Ice cream social
United Baptist Church members gathered for an ice cream social at the Jefferson Scoop last Saturday night. That evening, church folks enjoyed a multitude of flavors – served in all manner of delicious combinations – and the fellowship was extremely fine as well. This is the first of many such events, we hope, and will keep you posted of other gatherings at the Scoop!
90th birthday reminder
The family of Doris Clark, of Jefferson, invite friends to attend her 90th birthday celebration at the Clark home on Route 32 on Sunday, Aug. 5 from 2-4 p.m. Let’s make this a day to remember for Doris!
Historical society
Also, don’t forget that the Jefferson Historical Society’s annual Open House and Exhibit Day is Saturday, Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Members are invited to make cookies for the cookie sale. The proceeds will benefit the historical society’s projects. Call 549-5258 for information about the event. The Old Town House (on the corner of Bunker Hill Road and Route 126) will also be open on Thursdays, Aug. 9 and 23 from 4:30-7 p.m.
Coming up in September, another JHS event will take place: Julie Bond Stegna and Ralph Bond, local historian, will give an informational talk called “A Most Unexpected Section of the Road” Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. The event will be at the Jefferson Fire and Rescue Building on Route 32.
Route 215
Speaking of roads here in town, Route 215 is now a smooth stretch of highway. I talked with a local person who lives on this road, and they caution folks about driving too fast now that it’s been resurfaced. Tall trees hang over the road as you head south toward Clary Lake and further down, past the United Baptist Church and toward Newcastle.
Like a great many roads in Jefferson, on Route 215 there are many hills, valleys, and curves. It’s an old road from the early days in town, a narrow road without much shoulder. On a sunny day, the road is dappled with sunlight and shadow, and it can be a challenge to see clearly if you don’t slow down. Please take it easy as you travel on our town roads.
August arriving
As we head into August, the sense of summer’s end comes over me. Perhaps your vacation is still ahead of you; perhaps you’ve had some time off already. Summer in Maine is brief.
My husband, Perry, and I take day trips every now and then to relax and see beautiful Midcoast Maine. We choose a new peninsula to explore and leave early. I pack a lunch and we find a place to picnic. It is one of my favorite old-fashioned things to do: take a ride. I marvel over the care folks take with their summer lawns and the lovely flower gardens in bloom – it’s a feast for the eyes this time of year. We switch places on the way home and I drive so he can look to his heart’s content, too.
One day, we drove north to see some of the lovely country around Unity and enjoyed some homemade doughnuts and coffee from the Amish Country Market. Perry says you haven’t truly lived unless you’ve sampled their baked goods! Between the ice cream at the Scoop in Jefferson and the doughnuts from the Amish, we’ve done some living these last few weeks!
How sweet is your life, dear reader? I ask myself this same question at times. It’s a good thing to reflect on: does my life have sweetness in it? More than sweet desserts and treats, I ask you to consider the best moments of the day. It can be as simple as noticing a flower blooming nearby as you walk into work, noticing a blossom in the fullness of being.
I love the daylilies blossoming at peak right now; they teach me that life itself is held in this moment – beautiful and made more so by the brevity of each day. Gentle soul of a reader, I encourage you today to look deeply into the blossom of a daylily and remind yourself that we, too, are here for a brief time on this earth. May it be a full life, a life that spreads beauty and love, for surely that is what this old world needs.
