The Open House kicks off Friday with a day-long Creative Conference at Pompanuck Farm. I’ll start the first class – writing/blogging, Maria will do an intuition fiber workshop the rest of the morning, Paula  Bogdan will be teaching a photography course, Carol Law Conklin will be teaching and demonstrating the art of Batik, and Tom Atkins will be teaching a course on creativity and marketing.

About 12 people will be attending, we really wanted it to be small this year, to foster a sense of intimacy and draw people who are serious about their creative work. Last year, more than 50 people came, it was much too big, my fault. This one feels just right, the people coming can talk to the teachers, the atmosphere will be safe and intimate, and hopefully stimulating.

The people coming are serious about growing creatively, I can feel it. It is for members of the Creative Group At Bedlam Farm only, some have come a long way. I can feel their interest in growing.

The first for people came out for dinner at the Bog, they got to meet Kelly, who many of them knew. This is a prelude to the Open House weekend, which comes on Saturday and Sunday, 11 to 4.

I am thinking of the people and Florida and the Southeast coast tonight and over the weekend, I imagine life will be difficult and frightening for many of them, we appear to have another Superstorm. On Monday, many of our political leaders will continue to deny the reality of climate change, even as the citizens they are sworn to protect, suffer greatly from another episode of extreme weather.

I am selfishly grateful that this storm will turn sharply away from the East Coast, for many reasons.

I’m excited about tomorrow and the weekend that follows it. It all feels very special to me and Maria.