2019 New England Reflections Calendar

Benefiting the Monadnock Conservancy

With the fall foliage season fading away, the time is overdue to get people thinking of there 2019 calendar(s).  Actually, October is late to be pushing out my New England Reflections Calendar, but there are two important factors that make this year’s calendar especially desirable.

The Calendar

First and as is always true, my 2019 calendar is the best I have ever offered!  It is difficult to choose the pictures for the calendar, but I am excited about the image selection and, once again, how beautifully they have been printed by Silver Direct. 

As always, my images focus on the Monadnock Region and southern Vermont.  Pictures include lots of flowing water (four pictures), ice coated Harrisville during the crippling 2008 December storm, spring flowers, and intense autumn colors along a road in Chesterfield.  I always include at least one animal picture, and for the 2019 calendar, it is of new-born lambs at Harrisville’s Mayfair Farm.  This year’s seacoast picture captures sunrise at the icon Portland Head Lighthouse. In November 2017 we saw a spectacular “Super” moon and I managed to capture the moonrise over Mount Monadnock. 

You can see some of these pictures here, but for the full collection, check out the 2019 New England Reflections Gallery on my web site.

The Cause

For the first time, this year, all the proceeds from my calendar benefit the great work of the Monadnock Conservancy. The Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust for southwestern New Hampshire.  Since its founding in 1989 the Conservancy has protected nearly 20,000 acres, including farmland and open spaces.  This is a wonderful group of hard-working conservationists who have been strongly supportive of the New England Reflections Calendar.  

Monadnock Conservancy Staff

It is refreshing to partner with folks who have enthusiastically taken on the work of distributing and promoting the calendar.   Even if you don’t like the calendar, please consider supporting this excellent organization to any extent you can but remember the New England Reflections Calendar make a great gift for family and friends, anytime, but especially during the holiday season. What better gift than to promote the protection of the natural beauty of our amazing corner of New England.

Where are the Calendars?

The calendars are widely available.  We are still working on expanding their distribution, but here is a partial list of the quality local establishments who have agree to carry the calendar.  You can also get one or more from me, or from the Monadnock Conservancy.

• Creative Encounters Keene
• Flowers on Main- Keene  
• Hannah Grimes- Keene
• May Fair Farm- Harrisville
• Monadnock Imaging- Keene
• Sharon Arts Center Peterborough
• Toadstool Keene
• Toadstool Peterborough
• Jingle Christmas Store, Westmoreland
• Westmoreland General Store, Westmoreland   

Monadnock Conservancy
15 Eagle Court, po box 337
Keene, NH 03431
603-357-0600

Jeff Newcomer

www.partridgebrookreflections.org
603-363-8338

2019 Calendar Week

The New England Reflections Calendar is Back !

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

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

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.

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

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. 

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

www.partridgebrookreflections.com

2017 New England Reflections Calendar

2017 Calendar Cover & October

The Crush is On

May : Reflected Spire, Park Hill, Westmoreland NH

This has been my calendar week.  As usually I am a couple of weeks behind in getting my 2017 New England Reflections Calendar off to the printer and, this week,  I have finally accepted that all my other, "critically late", tasks must take a back seat to getting the material together for the 2017 edition.






 

A Good Cause

November : Mill Falls, Weston Vt

As always, all proceeds from the 2017 New England Reflections Calendar will support Pulmonary Rehabilitation patients at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth Hitchcock Keene in need of financial assistance and fund their participation in Breathe New Hampshire.

Breathing Free - Costs Money

2004 Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene NH

Pulmonary Rehabilitation helps individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and other chronic lung diseases.  Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth Hitchcock Keene provides a comprehensive outpatient program.  A multidisciplinary team tailors individualized education and exercise programs to help patients understand and cope with their disease and function with greater comfort and independence.

November 2016 Calendar

 Who Uses a Calendar Anymore?

I have been publishing the calendar for close to 15 years and I worry that today, with everyone depending on their smart phones, the interest in a wall calendar may be fading.  Perhaps I could come up with an alternative promotional device to gather the needed funds.  Coffee mugs, t-shirts or perhaps tote bags decorated with my images might work, but I wouldn’t be able to compete with Hew Hampshire Public Radio.  Besides, this time of year everyone I meet is asking, “When is the calendar coming out?”.  It has become part of my summer tradition and I realize that, at this point, I wouldn’t know how NOT to produce a New England Reflections Calendar.

March : Mist on the Hill, Dummerston Vt

So I have gone through the agony of picking my 12 pictures for next year, I’ve found banner images to compliment the large monthly photos and selected thumbnails to scatter through the empty date boxes.  I’ve decided on the important dates and holidays to include 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 added the traditional names given to each full moon.  In 2017 the October full moon is closest to the Autumnal Equinox and therefore it is the "Harvest Moon".  September, which more often claims this honor, will have to be content with the "Corn Moon".

August : Morning Lamp, New Castle, NH
Always one image from the coast.

I used Microsoft Publisher to create the basic layout of the calendar.  I hate to surrender any part of the process, but in recent years I have come to appreciate that the refinements provided by a talented graphic designer and professional printing can provide a finished look to the final result.

The Nervous Time

November : Mill Falls, Weston Vt

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 a number of folks 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.  In the meantime, I’ll try to take advantage of the lull and catch up on some of my other overdue projects, including preparing for the upcoming "Art in the Park" and my fall educational programs.

July: Black-eyed Bee, Spofford NH

Old Saybrook Super Moon
My only chance to use a portrait oriented image.

In this article, I have included a few of the featured images from the 2017 New England Reflections Calendar.  Your feedback would be appreciated.  

 Of course the greatest help come when you support our pulmonary patients by buying lots of calendars!  Remember any errors in the calendar are NOT their fault.

A more complete collection of calendar images can be reviewed on my web site at:

Calendar2017 Gallery

Jeff Newcomer

partridgebrookreflections.com

603-363-8338