Happy New Year!

Welcome 2016 - and welcome to the upcoming changes at High Meadows!

Our family had a lovely holiday season, celebrating and reminiscing about the Christmases we have been lucky enough to have spent here. None have been as sweet as this one that just passed - and though certainly there is some melancholy when we think about not being here for Christmas 2016 - mostly, there is excitement looking forward to the changes ahead, and joy when we think about the new family that will be calling High Meadows home this year.

We are steaming full speed ahead with essays...if you haven't written yet, and are planning to, just do it! If you have a friend or loved one who you think should enter, tell them. There is no prettier time up here on this hill than Spring - and it's fast approaching. With 72 degrees on Christmas day, we sort of wondered if it wasn't already here, but there is a rumor of snow finally next week, so those daffodils that are poking up will need to go back to sleep for a little while at least.

Our January will be full of packing, planning our move, and organizing business details for a smooth transition. The deadline will be January 29th at midnight - this is the actual date that a 60 day extension will arrive on, and we anticipate all entries having arrived by the 10th or so of February. With reading and judging ahead of us, we want to announce a winner by late February, if all goes well! They will still have 10 days to decide to accept in writing, and then we will work to make the transition as smooth as possible, and as quickly as possible.

At least one other recent contest has closed without a winner, and entry fees returned. Rock Spring Farm, a lovely private home, didn't receive enough entries - and so they have decided to simply put the property on the market. While not nearly as exciting as being able to announce a winner - I know that the experience for the essayists, and for the property owners, was still well worth doing - and we feel EXACTLY the same way. Regardless of how this turns out (and we remain very optimistic!!), we have no regrets for this process. How wonderful to sit and write and dream, and how nice to meet and hear from so many lovely people! It's been lovely so far - and we know this month will pass quickly.

So, Happy New Year to all of our friends, new and old! Set your goals for 2016, and then take those first scary steps to meeting them...we have, and it feels just wonderful.