First, on the ninth anniversary of this blog, a photo: classic mid-June sunrise in York, Maine, Nubble Lighthouse barely visible at the distant tip of land, with a solo surfer in the waves. In pre-dawn gray, the surfer had grinned uncontrollably as he pulled on a wetsuit next to his parked jeep. I grinned back and waved from the beach, both of us delighted to be pursuing our individual joys.
The glowing golden-orange light made the sand look molten. Wide rolls of dark blue water reminded me the ocean temperature was in the 50s. Wind kicked up as the sky lightened and my sandaled feet numbed; after an hour of photography I scurried back to my room to savor hot tea and blankets on my toes, so happy to have ventured out.
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Second, thanks to all who have purchased our book, who have perused or plunged into it, who shared joy about how it affected you and your relationship to walking or a friendship or nature—oh my goodness, thank you!
Here are two lovely reviews. The first is by Kaitlin Lembo of The Spot 518: https://spotlightnews.com/thespot/2021/05/27/a-walking-friendship-the-first-500-miles-chronicles-the-musings-of-two-wanderers/ and the second from Gillian Scott’s Outdoors column in the Sports section of the Albany Times-Union: https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Outdoors-Two-area-women-share-their-treasure-16256141.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-CP-Spotlight. (I never imagined my name would show up in a Sports section! How fun.)
(Along the Marginal Way, Ogunquit ME)
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A final photo below: the first walk on Long Sands Beach three days before, when storms were rolling in.
We could have been upset about wet weather “ruining” one of the few days we had on the ocean. However, mist ventured onto the beach and combined with roiling clouds to confuse the eye. Surf blended into sky; waves became almost irrelevant.
It was beautiful. We laughed when the rain beat down hard on us as we ran for our room after dinner. The fingers of mist continued over the days to reach for land in the morning and refract sunlight in unusual ways.
In its changing, the weather makes you adapt to what’s right here, right now.
Changing weather also reminds me that opportunities for joy will present themselves regularly, even in the midst of the uncontrollable, the chaos and sadness, shifts and unpredictability and opportunities, of this summer just arrived.
Yes, you can buy our book at the link below, as well as at independent bookstores and online retailers.
Of-the-Essence 