Hey Friends!

For five mysteries now, Ethel Sue has taken us all over Willow Creek — down to Corpus Christi and even over to Magnolia Bend for Lora's cookie contest. But this time? The mystery comes right to her own front porch.

Welcome to Meadow Ridge.

It's the new 55+ community (some of y'all would call it a subdivision) tucked inside Willow Creek, next to The Grove and the new golf course. Close enough to Main Street that you can still run in for coffee and be home before it cools.

Before this month's mystery starts, come meet the neighbors.

Right across the street are Jo and Donald — you know them already. They moved in at the end of summer. Donald has never met a stranger in his life. Jo is the quiet one, a little skeptical and a little too fond of her gadgets, but Ethel Sue swears they're becoming better friends every single week.

And you know Helen from the Knitting Nook? Same Helen. She lives next door, and her flower beds are the pride of the whole street.

Then there's the rest of the group. You'll be seeing these folks around — and hearing plenty from them at water aerobics.

• Paulette runs the Social Committee with a tidy agenda and every intention of keeping us all on schedule.

• Walter is the quiet one with a screwdriver in his pocket. If there's a loose hinge or a crooked cabinet door within a mile, he will find it.

• Reg is a retired drama teacher, so his ideas are never small. There will be staging. There will be lighting. There will be a proper opening night.

• Fred just moved down from up north. He misses the snow so much he ordered a commercial snow machine, because he's decided a Texas Christmas ought to have some — even if he has to make it himself.

• And Dot, she loves to create and encourage, and also recently discovered the joy glitter brings to creations. (Thanks to Ethel Sue.)

Quite a fun group, aren't they? 😅

For Meadow Ridge's very first organized Christmas, the Social Committee planned a friendly decorating contest. Nothing fancy required. Each resident was simply asked to decorate in the way that felt most like Christmas to them.

Who knew it would cause such a fuss.

Because come Tuesday morning, Helen's grapevine wreath was gone. So was Thelma's cedar bird feeder. (Yes — Mr. Snoozy's mama. She just moved in last month.) And that old wooden sleigh Reg set out in his yard? Vanished. Not a track in the grass.

Three decorations. Three different houses. Gone.

Ethel Sue has solved mysteries all over this town. But this one happened fifty feet from her own porch — and every last suspect is somebody she'll be standing next to in the pool on Thursday morning.

Come see what all the fuss is about in A Merry Little Mystery →​

“So many fun and funny moments… I love how you always show so much grace through the Bridge Ladies.” — Lisa, a Front Porch Preview Team Reader

Pour yourself something refreshing, put your feet up, and settle in for your next trip to Willow Creek. 🤗

Grace + hugs,

Melissa Alyse ❤️

P.S. Next Sunday, we'll see what the Whispering Fence commenters have to say about the missing decorations — and BONUS I have a fun way for you to pick your own Whispering Fence commenter name. 👀