Tamar, Trees and Libby Mills

Saturday (3/18) was our fifth day without power. No showers, piles of unwashed dishes. We were scheduled to sing with Hallowell at a Memorial Service for Elizabeth "Libby" Stone Mills, a much-beloved pillar of the Putney community who died at age 95. The 1:00pm service was being held at the Putney School, where Libby had worked for decades. Ellen had to go out to do something in the morning, but I stayed home and took a much-needed "sponge bath" using a dish pan with water from melted snow heated on the wood stove. We met Eliza at our usual car-pooling spot on the back road to Putbey and were astonished by the number of trees that had obviously fallen over the road during the storm and now were cut up and lying beside the road. There was one stretch of road maybe 100 yards long, where almost a dozen good-sized trees had come down. What a job to clear that- no wonder we were still without power!

An example of a downed tree - this one on the East-West road just below our driveway.*************** Hallowell gathered to "warm up" in a room in Currier Hall at Putney School that was very familiar to me - years ago, c. 2005-2010, the Chorale had met there to rehearse. Libby's service was remarkable - a fitting trubute to an amazing, gifted, woman who had poured out her life in service to others. The hall was full - over 200 prople for sure. A slide show gave a visual overview of her life. Hallowell sang "Noone Stands Alone," "Farthest Field," and "Crossing the Bar," - and we sang well! Many people - family, friends and work colleagues - paid tribute to Libby's many-faceted life. It ended in grand fashion - a New Orleans-style jazz band appeared and slowly marched in playing, "Just A Closer Walk With Thee," and then segued into a rousing "When the Saints Go Marching In." What a blast!

Elizabeth Stone Mills (1928-2023).

The jazz band marching in.

The hall we were in - the view from my seat.

The Slide show on the big screen and a speaker at the podium.***************** After Libby's service we had to go directly to Northampton to join the Feinlands for supper at 5:00pm - we just made it - and then go to the high school for a performance of the 1980's rock musical "Rock of Ages," which Tamar was in. It was a high-energy show with lots of spirited music and dancing. And we got to see several Feinlands who had traveled to be there: Jerry's mother, Doris, his siblings, Gary, Laura and Robin, and Tamar's siblings, Ben and Max.

Above: Act I and ACT II finales.

In the Feinland kitchen - l. to r.: Ben, Julie, Max, Jerry, Tamar, and Theo downon the floor.

Tamar after the show.