Sat. Nov. 21st... The Cupola Is Up and In Place... And Looking Quite Good.

Today was a really nice day for doing work outside. It was sunny for awhile, then cloudy for awhile, but there was just enough chill in the air for any kind of work to be pleasant...no sweating. I climbed up unto the roof of the gift shop and placed the cupola, installed lagging blocks and screwed the base into position. I then installed the roof on top and climbed back down to admire our work...both mine as far as mounting it and Vicki's as far as painting it the exact color as the roof.

After finishing that we took off and went to the neighbor's house around the bend, to see if he owned the round bales of hay in the field behind our house. We thought we would like to purchase one of those bales and place it into the pasture for the alpacas this winter. It didn't take the three of them long to strip every blade of grass tight to the ground across the entire pasture once the grass quit growing, so the pasture looks like bare dirt. Buying a round bale and placing it in there will allow them to browse off of it all winter probably, because we will still give them hay from the loft any time the wall feeder is empty in the stall. Ken is going to check with his cousin who owns them and see if he will sell us one and place it into the pasture for us. We're hoping he can spare us one.

Next, we went to Boehms Orchard and got a bushel of apples... half Ida reds and half Empire's. That will do us for the rest of the season, because they close on the twenty-fifth of November until next season.

Upon leaving, we ran to Coxsackie and visited Isabelle and Ralph, our friends we bought the alpacas from. Isabelle is leaving tomorrow for Boston for her heart procedure and hopes to be back the day before, or the day of Thanksgiving. Thank God she has good doctors in Boston and good help at the farm, because they have a house sitter and person to take care of the grounds and animals. We will worry about her until she returns and then go to visit her as soon as she is ready for company.

To finish off the day, we just returned from dinner with Stanley and his friend Joyce, which we always enjoy going out with. Now...we will relax until bedtime......

Well...Here is the almost finished outside...

Here's what folks on the road see as they pass by...

Sat. Nov. 21st... Added Encouragement Spurs Renewed Commitment to Book #2

This is the preliminary cover for my next book, which I am now doing re-writes on, but all who have seen the cover so far, agree that the puppy should be in it, so we are re-shooting the picture with Snavely Mill, the subject puppy included.

With yesterday's sale of five books to the Catskill Mountain Foundation book store, I received a much needed boost to my desire of publishing my second book entitled, "It All Began With a Puppy, Our Uncommon Journey". It is a biography telling the astounding story of how Vicki and I met through personal tragedies, which pulled us together, lending support of one another and a growing friendship as a result. That friendship blossomed into a relationship of extraordinary occurrences, which we have viewed as miracles that were bestowed upon us, as a result of our strong spiritual faith. As a result, we have ended up together, married and living our life long dreams, which are paralleled and almost exactly alike. It tells of our hard work and the creation of the farm and gift shop, which is truly our labor of love.
I cannot explain the excitement of selling those five copies of my book to Carolyn Bennett, Director of the Village Square Bookstore & Literary Arts Center in Hunter, New York yesterday. It certainly has nothing to do with money, but more the immediate excitement Carolyn exhibited with my book and wanting me to schedule a public reading of it there. It has been a life long dream of mine to become a self published author, one that wrote, edited and performed all the intricate tasks involved with taking my idea from a thought concept, to a publication, on a book store shelf.

I wrote the poems, designed the cover, created the introduction, asked my artistically talented wife Vicki, to do illustrations for the book. Next I arranged, edited and produced the PDF digital files and sent them to my cousin in Mississippi who used her professional proof reading skills to do the proofing for me. After making corrections, I sent the files to a large printer in Pennsylvania, who simply printed the material as they received it and shipped me the books.
With the help of my wife Vicki and my cousin Bonnie, I was able to finally achieve a life long dream of becoming a published author.
Possibly with Carolyn's help and enthusiasm, I may become an accomplished, published author. I'm extremely psyched at that possibility!

Today, we will install the cupola on the gift shop and take pictures of it and the gridded windows for all to see here later. After that, I have no idea what we will pursue the rest of the day, but we will have pictures this evening for you to see

Friday, Nov. 20th... Excitedly Sold Five Books Today...Not the $$, But Excited Where I Sold Them!!!

Today we went up onto the mountain to take Vick's Mom and Dad home. When they wanted to stop for their mail at the post office, I went across the street and into the Catskill Mountain Foundation book store with a half dozen of my poetry books. I wanted to talk to the operator and see if they would consider placing my book into their store, making it available for purchase. Until now, I had tried the Booksmith in Greenville, who informed me they weren't interesting in trying to perpetuate local artists. She said that she did try one other book of a local artist and it didn't sell at all. With that, she pointed to an obscurely placed, lone book beside the cash register, lying amongst other papers and such on the end of the counter. I would have never known it was a local artist's book for sale, had she not pointed it out. I do have a donated copy in the Greenville Library and one for sale on display in the Hollowbrook Farm Winery and Restaurant on route 32, south of Greenville. That was the only book displayed for sale to the public locally until today. I do have the book available on our web sites http://www.cluckinacritterfarm.com , http://www.skipwattbooks.com and here on our daily blog where it can be bought using Pay-Pal or a credit card.
I was asked to do a scheduled reading of my book in Hunter at the Catskill Mountain Foundation book store, but I informed Carolyn that I was a little apprehensive about a reading until she read the poetry and then if she thought it a good idea, I would consider a reading. I feel that every person who writes a book is an author...and every author usually considers them selves an accomplished author. I on the other hand, want to earn the distinction of being an accomplished author by someone experienced and fully capable of bestowing that honor upon me solely based on the merits of my work, not just the fact that I have a published book. If Carolyn feels my work is good enough to be read publicly in the book store, then I would consider the honor of doing so.
When asked if she was interested, she informed me that she was, in fact, very interested in bringing local talent to light in the community. She bluntly stated that she did not like consignments, because they are an easy way of getting rid of a person and jamming the book into a corner, to be forgotten. I agreed and was delighted to sell her five books for a sales display in the store. I also gave her a copy of the Long Island Press Release which appeared on their web site post of 10/24, two days after my book was released. I am truly indebted to Carolyn for her kind interest and the time she gave to me talking about our farm, Vick's art and my book...

Thurs. Nov. 19th... Into Every Life A Little Rain Must Fall... We have Downpours...

We wanted to put the cupola up on the gift shop today. We did all the calculating and marking of the roof pitches onto the cupola sides and cut it out, but had to paint it forest green before we could actually put it on the roof. Today, after coming from Albany, we carried the cupola outside and set it up on the saw horses and Vicki painted it a beautiful green that matched the roofing perfectly... Now all we had to do was wait until it dried and place it onto the roof and lag it down. We came into the house to allow it to dry.
About twenty minutes, Vick went outside to feed the animals so that would be done when it got dark, because tonight was the last of Stanley's art class and she wanted to be fed and ready to put them away for the night, so we could also eat and be ready for class by 6:45. Class was at 7:00 PM. When she went out, she discovered that it was sprinkling rain, so she called me on the cell and I ran out and we picked the cupola up and took it inside the gift shop, along with the roof section. It looks as though we might put the cupola up this weekend or early next week, if we are busy or the weather is bad. Oh well, we're off to the art class...

OK...We're back from Stan's art class and it's over until next year! We had fun, but I didn't really learn anything much. Vick always chokes at the classes, and then does phenomenal work here on her own... Go figure??? I did tell Stanley that I noticed he did not paint his example tree the same colors or style that I did and asked him why he didn't make his look like mine came out. He just said, "I dunno...I'm sorry." In one way, we're glad the class is over and in another, we'll miss it and the people who are there just like us...loving to paint and enjoying the camaraderie of the group.
We will meet with our regular painting/drawing group starting the first Monday in January, or the fourth as it happens in January. This group of artists consists of many of the students which have met eachother at Stanley's classes and wish to continue with the group meeting concept to share techniques and ideas. There is no cost and you come if you can...simply show up at the lower entrance of the library art gallery door, at seven o'clock on the first Monday of every month starting in January 2010.
As soon as we get the cupola on the gift shop, we'll snap a few new pictures of the almost completed outside...all we need to do is install five 4x8 sheets of

T-111 on the ceiling of the porch and the outside will be done. After that...the electrical installation and insulation.

Wednesday, Nov. 18th... Day Three of Stanley's Art Class... We're A Paintin'...

We've been running like a steam engine lately... Chuga Chug Chug Chug... working on the cupola for the gift shop, tending animals, eating and then painting...we barely have time to do anything else. Vicki wanted to paint the cupola louvers and housing forest green to match the roof, because we decided the white sided louvers, the copper colored roof and the forest green roof, would be too many colors. After its painted green, it will blend in with the roof and the copper colored top on the cupola will look very quaint. Tomorrow when the sun is up, Vick can spray it and once it's dried, we'll throw it up onto the roof and lock it down. Then we'll post a picture of the finished project.
Gotta go... Have art class at 7:00 and I got to get ready... But now you know what's going on here and why we're not posting like normal......

Tues. Nov. 17th... It's A Beautiful Day in Pennsylva.... ehh, er...ahhh, New York...

Coming Soon To A Home Near You...

Some years ago, when I lived in Pennsylvania, a notable radio talk show host used to start his daily program with that saying. The funny thing was...at times I looked out the window as he was making his opening statement and it would be snowing or raining cats and dogs, but to him...just being there was cause enough to make that opening statement every day. Well... here, it is usually always a beautiful day in New York, and yesterday I had many emails and a couple blog comments telling me so...and encouraging me to, "hang in there" and that "your funk will end and everything will look better tomorrow". Well most were right and yes, I am moving on and looking toward tomorrow and the holidays.
What I was really trying to point out was that, when we were young...we were carefree! Those around us were always looking out for us as we "played"... and yes, sometimes even into adulthood, parents and friends suggested we sometimes do this or that for our own good, since we "failed to see the trees for the forest" in our decision making sometimes. Once we reached adulthood and watched those around us, we became aware of the "sentinel duties" toward the younger as they played...just as we had, and now... we were suggesting and recommending routes and changes to be made, as they blindly stumbled, happily upon their way...
Who hasn't looked back to remember childhood days when everything was in a hustle bustle... holiday smells adorning the house... knowing that company was coming and you were beside yourself with glee and anticipation? Everyone has those memories to some extent and they are wonderful! Thank God for those cherished memories of old times, special times and the new times and those memories we'll make this coming holiday season.
Before my Mom died, she made me promise to trim a Christmas tree for her every year. When I lived in Pennsylvania, I placed a tree on her grave every year. Now I continue to trim that same Christmas tree and place it on the porch of our little outbuilding that she would have loved and we light it in her memory. Promise kept!

It's not on her grave, some 8½ hours from here, but right here...where her memory lives in me. I place the reminder of her love for Christmas, right here where I can see it daily!

My Dad and I talk daily on the phone, since he got sick and can no longer come here twice a year for his month long stay. Vick and I both miss his visits. She loved cooing over him and doing special little things for him that he liked. She helped him find channels on the TV and quized him about places he would like to go to see or places to eat. She made sure he had clean clothes, his medicines on time and that he was comfy when he went to bed, making sure he had blankets and enough heat in the bedroom in cold weather or was cool enough in the summer heat. Vicki was truely the daughter he never had. She always kissed him on the cheek and called him Dad. She was instrumental in setting up a huge, catered 80th birthday party for him and inviting about thirty or so people to help him celebrate. Her family and our friends who met Dad were all in attendance. He knew them all and was extremely happy with the event and talked many times about it...even now at times...

He liked that and held her in very high esteem.....

He now lives in an amazingly nice assisted living facility which he loves, with his new wife that he met and married there. I am so happy for him to have found another lady to spend his golden years with, because he was very, very lonely after my Mom passed and he was living alone. She is extremely nice and tells me she loves me every time I talk to her on the phone. She is not my Mother, but then... I am not her son either and she accepted me when she married Dad. My Mom lives in the hearts of all who knew her and loved her. Rose, lives with my Dad and has also taken residence in my heart with my Mom...I like it that way.

Monday November 16th... I'd Worry About Me...If I Knew What Was Going On......

Have you ever wondered where the hell you were? Sometimes I just can't seem to realize myself in the present world, because I just don't feel a part of it. We spent the weekend with old, dear friends of Vicki's...had a great time laughing and talking. I was comfortable and focused upon their visit and entertaining them to ensure they had a great time relaxing and enjoying our home and farm. I'm sure they were comfortable and will return again to visit, dine and relax with us. Please Scott and Bonnie, if you read this...please understand that it in no way, has anything to do with your visit. In fact, you two are an example of what seems to be slowly dying out... family, friendship and maintaining a lasting relationship through out the passing years. Absolutely no one has any connection to this feeling I sometimes find myself trying to deal with. I'm PERFECTLY HAPPY with my life, my wife, my friends and what we all do, I just have times that I feel physically removed from any existence and feel as though I'm watching life through an old super 8 movie projector.
For instance, we are only ten days from Thanksgiving... who cares? We are only 35 days from Christmas...who cares? We will soon be into another new year...WHO CARES??? Soon it will be winter again...and who really cares? I really don't care about anything except Vick, family and the dogs... Time is nothing, nothing is anything important and I feel like it should be. I feel like I should be looking forward to everything that is coming...expecting to be there... among it, whatever it is and experience it, smiling and laughing with Vick at my side...but for the life of me, I just don't seem to look forward to anything and just roll with the daily flow...as if...whatever it will be...it will be. Sometimes I think perhaps my cheese just might have slid off my cracker or something, because I have so much to be thankful for in my life. That isn't even close to the case anyway, because I am thankful for all I have and those that care about me. I appreciate everything God has given to both Vick and I, but again.........I feel about as real as a face on a picture postcard......
Some of the problem is in the realization that we are no longer children, teens or young adults. We've witnessed the passing of grandparents, aunts and uncles and even parents, making us... the remaining grandparent generation. It's not that we're just getting old...it's actually the missing of those who have passed, leaving only us. Now we are the ones who will someday pass and should be missed...only some days, I don't really think the entire world, but for a few in it, will blink twice or shed a tear upon our passing.
Perhaps that is what really bothers me...how family can just forget and move on, constantly dividing and dissolving, giving up all ties and reason to even look forward to holidays or events. Funny how it seems the ones in your families which want to maintain ties and a family relationships, are always a hundred miles or more apart... Never the ones close enough to spend the day together with only a short drive to get there... Sad are the ways of life... sadder yet, are the choices which we seem to make in our pursuit of happiness, the future and where we all end up...