Paiva! (Hi!) I’m Mary Hanson.
Interest in this blog took off when it began to track the journey of a boat called Many Moons, but it began much sooner than that.
It originated from a need that had nothing to do with readers, or even with the boat that drew so many of them. I simply needed to write.
Have you ever felt that there’s something you “just have to do some day,” but something in your psyche blocks you from doing it? For many people following this blog, it’s doing The Great Loop (as the boat Many Moons has done). For me, it’s writing for the fun of it. I’m a lifelong professional writer and it’s taken me years to feel able to write just for fun. That’s how this blog began…to share my journey from my “learned” identity as professional “boss-lady” and Navy captain back to my core identity as nature-loving rugged girl with Finnish genes.
I’m taking this journey by creating a rustic waterfront camp in the far north, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.), where I was raised. It’s called Camp Many Moons in a nod to my childhood nickname and to the American Indians who found this waterfront long before I did. While developing the camp, I encountered a boat of the same name and helped create its history too. That’s why the menu for this blog includes The Camp and The Boat. I added a third category called Reflections, for those items that don’t fit the other two…my general ruminations on humanity and life. My mind works like a pinball machine, and when the ball settles, I often get an “aha!” That’s what Reflections is for.
Many Moons means “a long time.” The journey of self-discovery has no schedule; it takes the time it takes. As you take your own journey here, you’ll meet my partner Jeff, who helped create the camp with his hands, skills, knowledge, equipment, and vision – and introduced the boat. Thanks for joining us, whether for a brief visit or for many moons!
Notes and tips: 1. Except for a few stock photos to introduce a post, all photos are mine. 2. I avoid ads, even though they bring in revenue, because I find them intrusive. Readers motivated to donate can use the “donate” button on the home page, which does not carry any further commitment beyond that one-time donation. 3. This blog has a search function! 🙂 If you’re looking for a specific post, use that.
Clarification: In the north, “camp” means a personal get-away, not a place to host visitors — although I do that also, on a limited scale.
PS: Wondering about my published (Google) name? MarjaSisu comes from my heritage, which is 100% Finnish. Marja – pronounced MAR–ya – is what my Dad called me. It was his way of saying Mary in Finn-glish. Sisu is a Finnish word that means grit and determination, which definitely applies to this venture. Tervetuloa (welcome), and pidä hauskaa (enjoy yourself)!
For Many Moons 