I love Cy of Village Books. She never fails to make me smile. Today she was bopping all over the store – cashiering, manning the information desk, fetching books, giving people (me) the key to the restroom – AND she took the time to spend a few minutes chatting with me about how to prepare the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving (it involves putting an orange inside it). She brings me joy.

Regarding the cormorant photo – I belong to a group called “Crap Bird Photography” – and I’ve been waiting for maybe years to capture this moment. I don’t think any further explanation is necessary.

I was standing behind a young man at Wood’s who had a cap that said “annoyed” on the back of it and – maybe because I’m a former middle school teacher? – this just totally tickled me. I debated tapping him on the shoulder to find out more about his cap – but… would that be annoying? Finally, I could not help myself and I tapped. He turned around (he looked very much like my eldest son!) and I told him I liked his hat and asked him about it. He smiled and explained that “annoyed” was a brand name, and then he graciously agreed to let me get a photo.

At the top of the ramp to Taylor Dock I looked over and saw a sweet little family of deer – a doe and two youngsters – grazing just behind the fence. They didn’t seem at all perturbed by my snapping camera, and calmly moved underneath the ramp to munch on the apples under the tree, and get out of the drizzle.

The lights in Fairhaven were beautiful last night – reflected on the wet sidewalks and Village Green.