Reflecting and Reminiscing: 2020

2020 began hopeful with travel plans and anticipation of live music.
Montreal, Quebec
Dark Easter Metal Meeting, Munich, Germany
Fire in the Mountains, Wyoming
Wardruna, New York City

But…
There would be no traveling.
And there would be no live music.
And the closest I was going to get to New York City, was an exhibit at the New York State Museum in Albany.

2020.

Saratoga Springs, New York

I’ve been manic.
Scattered, restless, anxious.

March 2020.
Stay at home orders began.
My normal became everyone’s “new normal.”
Staying at home. Cooking at home. Learning at home.

2020.
Exercising.
Cooking & Baking.
Crafting Junk Journals.
Homebrewing.
Playing with Kittens.
Practicing Sewing Zippers.
Listening to Vinyl.
Finished Sewing a Quilt.
Continued learning French.

and I began listening to podcasts.

One of my favorite podcasts to listen on to is Agitators Anonymous the Alan Averill Podcast.

Episode 23, “Love in a Cold World” with special guest Mat McNerney is a favorite of mine.
I admittedly have watched/listened to it a few times.

The entire conversation is interesting in my opinion, but Mat asked a question I have been obsessing about.
“How do I remain relevant to myself?”
I think of this question almost every day.

Perhaps the most important thing for my mental well-being is to stay relevant to me.

2020 has been chaotic.
A pandemic, political upheaval, and civil unrest.

As a person who considers themselves to be “creative,” it has been difficult to create anything this year.
Writing. I don’t feel I have anything of value to say.
Sewing. I feel guilty sewing anything other than masks.

I constantly ask myself, “What is its purpose? Does it have value? Does anybody care? Do I care?”

“How do I remain relevant to myself?”
“How do I remain relevant to myself?”

It’s possible that this is the question all artists are always seeking to answer.

“How do I remain relevant to myself?”

I don’t think I have found a suitable answer to this question yet.
But maybe the answer to this question can be found in enjoying the moment we are in.

Enjoyable Moments in 2020.

#recreatelocal #ilovenewyork #newyorkstateofmind

January

February

March

Crown Point State Historic Site

I really wanted to write about this day back in March when it was fresh in my mind, but time moves quickly even when it seems like it’s standing still.

March 9th
how beautiful it was!
the warming sun of winter ending
the air was refreshing with a hint of spring

The Ruins of Fort St. Frederic

“Between 1734 and 1738, the French built an awe-inspiring stone fortress at Crown Point called Fort St. Frédéric. French Settlers created a thriving community around the fort that they were forced to abandon in 1759 because of the approach of a large British army. Rather than allow the fort to fall into British hands, the French blew up the fort, leaving it a ruin.” Interpretive Sign

The British Fort at Crown Point

“As soon as the British occupied Crown Point in 1759, they began constructing one of the largest forts they would ever build in North America. Over the next several years, they built a massive, pentagonal fortification with walls over 20 feet high. Designed to house up to 4,000 men and withstand attack by enemy artillery, the fort met its end in 1773 when an accidental chimney fire burned out of control and reduced the fort to ruins.” Interpretive Sign

April

Happy birthday to me! It was an oddly perfect birthday all things considered. I went out to the Hudson River, in the pouring rain, alone.

May

June

Crane Mountain, Adirondacks

It was the third time I summited this mountain.
Although I struggled (I’d like to blame the summer weather) it somehow was the least amount of stops (to catch my breath) I’ve ever had to make going up!
I’ll take this as a win.
It was an absolutely beautiful day for my 1st mountain hike of the year!
3254′ elevation
06/20/2020

July

Hunter Mountain, Catskills

My 2nd mountain hike of the year and even though I had a pretty great time, I was really feeling defeated before this hike ended.
6.66 miles, 4,040′ elevation
07/11/2020

Buck Pond Campground, Adirondacks

July 24-26th

August

Chimney Bluffs State Park

August 20th
“Teardrop-shaped hills of glacial till.” How could I not completely love these fantastic spires of erosion?

I lost time.
how much? I can never be sure.
daydreaming
alone in a cemetery
the sun was bright and oddly comforting
while late summer winds
whispered silent stories.
8/31/2020

September

I tried to do 30 days of self-care in September. I was mostly successful…

Greenridge Cemetery

Wedding Anniversary!

Lewey Lake Campground, Adirondacks

September 19th-21st

October

November

I’d like to say that November was a quiet month, but it was not. I just didn’t seem to take photos of anything other than my cats and the night sky.

December

#summitselfies

#stayathome #recreatelocal

Saratoga Spa State Park

Most of my mask photos are in Saratoga Spa State Park, because other than grocery shopping, it is one of the only place I go if I leave my house.
And yes, I did sew all of my masks.

I love my cats.

My cats are honestly great company and I am truly fortunate that they allow me to hang out with them all day.

Outside of New York State…

Falmouth, Massachusetts

Lake Thompson, Maine