Fabulous Find Friday… The Cranberry Festival! Do you see those tents in the foreground on the left… and the tiny little lighthouse off in the distance on the right? Nantucket Island- where Farmboy and I celebrated our 20th Anniversary this month! Twenty years!! I thought that it would feel much longer, but its only been a blink in time. How can that be? I’m pretty darn thankful.

It was our first time to visit Nantucket and what a fun and relaxing time we had. Our room at the Centerboard Inn was spectacular (more on that later). We rented bicycles and pedaled everywhere we wanted to go on the island. Our dinners never tasted so good after all of that excercise! The meals were wonderful. There is quite a selection for dining out on the island. Loved our experience and meal at Company of the Caldron!

Our bikes are in there somewhere! I loved my basket.

A couple friends who frequent Nantucket recommended that we attend the Cranberry Festival and I’m so glad that we did. There was something for everyone and I learned so much!

There was a sheep herding demo…

and a very enthusiastic sheepherder. : )

There was a machine that drove through the bog and released all of the little cranberries!

Do you see the beauty?

And can you taste the deliciousness? Try this simple recipe.

These guys wrangle in those cranberries for harvesting.

And there they go… off to the grocery stores just in time for Thanksgiving.

Ok. so I have a tiny confession. I’ve never tried that can-shaped burgundy gelatin-looking 18oz cylindrical mass at Thanksgiving. Not a chance. Turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy… and no way that I was going to plop a slice of that round goo on my plate to join the yum. I did NOT see the merit.

Oh, but the fresh cranberry. Who knew? I highly recommend those little cuties in their natural state and I also recommend the Cranberry Festival. There was food, music, horticulture, agriculture, sheep herding and sheep shearing (just wait until you see my Wordless Wednesday photo/post for that). It could require an explanation…

Don’t you LOVE a good anniversary? Farmboy and I celebrated our 18th this year. When I hear other people say 18 yrs- I’m like, WOW. That’s amazing. When I think we’ve been married 18 yrs- I think… cool… that was fast… 18 years is no big whoop. Seriously, isn’t that weird? I love that 18 years feels like nothing- in a way. Don’t get me wrong. In today’s day it seems over 10 is a big deal and when I hear other people say it I think it is. But with us, I feel like 18 years isn’t very long… maybe because in the context of a lifetime- perhaps it’s just the beginning.

It really was yesterday that I hopped down the isle to the back of the church in my wedding dress not realizing that the entire church was still standing and watching. I was so excited to be married to “the one whom my soul loves” and glad that the wedding-planning hoopla was nearly over.  I heard the congregation giggle at each bounce. I kid you not. Maybe hopping wasn’t the most dignified way to express myself, but it was me and my heart was full, happy and thankful.

Every year Farmboy plans a trip. Most years we have celebrated by driving through New England in the Fall to enjoy the foliage. Last year I planned it… a little jaunt to Cape Ann. A smash I must say. This year Farmboy planned the trip only to share that we were having lunch in Saratoga Springs. I do LOVE a surprise!

If you know us you will know that we didn’t leave here until 12:30 pm which makes lunch at Saratoga Springs actually… dinner.  After showing Farmboy the racetrack (I had done a show there a number of years ago) and visiting Yaddo Gardens (always wanted to visit there!) we had a lovely dinner at DUO- a Fusion-ish Japanese restaurant with a Techno vibe. I had the Chilean Sea Bass with Black Bean sauce and Farmboy had seared Sesame Tuna with Seaweed Risotto. Seaweed Risotto… who knew?! Memorable and delicious.

To my delight and surprise the evening ended at The Interlaken Inn in Lake Placid, NY. Did you know that I have always wanted to go to Lake Placid??!!! The Interlaken Inn is such a find! In fact, I may have to do a Fabulous Friday Find about it! If you go to Lake Placid… stay there. Thank me later. Luxury linens, cozy room, dormered ceiling, claw-foot tub, pedestal sink + sky light = Room #20.  As if the grand piano in the foyer didn’t have me at “hello”. Just sayin.

Olympic ski jump festival… check. Fall foliage… check. Beautiful views… check. Romantic picnic… check. Delicious breakfast… check. Keys locked in the trunk… check. Huh? YEP. On the way out of town. 5 hours from home on a Sunday morning. Everything in the car… including the keys. Ran out get the proprietress some cards as a little thank-you.  Slam goes the trunk… you know how it feels. Noooo! I think the keys were in there. No big deal, right? “Honey, I think I locked the keys in the trunk”… “Why?” was his response. Hmmmm. “Because I no longer have the keys.” Thankfully Farmboy’s reaction is “it probably kept us from getting into an accident on the way home”. Love that guy! So… we went to town and bought the kiddos a happy while Mary, the proprietress, took care of everything.

Did I mention the breakfast at The Interlaken Inn? Morning light. Lovely. Refined.

The local garage couldn’t get into Farmboy’s fancy dead-bolt “Fort Knox” car. A couple of hours later, an old-timer locksmith did the trick and we were on our way home only 4 hours past what we had planned. There was still time for a “plein-air” painting on the way home even though I did leave my tube of Cadmium Yellow paint in the studio!!!! It’s hard to paint a landscape (trees) without YELLOW people! Yellow and Blue make Green!!!!

Nevertheless, put Lake Placid/Mirror Lake on your “to see” list. It really is spectacular. We will be going back and staying at The Interlaken Inn. For more information visit their website: http://theinterlakeninn.com