local community and preserves the character of our region that makes us unique.

On a personal note, if you are looking for handcrafted jewelry, pottery, glass, wood, or fine gifts, consider stopping by the Hawkins House craftsmarket in Bennington, Vermont. This second generation business was started by my parents in 1977 and is today run by my wife Elizabeth Ganger. It's a really fun store that is well liked by both locals and travelers (many come year after year). The Hawkins House is located on North Street, two blocks north of four corners in downtown Bennington.

Thanksgiving is also traditionally a popular time for hunting, so remember to wear red or orange if you are out hiking this weekend. I'm not personally a hunter, but hunting is a vital part of wildlife management and the license fees also support a wide range of non-game conservation programs.

Again, have a great holiday!

Early winter in the Shires

Everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving, so not a lot of events this weekend. I love this time of year. The leaves are down and you can see a lot when hiking outside.

Hunting season continues, so if you are hiking remember to wear red or blaze orange. Cold weather has stopped the black flies and mosquitos, but it's prime season for ticks, so remember to check carefully for unwanted "visitors" after you hike. Ticks in our area carry Lyme disease so this is important. Remember, Lyme disease takes at least 24 hours to transfer from a tick to you... so as long as you check and remove any ticks you don't have to worry about catching the disease. Common Lyme Disease symptoms are aches, and flu-like symptoms MINUS the runny nose. (With runny nose, it's probably the flu!) A bulls-eye shaped rash often occurs at the site of the bite, but not always. Lyme is easily cured if caught early. If you have had a tick on you for more than 24 hours, and show symptoms, you should consult your doctor!

Vermont: one of the best places in the world.

Here is an interesting bit of information for you... Vermont scored high in worldwide stewardship ranking. We have been named one of the best places in the world for stewardship and authenticity by the National Geographic Society. Vermont placed fifth in the world and first in the United States. The rankings have been published in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Coming this November:

The Bennington Museum presents their Annual Festival of Trees from November 27 and December 18. Live and Silent Auction Gala on December 18. November 28 features the very popular Children’s Holiday Shopping Day for kids from 4 – 12. Prices range from $1 - $7 and include gift wrapping. This is very special. Look for more holiday festivities in our Chamber Newsletter this week from the BenningtonMuseum.