I’m unsure where or how to begin, so I will just write and see how the words flow.

It’s been a little more than a year and a half since Dan’s passing. I have progressed – there are good and bad days – thankfully, I have incredible support from my family and friends. I’m learning to laugh again. I am at peace and know Dan’s spirit is always near me.

So, moving forward – what I’ve been doing . . .

Research and Writing: I am working with Allenberry Resort researching and writing on the property’s history and surrounding history. So far, I have submitted four essays to them, which will eventually be published on the Resort’s blog.

Besides the writing and publishing I’m doing for Allenberry, I also publish in other venues. A project I’ve done a lot of work on is the Bosler family and their adventures in the midwest. The Cumberland County Historical Society will publish the article in the October/November journal.

Also, focusing on completing unfinished projects – one that is very important to me is the Bosler biography. It’s a book I started as an undergrad at Vermont College, aka Union Institute in Montpelier. While in Vermont, I completed three chapters.

What is interesting about the Bosler book project is that I abandoned it several years ago, but working with Allenberry has brought me full circle. The Boslers and their descendants owned Allenberry from the nineteenth century to the 1940s. The book will focus on James Williamson Bosler, who went West in the mid1800s, which led to the Boslers’ prominence in Cumberland County, PA. Bosler, Wyoming, is named for James Williamson Bosler. (Everything happens for a reason.)

Other writing initiatives include submitting articles to the “The Burg” and local newspapers as a freelance writer.

Presentations: In October, Tristin Malazzo and I will be doing a panel discussion on the “Health of History Education” at the Pennsylvania Historical Association Conference in Williamsport. Tristin graduated with me from Shippensburg University. She is the former Outreach Director at the Cumberland County Historical Society and now works for the Pennsylvania Cable Network in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The panel discussion will include research Tristin did relating to Pennsylvania’s labor history in Northeastern Pennsylvania and how local communities engage with their own history. My topic focuses on my research on teaching history in Pennsylvania’s public schools.

National Register of Historic Places: During the Spring semester of 2020, as part of my grad work at Shippensburg University, I worked on preparing the Lincoln Cemetery in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, PA, for eligibility on the National Register of Historic Places. Preparing a property for the National Register involves a lot of research and documentation. The National Register, part of the National Parks System (Department of the Interior), has very stringent requirements. For more information, see eligibility criteria. I am working with my former professor, Steven Burg, to complete the project. Our goal is to submit it sometime this year to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) via PA-Share.

Websites, Podcasts, and Social Media: And there’s more: Revising my Wandering Pen website – takes a lot of time, but I’m persevering. Also, in the plans – rekindling my podcast and posting three-minute pieces on local history on YouTube. Promote my book, Silver Spring Township – considering doing another book signing – not sure where – need to discuss it with my publisher. Wegmans and CVS sell copies, and I’ve never done a book signing at either of those places. I am selling autographed copies on eBay (thanks, Mary, for the suggestion).

Must get back to posting history and historic preservation information on social media. I need to build the SEO and drive more traffic to my websites. I don’t like self-promoting, but being self-employed requires it.

Did you know I have a Cumberland County blog – I haven’t posted to it for a VERY long time. Still, you might want to check it out to see what is posted. I welcome posting suggestions and guest writers.

Wow! What an agenda! I realize what I posted is overwhelming and energetic, but it’s not all happening at once. I am pacing myself, and some of it will take a long time to complete, such as the Bosler biography. I am setting priorities and a schedule. It is really all doable as long as I stay focused. This is my job/career now – and most of all I love what I do. It is why I went back to school. AND I see life differently now – I had to redesign my life – I have to look at my health – mental and physical – I’m back on the horse but riding a lot slower.