It’s the Thanksgiving holiday on top, and there’s reason to be thankful.Over the past few months of traveling here and there, we’ve met some folks worthy of mention:Like a deeply rooted North Dakota farming family, which now calls Nevada home: Marilyn Sadler, Gordie Gagmon, Doris Howell and Kurt Kinder. We met them at the Norsk Hostfest in Minot, where gas and oil exploration make big news.Also there was New York City fashion designer Casey Paul, a quite lovely young lady who hails from the “Magic City” of Minot. You may have seen some of her stylish works worn by stars Liza Minnelli, Kelly Ripa, Anne Bancroft, Linda Gray, Celeste Holm, Linda Lavin, Lisa Ling, Sarah Jessica Parker and Bernadette Peters. “Boothing” with her was Kami Spear, a designer who attends a lot of rodeos. Casey’s link: http://www.caseypaul.com****This fall, while down in Puerto Vallarta, we chatted poolside with sisters Sharon Neufeld of Cloquet, Minn., and Deb Swan of Iowa City, Iowa. Sharon is battling cancer and Deb has a doctorate in nursing oncology, working for Genentech Roche.And we got to know car rental agent Felix Toribio Robles, formerly of California, as we shared the wireless office at the Sheraton Buganvilias Vacation Club. Hola, Facebook compa.Over at Nacho Daddy’s we met Texan Monty Merrell, a PV-er for 12 years.****A couple of weeks before, after leaving San Carlos Marina and crossing over the Sea of Cortez with Breckenridgers Peer and Nancy Bjornstad aboard their trawler “Guppy,” we got to meet live-aboard sailboaters Jack and Hermy Vogt on “IWA” and Chuck Houlihan and Linda Edeiken on their “Jacaranda” as we anchored at Santispac, near Mulege on the Baja.While running along the beach we met Muriel and Wayne “Chango” Olsen RV-ing their way to San Jose del Cabo from Canada and California. They live on the Baja, where Muriel is a wedding planner and owns a consignment shop. She had to be in-place “by Tuesday” for a wedding of C&W singer Toby Keith’s daughter. Her link: http://www.mvpcabo.com****We enjoyed the companionship for a couple days’ celebration in Grants Pass, Ore., with Ron and Sharon McCreary, of Palm Springs, Calif. Their daughter Lori is the business partner of actor Morgan Freeman and co-produced “Invictus,” that film on South Africa and Nelson Mandela.At the SA debut of the film, Sharon sat between Morgan and Nelson. Invictus also starred Matt Damon and was directed by Clint Eastwood.The account of the McCrearys’ trip and flying on Morgan’s private jet to Dubai was thrilling.****And it’s always fun to meet locals: Living here since 1996, we ran into Stacy Brunette and Eli Ferris. Stacy is a hairstylist at Southern Exposure and Eli is with Alpen Masons. With them at Scott Pohlman’s Prost was blonde Gisela Huffman, a real German fraulein. Joining us was Bill Korn of Leadville, whose trip to the Front Range was halted by a raging blizzard.Helping to manage the beer garden in the Frisco Antique Emporium is Frisco native Jeff Bell, son of Dan Bell of Steamboat Springs and Cindy Eilts of Dillon.****Congrats to Seth Zelen and Michelle Foster, who have re-opened Farley’s Chophouse as the Fifth Avenue Grill – naturally at Fifth and Main – in Frisco.With a change in ownership partners, Seth took over the establishment and partnered with Michelle, who has worked there, a Class A building in Masontown Development’s portfolio, headed by Rob Philippe.The change also produced some decor mods and added a dining room fireplace.At a private opening, those tasting Chef Tim Rohr’s goodies included Talya Philippe (sitting in for her dad) with her mother, Penny Lovely of Fort Collins; Dr. JB Bachman and Amy Nelson, Roger, Teresa and Jack Kliegerman; Mary Margaret Motsinger, Sandy Schmaderer, Dennis Roley, Ricky and Judi Amico, Laura Steben, Dan Reisdorph, Michael Penny, wife Maria and daughter Anna; Gray Pearson, Steve and Sandee Smith, Jim Deines and Linda Simon, Jay and Brenda Herman, Kim Mauser, BJ McCarthy, Noni Love, Gisela Huffman, Danny Pins and Sandy Sheffield, Matt and Nancy Wyatt, Tanya “Ms. Baja” Benyo, Julie (yep, she’s back in Colorado) Biller, Paul Connelly, Kathleen Kennedy, Peter and Alicia Dunn, and Lynda “Mama Moose” Colety, whose famous Moosejaw was marking its 37th year the same night.****Oh, that flyfisherman Larry Siler, when he isn’t catching ’em, he’s creating them in stained glass.A resident of The Reserve, Larry is showing off his works and selling one-of-a-kind Rocky Mountain Trout creations. He’s hosting a reception Thursday, Dec. 2, 5-7 p.m., at Zoe’s Hair Design, 204 S. Ridge St., in the Kingdom of Breckenridge.•••Miles F. Porter IV, nicknamed “Spike,” a Coloradan since 1949, is an Army veteran, former Climax miner, graduate of Adams State College, and a local since 1982. Email your social info to milesfporteriv@aol.com.