Artists do not think like normal people, they do not see the world in the same way, my wife is an artist and I think she sees the world as one big gallery, everything a display, montage, quilt of one kind or another. Windowsills and shelves are simply more space in the gallery. This week, the rain and wind has toppled almost all of our big sunflowers, they were almost all on the ground when we got back from California. I was preparing to collect them and throw them into the pasture so the donkeys and sheep could munch on the seeds, but when I came outside after a few minutes doing a chore inside, I saw that Maria had turned the fence into a Sunflower gallery, there they are, another gallery.
Someone messaged me last week and asked if I loved Fall, and I answered that I love every day of my life. Seasons do not come on a particular day, they roll out in steps, sometimes for months. For me, Fall is beautiful, of course, but that doesn’t last long, Fall is really the gateway to winter, on a farm it is the last chance to prepare for winter, to dig in and be ready, there is often no chance to adjust when the cold and snows hit.
On this farm, the steps to Fall begin in July.
We have ordered five cords of firewood for the winter, about $1,000 worth and Greg Burch began dropping the wood off before July 4th, Maria and I have stacked each piece of wood ourselves, I sleep well on stacking days (today was one). The last load came a week ago, and we have two-thirds of a cord to go. It will all be stashed in the woodshed, there might be a small pile outside under a blue tarp. We fired up the wood stove for the first time this morning.
We ordered 150 bales of hay at $5.25 apiece. It is second cut hay, it was cut, put on the truck and driven here, Nelson Green has wonderful hay, green and full. Donkeys usually get first cut hay, like cows, but I am conscious of how healthy our donkeys have been, none of them have ever gotten sick and I like the higher nourishment of second cut. The hay is all in the barn, it is a wonderful smell, the barn cats love to nap and sleep up in the bales.
The gardens are fading, the Dahlia garden is still going strong, the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, the donkeys are working harder to get the grass they need. When the first hard frost comes, we will start feeding hay. I think that will be in two or three weeks. The big sunflowers are beginning to topple over, bowing to the changing world.
Today, Ted Emerson came with his tractor to brushhog the pastures, something we do in the Spring and then again in the Fall to keep the weeds and undergrowth from choking off the grass. Ted came today, so that is another thing off before the frosts come. Everyone says winter is not what it used to be, but it still has some punch and bite.
I’ve been a book writer for more than three decades and I’ve written a book a year during that time. Every one has come out in the Fall, this year is no exception. “The Second Chance Dog: A Love Story” will be published in hardcover November 5 by Ballantine/Random House, Maria and I will sign any copies purchased through Battenkill Books. You can pre-order the book here. It will also be sold digitally wherever e-books are sold. I am trying something different, I’ve asked Random House not to send me on a national book tour, I will make some local and regional appearances but I want to be free to promote the book on my blog and social media pages, where I can reach the greatest number of people. A new kind of book tour. They have agreed.
Fall suggests school and I am doing several things this fall that are new for me. I am teaching my “Art Of The Blog” course at Hubbard Hall Saturday mornings from 10 to noon. It is an exciting group of students, we will have fun, we already are. I am flying to Tulsa in October for two days to teach a master memoir (and the blog) class at the Nimrod Literary Festival, I am there to talk about writing, not dogs and that will be a challenging change. I’m really looking forward to it.
The donkeys hooves will have to be trimmed, I’ll message Ken Norman tomorrow. I am stepping up my Tai Chi lessons with Scott Carrino, I want Tai Chi to be part of my spiritual practice, I can feel and see that it is good for me, and it feels good. I am expanding my meditation also, doing some in the evenings as well as the mornings. We got a TV a few weeks ago, but so far, the only thing we’ve watched are some movies and some old episodes of “Boardwalk Empire.” We are both reading up a storm, some reviews coming up.
I am also doing a Ted Talk on a mindful life, and also on creative aging, it will be taped on November 9, four days after my book comes.
All of this work and traveling has helped me adjust to my diabetes and my four times a day insulin injections. California was a big test of that for me, and I managed the eating, flying, needles, food, pills, strips, meters and records well, my numbers are just about down to normal, a couple of months ahead of schedule. Trips are tough for diabetics, but I didn’t have any problem. Diabetes is manageable if you pay attention to it. I am expert at injecting myself now, I will see Karen Bruce, my nurse practitioner tomorrow and report on things. I feel good and strong, Maria says I have more energy than ever
Life is full, life is rewarding. Life happens every day. I don’t make all that much of the seasons. We don’t really have to prepare much for Spring. When the wood is all in the shed, we will finally be ready for winter. It’s a good feeling.
My daughter came to pick Pearl up today and take her back to Brooklyn, where she has lived for seven years. Pearl is a champion Yellow Labrador sold to me by a Vermont breeder after she couldn’t breed any longer. I had her at Bedlam Farm for several years, her legs had to be reconstructed with titanium rods. Emma fell in love with her and I agreed to let her go to Brooklyn, it was a great move for both of them, Emma has taken wonderful care of Pearl and the dog has done well with her. She is fit, affectionate and much loved. She is also getting on, approaching her twelfth year.
For the last few years I wondered if Pearl would come back to visit me again, this time I felt this more strongly than ever, she is slowing down, the arthritis is in her legs is more apparent, she is showing some signs of confusion. I expect I will see her in Brooklyn again, I doubt she will come back to the farm. We had a good visit, she was here a month, she fit in easily and got on well with the other dogs. Four dogs is one too many for me, there was a little relief when she left, and also some sadness.
She is a great dog and saying goodbye to her today had a special kick for me.
Chickens are industrious creatures, they are always moving, pecking, searching but ours also live the calmer life of the free range chickens, they wander around the farm freely all day, and then at different times of the day, I see they will gather in a safe spot to rest, cluck softly, gather themselves. In cool weather, it’s in the sun, in hot weather in the shade. Chicken meditations, animals know how to do this, humans have to learn.
