15 November

Minnie’s Journal: To The Woodshed. A Scare. Changing Us.

by Jon Katz
To The Woodshed
To The Woodshed

Minnie’s coat is growing back over her wounds, just in time for the colder weather. She spends some time on a pallet near the woodshed each morning, then vanishes into a secret place behind Maria’s Studio that we have not seen and can’t find (we aren’t really looking too hard.) We had a scare the other morning when Minnie appeared in front of Maria’s studio and saw Frieda and ran, and Frieda gave chase while Minnie hobbled frantically to get away.

Maria saw it through her window and called out for Frieda to stop, which she did. Frieda got very close, Minnie got into a hole beneath the Studio barn and hid there.  We don’t really know what would have happened if Frieda had caught her, Frieda chases things that run, it is her most powerful instinct. If Minnie is to spend any part of her life outside, there are risks she will have to take. Minnie has triggered lots of different feelings in us, she and Maria have bonded very powerfully during this recovery, an animal who was on the periphery of our consciousness – we didn’t often see Minnie or get too close to her – is now in the center of our consciousness.

I am more conscious of cats than before, but I am not at ease with labels like “dog person” or “cat person,” I understand people have preferences but I don’t really, dogs are more comprehensible to me but  I am much drawn to Flo, and more than before, to Minnie. I can tell by what I photograph. Minnie is definitely still healing, and we are still changing. Animals enter our interior selves, move things around, challenge us to awaken and  understand what we are feeling.

 

 

15 November

Big City Reporter Meets Simon: “City Girl” And Donkey

by Jon Katz
City Girl Meets Donkey
City Girl Meets Donkey

TV reporter Elaine Houston (Channel 13, Albany) came to the farm today to interview Maria and as she was doing a stand-up outside of her studio, Simon cut loose one of his bone-curdling brays – I call it the “call to life.” Houston, an experienced reporter whose been all over the world, froze and  backed up and decided she wasn’t ready to get close and personal with a donkey.

“I’m just a city girl,” she said, “I’ve never been near a donkey.” For his part, Simon, who is a dreadful ham who loves every camera he has ever, stood plaintively at the gate waiting for a carrot or a treat – he loves strangers, they all feed him. At our Open Houses, there are long lines of people waiting to touch him and talk to him.

He stood at the gate waiting for some attention and expecting it – I went over and kissed him on his soft nose – but nobody on the TV crew would go near him. Maria said the interview was great and she and Houston seemed so comfortable with one another, the piece will air in a few weeks, I’ll  put up a link to it.

Simon just stood by the gate along, waiting for his charm to work. Not this time, he met his match.

Houston was impressed with Red, she did give him a quick pat on the head when he came out of the pasture.

15 November

Books, Books. Happy Work. Exhaustion.

by Jon Katz
Happy Work, Lots Of Work
Happy Work, Lots Of Work

Connie and I guess we will hit my 1,000th book target sometime early next week, the orders, she said, are still coming in “fast and furious,” and we are just moving into Plaid Friday and Christmas range. Connie said that would be wonderful, and then muttered, “if I’m not dead.” I looked at her and saw how exhausted she and Kate were (well, Maria too, we signed nearly 300 books today, another shipment is on the way.) Kate, always cheerful and gracious, also looked a bit wan and drained.

Even poor Red, who is never tired, seem to pick up on the feeling at Battenkill Books and looked as worn out as I’ve ever seen him (he did a lot of sheepherding Friday.) The books come in huge shipments from UPS at mid-day, in boxes of 12. They have to be stacked, and upacked. Connie’s store takes a lot of orders through Paypal, and those have to be printed out, sorted, attached to books and address labels, it is complex process and all the while the phone is ringing with more orders. Connie and Kate have been doing this all day and much of the night for a week or so, and they are eager for more. Phone orders take more time, the bookstore staff is patient and courteous, sometimes they have to write down complex inscription requests by hand.

“This makes such a big difference for us,” Connie said, “we are so grateful for it.” I am too, the book idea seems to have some momentum all of it’s own, I’m giving away a book a day on my Facebook page and plotting the rest of the new kind of tour. I’ve signed a lot of books this week, I love doing it, we took a lot of calls from people on the phone tonight as they were ordering books, it is great fun to put voices to names and posts. It is surprising to me how much the blog is followed all over the country – and we are sending books to every state in the union except South Dakota – maybe next week.

Next week, lots coming, including the photo and video-sharing project on Facebook. Sunday Connie and Kate are going to be packing lots of books for mailing. The postmaster came by the store several times today to pick up loads of books for delivery. He kept thinking he was done, but every time he came back, there were more. And more to come, this is exciting and thank you. You can order the book through Battenkill’s website or by phone: 518 677-2515. If you order the book through Battenkill, Maria and I will sign and personalize it, and you will be eligible for free  photos, bags of dog food, free books. I always think things are about to wind down, but each day I discover this tour is really just beginning.

15 November

Mickey’s World: A Friendship Skating By.

by Jon Katz
A Friendship
A Friendship

Mickey’s world is complex, I am beginning to get a feel for it. At the same time every day, he comes to an intersection of town, there are two convenience stores with coffee and cigarets, a pizza place and two gas stations and Mickey is known there. Mickey is taking care of himself this week,  his stepbrother George is away for a few days, friends come bye to check on him. He is always clean, well-dressed, appropriately dressed, he is outside in every kind of weather.

I was eating  lunch in the Round House cafe when Mickey appeared in the window and waved to me, he was smiling, the first time he has smiled at me. I waved back, it was our way of saying we would meet shortly. When I got to his corner, he was standing by the telephone pole, swaying back and forth, list in his own world.  I took some photos, and gave him money for coffee, talked to him a bit – he is doing well, he said – and as I was leaving a young think man on a skateboard came rolling by, I think he had just gotten out of high school, he handled his board well.

He came up to the corner, and Mickey stood next to  him. The two stood side-by-side for a few minutes wordlessly, and then the boy handed Mickey a cigarette that he had light and taken a few drags on. Mickey took the cigarette, and the boy skated off. Mickey then crossed the street with his $2 to get his coffee. When I ask him if he wants coffee, he says, “yeah, yeah.” I was struck by his friendship with the young boarder, they obviously knew one another. Mickey has a lot of friends in town, a lot of people who watch out for him, take care of him. I am not one of them yet, I may not ever be, but we are developing the kind of connection a photographer has with a subject, and that is powerful in it’s own way.

15 November

Project 1,000: More Books To Sign Today

by Jon Katz
More Books Came In
More Books Came In

UPS arrived around noon with another truckload of books from Random House, about 300 more (more are on the way) and Maria and I are headed over to Battenkill Books to sign them in the later afternoon. Call if you wish to talk to me or Maria and I (518 677-2515) if we are not on the phone or swamped we’ll be happy to chat with you.

So far, Connie has received orders for about 700 books, we are hoping to hit the 1,000 mark early next week. Connie and Kate Reid are still smiling, though barely conscious. It amazes me how courteous and composed they are on the hone, even when they are pent. We are tired, but happy tired. More books coming this weekend. Onward!. My hand is sore, I’ll dip them in warm wax. Maria has a box of colored pens and pencils, of course, an artist at work. You can order the book Battenkill and/ or use the bookstore’s website, they take major credit cards and Paypal and ship anywhere in the world.

I’m a little bleary but excited about this. Tomorrow I’m putting up a topic on FB in the morning, asking people to share photos of their three legged dogs or cats. Off to the bookstore soon. 518 677-2515.

 

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