10:52 a.m. [Click sketches to view larger]

If you are like me, you may stay away from the craziness of downtown shopping this weekend and choose a more relaxed atmosphere. Make a turn at this 15-foot chicken into Bothell Country Village and you'll get a taste of country and Americana that has captivated me every time I've been here before.

At the village, located between downtown Bothell and I-405, people can shop for all sorts of arts, crafts and antiques, including hand-painted Polish ceramics, personalized clothing for pets, as well as gourmet foods. My kids always enjoy feeding the ducks and are mesmerized with the roosters roaming free.

"It's a unique place to shop and eat and a wonderful place for kids," said Paula Peak, of Lake Stevens, one of the village's merchants. She sells gourmet pepper jellies out of a tiny shop inside an old boat on the village's central pond.

This weekend from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the "Chick n' Coop Craft Show features creations from 50 Northwest crafters at the Courtyard Hall.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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