We were surprised and delighted to get this gift by Rachel Barlow, a friend and artist and writer and cartoonist. She didn’t title it but I’m calling it Bedlam Farm Magic, I think it captured the feeling of the farm  – at least the feeling of the farm in a very special and particular way. I want to talk to her more about it, I love the image of the donkey, perhaps Simon, reading a story to Red and the chickens and Flo, the barn cat.

It is how I feel about the place somehow, Rachel’s work has really caught on, she is a member of the Creative Group at Bedlam Farm and a student of mine in my writing class. In a way Rachel is what the Creative Group is really about, and also what Maria and I are really about. She is selling her work online and in a lot of other places. She is on fire.

A true artist sees into the heart of things, that’s what Rachel has done here, Maria is selling two prints of this watercolor ($25) at the Open House this weekend. It is today and tomorrow, 11 to 4. The big horses arrive from Blue Star shortly, the shearer comes around noon today (maybe a bit earlier) the farrier comes tomorrow. Lots of art, sheepherding, talks, poetry readings, etc. in between.