update

Whereas in spring, I had two ongoing sagas that I monitored here, on Ocean, now I have three. To the building of the writer’s shed, and the progress of the farmers planting their veggies next to Ed’s place, I now add the art show as a project that started little and may turn out to be, well, huge. Because you have no idea how much you don’t know about the things you don’t usually do in life.

Let me catch you up on all three.

The farmers next door. That one’s easy. I take out my camera, I go out on the road and I take a few shots and occasionally wave to the various family members as they look up from their work. Several times I have felt that I should go out and help. It is such grueling work in this buggy heat (we are near marshlands and it is impossible to be outside without protective gear and lots of bug spray – neither of which I ever have on me and so I rarely stick around for more than a minute).

Progress report? Stuff’s growing.



Publish photo 1894



The writer’s shed. This one is a tough little number. Why can’t building a house be as simple as slapping a few boards together and putting in a stove for the winter? Ed is mostly done leveling the land, but we are nowhere near having a shed in place.

Still, Amos drove up today to claim the insulation and windows and it could be that in a couple of weeks we’ll see something standing in the spot designated as the place where one day I’ll churn out manuscripts.





And finally, the art show. Several of you have asked what that’s all about. I’m participating in the annual Madison Area Open Art Studio the first weekend of October. You know about it? Over 100 local artists open their studios to visitors that week-end. Me, I don’t have a studio and I hesitate in applying a term that grandiose to what I do. In my younger times, artists were people who either had elaborate studios and sold stuff to wealthy people or hung out in places like Chelsea (NY) and pierced body parts that even immodest me prefers to keep covered.

But, I live in a building where a handful of others do art full time and we are grouping together to display our stuff in the cavernous and unused office space on the ground floor. Very industrial looking. More on that later.

The goal is to get at least two dozen pieces ready for the show. There are two other “surprise” elements to my “presentation,” but you really have to come and see this for yourself because I am keeping quiet about it for now.

Oh, but it is difficult it is to learn the art of presenting art to the public!