The windmill at Bliss Pond Farm is getting a face lift.

I look at the crisp straight lines of the new shingles and somehow it takes me back to the 1970s and my childhood. I wore my favorite dark green Levi’s cords until they were threadbare, patched and stitched. At a certain point, I just knew I needed to start wearing a new pair and once I finally did, wow, I felt fancy — and slightly uncomfortable until they were broken in. The new shingles, making their way around and up its sidewalls with the careful tap, tap, tap of Mo Flaherty’s crew, remind me of my brand-new Levi’s cords.

Watching the progress prompted me to dig through my files and lay my hands on the essay I wrote for Julie Flanders 10 years ago when the windmill got its new roof. I thought this might be a good opportunity to share it with you since the one printed copy was laminated and tucked under the shingles for someone in the future to find. Here is the piece simply titled Windmill 2014.

"Stories abound when it comes to this iconic structure set on top of a breezy knoll overlooking Bliss Pond and the 60 acres of rolling pastures that surround it. The structure, which was built in 1938 by Commodore Elmer J. Bliss who purchased the property steeped in Flanders family history, is the centerpiece of the farm situated on the south side of North Road. From what I’ve been told, Mr. Bliss was quite a character and was dubbed the “human amphibian” after retiring from a life half spent racing schooners with the other half raising show horses.

Upon its purchase, Mr. Bliss christened the property — which includes a 1700s farmhouse built by whaling Captain Richard Flanders — Dunroving Ranch and, in short time, began overseeing the construction of the windmill. It is described as a “faithful copy” of Nantucket’s 18th-century Old Mill. This was not going to simply be a beautiful piece of architecture: Mr. Bliss had plans for the windmill to be fully functioning. He hired builder and designer Joseph Leonard to draw the plans and oversee the construction of a mill that was capable of grinding fine flour.

The millstones, still present in the structure today, were prepared from stone found in Little Compton, R.I. by a Portuguese mason by methods used in his native Portugal. The windmill’s machinery was created in Joseph Leonard’s wood milling shop and the exterior finishings were handled by the John Duane Wrecking Company in Quincy. According to the history of the structure, the steering boom was brought in from the west coast, the cartwheel was purchased by a local farmer and the sails were made by Gilkey & Durant of New Bedford.

In 1968, the property was put up for sale and made its way back into the Flanders family through the hands of David M. Flanders. The property today, now known as Bliss Pond Farm, is utilized as a bed and breakfast under the watchful eye of David’s daughter Julianna. The horses belonging to her and her daughter Bella can be seen grazing in the fields or being ridden in the nearby ring. It is a site full of pastoral beauty."

Although the windmill is no longer used, many of its working parts are intact. In the spring of 2014, the structure underwent a painstaking restoration by local builder Jon Mayhew. With Jon’s attention to detail reflected in his beautiful craftsmanship and careful choices of materials, the windmill should remain the subject matter for many picturesque photographs and a topic sparking vivid conversation for future generations.

Birthday wishes, with a few slightly belated, go out to Jeremy Bradshaw, Keith Emin, Hellie Neumann, Jonathan Healy, Anne Ganz, John Larsen, Colin Hickey, Gessner Geyer, Emily Bramhall, Kathleen Tilton, Jeffrey Maida, Albert Fischer, Janis Syslo, Mary Ambulos, Caitlin Jones, Andria Jason, Sascha Wlodyka, Kayla Manning Darcy and Molly Peach. A special shout out to Nan and Warren Doty who celebrate eighty on Feb. 12 and 15, respectively. Tony Palmer and Kendall Harris share the day on Feb. 14 so, since it’s Valentine’s Day, extend them a little extra love. Jane Slater will, to use the late June Manning’s words, observe her special day on Feb. 15.