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WINTER/NIGHTTIME 2008-Present 'Tis the season Not to hibernate But to sparkle |
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Life at Beebe Farm in rural Upstate NY was busy and a lot of fun. We found our place in the community packing Thanksgiving baskets, going to church suppers, and helping run a farmers market.
Together John and I wrote Helderberg Hilltowns for Arcadia Publishing, first traveling all over western Albany County to gather stories and scan vintage photos, then again to promote the book. I started a small sewing business, PinchPenny Threads, and we hit the craft fair circuit in our distinctive red-white-and-black aprons.
As our grandchildren came along, we traveled to see them and attend their school and sports events. Sadly, our daughter-in-law became ill, and I supported the family as much as I could with many trips to NYC.
John retired, and my brilliant career was winding down. By 2014 I was working per diem and in November announced “I don’t want to drive in the winter anymore.” Once retired, I assessed the reality of aging in place and realized that it wouldn’t be happening in the creaky old farmhouse in a remote village with no services, not even a post office.
During a vacation in Maine in 2015, we stopped in the small seaside town of Belfast, which I knew to be a fiber-friendly community north of the popular sandy beaches. I said unexpectedly “Let’s move here,” and two months later we were in our new condo. My lifelong dream to live by the ocean became reality.
Belfast has everything we need without driving miles to get there: medical offices, hospital, library, post office, grocery store, shops, waterfront, arts center, and a wonderful YMCA. We give workshops, walk frequently on local trails, and play our ukuleles in community groups.
I co-authored Belfast, an Arcadia Publishing pictorial history, for the historical society. I belong to a knitting circle and make mittens for local school children. But best of all, after many dry years, I’m singing again with Midcoast Ukes. Time to sparkle
Together John and I wrote Helderberg Hilltowns for Arcadia Publishing, first traveling all over western Albany County to gather stories and scan vintage photos, then again to promote the book. I started a small sewing business, PinchPenny Threads, and we hit the craft fair circuit in our distinctive red-white-and-black aprons.
As our grandchildren came along, we traveled to see them and attend their school and sports events. Sadly, our daughter-in-law became ill, and I supported the family as much as I could with many trips to NYC.
John retired, and my brilliant career was winding down. By 2014 I was working per diem and in November announced “I don’t want to drive in the winter anymore.” Once retired, I assessed the reality of aging in place and realized that it wouldn’t be happening in the creaky old farmhouse in a remote village with no services, not even a post office.
During a vacation in Maine in 2015, we stopped in the small seaside town of Belfast, which I knew to be a fiber-friendly community north of the popular sandy beaches. I said unexpectedly “Let’s move here,” and two months later we were in our new condo. My lifelong dream to live by the ocean became reality.
Belfast has everything we need without driving miles to get there: medical offices, hospital, library, post office, grocery store, shops, waterfront, arts center, and a wonderful YMCA. We give workshops, walk frequently on local trails, and play our ukuleles in community groups.
I co-authored Belfast, an Arcadia Publishing pictorial history, for the historical society. I belong to a knitting circle and make mittens for local school children. But best of all, after many dry years, I’m singing again with Midcoast Ukes. Time to sparkle
Construction Details:
This panel is one of four depicting the seasons at an imaginary cabin in the woods. The story is told in the central scene which I constructed and then tacked onto the background. Two rows of Folded Stars give way to woodlands in Pine Burr. I was surprised to find sparkly felt for snow and sky, as well as silver-threaded embroidery floss for snowflakes. John’s flannel shirt warms up the scene, doesn’t it?
This panel is one of four depicting the seasons at an imaginary cabin in the woods. The story is told in the central scene which I constructed and then tacked onto the background. Two rows of Folded Stars give way to woodlands in Pine Burr. I was surprised to find sparkly felt for snow and sky, as well as silver-threaded embroidery floss for snowflakes. John’s flannel shirt warms up the scene, doesn’t it?
Copyright Jane McLean, 2023