Greetings everyone!
It's been a busy fall/early winter. I spent November as the Artist-in-Residence at St. Mary's College Maryland. This offered me the chance to catch up with my old friend Jerry Gabriel (www.jerrygabriel.net) and his wife, poet Karen Leona Anderson. We had a great time walking along Cheasapeake Bay, seeing eagles and swans, having bonfires on the beach, and cutting and splitting firewood, East Coast-style (oak, maple, pine, gum ... gum???). I also enjoyed getting to spend time with students at St. Mary's -- young, eager, earnest writers. And the best part of the deal: I found the time more productive than I ever would have imagined, finishing up two long essays that may be the capstones to a new collection.
Here's an article from the St. Mary's student newspaper about my reading in late November: http://www.smcm.edu/pointnews/artsandentertainment/articles/issue69-6/voices-artist-redefines-home.html
After the residency, Laurie and I visited my brother in NW New Jersey and even ventured into NYC for the first time ever. We adored Brooklyn, especially the Botanic Gardens. Laurie has a new ambition to work there as a volunteer pruner. If anyone has connections, drop a line. If you have any doubts about her qualifications, you can check out this recent rant -- I mean, essay -- from High Country News: https://www.hcn.org/issues/40.21/real-work
