I have three muses on my desk at the moment, two Homer Simpson statues (he is my role model as a parent, and my mysterious statue). Thanks, Jackie Campbell, for the new Homer.

Monday is my day to report on improvements and changes in the blog and other news and to remind people of my subscription program, the idea that makes bedlamfarm.com, the Farm Journal and my photography possible.

The new mobile web design is up and running, you can see The Farm Journal on your smart phones and tablets much more easily.

I am working on a re-design of the blog header to include some moving photo images and also some quotes from the blog, I’m working with Mannix Marketing to create more of a feel of a book on the blog, since the blog is becoming the book, and has already become my living book. So look for some classy graphic changes to make the blog feel like more of a living book. Paper books are beautiful, but they are also static, and the blog is a living, moving, visual book.

This is September so I will begin ramping up my podcasts. This week I will record a podcast of several of my “Dog Love” poems, which many of you have said you loved. Thanks for that.

My subscription program is up and running and doing well. You have four options for subscribing to the blog, depending on your preferences and income. You can subscribe for $3 a month, for $5 a month, or for $60 a year. You can manage your own subscriptions using your credit card – you can upgrade, downgrade or cancel the subscriptions at any time – or you can use Paypal which offers the same options. Subscriptions can now be purchased in other countries as well as the United States. Most people are comfortable with the $5 a month option, but the $3 choice was a good idea, especially for people who are pressed for  money, and I’m glad we offered it.

Subscriptions are not donations or contributions, they are payment for the work it takes to produce and create the blog and its content, the words, videos, podcasts and photographs. The Internet is changing, writers and artists are working there and cannot offer all of their work any longer for free.  My readers have moved online, this blog is my continuing book, I am eager to help create a new publishing context and history. If you cannot afford to subscribe to the blog, the blog will remain free, it’s content fully accessible. The subscriptions not only pay me for my work, which I appreciate, they make the blog possible. Thanks for subscribing.

My next paper book, “Second Chance Dog: A Love Story” is coming out in November, you can pre-order it and Maria and I will personalize and sign it. It can be pre-ordered from Battenkill Books, my local bookstore. Battenkill takes Paypal and ships anywhere in the world. You can call and order the book 518 677-2515, or order it online.