Paulette’s Book
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The Story
At the end of her remarkable life of ninety-three years, spanning a world war and three continents, Sheila MacGregor Beals donates her beautiful, forested property to create a nature preserve.
In the year before the park opens, Meg, a resourceful librarian who has moved to Indiana to escape an abusive husband, is renting the farmhouse where Sheila once lived. Almost a century separates them, yet each ultimately finds solace in the same woodland retreat where they both resolve to treasure their hard-won independence.
How can a single word – homemaker – be the summary of an extraordinary woman’s story?
After Meg finds Sheila’s brief 2002 obituary with the sparse summary “she was a homemaker,” she feels indignation that spurs her on with a renewed purpose to discover more about this enigmatic woman. A romantic story on the park’s informational sign launches Meg’s exploration of the Scottish immigrant’s life. Unbeknownst to her, the account is erroneous.
Who will question the story of wartime romance on a park sign?
Can Meg solve the mystery of Sheila MacGregor?
About Sheila
Sheila was born in 1909 in the Scottish village of Fordyce. Her father was a Presbyterian minister. She was orphaned by the time she was ten years old. Perhaps it was growing up with such tragedy that quickened her resolve to be independent and travel as a young woman.
At the end of World War II, her time in England ended and her journeys ultimately led to her settling down in Indiana. She wed a native Hoosier, Lyndon Beals, whose ancestors were part of a migration of Quakers into the Westfield, IN area around the 1830s. They were married for 25 years. She continued living in their farmhouse for another 22 years.
Some say that Sheila loved dogs and nature and didn’t suffer fools. She really was a remarkable woman. Read more about Sheila in NOT JUST A HOMEMAKER.
About MacGregor Park
When Sheila was nearing the end of her life, she realized she could no longer live independently in her little white farmhouse, which was on a hill amidst a beautiful forest. According to a newspaper article, she was adamant that her forest would remain untouched by housing developers and that her property would become a passive nature preserve.
In 1999, she donated 42 acres to start the process. Her wishes were realized when MacGregor Park officially opened in 2009. There is a path that follows the perimeter of the park, a walk she took every day with her dogs, rain or shine, named Sheila’s Trail.
About Meg the Librarian
In the novel, Meg is a present day librarian who has moved from Wisconsin to Indiana. She is delighted to find a position at the Westfield Library, which is modeled after the real Westfield-Washington Public Library.
Stay tuned for some interesting encounters Meg has with library patrons. You are going to love all the people that work and visit there!
About Westfield Library
The original Westfield Library building, located at 104 W. Main Street in Westfield, IN, was a Carnegie Library built in 1910 with funds donated by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.
The Sketch Artist
David Coffey
As I discovered that Sheila MacGregor was an artist and designer, it seemed appropriate to incorporate art sketches between the chapters to frame the plot line.
Sheila graduated from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, and later attended classes at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis when she arrived in the States. She listed her occupation on immigration forms as dress designer. I did get to see a sample of her life drawings.
Fortunately, we have a talented artist in our family, my son-in-law David Coffey. He agreed to take on the project of creating sketches based on various images I provided which reflected the different breeds of dogs that Sheila encountered in her life. David usually works with oil paints, so I was happy when he consented to sketching in ink for the novel. His artwork translated well on the page!
Exploring MacGregor Park
