13 April

Red At Bedlam Farm. First Encounter

by Jon Katz
First Encounter
First Encounter

I brought Red to Bedlam Farm today, he came with us to pick some things up. As we were done, he ran down to the pasture gate, and I remembered that this was where we bonded, there were sheep there and the first morning he was with us, I took him out to the pasture and he ran to the gate, and in exactly this pose, he stood looking at me, forgetting his anxiety and confusion, his separation from Karen Thompson, he looked at me in this particular way, as if to say I am your dog, I am ready to work. The sheep were on the other side of the gate, looking nervously, and we entered and he was, in fact, my dog, from that point on.

So today, he gave me that same look, clearly expecting to see sheep in the meadow, ready to go to work again. I told him “that’ll do,” his recall command and he looked at me with some confusion and hopped back into the car. I will always remember that moment, it was a powerful one for me.

13 April

George Forss And Donna Wyndbrandt. Courage And Creativity

by Jon Katz
George Forss And Donna Wyndbrandt
George Forss And Donna Wyndbrandt

I so admire the famed photographer George Forss, a legend for his urban landscape and other work, now still a photographer and the owner of the Ginofor Art Gallery in Cambridge, N.Y. George, who was discovered pedding street photographs by the photographer David Douglas Duncan and became a worldwide photographic sensation,  saw his New York City cut short by the attacks on the World Trade Center, which were shown in so many of his photographs. I don’t understand precisely what happened, but George left New York City and came upstate, and his works – they graced the covers of magazines worldwide – were eclipsed by the digital revolution in photography.

George is a genius, and a valued friend, and  I am fortunate to own several of his works and inspired just by watching him and being near him, and his relationship with Donna Wynbrandt the artist, is a movie waiting to happen. Their love and support for one another always reminds me of the best parts of being human. George never complains about the changes in his fortune, he just keeps writing, taking photos – his hand-made lens adaptors are quite amazing – and pursuing his passion for alien investigations. He has not yet seen an alien, but he is always looking. When they finally come, he says, he wants them to take him. Don’t you worry is his motto. He has bounced back from an attach of congestive heart failure and when it warms up a bit, he and I will do some more shooting together.

Our photographic styles are shocking different. George studies each photo like a painting, and I am, as he says, awfully fast. But he is teaching me how to slow down.

I took this photo Saturday afternoon at his gallery, where Maria and I visited this devoted couple. His work is shown in New York City at the Park Slope Gallery and also on his blog. Since he has come upstate, George has written five books, including Enos, a study of alien life and visitations. None of his books are available in most bookstores but if you e-mail him, he will send them to you. He is the gift that keeps on giving.

13 April

For Sale, Bedlam Farm

by Jon Katz
For Sale
For Sale

Our realtor Kristin Preble called last week and asked if she could put a “For Sale” sign up at Bedlam Farm, and I agreed. Up until now, I didn’t want to see a “For Sale” sign there, but Kristin is launching her Spring offensive. The taxes have been lowered by the town, we are painting the house, high-speed Internet is coming to the town. Maria and I went there this morning to pick up some things, and the farm looks especially gorgeous as Spring approaches, it is getting green, the gardens are popping up, the view is especially beautiful.

I missed the path in the woods this morning, and I missed the screened-in porch where I wrote the Frieda book, “Second Change Dog,” in the warm and sweet smelling breezes of last Spring. I do not wish to go backwards, but I did allow myself some pangs of appreciation and longing for the most beautiful and inspiring place I ever expect to live in. Coming home, Maria and I worked on the gardens, and I could feel my great connection to our new home a place that is ours, not mine. But Bedlam Farm is magical to me, always an emotional place to visit. And what a creative place for me, and for Maria, her rebirth as an artist.

We are heading off for a short, one-day trip, will return on Tuesday. I’ll be blogging Sunday morning.

13 April

Brightening Up The Farmhouse. Pushing Spring. Next Week, The Tiller

by Jon Katz
Pushing Spring
Pushing Spring

We got four window boxes, put them on the porch, drove up to Gardenworks and stocked up on some pansies. We filled the boxes up and watered them. We are eager for Spring, and pansies went on sale here this week. We have lilac bushes, new maple trees and Norfolk pines and two Locusts coming. We plan to extend the garden all around the house. Next week, the tiller!

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