Mendy’s note of gratitude

Dear Fieldfare Friends,

I have two apologies straight out of the gate! First, for the delay in my newsletter. I had some technical difficulties that were followed by some physical impairments (#gettingoldsucks) and couldn’t use my right hand for most of the weekend. However, things on the Fieldfare front have been quiet this last week anyway with Skye moving house in London and the Thanksgiving holiday on this side of the pond. But we will continue to shout that Issue 3 is out and about! (Second apology is for the rhyming.) It really is a fantastic issue and we’re trying to bask in that for a couple of weeks before we have the discussion about whether we will be able to make another one.

We don’t have any family that live near us in Upstate NY, so we opted for a gathering with some of our dear friends with a feast in the greenhouse on our neighbor’s farm. (You can read all about my flower farmer neighbor in Issue 1) It was a fair amount of work to get it setup, but it came together nicely and there is a certain satisfaction to be found in working with people you admire to make something you can enjoy together.

It was all very Fieldfare – showcasing the simple beauty of this place where we all first met and connected. We set the perfectly worn market tables (still bearing the chalk marks of stem and tomato prices) with Melissa’s collection of vintage transferware and the bronze cutlery I inherited from my mom. Denise snipped eucalyptus and rosemary growing in another greenhouse to adorn the makeshift burlap runner. Our partners and children helped move chairs, string lights, peel potatoes, unload vehicles, make pies, and figured out very quickly we would not accept any decorating advice. We welcomed new-to-us neighbors and it was all so very wholesome (apart from a small bout of gluttony). I am grateful for the lived experience of community. 

Our Friendsgiving Friday Table

I’ll leave you with my gratitude for this Fieldfare community as well – writers, readers, commenters, onlookers, cheerleaders, and armchair critics. It takes all kinds! We appreciate your presence, your feedback, and your encouragement. Please continue to reach out and we thank you for your support. 

Mendy xx