We flushed the artist out of her studio after herding the sheep. She came out to blow me a kiss and say hello to Red. But once she’s in there, you cannot get her out. I think potholders are being made in there, but we were both happy to see the sun for the first time in five or six days.
The sun appeared this afternoon and Red and I rushed outside to chase some sheep around. It’s still on the chilly side, but you can feel Spring everywhere. I am going to plant a huge garden in front of the farmhouse and starting today Red and I will begin regular work with the sheep. I’ll take a video tomorrow. The prospect of Spring is exciting. It wasn’t that rough a winter, but it was cold and wet and gloomy. I’m declaring winter over, nuts to Storm Center, take your historical and unprecedented storms and put them where the sun don’t shine. Clocks go forward tomorrow!
A reporter was interviewing me recently and she asked me what I thought the focal point of my writing was. I said it was not dogs or animals, really, it was the search for the good life. I set out on that quest some years ago, and I have never abandoned it, and will never abandon it. I’m not sure I know yet what the good life is, but I know some things about it. It is a life of love, work and meaning.
For me, the good life must be shared – a spouse, partner, friends and sure, animals too. It is not meaningful to me if it is solitary.
The good life must have meaning. It cannot, for me, only be about money, security, having health insurance. That is a form of economic bondage, social slavery for me, and there is nothing worse than being a slave.
The good life is about self-determination. Doctors and tests do not decide if I am healthy, I decide that. I seek a free voice in my work, and a good life to me means loving my work.
The good life is about love. Love is something of a cliche, a discarded, sappy word. It is not that for me. It is everything for me. It is the point, the reason we endure.
The good life for me is about creativity. Creating words and images and stories that touch the hearts and emotions of people, hopefully life them up. I am a warrior for light and color. The good life has both.
The good life for me is a spiritual life. Seeking to shed anger, fear and judgment. My life is not an argument. I may never get there, but I will not stop trying.
The good life is about connection. Animals, people, friends. Making contact, sharing experience, entering into a web of community and affection and respect.
The good life is about change, meeting the challenge to adapt, to be relevant. To shed the old days and live in the new ones.
The good life is about responsibility. Being authentic, understanding what you can afford, standing in your own truth, not the truth of other people.
I will never stop seeking the good life, searching for it, trying to understand it, sharing the experience of the quest.
Some notes from a good life. First, I appreciate your contributions. They are helping to keep the blog free, to help compensate me for the time to take the photos and write the articles and stories, the reviews, supports the photography and the costs of maintaining the website. Some people are sending $5 each month, some are sending contributions of $100 or more. They have been coming in from all over the country, each one an affirmation and inspiration to me.
The smallest has been $2 the largest $200. All are appreciated, and the contributions matter. My writing life is changing, the blog is the core of it. Contributions tabs are the bottom of each blog post and at the top of the Farm Journal page. There is a lot going on.
I am happy to say I have accepted an invitation to lead a master class in memoir writing at the Nimrod Awards Celebration and Writing Workshops, October 18th and Saturday, October 19th, 2013 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’ll also be reading from my next book, “The Second Chance Dog,” the story of Maria and Frieda entering my life. Nimrod also publishes a national journal of prose and poetry and is sponsored by the University of Tulsa.
I am talking to Hubbard Hall about teaching a workshop later this year on “The Art Of The Blog,” four classes focusing on the growing importance of the blog as a tool for creative people. It is not a technical workshop, but a creative one. Applicants will be screened and asked to contribute samples of their writing. Details to come.
The Hubbard Hall Writer’s Workshop, which I have been privileged to teach this year, is producing some wonderful stuff. We are going to sponsor a reading of the works of my students, Kim Gifford, Diane Fiore, Rebecca Fedler, John Greenwood, Jen Baker-Porazinski at the Main Hubbard Hall stage. Details to come.
I am finishing up my next e-book original, “Listening To Dogs,” a manifesto of mine urging a turn away from training gurus, and hopefully empowering people to listen to their dogs and train them well. You are the guru, is the idea. And I am beginning work on another e-book original, “Love And Light From Bedlam Farm.” Some of the best and most inspirational photos of my world and the animals I live with.
My next book “The Second Chance Dog” will be published this fall by Ballantine/Random House. I am working on the book after that, “Simon And Me,” scheduled for the fall of 2014.
I appreciate the great response to my publishing excerpts from the journal of Florence Qua Walrath, who owned this farm before us. I will keep it going. The search for the good life does not end.
