Day: March 25, 2010

We found the first wildflower of the season on the path today. I think it’s called a calves hoof.

I’ve always believed that you end up getting the dog you need, even if you don’t know how or why. Rose, the working dog, entered my life when I desperately needed help running a farm for the first time. Izzy arrived as I nearly cracked up, and led me into hospice work and accompanied me on my early ventures into photography, two things that saved my mind, and to some extent, my life. Lenore came into my life when I was looking for love and had forgotten how to feel it, and she kept love alive for me until I could find what I was looking for.

Frieda reminded me of the spiritual nature and importance of training, and brought out the best instincts in me. She also helped lead me to Maria, for which I can hardly express my gratitude. These things are not accidents, I think. On some level, we find the dog we need, and in the glorious traditions of dogs, and if we open ourselves to ti, they open us up and help us get where we need to go. I am blessed in dogs, as in many other things.

This photograph would not have been possible even a few months ago. Now it is routine. They follow us into our lives.

Baseball and dogs are a curious mix. And a lively one. Both will be discussed Friday (tomorrow) at 7 p.m. at the Red Fox Bookstore in Glens Falls, N.Y. (518 793-5352) when my daughter Emma (accompanied by Pearl, the world champion writing dog) will talk about her new book “90 per cent of the game is half mental,” her funny, much praised memoir about her life as a baseball writer,  and I will preview my new novel, “Rose In A Storm” out in October. We will also talk about the craft and business of writing.

Red Sox and Met fans are threatening to appear to squawk about Emma’s team, the Yankees. She can handle it. Proud papa will watch and listen.

Other notes: Bedlam Farm Easter/Spring/Mother’s Day notecards are available for sale at the Redux Gallery in Dorset, Vt., and on the gallery’s website. Flowers, chicken’s, eggs.

March 25, 2010 – Cool, cloudy. We found an old stone wall in a field yesterday, and when I find an old stone wall, I always stop and bow my head and feel sadness for it, useless now, and shunted aside by a world that would never build such a thing. And I think of all the things that it has seen, and sometimes, I wonder if it doesn’t expect to one day be needed again. Sometimes I stand over it and bow my head. Sometimes I want to try. Yesterday, I kissed the top of this wall, and gave thanks for it.

Saw these potholders-in-progress. Maria is making some Spring potholders – for Easter, Mother’s Day.  I like the little boy in these, but she’s getting ridding of them. For some reason, she doesn’t always listen to me ):

Maria’s spanking new website – Full Moon Fiber Arts – is almost done, and she’s excited about it. It will be linked to my site.

Today: Great stuff happening.  Storytelling workshop at LARAC in Glens Falls. Working on my (hopefully) last short story. My daughter Emma is coming for our joint reading and talk tomorrow night at the Red Fox Bookstore. Neat.