What a Difference a Week Makes

Good morning everyone. My usual apologies for the lapse in the blog. The transition from summer to winter has been especially fast… all of one week. And to be truthful I have needed a break although I haven’t really found it yet. The intensity of the end of this season was quite a shoulder full. This last week has not been much of a let up in the action either as the cold weather has us racing to get things under cover. We have been working every day and well into some evenings. All of that is personal choice of course but the cold weather has set in faster than usual this year and the weather changes so fast that a day can make a huge difference. To prove my point I enter exhibit A, the scene from the schooner last Saturday and exhibit B, the scene from our deck this morning.

There is an emotional let down to the end of any season and with the loss of our beloved Mary the let down has been harder than ever. I will miss her. I will miss sailing. I will miss all of you. I have not had much time to process anything. Our season is a long one and yet so short. This summer flew by faster than ever. And the blistering pace of this last week has not given any of us time to celebrate or reflect on the joys of the season. But the cover is on, the winter mooring lines are in place and now the snow can fly. Your schooner is safe in the harbor.

We have many projects over the next few weeks and I will do my best to get back to writing. Thank you for your patience.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Comments

Hail Mary

My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui...

We are Nuts

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Darkness and Light

Good morning everyone. OK, so this blog does not have a whole lot to do with schooners or windjammers or sailing vacations so if you want to leave now I will not be offended. Today is the winter solstice, as you know, the shortest amount of daylight in our calendar year here in the northern hemisphere. Of course it is the summer solstice on the other side of the equator. So I guess if you wanted to celebrate the summer solstice you wouldn't be at all in the wrong. I would applaud your ability to see outside the box. Map from Wikipedia commons Living and sailing in the mid latitudes (remember, Maine is half way to the North Pole) as we do, we experience a balance that spans a year's time, maybe many years' time. To feel the darkness of winter creeping quietly into our homes is not as bad it may appear from the outside. This is our season to rest... emotionally if not physically. We know it takes more physical energy to live and work here in winter. But when the sun goes down...

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