Jean Strollo called me the other day from LeRoy, New York, a small town in the western part of the state, about half way between Buffalo and Rochester. This is a place I know a little about. My mother's family is from that area. Mother's father was a station manager with the New York Central railroad and he worked all along that line throughout his career. I have oodles of relatives in towns in that neck of the woods.

Jean lived in Maine, Southport, to be exact. She loved living here and misses it every day, which is part of why she called.

“I have carried every calendar you've done since the start of it,” she told me. “The calendars are my connection to Maine.”

Well, that's pretty heady stuff for this old cowboy. Knowing that every calendar we create is not a contestant for the International House of Pancakes’ “Best of Show award!” It is deeply humbling to realize, from afar, that it means more than dates, phases of the moon and holidays. Jean's call sort of made my day. We have never met.

Jean has lots of history with this place. She taught with Jean Thompson at the Southport school. She tended bar at the Thistle Inn with Leonie. She keeps track of Douglas Carter and recalls Rusty Court from back in Monhegan days when the Thistle was the watering hole of choice for many local characters. Em and Gus Pratt lived just down the road from her Cozy Harbor home.

Jean took five standardbred horses with her to New York. Three have passed on and two are very old and not able to be moved. Jean cleans their stalls every day. She says things have changed a lot at the racetracks over the years. She says it’s just not the same. I don't suppose COVID has helped that situation at all.

Jean ordered a calendar and one for Cherie Colby in Florida and another for a friend in New Hampshire, all with Maine ties and memories. This is good incentive, knowing that people like Jean are willing to take the time to share their good memories of this special place and that our calendar connects. We ship them to folks everywhere and look forward to hearing from recipients.

Thank you to all who enjoy the calendar. It means a lot. Nice to know that the images keep Maine lovers in the loop.

Oh, and in case you hadn't noticed – the photograph I've shared today has nothing to do with what I've written. It’s just one of my seasonal faves.