Thank You, Carnation Readers, and To All a Safe Holiday

Unless something really interesting happens, Team Carnation will be on hiatus until next week. But first, we want to thank you for an amazing year.

We started 2022 with 11,858 page views and 6,105 visitors for the month of January. In November, 13,858 of you read our stories 26,325 times. We’re humbled to have more than 1,100 people who care about our town follow or subscribe to our site.

Next week we’ll present a rundown of the year’s top stories, and in 2023 we plan to expand our presence on Instagram, reposition the comments section to make it easier for you to share your thoughts, and launch a self-serve Community Calendar where subscribers can enter their upcoming events. We’ve already launched the Carnation Connector, a directory of town clubs and groups.

Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy our 2022 end-of-year poem.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the ‘Bury,
All the people were rushing here and there in a hurry.
Main Street traffic was back to Mango II,
As beer lovers lined up for Tree House’s brew.

La Vita Dolce construction continued with care,
In hopes that fresh rum cake soon would be there.
And Jayne in her Mini and Jay in his Ford,
Called “Adjourn, adjourn! Adjourn, Select Board!”

Officer Waffles was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of SRO Hanley danced in his head.
And McSnuggles in his bandanna and Maria in her cap,
Had just settled down for a short Front Line nap.

When down at Donna’s there arose such a clatter,
The kitchen was full of donuts, and batter!
Now jelly, now lemon, now chocolate-raised!
On cruller, on jimmies, on cinnamon-glazed!

To the Pinnacle Trail, to Strong Water Brook!
To Rogers, and Foster, the Tree Walk we took!
And then in a twinkling a Starbucks was here,
But Perfecto’s still serves the best bagel and schmear.

To the Country Club we soon will bid fond adieu,
With thanks most sincere to Marc Ginsberg and crew.
For 25 years of events, weddings and shows,
We’re sad to see them come to a close.

But in some areas we’re also beginning anew,
Like the Center Elementary, DPW and firehouse too.
And nomination papers and signatures collected,
For nine new officials to soon be elected.

Julie sprang to her stove to feed all the tots,
While Donna lined up her senior center spots.
Then the Carnation team exclaimed as clicks rose out of sight,
“Nina’s Mai Tais to all, and to all a good night!”