My meditation class was moved to Friday due to my food poisoning earlier in the week. Another beautiful meeting. I read from Joan Chittister’s The Gift Of Years. Art supplies are flying out of the Mansion, and a fantastic painting and creative fever have set in.

We have a new idea for the men’s group -a weekly Men’s Dinner with food cooked just for them. This is a great way, I think, to restart the men’s groups; they will all show up for the dinner they requested. I’ll be there to eat with them.

I think will make it easier for the men to be at ease showing up.

I’m working hard to find writers and spiritual scholars who have written books about aging that are honest, affirming, and helpful. I’m careful not to read books that patronize older people as if they were dumb. They are not. I’ve zeroed in on five or six wonderful authors, and the residents have loved these discussions.

Lots of news.

The Mitten Tree, which the Army of Good has supplied – hats, scarves, mittens – for residents who need winter clothes but cannot buy them, was offered yesterday.

(Ellen, from Memory Care, with her beautiful smile. She can paint very well, also.)

The tree went up this morning – anyone can take what they need, and by the time I arrived, most of the clothes you good people donated were gone. I bought some mittens and added them to the tree.

In class, I read from Chittister’s superb essay on growing older: “This is the period of life of which the psalmist spoke when he prayed, “O taste and see that our God is sweet…” It’s the time, she wrote, for all of us to become whole human beings, when life will come pouring into, almost more fully than we can sometimes bear.”

(Above the Mitten Tree, the clothes are almost gone.)

We meditated for seven minutes, and I read from three different books.

Artwork is booming at the Mansion; supplies are flying out of there. They are asking for miscellaneous art things – beads, etc. all available on Amazon here (the top three items are what they are seeking. ), along with canvases ll x 14 or as close as we can get.

Above, Lori from Memory Care (and assistant activities director Kim)was the first to take advantage of the Mitten Tree; she got beautiful mittens to wear when she has to go outside or wants to take a walk.

There have never been so many residents painting as snow; they happily create through the art canvases we have already sent. Activity Director Paryese says the image has dramatically boosted the residents’ morale and calmed them, giving them a feeling of value.

If anyone can send a few more, that would be great.

The shipping address is Bonnie, The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. The telephone number, if Amazon requests it, is 518 677 3711.

Above, the residents have worked on painting glasses for the windows with sketches and stickers.

A strong flow of energy and creativity is coming out of the Mansion; your contributions have helped. I’m working on getting the aides something and allowing the residents to share their favorite aides as a small gift.

Donations would be helpful: Via Paypal, [email protected], via Venmo, Jon-Katz@Jon-Katz-13. Or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. Small donations are helpful; they add up.

Thanks so much. The Mitten Tree is an essential thing at the Mansion. Too many residents have no warm clothes to wear when shopping, walking or visiting their doctors. The Mitten Tree will make a huge difference.