Never fear – you’ll still be able to get fresh, locally grown vegetables in December. The Kearsarge Market, located at Brookside on 51 East Main Street in Warner, is open this winter on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. My mom and I stopped by one Saturday to find naturally grown meat from Webster Ridge (www.websterridge.com) custom art quilts from Mary Will Sussman (www.marywillsussman.com), Cosmic Candles (www.cosmic-candles.com), and dip mixes and gift baskets from Dancing Hill Farm, to name a few. A few local farmers have green houses, so the folks organizing the market are looking forward to cherry tomatoes this winter. I thought it might be a nice place to pick up a hostess gift, a fresh baked goodie for a family gathering or local art for yourself. Mark your calendar for a trip to Warner one Saturday morning; you’ll enjoy the market!

Sandy Steen Bartholomew is one talented lady. So when I received a flyer that her new studio was open – just inside Wingdoodle at 19 East Main Street in Warner – I was there the next day. The Beehive (www.beezinkstudio.com) is a collection of her work, which includes painted furniture, stained glass, ceramics, rubber stamps, greeting cards and postcards. I’m leaving out the mixed media wall art, because I bought one and want to go back and buy the rest. (So don’t get any ideas, readers! Mine, mine, mine.) Sandy looks at simple things – like a word or a bird or a gingerbread man – and turns them into a fun, whimsical piece of art. If you’re looking for a Christmas gift or a fun card to send to a friend, be sure to check it out. Maybe you can stop by during the Warner shopping weekend that retailers are sponsoring on December 13 and 14?

I have a 8:30 a.m. meeting at Foot Hills in Warner. I get up at 6 a.m., so the decision is: do I eat breakfast, or do I wait and eat breakfast later? I love breakfast at Foot Hills so I decide to eat my breakfast later. I’m hoping I won’t get hungry halfway there, because when I get hungry I get crabby. It’s also hard for me to think, because I’m thinking about food. It’s also a 25-mile drive from Grantham, and there’s no real easy place to stop for a snack on that stretch of interstate. So it’s a pretty easy decision when my stomach starts to growl at 7:20 a.m. I eat a small bowl of granny’s apple granola (organic from Trader Joe’s), thinking that I won’t make a total pig of myself over a plate of eggs in front of a person I am meeting for the first time. Well, no surprise here, I order the Mexican omelet and still eat the entire thing, without any pauses for air. So much for my theory. At least I didn’t talk with my mouth full!

That’s what Diane and I said after our day in Warner. I had an interview at 10 a.m. with local entrepreneurs, and Diane went door to door meeting folks. We met up at Brookside to see Mary Morris and all her wonderful artwork in Woodsum Gallery’s new location. (I couldn’t help myself and bought one of J. Ann Eldredge’s limited edition prints. It’s being framed now at New London Gallery.) My interview was with two of the nicest people, and Diane had a morning of meeting nice people. Don’t you love that? We ended our day with lunch at FootHills. My haddock sandwich was divine – I loaded on the tartar sauce – each bite was crunchy, salty and sweet. I’m still thinking about it. Anyway, get over the sandwich LJ, if you have a day with nothing to do, I highly suggest Warner. With two museums, plenty of shopping, various lunch options, and some really nice people, you’ll have a good day.

I won’t tell you who I interviewed (it’s for either the fall or the winter issue) but I will give you a mystery photo. You might be able to figure out who it is?

I have many favorite stories of Jim, but this is one I’ll always remember. It was summer of 2005 and I was calling retail stores to see if they’d like to sell my new magazine. I called MainStreet BookEnds in Warner and asked to speak to the owner, and it was the owner on the line. I asked his name and he told me, then I said: “I’m starting a new magazine!” He said, “Good for you!” It was a simple response, but one that made me smile. I had heard a lot of responses to starting a magazine – primarily, “What are you, crazy?” – but Jim was supportive from the beginning. From what I know of Jim, he was that way to everyone, and especially to his town of Warner. He will be missed.