The unusually warm fall we’ve had this year has made it difficult to believe that the holidays are creeping right up on us! We kicked off the holiday shopping season this past weekend with our annual Christmas in the Country Open House.

This time of year is busy for everyone and we thank those of you who stopped out for a little Christmas cheer. The hot apple cider and yummy homemade snacks were especially good on cold, windy days like we had over the weekend.

If you weren’t able to make it out to our open house, not to worry! We will be open Thursday - Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm from now until Christmas. The shop is still decked out with holiday gifts, so you still have lots of time to buy for yourself or someone special.

If you enjoyed our Christmas Open House, you might be interested in another Holiday Open House coming up next weekend…November 18 & 19. Jackie Wright is a good friend of our’s and she opened a new garden and gift shop in Alburnett, Iowa this past spring. She has a beautiful garden and a real knack for decorating. Check out the details for Little House Country Garden & Gifts Christmas Open House. We are planning some fun events together for next spring, so you can expect details once we get through the cold, winter months.

So now what? Believe it or not, we still have a little garden work to get done before winter sets in. Hopefully Old Man Winter stays away for a little while longer! It is always sad to see the garden get covered in a blanket of snow, yet it is also nice to get a short break. Though, it really isn’t much of a break, because we are already planning for spring!

We are excited about the new opportunities that come with the recent addition of our new hoophouse. I hope to have the 2006 Hosta Listing completed and on the website before the New Year. And like I mentioned above, we look forward to working with Jackie to coordinate some fun events and work shops between our businesses. 2006 is already looking like a fun filled year!

May your holidays be filled with happiness and joy!