Family, Candles, and an Online Store

My son is 'on loan' to #2 daughter and son-in-law this week. He's helping them keep up with orders for those special candles.


Spiral Light Candle factory, south section: production floor and offices.
March-April, 2012.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is Small Business Saturday®, and I think locally-owned businesses are a good idea, so: if you're in Mayville or Hillsboro, North Dakota, I'd like you to take a look at Spiral Light Candles at Dale's Food Pride or the Mayville Cenex.

Since quite a few folks don't live in North Dakota's Traill County, Spiral Light Candle's store locator helps you find retailers closer to home. We're in California, New York, and quite a few states between. There's our online store, too.

"We?" "Our?"

Spiral Light Candle is a family business. I own part of it, and do some technical work as needed. Helping a company get started has been a fascinating experience for me. Happily, I haven't had to do much of the work. :)

Background:

• On Spiral Light Candle's website
  • About Us
• My take
  • "Another Month, Another Unexpected Drive"
    (September 16, 2012)
  • "Snapshots from Texas; or, Candles at a Trade Show"
    (June 24, 2012)
  • "Good Candles and Good Neighbors in North Dakota"
    Includes excerpts from the news
    Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind
    (June 16, 2012)
  • "A Quick Trip, a Factory, Candles: and Home at Last!"
    (May 25, 2012)
  • "Candles, a Spreadsheet, and a Really Long Week"
    (December 5, 2011)

Prototype of Spiral Light Candle's counter-top display. June 2012.

More Snow, Less Wind, and a Long Weekend

More snow, less wind, than last night. November 23, 2012.

It sounded like winter last night, with wind rushing a little snow around the house. I stayed up later than I might have, since weather reports kept adding 'one more thing' to the forecast: but kept insisting that the excitement would be over at 6:00 this morning. As it turns out, they were right.

Staying inside makes sense in that sort of weather, but for some folks staying put isn't an option.

"Warm weather gives way to snowy, cold Thanksgiving"
Ryan Johnson, INFORUM (November 22, 2012, 9:26 p.m.)

"The unseasonably warm weather of recent days came to an abrupt end Thanksgiving afternoon...

"...Meteorologist Brad Hopkins said Fargo started its Thanksgiving at about 39 degrees, but the temperature dropped to about 20 by the evening as strong winds and 1 to 2 inches of snow swept across most of the Red River Valley and parts of Minnesota.

"...Pembina County in northeastern North Dakota issued a no-travel advisory at 6 p.m. because of black ice and poor conditions.

"Gusts of more than 30 mph also reduced visibility and contributed to accidents along Interstate 94 near Fergus Falls, Minn...."

Now I'm going to get back to having a relaxed Thanksgiving Day weekend.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Thanksgiving, 2012: Macy's Parade; Wind Advisory; Relaxing"
  (November 22, 2012)
• "Thanksgiving Day, 2012: Desperate Times..."
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (November 22, 2012)
• "Christmas, 2011"
  (December 25, 2011)
• "Wintry Weather and a Balky Furnace"
  (October 27, 2010)
• "October's Dull Gray Weather; Winter Preparations; and a Fine Son"
  (October 20, 2009)

Thanksgiving, 2012: Macy's Parade; Wind Advisory; Relaxing

Mid-afternoon in Sauk Centre: Thanksgiving Day. November 22, 2012.

Thanksgiving Day came 'early' this year. It's the third Thursday in November, so it can fall anywhere between the 22nd and the 28th. I think I got that right.

I watched part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on television: a regular, if minor, celebration for me. A new (to me) wrinkle was the Fred Hill Briefcase Drill Team. I am not making that up.

Fred Hill Briefcase Drill Team

chillwisc, YouTube (December 3, 2008)
Video, 2:55

We're having a very low-key holiday here in Sauk Centre. I spent most of the day relaxing, and looking through some reports from Spiral Light Candle: and then relaxing some more.

Wind, followed by a little snow, made Christmas decorations some neighbors set up earlier look more seasonal.

The weather forecast promises more of the same: wind advisory, snow flurries, heavy overcast. Days like this help me appreciate insulated windows and central heating.

More-or-less-related posts:

• "Thanksgiving Day, 2012: Desperate Times..."
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (November 22, 2012)
• "Going from Guy Lombardo to Justin Bieber: Happy New Year, 2012!"
  (December 31, 2011)
• "Christmas, 2011"
  (December 25, 2011)
• "Release the Chickens!"
  (May 9, 2011)
• "I Almost Don't Have a Cold: Just in Time for Memorial Day Weekend"
  (May 27, 2010)