Signs of Christmas are a-building: For one, parents and friends of Edgecomb Eddy School students and staff, remember next Thursday, Dec. 18, to come enjoy the kids' All-School Winter Concert, 6 p.m.

For a tantalizing, goodies-holic pre-Christmas treat, check out the 8th annual Gingerbread Spectacular at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, Saturday, Dec. 13 and Sunday Dec. 14, each day opening at 10 a.m. Just don't try to nibble the M&M roof tiles or the Tootsie Roll log cabins, or a wicked witch may bake you into gingerbread people!

Bravo to Erin Cooperrider, whose organization, CHOM, has rescued the historic Kenniston Inn from demolition, and has moved it to the Elder Care Network property on Boothbay Green, as of Dec. 5. Community Housing Of Maine will collaborate with Elder Care Network to renovate the nearly 200-year-old building into affordable apartments for working families. Donations are profoundly needed, it goes without saying.

Huzzah, also, to Avae Traina, on the Lincoln Academy girls basketball team, described in the press recently, along with her teammate Alyx York Jr., as a strong defender. LA is in the Class B school basketball conference.

Starry, starry nights: Let's all get out into the chill with our binoculars and telescopes to watch the Geminid meteor shower, which peaks Saturday, Dec. 13, through the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 14.

According to astronomy writer Bernie Reim, these meteors are unusual as coming from an asteroid, rather from a comet, 3200 Phaethon, positioned in the constellation Gemini. On the 22nd, we'll be able to see the Ursid meteor shower caused by Comet 8P/Tuttle, which starts from Polaris, near the Little Dipper, aka Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, hence the name.

Furthermore, the Winter Solstice starts Dec. 21, at 6:03 p.m. Synchronize your chronometers and your mistletoe!

Best wishes to all my Jewish readers, who embark on Hanukkah starting Tuesday, Dec. 16.

How far down are your mountains of Thanksgiving turkey by now? We've got two boxes in the freezer, so our Connecticut family can taste what they missed. Couple quarts of stock from the carcase, couple pints from the basting juice plus pan juices equals gravy. A generous cup of the stuffing still with us. And on and on. Oh, I forgot to include the fact that Turk was a Bronze Breasted hybrid bred for meat.

Looking forward to duck and possibly ham for Christmas at 234 River Road, 207-633-2978 and jocam@tidewater.net.