A gift from a friend

I met Mary Hart in the late 1970s/early 1980s at our friend JoAnne Zywna's home in Weld. I have a slew of Mary's paintings and prints. We swapped her art for rent here in my home when she taught in our community schools. At the time, she lived in Portland. I got the best of that deal: her company and paintings. 

Mary and her Lilly  

We've shared hikes and long talks about life, books and friendship for four and a half decades. She and her husband Michael came up to visit with their son, Mica. She even came up to visit with Lilly, her dog. Lilly followed Mary around the house with a quiet devotion, and an occasional bark. I like giving Mary's art as gifts. I selected the blue flower below for my dearest friend, Anne, in celebration of our writing partnership. In the group photo below the flower, there's a painting of the Weld woods. The painting is behind and above her sister Betty on the wall celebrated Anne's 50th birthday:  

Mary and I also collaborated in publishing a poetry chapbook by our dear friend JoAnne. Mary created the cover, and I did some editing and typesetting of Once and Gone. 

After Bailey died, Mary had planned to paint a picture of my pup. But her Michael grew gravely ill and her painting took a back seat to caring for Michael. But today, two years later, I opened a UPS package with this gorgeous painting of Bailey along with a thoughtful note. As I wrote to Mary in response, "I thought I was over crying for Bailey." 

My gift... "Bailey" by Mary Hart

At our camps in Weld, I'm going to start a wall in our littlest camp showcasing our four-legged family members like Bailey. Zellie, Shadow, Brady, Maggie, and the crown prince of the point, Tippy the Fisher Dog (1953-1966). With Tumbledown in the background, Mary's painting may end up the centerpiece. 

Thank you, my friend.  

Black Mountain

 

We hiked Black Mountain after checking on the van. We need to climb some steep mountains since we'll be heading to the Blue Ridge Parkway around April 23rd. Black Mountain works. I've been spending time on GoogleMaps and on AI/Gemini to plan out the trip. I'm a bit worried about Maggie and the heat in Virginia and North Carolina even though it is spring. Time will tell. 

On Black Mountain we met up with three backcountry skiers.  The snow was fairly firm, and I only hit ice once. Maggie bounced around on the slopes of the mountain like she was at daycare party. On Monday, we did 4 miles on Whitecap. I'll combine some of those photos. Remember to click on photos to enlarge. 

Woods Trail

Woods trail 

Mt. Blue and Bald Mountains in Weld

Red Hill. 

Maggie on the top lift station 

Gus Schumacher's Olympic Silver (and his losses) Inspire Blog Post and then a NYT Article

I've been studying Gus's writing for the past 6 years. We've traded email about his blog (Gus Schumacher's Blog), and I've enjoyed watching his progress as a skit racer and a blogger. He's not a daily blogger, but when he writes, he offers insight that I believe racers, young and old, learn from.  I believe his words teach him. 

I took screen shots of the NYT's article and have posted them on my WritingAthlete's resource and research website: 

"I won an Olympic Medal for the US. To do it, I just had to stop caring about winning." (NYT, 030326) 

–by Gus Schumacher  

 

Finishing with a Silver Medal 

Snow Ghost on Whitecap... February 27, 2026

                                       

We struck out up Orange trail to visit Bailey's cairn. We haven't been up for a month or so due to bitter cold and the ease of staying on the lower trails to get in 3 miles - plus. Remember to click on photos to enlarge. 

 

A book review from author Lynn Plourde

 

 

This YA novel, SING ON, MAINE UNITED!, by Rich Kent surprised me in the best way. It truly was so much more than a soccer book. Soccer is...well, okay. But when a #Maine author/teacher/coach showcases Maine kids taking their Maine spirit, talents, humor, kindness, and resourcefulness to England in 1989, I was hooked. Well-developed characters, tragedies and triumphs, laugh-out-loud teen humor, and the engaging journey of how a divided team becomes a *united* team. p.s. for teens and their grown-ups. 

 

 

Pitching a friend’s book on Facebook

Hiking with Anna

 

Maggie’s license

 

I like this tag because it fills in a rescuer what sweet Maggie may need. 

Sing On, Maine United! Video ad

 

Book launch

 Finally…

Click on post to go to website.

Still hiking

 Maggie has anaplasmosis, a tick-borne illness. She has been sick for 7 days but feels a little better. Today, she started doxycycline… she’ll be on the drug for a month. Fun! 

Yesterday, we took a 4.5 mile hike and Maggie did well. It was our first hike in 6 days.  Today, we hiked Mystery Mountain. I was dragging but Maggie had good energy. Maybe I should try her drugs. 

Birthday Girl, October 8th

Maggie turned one. I ordered a pricy smoked bone ($28) and my house smells like a BBQ joint in Texas. But, the pup is happy... wicked happy. And that's all that matters. Happy Birthday, Sweetie.

Hiking Lollapalooza @ Sunday River

 We had a great fall day hiking. I couldn’t imagine a more glorious day.