Day: October 7, 2017

The Open House was my news today, and if you watch my news rather than their news,  you will be comforted and reminded by the fact that people are good, and are eager to do good given the chance. Dixie and her husband (yes, that’s her wonderful name) drove up from Georgia to come to the Open House.

Open, loving people with a huge sack of my books – just about every one I’ve written – and they were so happy to see the farm and Maria’s work and the dogs and animals – and me too. America was here, and my faith in our beautiful country was very much affirmed. They gave me much hope.

A visitor went out to the road and wrote down the different license plates just across the road for me at that moment – Pennsylvania, Missouri, Quebec, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Iowa, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Illinois and Connecticut.

A writer never, of course, knows whether anybody is listening or reading, tastes are fluid and a writer’s life is fragile. The Open House  reminded me that people are listening, and reading closely, that is pretty wonderful news for me.

Steve and Myra said they heard me speak at Drake University in Iowa several years ago, and they began following the blog and have read it every since. They drove to New York just to see the Open House, and it is hard for me to believe that anything i do is worth driving halfway across the country to see.

But there they were, these two generous, decent and loving people. All they wanted was to shake my hand and say how much they appreciated the farm and my writing and photos. They wanted to see Maria’s art show as well.

I don’t really know what to say about that, except thanks.

When I started the blog in 2007, I never imagined that it would have a reach across all of America. The blog is read in every state in the Union, and about a half-dozen countries. I get wonderful messages from everywhere, both coasts, and very many in the heartland of the country.

I am very proud that the blog is not one thing, but many, and that all kinds of people with all kinds of opinions are faithful to it and find it useful and comforting.

Sue and Steve drove all the way from Chicago to come and see our Open House. That is neat.

I was very happy to see Art come to the Open House with the other Mansion residents. A lot of people wanted to meet him and came up to talk to  him. He has definitely touched a deep nerve among the people who read my blog. I didn’t get to talk to him much, but he asked me when I would be back at the Mansion. I said I’d come to see him Monday and was so grateful he took the trouble to come and see me at the Open House.

Jean came from the Mansion and she wanted to come into the pasture to watch the sheep shearing. She loved watching the sheep and kept reaching out to touch them, and they came up to the fence and put their noses into her hand, one by one.

Jean is a sweet and soft-spoken person, she loves housework and is often vacuuming the carpets in the Mansion, just to keep her heart in. Jeans’ world is loving and kind, she deeply misses animals in her live. I was so glad to see her here.

You can write her c/o The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.