Yesterday, on a rare day that Bill was not working, we went to one of our favorite places. St James is a lovely old town only fifteen minutes from our house that we visit quite often. We went to visit a historic mansion called Deepwells that hosts a haunted house every year. What I love about it is that it is not a scary haunted house with its patrons chasing you with weapons but instead a traditional home decorated to look as though it has been sitting for years with ghostly inhabitants. It's very fun. What's even better is that the admission is free; you leave a donation that goes towards the upkeep of this beautiful dwelling. NY State has cut so many funds that used to go to the preservation of these special structures so Deepwells Mansion has several events throughout the year to raise money. This is one of them. Completely run by volunteers. Thank you so much, volunteers!

After that, we walked directly behind to our favorite place in St James; the St James General Store. It was built in 1857 and has been open for business ever since. When you step inside, it's like stepping back in time with its old flooring and showcases and candy. They sell lovely little gifts and Long Island souvenirs , plus, on the second floor, there is a great book section and a Christmas decoration area. Such a wonderful place. My kids love to sit on the rockers on the porch and think about what it was like to live on Long Island in 1857!