Yikes, September is here! I hope you are taking every advantage of squeezing every bit of what’s left of summer. Yesterday, I felt I did just that. After attending a retreat in DC, on my way home my husband and I were able to squeeze in an unexpected overnight visit with my nephew and his lovely family. We enjoyed a nice dinner, and then, of course, we treated our grand-niece and nephews to ice cream. We had such a delightful time, and not even an hour into our trip back home the next day, my friend Doris Mady texted me about an exhibit at the Hudson River Museum that was closing that day. So, traffic cooperated, and instead of going straight home, we made yet another detour to squeeze in more summer fun! Why not?

On the drive home, I was so inspired by the lingering season that I wrote a poem about holding onto summer—and I can’t wait to share it with our Poetry group! Discovering a new artist at the museum who works with gold and silver leaf also sparked a fresh wave of creativity for me. There is nothing quite like a spontaneous museum detour to get those artistic gears turning. I hope all of you are finding your own moments of inspiration as we head into the new season—what have you been working on lately?

A couple of thank-yous go out to our own Lisa D’Amico for completing part two of our Social Media workshop series. Her guidance gave our members practical tools and some newfound confidence for sharing work online—thank you, Lisa, for your generosity and expertise! Thank you to Barbara O’Shea Strong for hosting a small gathering for Pen Women to enjoy the beautiful setting at her home. It was such a warm and inspiring gathering, and a lovely reminder of how much richer our creative work becomes when we share it in community. Thank you to Karen Heffner, Cathy Horn, and Deb Weir for continuing with the art and writing critiques. Also, thanks to Barbara Ehrentreu for gathering our poets during the summer.

Mark your calendars: we have a film night coming up on Tuesday, September 15th with our own member Roberta Seret regarding the award-winning Italian film, La Grazia. It will be on Zoom from  4:00 to 5:30 P.M.

Meeting chat link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/89724307692

• Meeting ID: 897 2430 7692
• Passcode: GPWFILM

Please note that La Grazia is available to rent on Amazon Prime. This promises to be a wonderful afternoon of connection and inspiration.

As we settle into fall, I hope you’re all finding renewed energy for your creative practice—whether that’s picking back up a project you set aside over the summer, starting something entirely new, or simply making space to create again after the season’s slower rhythm.

Our branch always thrives when we welcome new voices into our circle. If you know a local writer, artist, or musician who might benefit from our sisterhood, please invite them to an upcoming gathering or share our branch details with them.

I look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming gatherings and to a wonderful season of creativity together. Please Save the Date Oct. 1 for our Fall Luncheon. Details to come!!!

Wishing you all a beautiful start to September! Don’t forget the detours!

Onward and upward,