Less is more

When I first moved to Bridgton, my friends and relatives were all surprised to hear about the many events I was attending and activities I was involved in. They assumed that living in the country meant not having a whole lot to do as compared to when I lived in the city. I explained to them that people here have the desire to get together and enjoy the things in life that mean the most because they have a greater sense of community.

And living in a small town or a rural area does not mean there is nothing to do; in fact, it is the very reason why there is always so much going on in town. We seem to understand the need for that connection with our neighbors.

Having said that, though, I must admit that when I took over this column, I had a fear in the back of my mind that one day I’d sit down to write it and find that there was a lull in the calendar and that there would be nothing to write about. I figured it was bound to happen at some point in the middle of winter. Well, folks, it happened when I least expected: right around the holidays!

But as I spend more time thinking about it, it makes sense. With Christmas weekend now upon us, it is the time to sit back and relax into the calmness of the holiday. The decorations have been hung, gifts have been given, and the cookies have been baked. We are officially into winter, and the darkest days of the year are a reminder to take queues from nature and hunker down a little. Soon enough, the tourists will be back for MLK and Presidents weekends and things will start to perk up again. But for now, let’s enjoy the quiet time.

Library news

The Holiday Tea at the Bridgton Public Library was a huge success. A lovely crowd gathered on Dec. 13 to enjoy homemade treats and hot tea, while meeting new people and chatting about everything under the sun. The library is hoping to make this an annual event, so if you weren’t able to secure a ticket this year, fear not. I will say, though, that if you have even the slightest interest in possibly attending next year, you should mark your calendar some time for November to remind yourself to get a ticket. Because once Hollywood’s elite catch wind of how great it was, there will surely be a shortage of tickets. You don’t want to be the one who has to duke it out with George Clooney over the last available ticket.

In the meantime, the library has some new programming available, for both families and adults. There is a Coffee and Coloring group for adults, which will meet on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. The Family Craft Time will take place on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. Both groups will meet downstairs.

If you haven’t already seen the handmade duvet that the library is raffling off, you are in for a treat. Library Assistant Jane Whitworth has created a one-of-a-kind, hand-embroidered and sewn, queen-size linen duvet especially for the library, as a fundraiser. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. It is on display upstairs at the library, where tickets can be purchased.

Bridgton Rec news

Last weekend I attended my first bus trip sponsored by Bridgton and Harrison recreation. We spent a really fun day in Portland, touring the Victoria Mansion and seeing “The Magic of Christmas” performed by the Portland Symphony Orchestra. I had so much fun that I regretted not going on some of the previous trips. But the good news is that Rec Director Gary Colello is hoping to start some more adult programming and trips, beginning this spring. There is nothing scheduled as of yet, but stay tuned for more info. I’ll keep you posted.

Can we please have some snow?

I’m trying not to get angry about it, but our lack of good weather (and by “good,” I really mean bad) is really starting to get old. Lakes Environmental Association is planning a winter tracking event at Holt Pond on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 10 a.m. The thing about winter tracking is that it just isn’t possible to do without snow, because it involves looking at animal tracks in the snow in order to identify them. Now, please, Mother Nature, can you just throw us a bone and give us what we’re all waiting for, at least so Mary Jewett can run her program?

If you have any questions or concerns that the program might not go on as scheduled, contact Mary at 647-8580 or mary@leamaine.org. And wear your pajamas inside out. That sometimes helps it to snow.

Get smart

The winter class schedule for Senior College at Bridgton is out, and registration is now open. Classes will be offered from 10 a.m.-noon, beginning Jan. 19 and running through Feb. 11 at the Tannery Pub in the Magic Lantern Theater (absolutely no boozing while class is in session! They serve water, too.)

The 10 classes being offered are: Tanka Poetry Workshop, Stage Door, Origins of Oceanography, Revisiting the Town, Writing Your Own Obituary (sounds fun!), EcoMaine-One Sort Recycling, Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Inside Your Computer, LEA’s Water Protection Program, and Conversation through the Art of Dialogue. Phew, that was a lot of typing. In order to save my fingers, I will refer you to the website for more information: www.seniorcollegeatbridgton.org. Or you can call Kappy Sprenger at 647-5593. If you are phone-phobic and despise the Internet (tell me I’m not alone here), you can stop at the library for the course offering brochure and reservation form. While you’re there, you can buy a raffle ticket for the duvet. Did I mention that it is beautiful?

The library was all decked out for the Holiday Tea on Dec. 13. Special thanks to the sponsors: Garden Gate Treasures; A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That; The Little Flower Stand; and Jane Whitworth. 

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