Dear SML Community,
The other day I took a walk with my friend along a rocky stretch of shoreline here in Maine. The sun was out, it was warm, the birds were excited, and we had Appledore Island in our sight. As I gazed around soaking it in and attempting to clear my head from all the coronavirus-induced stress, I noticed snowdrop flowers in bloom. The sight of those flowers transported me right over the water to Appledore. One of the things I always look for when we first get out to the island in the spring are these precious flowers.
Snowdrops were a favorite of Celia Thaxter. They were considered a symbol of hope in her times. In this challenging time right now, I am comforted by these flowers and by knowing they are blooming right now on Appledore. Soon, the gulls and terns will be setting up their nests on the islands.
Celia Thaxter wrote, “Have patience; here are flowers and songs of birds, beauty and fragrance, wealth of sound and sight, all summer's glory thine from morn till night, and life too full of joy for uttered words.”
We currently intend to open in May for our full season of immersive, place-based courses and research programs. In the meantime, we have formed a SML Risk Assessment Committee to stay consistent with the COVID-19 policies of both our parent institutions (UNH and Cornell) and we continue to gather information from the Centers for Disease Control and local health authorities.
