health
February 23, 2026
A new start after 60: I baked a pie every day for a year
Vickie Hardin Woods was worried she would lose her identity when she retired. Instead, she came up with a plan that made her feel more creative, connected and valued than ever
TL;DR
- Vickie Hardin Woods retired at 61 and initiated a project to bake and give away a pie every day for a year.
- The project aimed to combat isolation, provide a routine, and prove her ability to think and be creative, especially after a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis.
- She baked pies using local ingredients, gifting them to family, friends, former colleagues, and even strangers, which often brought joy and connection.
- Hardin Woods, a former city planner, found parallels between planning and baking in their ability to organize chaos into something manageable.
- The experience helped her understand that she could do new things and that her professional identity was not critical to her core self.
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