New Year, Old Stones
Looking Back... Listening Back... Talking Back... 2024 in Review, Part One
“Here we go ‘round again…” — Do It Again - The Kinks
Hello, 2025…
With a new calendar year comes a reflective time... something in our cyclical natures seems served by contemplation and assessment of the year so recently passed. Feels right — healthy, even — to take a look back at what the year encompassed, what we experienced, what the universe brought our way.
Maybe, it brought you here, as a new reader. Or, maybe, you’re a long-time supporter. Either way, there are more subscribers to this Substack-based Ancient Stone Mysteries Newsletter than there were this time last year. Which is nice. Thank you! In this new year, I aim to continue bringing you along as I explore and learn, with detailed writing and high-quality video and photos you won’t find anywhere else.
Thank you especially to paid subscribers. Your help directly supports my journalism, research, and field work. I plan to keep bringing you extras and behind-the-scenes footage and coverage as a thank you for your support. Thank you, again!
Listening to The Stones?
No, not those Stones.
They rock… but this is about Rocks. And some extracurricular audio and video aspects to part of my last year. Well, the first part of it actually was… curricular?
Beginning early last January, paid subscribers could (and still can) listen to my Ancient Stone Mysteries of New England audiobook here on Substack for free, as a Thank You for supporting my work. This began before the audiobook was available for sale online in mid-February. The chapters, which I narrated, are posted in serial form, episode by episode. Start here:
The extracurricular activities came as I discussed our ancient stone mysteries of New England on podcasts. First up was VERMONT TALKS with host Becca Hammond, on an episode which came out last January:
Then, in May, Susy Bastille of The Pukwudgie Whisperer, a YouTube podcast, got in touch to talk about the possibilities for Indigenous Stonework in New England:
I spoke with reporter and columnist Sarah Barnacle from the Worcester Telegram about The Upton Stone Chamber, back in October, for her newspaper column. There’s no audio involved, however:
And though this video interview originally took place in October of 2023 for his show Story Comic, host Barney Smith re-presented the interview on his other show, Vermont Artists & Authors, in March of 2024 — Vermont Artists & Authors: Decoding the Stones: Mike Luoma on New England's Hidden History — so, technically, it fits the theme:
This last one feels a little dated, but it probably only seems that way to me, as when you’re discussing ancient stonework not a lot changes in a span of months.
There are no interviews nor presentations yet planned for 2025. But I’ll keep you posted as any get scheduled. And, speaking of posting, I’ll be sharing more looks back at 2024, coming up. Posted a brand-new video tonight over on YouTube, as well, about a site I revisited in late November in Southern Vermont — look for an earlier post here from today for more on that.