Questions of 2021

Questions people have often asked us this year.

• Are you still hiking?
• Will you still hike the Appalachian Trail?
• What have you been doing in 2020/2021?
• When are you/Are you coming back to Dorcas Library?

Here are answers:

• Yes. We are still hiking, albeit in somewhat reduced capacity. More on this in a later post.

• Yes. We still intend to complete the Appalachian Trail; however, we have decided to do so in long sections, rather than one continuous hike. Known as LASH hikes [long-ass section hikes], these hikes are usually done over the period of a month or two, rather than an entire season. They usually encompass completing two or three states at a time. We will keep you posted as our plans continue to develop and evolve.

• Since leaving the trail on March 14, 2020, we have been at home, working on many projects, and staying away from news and unleashed social media as much as possible. I belong to many work groups on social media (writers, genealogists, family historians, herbalists, organic gardeners, permaculturists, foragers, textile artists, historic costumers, and… yes… librarians). I focus on these areas of interest rather than on “the world.” This satisfies my low-level need for “social interaction” to a tee.

In January and February, I published my first poetry chapbook, Zen(ish). What a pleasure to finally pour my creative energies outward.

February through May 2021, I compiled 30 years of research and wrote/edited Descendants of Emery Orson Lane & Rose Mabel Haskell of Fayette, Maine. This resulted in a 200-page book, complete with full citations and endnotes for each chapter, indexing by surnames and place names, and several appendices of use to folks interested in a deeper dive into our family history.

Here at home, Craig is working on an on-going construction project, creating a larger bedroom and replacing an older bathroom with a more modern and spacious one. He also continues to take photographs and hone his skills with new technologies.

I have inherited a vast collection of papers, photos, and correspondence which need to be digitized and properly archived. This will be the work of many years. As part of the organizational process, I am redefining my writing/research/archive area and moving all materials, supplies and found objects for my collage work [which I call “goofing around with paint and stuff”] to a newly defined workshop space in our basement. I find there is a nice balance between the work I do as an writer/researcher/historian and the playful creativity needed to design upcycled clothing, craft costumes, and create “found object/textile collages.”

• I still fully endorse the Dorcas Library & Learning Center, but I will not be returning to work there. Instead, I will continue to focus on writing and other creative projects. Currently, I have three years of creative projects lined up and waiting for my attention, and the list continues to grow.