Diane Smith's "A Connecticut Christmas"

Looking for a wonderful gift for the holiday season? Look no further than your local bookstore and consider Diane Smith's new book, "A Connecticut Christmas"! Read all about Connecticut's unique people, places and things that make the holidays a wondrous time in our state. Cedar Knoll Farm is featured on pages 78 and 79! Click on the title above to buy the book directly from the publisher!

A Few of Brandon's Macy's Photos...

Photos of the Snow Queen float © Brandon Taelor Aviram.

Cedar Knoll at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Well, what can we say but "What a great time we had!" Weeks of hard work, including designing horse costumes, negotiating helpers and their costumes, a trip to New Jersey to fit the pole to the float, getting the proper permits for the horses, and the 24 hours of preparation before we even left the barn early Thanksgiving morning all paid off on Thanksgiving Day!

It was astonishing to see how many people lined the streets to watch the Macy's Day Parade in person. I couldn't even begin to guess at how many people were there to watch, but needless to say each side of the street, from 77th Street on down to 34th along the route was literally wall to wall. Everyone was screaming "Melissa! Joan! Melissa! Joan!", as our float unit, The Snow Queen, had Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, and Melissa's young son, Cooper.

Although rain threatened, and in spite of the overcast skies, the weather cooperated. Our funny little costumes, blue overalls and fancy feathered hats, covered our many layers and none of us wranglers could complain of the cold at all. It was a different story for Melissa and Joan, however, who, in their own costumes and sitting quietly on Gillette and in the float, didn't move around much to keep warm. Melissa's son, a lovely young boy, chose Charlie, the biggest horse to ride, and had no issue with the chilly weather!

Our float was simply beautiful. Making it's debut this year by Macy's for Universal Studios, it was a mound of "snow" with an ornate sleigh on top, pulled by Duke & Diesel wearing silver sleigh bells and blue ostrich plumes.

We give our greatest thanks to our dearest friends and most trusted helpers that shared the day (and the hard work) with us for the parade: Sue & Karl Lado (wranglers on the float), Darlene Cunnane (wrangler and owner of Charlie, carrying Cooper), Darlene's daughter Nicole (crew), Wes & Linda Hopkins (who stayed with the truck), Linda & Ed Whitford, our barn crew while we were away during the day, and of course, my son Brandon Aviram, who mingled with the press and managed to stay with the parade for its entirety, taking what I imagine will be some extraordinary photos once he has them organized!

Photos: Top: The Snow Queen float

Second: Gillette & Charlie carrying Melissa Rivers and her son

Third: Blue and white everywhere... waiting to start the parade

Fourth: Brandon hanging with Gillette before the start of the parade

Bottom: Our parade wranglers: Darlene, Karl, Elaine, Sue and Terry

'Tis the Season (and All That Jazz)

OK, I don't know how it happened, but I woke up this morning and, voila! Christmas was on the agenda. I know, I know, Walmart is still selling Halloween candy (at 90% off), and Thanksgiving is almost here but still not quite. Yet Santa made his debut in town today, along with Mrs. Claus and the Snow Baby, in the back of our red sleigh.

So, in protest against the early disappearance of late afternoon sun and balmy breezes, I decided to ride Gillette and let Terry take the sleigh. Yes, I put a hefty strand of deafening brass sleigh bells around his neck, but any responsible horse person can justify them as a deterrent to Autumn hunters. For the sake of being a good example to youngsters everywhere, I wore my riding helmet proudly. Those youngsters, of course, quickly looked past me and my pure white steed to that jolly man in the back of the sleigh, crying, "Santa Claus! Santa Claus! Look at me!" Such travesty. And as I smiled and waved from atop my tall horse I realized what a futile attempt I had made to keep Autumn and forego Winter, for in the end, it was the big man in the red suit that everyone was really there for.

Funeral for a Friend

Duke and Diesel did the honors of a final farewell by horse and wagon for friend and fellow horseman, Charles "Al" Kingsley: b. Feb 5, 1931 - d. November 15, 2010. Burial with full military honors at Plains Cemetery in North Franklin, CT. We will remember you fondly, Al.

Late Autumn into Winter

It was a day for birds. Breezy and cool, my chickens felt obliged to viciously scratch through the fallen leaves, while blackbirds screamed at us from high branches. Dolly and the grey horse from New York are getting to know each other, for as long as the grey stays with us. Dolly, liking her food all to herself, prefers the solitary life, and watches to be sure the grey doesn't take her fair share. When he does, she screams at him like the blackbirds in the trees, until he moves away again.

It's a Dog's Life

Sometimes, it is the people and animals less celebrated publicly that bring us the most happiness. Sometimes, it is the quiet moments that give us a greater sense of contentment. Today, it is our dogs, laying quietly by our sides on a dark, rainy morning, that we would like to share with you.

Top: Ledger and Moses, cozy on the couch.

Bottom: Penny our Blue Tick with Terry, resting early this morning after a long night's sleep.