Simple Gifts

Dear Diary,

On a perfect early summer evening last night I went to hear a concert at the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine.  It was held in the beautiful old meeting house which was built in 1794.  The Portland Singers and string quartet performed many of the traditional Shaker songs that would have been sung over the last 200 years and Brother Arnold told us some of the history of the music.  Interestingly, my favorite one, written by a Sabbathday Lake brother, Simple Gifts, wasn't included in the repertoire last night.

Simple Gifts was sung at my wedding in 1998 but I wasn't disappointed it wasn't performed last night.  I left the concert filled with lovely music and not far from the village I came to this little lake which presented me with the most beautiful of gifts...a spectacular sunset!  It truly was breathtaking and I stood for some minutes just enjoying the visual feast.

I've included two extra photographs, one of the meeting house exterior and another of the interior as we awaited the concert.  It shows the lovely blue paint which was used in all Meeting House interiors.  It is the original paint and it is in marvelous condition.  Yes, a wonderful evening of the simple gifts of music and sunsets.