August 12, 2007 – Misty, clearing, warm. Anthony came by for our weekly Sunday meeting. We talked about working on a photo book together. He and I might do an art show later this year together in Salem, with my pictures and his sculptures.
  Last week of the book tour. Off to Raleigh Tuesday through Thursday. Then done. Had a nice reading last night in Manchester, Vt. at Northshire books. At Anthony’s urging, I finally stopped taking training questions at readings. I am neither a trainer nor a vet, yet get asked so many questions it’s hard not to try and answer them. People want advice, yet seem reluctant to get it from vets and trainers.
  But it’s time to talk about the more interesting and serious stuff – why people love dogs, what we learn from animals, the companion animal revolution in America. It was great having Anthony and Holly at the reading.
  It was also great having Poor Paula there. Maria did a great job driving me around on the book tour, and I am grateful for it. Paula is leaving this morning for Boston, where she is working on her book. Sorry to see her go.
  Mary Kellogg and I are going to meet this week and talk about my doing some text and pictures for her new poetry book, out next Spring. I am very excited about it, and so is she. And this week, we will also plan for the posters for Art Harvest. There is a lot of very good stuff going on, and I am lucky to be a part of it. The farm is, to me, sort of like a Mother in odd ways, in that it brings all sorts of bountiful things and people to me, and that is humbling.