Giveaway!

Did you hear? It's Better to Give Than to Receive.

Lo and behold, it's another giveaway on Mercantile Muse. Do you like beautiful sunsets? Do you like the country?  Well, then start warming your fingers up, hit the keyboard and enter to win a 5x7 archival art print of my photograph Barn Rye.

It features a field of rye, waving in the sunset, in front of a New England barn.

We have the most glorious sunsets here and I'd like to share this one with you.

This giveaway for the Barn Rye print begins today and will close on February 16th at 11pm est.  I'll announce the winner the following day.

All you have to do to enter is: 



*Follow this blog (check out the right hand sidebar for ways to follow), and tell us how you're following in the comments.

(if you already 'follow' and 'like' Bates Mercantile Co. & Mercantile Muse, just say so in your comment)

Earn one extra entry for each of the following:

*Visit Bates Mercantile Co. and comment on your favorite item.

*Like us on Facebook, and let us know you did.

*Spread the word about this Giveaway (receive one extra entry for each way you share this giveaway):

            *Blog about in a post

            *Tweet about

            *Tell your Facebook friends

            *Pin this on Pinterest

 

            *Stumble it on Stumble Upon

            *Tumble on Tumbler

           

            *Put a button for this giveaway on your blog. Giveaway button     

              available on the button page of the Muse (see navigation bar under   

              header). 

Best of luck to all of you. The most recent giveaway prize, my Louis Louis in Pink print, is currently enjoying a nice trip to South of France on it's way to Cari-Jane's house!

Thanking You..........

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to link up and spread the workd about the Gotta Have It/Gotta Blog It shop and blog link up party now underway. If you're an online shop owner or blogger, be sure to link up if you haven't already. If not a shop owner or blogger, you must check out the link up and see all the wonderful things and places being linked up.  Very cool!

Freeform Friday

It's cold here. Sunny though. Hope it's the same where you are. Enjoy your friday. Take a break and enjoy a little classic Fleetwood Mac. (click here if you're reading by email).

Have a fantastic weekend. Ours will include a couple of neighborhood SuperBowl parties in honor of our New England Patriots, who will surely take care of the Giants. Sorry Giants fans, but you already stole one from us. This one's in the bag. 

LET'S GO PATS!!! BRING IT HOME!!!

Ciao for now,



BLACK FRIDAY SALE at the mercantile

Savings for YOU

It's Black Friday, as most of you know. I have to say, I'm not a rush out and be there at 6am kind of gal. In fact, if I take advantage of any black friday sales it will be from my keyboard. If you're like me, here's a deal for you........25% off storewide at Bates Mercantile Co. now through next Tuesday (I threw an extra day in there for good measure).

Use coupon code FF11BF25 at checkout and enjoy big savings on whatever tickles your fancy......perhaps the customizable notecards above?

Bird Is the Word

How Was Your Thanksgiving?

This pretty much says it all for me- brother Bill carving the bird.

More tomorrow.

Enjoy your day. I'll do the same.

See you on the flip side,

Ah, Thanksgiving.

Many Thanks To Give

I love Thanksgiving. It's a wonderful start to our holiday season here.  The food is out of this world.  It's a laid back time with family.  It's a day to remember just how blessed we are.  It's a day to give thanks.


I give thanks that my sister in law Kel and brother Bill who host Thanksgiving.  After years of my Mother being the host, they took over years ago and do a stellar job of it every year.

I'm thankful for perfect company and nice potholders. Just thought I'd mention that Kel.

Grateful for a perfect table setting.  Kel always takes care to make it special just like the whole day.

Truly thankful for a perfect bird.

I must steal some of the dark meat with a piece of skin as brother Bill carves the turkey. It's mandatory.  Looks like my niece Maddie is trying to horn in on my spot.

A closer look at the bird.............being de-stuffed.

The stuffing and turkey are my favorite part of the meal. Hands down. And I'll take mostly dark meat please.  Kel still makes my mother's stuffing recipe with bread, sausage, onions, celery..........heaven.  As you can see, our stuffing is cooked in the bird and I wouldn't want it any other way.

I am also thankful that we get to take the remains of the bird home. It'd be a terrible thing to waste. Tomorrow is 'making soup day' here.

The biggest question of the day........Who will win the Thanksgiving Pie-A-Thon this year? Patrick or Joe? Both nephews are obviously trying to recover here.  I think Pat's got the right idea on the couch. By the way Joe...........didn't Pat win last year? I think there was just one little bite of pie that Joe couldn't put away.  Some rugby player.....wait till the other guys get wind of that.

Alas, one of my favorite turkey pictures of all time. These birds are part of the Winnicutt Road Gang, hanging at Lone Tree Hill in the field across the street. Seriously. Do you think they can read?

A few more gratefuls:

*Good health. Without that, you ain't got much. 

*Thankful to Dr. Branton, Kristen and Lindsey who finally found a way to give my mother relief from horrible nerve pain from arthritis in her neck. SO thankful for that team. You're doing much better this Thanksgiving, huh Mom? Woohoo!

*Our servicemen and women, especially those who are away from their families at this time of the year. Their sacrifices are many.

*A roof over our head, a bed to sleep in, a pillow to lay our heads on, wood to put in the fire, and food on the table. I do not take these things for granted. Neither does Gar.

*I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We are truly blessed with the most awesomest (hey, I can make up words, it's my blog) people in our lives.....family, friends, neighbors, customers, coworkers. You know who you are.

*The hardworking G Man and my lazybones hound Lucan. My own little family.

What and who are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?  I'd love to know.

Don't eat too much and don't forget to breathe.

I have to get back to the potatoes, the pie and the parade.

Enjoy the day and all that it means,

PS-STARTING AT 12AM BLACK FRIDAY-shop at Bates Mercantile Co. and use coupon code FF11 to receive 25% off store wide 11/25- Tuesday 11/29. WOW, what a deal!!!

PSS- If you have an online shop on etsy or elsewhere, or you have a blog, don't miss our current link up which started yesterday! Join the fun.