The Oranbega Observer: An Occasional Blog and Newsletter
By the Rev. Dr. Jenny Reece, Director of Retreats
Our symbol for Oranbega is a gate, open, leading to a river.
It is a real gate, in a fence along our little piece of riverbank. The Narramissic river (sometimes called the Orland) feeds water from the Alamoosic Reservoir to the West into the broad stream of the Penobscot River to the East, and from there flows into the Penobscot Bay and the great Gulf of Maine. If I wanted to, perhaps I could go through the gate and float away from our riverbank all the way across the Gulf into the vastness of the Atlantic, and arrive at last on the West Coast of Scotland, in Mallaig or Ullapool, where I spent many happy days as a child. Or I could just sit on the bench by the water, and dream.
It was not my idea to fence the river, and put a gate in the fence, but that of the previous owner of #36 Narramissic Drive. I gather it was not much to the liking of the neighbors who felt (like Robert Frost) “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, that wants it down!” But the gate—so long as it is open—is for me a powerful symbol for what we are all about here at Oranbega Retreat Center.
We want to open doors. Doors to creativity. Doors to the Spirit. We want to invite people to sit by the river of human creativity and draw deep refreshment from it. We want writers and artists, musicians and spiritual seekers who feel constrained by the fences constructed by society to find that open gate, and walk through it to where life and art flow freely. That we have had some success in this so far is attested to by the comments we find in the Guest Book after our Retreat Guests have left. We have placed a few of the more recent ones on the website, with a blush. It does us good to read them!
I say “we” here because this Retreat Center project was conceived from the beginning as a community effort. The nature of community is that it always shifts and changes as people come and go following the path of their talents and their dreams. Each person who had a hand in forming and supporting Oranbega brought a special gift and had a special impact on the Center. Robert Phipps’ artistic eye, Diane Phipps’ business acumen and organizing skills, Spencer Nelson’s gifts for woodworking, painting, engineering, music making, gourmet cooking, and so much more—all contributed so much to Oranbega in the past. Last year our year-long Artist in Residence, the wonderful Danie Ocean Jackson, made beautiful music in our River Room and gave concerts on our deck, in our Studio, and around the local area. And what’s more, as a Black non-binary Lesbian with disabilities, they helped us to live out our commitment to inclusivity and multicultural community. We miss Danie’s voice and presence so much, and pray for them as they struggle back in Philadelphia with health challenges. Be well, dear Danie!
Now we have another change. For the last few years, Amy Devoe, who became Amy Lonsdale when she and Sky married at last, has been a genius of hospitality, cleaning everything in sight and as Property Manager making sure everything ran smoothly for Guests and Director alike. Alas, now Amy has moved on too. Sad though we are to lose her, we rejoice to announce our new live-in Property Manager and Tech-guy, Kevin Borschers. Kevin has been a friend of Oranbega from the start, designing and running our website and consulting over business decisions from a distance. But at the start of 2025 all that changed as Kevin moved all the way across the nation from Arizona to see if he might like to live in Maine. The answer is a resounding Yes! He loves it here, and his presence is a real Godsend. You Guests will love him too, for he is not only the soul of generous hospitality, but also very able to give you the space and the peace and quiet you need. Now that he is living in the Virginia Woolf suite, we can no longer use that as guest accommodation, but we still have the beautiful River Room that all our Guests adore, and the very comfortable Clarine Grenfell Room (currently being refurbished).
If you have stayed with us before, please think about a return visit! We would love to see you! If you have never been here for a retreat of any kind, we will be so happy to meet you! Come on in, the gate is open!