The Arctic Library Tour kicked off at the beautiful and strange Pember Library in Granville, N.Y., and my friend the poet Mary Kellogg graced the talk with some poems from her wonderful book “Whistling Woman.” To be honest, I didn’t expect many people as a bone-chilling cold friend sent temperatures below zero by 2 p.m. Some of these hardy people drove hours to meet me and Maria and to support libraries. We had an amazing question and answer session that ran from libraries to dogs to “Rose In A Storm” to grieving for pets to animals and society to the movie of “A Dog Year” to issues involving farming and animal rights. It was a wonderful crowd with great questions, an a reminder to me of why I love libraries and enjoy speaking at them. We ended up with a standing room only crowd.

We sold a bunch of notecards to benefit family farms. I do not miss having a dog. I stay focused and so does the audience.

We are heading to Cobleskill, N.Y, Monday and then to the Scoville Library in Salisbury, Conn., and the Free Library of Northampton, Richboro, Pa. on Wednesday. There are many confusing and somewhat hysterical reports of a major storm roaring up the coast on Wednesday, but I think we’ll just ignore that for now, and see how far we get in the new Toyota. If it gets bad, we’ll hole up in a motel and read books on our respective I-pad and Kindle. I really loved the event at Granville. The people were great, and the energy was powerful, and it reminded me again how much libraries are worth fighting for, especially in the winter.  The farm is well covered. Ben and Chris and Kevin are on the case if it snows or gets icy or anything freezes.

We’ll get as far as we can get. Libraries speak to the best of us.