An Abundant Life - Gently Down The Stream

This past week I heard that Veuve Cliquot was celebrating the launch of a new vintage by making it possible for visitors to go rowing in Central Park at the Boat House for several days for free. I always love the Boat House, and Veuve Cliquot has long been a favorite, and the idea of having an afternoon row sounded like something that I'd at least like to see other people do if not do it myself. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it because, though I love sailing and used to sail often, it had been a while and I hadn't been rowing in many years.

When I arrived at the Boat House I saw that the line was long but not that long, so I decided to get into it and see what else was a part of the celebration. It turned out that free row boats was what they had planned, and the line was going very quickly, so I went ahead and stayed in line, and found myself getting into a row boat. I had thought I'd feel strange being by myself, but there were a few other solo rowers also, and after it was all done and even during it, I found myself grateful for the time to get my rowing skills back up to speed on my own. In retrospect, rowing can really only be done by one person, unless you've practiced as a team or a duo, and even if there is more than one person in a rowboat, it's often easier if each one takes their own turn.

Being on my own was a bit daunting at first because I had to remember and get used to the way the boat moves with the oars, but being on my own was also freeing because I could sit and experiment and glide and get my bearings, trying out different things to see what worked and what didn't work as well, and to take the time to be peaceful as I figured it all out. Rowing is somewhat like riding a bicycle I think, in that it all came back to me as I started. It didn't take very long for me to remember in my sense memory the different ways the oars helped move the rowboat and in what direction and way to use them to get to where I wanted to be.

It's really a wonderful thing to know that the body and mind can remember physics in this way, that we can remember how to do something that is actually very complicated if you try to explain it in words. Learning by doing is sometimes the best way for some things, and rowing was that way for me. As I found myself on the water in Central Park in New York City, I reflected on the extraordinary circumstances that had brought me to that place on that day. All the years of history, all the times in my life from summer camps up to the present, all the different ways that I had gotten to where I was just then to be able to go ahead and say yes to getting into a row boat in Central Park because why not? And then finding myself remembering after all how to row gently and surely out into the center, and then turn around and find my way back to shore.

An Afternoon In Central Park

Rowing At The Boathouse

With So Much Gratitude

To Veuve Cliquot

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Paper Dreams

This past week was the Art On Paper show in New York City, and I was invited by the gorgeous Linda Gerlach invited me to the opening night with a very special VIP exclusive ticket. I always enjoy going to this show, but having the opportunity to be with Linda as she photographed and created her wonderful images that would become her story and record of the show was enchanting. She is such a beautiful photographer and creative, and is so much fun to be with too. Being invited to join her on this very special evening was a true gift and blessing.

Art On Paper always inspires me because there are so many different ways that people are working with paper to create their art, and in some ways it seems there are endless possibilities when people focus on using this medium. Books and sculptures, paintings, drawings, collage, tiny boxes drawn on with even tinier pens and paint brushes, mobiles, structures, prints and even on at least one year a memorable paper dress and other paper clothing.

The VIP evenings are always a joyous time too, because it's the first night and everyone feels the excitement of being there. Joining Linda made this event that I always love attending become something even more special and beautiful, and with so much gratitude I thank her for thinking of me and extending her generous invitation to this night filled with stars and dreams.

At Art On Paper

With So Much Gratitude

To The Gorgeous Linda Gerlach

For Her Generous Invitation

To The VIP Exclusive Opening

Pier 36

299 South Street

New York City

https://ny.thepaperfair.com

Lane Sell

Printing Live With Shoestring Press

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - A Celebration of Community

I posted about the the Three Year Anniversary Celebration at YES Gallery two weeks ago, and shared a poem that I had written in May that had inspired the title of the event with a line from it that was written on the invitation. On the day itself, among all of the beautiful community members and Artists who shared their time and gifts there was one woman who I had met before when she'd come into the gallery and who offered to share some of her spoken word and sung poetry. I had always told her in the past that she'd be welcome to do that, and so when she arrived and after a little while offered to read a few things, I was delighted and said yes.

Her name is Carmen Vega, and she performs in other places all over Jersey City and the surrounding area. I've seen some of her posts and videos of her readings and of the poems she writes and sings, and it was wonderful to have her share her work at YES Gallery. I had asked her if I could videotape and post and when she said yes I was able to videotape one of her pieces in its entirety which I'll share here. It was a beautiful afternoon and evening, and having Carmen and her beautiful presence and words and song added some very special moments to this celebration of community.

Carmen Vega

In Performance

At The Three Year Anniversary Celebration

Of YES Gallery

408 6th Street

Hoboken, New Jersey

https://www.instagram.com/carm.envart 

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Taking A Wayside Walk

I was in Massachusetts for a visit recently, and a beautiful friend asked me if there was anything that I'd been wanting to do. The first thing that came into my heart was that I'd been wanting to visit the Wayside Inn, a place that has a wonderful restaurant and also a beautiful environment to walk and explore. My friend said yes, even though I found out afterward that she hadn't known at first what place I was talking about. She is a gem to have said yes without knowing, just because she knew I"d been wanting to visit.

On the day that we went, she asked me for the address, and when I looked it up for her she saw that it was the place where her daughter had gotten married. The grounds of the Wayside Inn have different areas, and I'd been talking about the historic home part of it, but her daughter had been married by the grist mill. On our way over as we drove, I saw so many reminders of places where I'd been over the years with my Mother, and it brought back so many beautiful memories. When we arrived, and I saw the sign on the house that showed the date it had been built, I realized that the reason I'd been wanting to return is that it was built around the same period as the house where I grew up. 

There is something very special about revisiting a place where you've loved to go that you haven't been to in a while, or at least there is for me. Our afternoon at the Wayside Inn was filled with so many beautiful moments, and I am so grateful to my friend for her willingness to bring me there. We had lunch after our walk around the grounds and after visiting the grist mill, and we took time to view the rooms upstairs where they have a museum and display before walking outside down the paths and roads and fields. One thing that I'd been wanting very much to have is Indian Pudding, something that I always loved to have there and that I'd learned to make because of how much I enjoyed it when I visited. It was still on the menu, and when I asked at the restaurant if they were still serving it, they were, and so I had a beautiful new memory reminding me of days gone by to cherish along with my meal.

One thing I found out this time that I hadn't known, thanks to reading some of the information at the mill and the lovely opportunity to speak with the Miller, is that Henry Ford was an important part of why the Wayside Inn exists. I had no idea all these years that he had walked these road and paths and created the mechanisms that kept things running into a new era, and that was an exciting thing to find out. As I plan for my own project that is part of another historic site, having the experience of walking along in the paths of memory helped me to see that all things are possible. Where once I had walked as a child, a teenager and a young adult, I can now walk and learn in a new way how to create an environment for and with the community that is as special as the places and spaces surrounding it.

A Beautiful Lunch

And A Wayside Inn Walk

Longfellow's Wayside Inn

72 Wayside Inn Road

Sudbury, Massachusetts

https://www.wayside.org

Indian Pudding

Bringing Back So Many Beautiful Memories

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Three Years

 This coming Saturday, August 23, is the three year Anniversary of YES Gallery. I was realizing as I thought about the date and the year, it is twenty years since I went through a very difficult time in my business that started because of a partnership I'd begun in 2003 to create an art and community center, in many ways the way that YES Gallery is today. All those long years and so many adventures with Jesus, so many twists and turns and miraculous appearances and happenings that it could be a Charles Dickens novel. I do want to write about it, and have wanted to, and I've started sometimes, but somehow the fact that each moment is unfolding in so many different faceted ways makes it difficult for me to just sit down and write because I'm living it.

A few months ago I wrote a poem that came to me when I was on my way home from a ver exciting evening during Design Week in Manhattan. I was thinking about a friend of mine who was so dear, someone who I wished was still around for me to share time with. He's in Heaven now, and I'm sure very happy there, but though I am happy that he's happy, and I also know his spirit is still here with me, there is a part of me that misses the physical him so much. We had so many raucously wonderful times together, and some very tender ones too. We loved each other in the way that only very special once in a blue moon friendships can be. 

I'll share the poem here, and will be sharing more about the three year Anniversary when I've experienced it, but for now here is the poem that the title of the Anniversary is from:

Walking At Twilight

I want you to live

Where you used to live

I want you to be 

Alive the way you used to be alive

I want us to go out

Like we used to go out

The way we used to be when we ruled this town

When you'd call me up

And just say Wolff

So much meaning in my name

The way you said it

Wolff and I'd come running

Or you'd come to me

Like that time I was so sick with the flu

And you brought me orange juice

And sat with me not smoking

Because you didn't want to make me worse

You always made everything better

So many memories you and I

So many places I love because of you

On nights like this

When champagne flows

When Spring is new

And everything is golden

I miss you

I miss the way we used to be

Before we knew

That life can change

When we thought

We knew it all

When we were certain

Because what we had was love

And that was all that ever mattered

© Jannie Wolff 05/2025

YES Gallery

Three Year Anniversary

August 23, 2025

Because What We Had Was Love

And That Was All That Ever Mattered

408 6th Street

Hoboken, New Jersey

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Sunset Walk

On my way on Summit Avenue in Jersey City Heights on Saturday evening I saw that the gate to the Historic Reservoir #3 was open. Before I saw the open gate I saw people walking on the path around the reservoir and so I looked for the gate that I'd gone into before. There used to be two entrances to the reservoir, but now it seems there's only one, and luckily the area near that one was where I decided to look for the entrance. When I had walked in the reservoir in years past, the entrance had been closer to the corner of Summit Avenue where the park drive through road is, but this time that entrance was closed and there was another just a little distance away, closer to the middle of the road that goes through the park.

The first time I'd discovered an open gate at the reservoir, I'd been enchanted by the way it was possible to walk through the areas and get very close to the water and the trees and wildflowers growing there. This time around the reservoir itself was closed off by fencing, but there were places where the fencing was more open and in those spaces it was possible to see the beautiful moss covered water in the center more clearly.

Places like this are such a blessing to have in communities, places where people can walk and see nature in a way that is very personal and close, and where you can hear the sound of the leaves on the trees as the wind blows through and ruffles them. The sun seems to shine and to set and to cast its light in a different way in spaces like this, as if nature itself were being dressed in its golden light. As I walked through at the end of the day, the sun had just begun to set, and it was golden hour with a very rosy hue.

There have been many people over the years who have worked hard to volunteer and to advocate for this space to be available for the public, and I thank them all that we can have this peaceful space in the community, and that we can walk there as I did on a chance summer evening as the sun is just setting, and we can see nature in all its lovely array.

A Sunset Walk

Through The Historic Reservoir #3

Jersey City Heights, New Jersey

A Canada Goose

Watching Over The Family

As They Forage In The Bushes

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

    

An Abundant Life - Stylist Star

I've written about the Hoboken Thrift store, or St. Mary Advocates Thrift Store as it's officially known, in these pages before, and about all of the wonderful people I've met there and the beautiful treasures and clothing I've found over the years. A while ago I'd heard from some of the gorgeous women who I know who volunteer there that one of the volunteers had opened her own store. I had missed seeing her at the Hoboken Thrift, because every time I was there when she was I had a smile on my face just listening to her talk about the clothing and decorative items and watching her showing things to people, helping them pick out outfits and finding the most wonderful combinations of things to share and encourage people to try on and wear. 

Over time I found out that her name was Joann, and it was so much fun when she was there. It's always fun at the Hoboken Thrift store because everyone who volunteers there has such a wonderful and uniquely kind and joyful way about them, and when Joann was there it always felt like I was shopping in a place where everything and everyone was being outfitted for the best days of their lives. 

There's something about people who love fashion and styling that makes every moment when you are around them and they are around clothing feel like a party. Playing dress up was always one of the things I loved to do, and it still is, so meeting someone like Joann at the Hoboken Thrift made one of my favorite places to go even more special. When I heard she'd opened her own store I knew it would be wonderful, and I planned to find a time to go there to see her and enjoy the new space where she was creating her own kind of sunshine.

The name of Joann's store is OliJon's and is named after Joann and her husband John's two children, Olivia and Jonpierre. Inside it is bright and airy, and filled with the gorgeous treasures Joann finds. As she has experienced the complications and challenges of treatments and surgeries due to a breast cancer diagnosis 15 years ago, Joann also wants to give back to the community, sharing time and donating, helping to give people a smile and encouragement with whatever issues they are facing. When I was visiting and speaking with her, I found out that during prom season she had shared items and styling with prom goers who were on limited budgets to make sure they could go to the Prom feeling special.

Knowing someone like Joann is a treat in so many ways. Her style sense and sense of fun are beautiful to experience, and she is also so strong and resilient underneath her natural beauty and easy glamour. There is a beauty that shines from within that makes a beautiful woman a star, and Joann is one of those beauties who stands so strong in the face of the challenges of her life that she gives others a light to help keep them going.

Joann Saitta

Owner and Stylist Extraordinaire

Of OliJon's Thrift Store

138 Park Avenue

Hoboken, New Jersey

https://www.instagram.com/olijonsthrift

A Seemingly Effortless

Style And Beauty

Photograph Courtesy Of Joann Saitta

A Corner Storefront

Shining A Light For The Community

Blessings,

Jannie Susan