Day: November 22, 2009

  She is one tough mother. Haven’t seen a rat or mouse in a couple of years, and that is saying something on a farm with four barns.
  I met an Adirondacks Animal Rehabilitator yesterday – Liz Stewart – and she has agreed to work with me on the novel “Rose Running,” a sequel to “Rose In A Storm,” due out next Fall from Random House.  Liz has worked with skunks, otters, beavers, coyotes and mountain lions. I’m going to put a coyote and mountain lion in the novel. In December I’m going up to the Adirondacks to hang out with Liz and learn more.

  This week: I will work on the final few edits of “Rose In A Storm.”
                 I expect to work on my children’s book, “The Dogs of Bedlam Farm.”
                 I expect to finish my first short story, “Gracie’s Last Walk.”
                 I hope to sleep for at least eight hours.
                 I plan on getting buzzed one night on Vodka and cranberry juice. Just for the hell of it.
                 I plan on finishing three of the four books I am reading right now.
                 Saturday, Mary Kellogg and Maria and I will be at Gardenworks to hustle books, ASA calendars, Mary’s new book “Whistling Woman,” Maria’s potholders. We are a creative community of encouragement. Come see us at work.

 I’m proud of a number of things in my life, but few more than publishing the poet Mary Kellogg, whose second volume of beautiful poetry, “Whistling Woman” is now on sale, available in some bookstores and online at the Troy Bookmakers.
  This volume is different from “My Place On Earth,” Mary’s first and very successful book of poetry. “Whistling Woman” is as defiant as it is beautiful and touching. And very honest. How far Mary has come, how far she has to go.
  The first copies were sold Sunday quickly at Union Village in Greenwich. More will be available next when Mary and I and others appear at Gardenworks, (518 854-3250), Salem, N.Y., at 1 p.m. Saturday to sign Mary’s books, my books, and to sell the beautiful new  Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) calendar to benefit the farmland conservation movement. The calenders (we sold a bunch today at Union Village, and I sold a half-dozen of Maria’s potholders as well) are available online at the ASA site.
  Mary and I will also be at Red Fox Books, Glens Falls, N.Y., in the evening on December 17, and at noon December 5 at the new Battenkill Book Store in Cambridge, N.Y. Calendars will be sold at all of these events, as will my books, and Maria’s potholders. We are fired up for the holidays.

  Mary reading from “Whistling Woman,” Greenwich, N.Y. This is a beautiful book. It also contains a number of my photographs, and an introduction by me.

  State Troopers and Wildlife and Environmental Police swarmed to the farm Sunday to try and unravel a still mysterious encounter between a hunter and a landowner involving several dead deer and a bunch of gunshots. The troopers went deep into the woods and up the hill to check out reports of gunfire, and haul some dead deer out of the woods. There was a dispute, and still is, but that’s all I really know about it, other than that on my morning walk with Maria’s mom we heard a lot of gunshots right ahead of us and we retreated. Nobody was hurt, at least no humans. The dogs remain locked up.
  Life in the country, and on the farm, is never dull. Writer’s paradise.

  Frieda has been named director of marketing for Yesnoquilts.com, Maria’s fiberarts company – quilts, potholders, soon belts and other things. This is one cat the Helldog won’t go after. Frieda is evolving into one of the most loving dogs I have known, as well as an occasional nightmare. Lots of people want cat potholders, but they will have to talk to Maria at her site. I love them, but don’t sell them.