The New England Reflections Calendar is Back !
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| September Setting : 2019 Cover |
This
has been my calendar week. I know that it is already getting late, but
over the last few days, I have been slogging my way through the tough work of
planning out my 2019 Calendar, collecting and editing the images. Hopefully
I can get the final design completed the printing done by the end of this
month. Then the distribution blitz will begin. I’m thrilled to
announce that the proceeds from the 2019 will be dedicated to support the
wonderful work of the Monadnock Conservancy.
The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
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| Pasture Lane, Chesterfield NH 2020 Page |
For
years I sold my New England Reflections Calendars as a fundraiser, with all
proceeds dedicated to providing support for the Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Program at the Cheshire Medical Center. For me, Pulmonary Rehab has
always occupied an important place. Years ago, I worked to develop the
program, and then served as Medical Director until my retirement. I was honored
to devote the proceeds of my annual calendar to this important resource.
Over the years I was able to contribute tens of thousands of dollars to
supplement the program’s offerings and to assist patients who could not afford
the tuition. Last year, the medical center decided to withdraw its
support for the calendar. I was surprised and saddened. The news
came late in the year and it forced me to miss publishing a 2018 Calendar.
I was surprised to hear of the disappointment shared by so many people
who had come to depend on my calendar for their own use and as a holiday gift
for family and friends. Apparently, the New England Reflections Calendar has
spread appreciation of the beauty of our region across the country and throughout
the globe.
Happily,
I found a great non-profit organization that was excited to partner with me,
The Monadnock Conservancy.
Enter the Monadnock Conservancy
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| Spring Rest Keene NH, April |
In
our corner of New Hampshire, we are fortunate to have the Monadnock
Conservancy, which is a strong advocate for conservation. As a land
trust, the Conservancy “works with communities and landowners to conserve the
natural resources, wild and working lands, rural character and scenic beauty of
the Monadnock region”. My photography has always focused on the beauty of
New England and especially the unique attractions of the Monadnock Region.
It seemed like a perfect fit to work with the great people of the
Conservancy to produce a calendar which would celebrate our region while supporting
their efforts to protect its special qualities for generations to come.
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| Howl Against the Storm : Dummerston Vermont, January |
I
have been collecting images which I thought would work well in the 2019
calendar. As always, I have included one image of animals and one from the
seacoast, but I have tried to focus more on the Monadnock region. Please excuse me for picking only one image
from Vermont. of
Picture Picking Agony
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| Full Moon Rising, Winchester NH, November |
I
have gone through the usual agony of picking my 12 images for next year’s ‘months”,
I’ve found banner images to compliment the large monthly photos and thumbnail
images to scatter through the empty date boxes. I’ve decided on the
important dates and holidays to include. I will be adding a few special dates
of interest to the Conservancy, but, once again, “Belly Laugh Day” (January
24th) has failed to make the cut. I have added the dates for the
new and full moons and the traditional names given to each full moon. In
2019 there will be no “Blue Moon” – no months when two full moons occur in the
same month.
I
use Microsoft Publisher to create the basic layout of the calendar, but in
recent years I have come to appreciate the refinements provided by a talented
graphic designer to provide a professional look to the final result.
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| Sunrise Passage, Portland Me, August |
This
is an exciting and anxious time as I prepare to release my creation to the final
processes of design and printing. My work is largely done. I have
asked several editors to review the text for the inevitable errors and
omissions. The pictures have all been rendered in their appropriate
sizes. Next week the calendar goes to the printers and then, in a couple of
weeks, the hectic process of distribution will begin. This year, I expect
a new, enthusiastic level of help from the staff and volunteers at the Conservancy.
To all those friends who were disappointed that I didn’t publish a New
England Reflections Calendar for 2018, please be patient and await the 2019
edition. I promise that it will be appreciated by all your friends and
family, and again it will benefit a great cause.
In
this article, I have included a few of the 2019 image selections. You can
also check out all the major images, including the cover image, in my 2019 NewEngland Reflections Calendar Gallery. Calendars will be available in many
local stores beginning later this summer, or you can always get in touch with
me or the hard-working folks at the Monadnock Conservancy.
Jeffrey
Newcomer
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