Remembering Alan Sedrish

Last night I attended the Sounds of the Garden benefit concert at the Midway Cafe.  Had a great time hanging out with friends, listening to cool music and poetry, and snapping lots of photos.  I hope to post a summary in the next day or so.  There was only one dark cloud over an otherwise joyful event.   Before he read an excellent poem he penned to celebrate the Minton Stable Garden and John Carroll's contributions, Joe Bergin delivered some sad news; Alan Sedrish, a longtime neighbor and Minton Stable gardener, had just passed away.

Alan ran a successful business, Stony Brook Woodworking, out of his studio at the Brewery in Jamaica Plain.  He built our bed frame, pepper grinder, and probably other items in our home that I can't recall at the moment, but he was known by a wider audience for his work on his theater sets for Sarah Caldwell and others, and for some benches at Doyles.  We always made it a point to stop by during Jamaica Plain Open Studios to admire his humidors, pen sets and other beautifully crafted items.

I often ran into Alan and chatted with him at the Midway back when I used to hang out with neighbors on Fridays, around ten years ago.  And since then, I'd see him in the garden, especially at the barbecues, and occasionally tending his plot.  I recall that he grew mostly tomatoes, and they too were masterpieces.  He struck me as a very reserved person,  yet someone who was confident in his competence.  And he always seemed to be smiling.  Despite some health issues in recent years, it's still hard to believe he's no longer with us.  He will definitely be missed.