On Friday the 13th of March, I began self-quarantining at home with my husband, my dog and my cat. Over a month has passed, and we’ve fared remarkably well. I’m amazed at my emotional equanimity, especially since I’m diagnosed bipolar. In part it’s because I’ve rid my life of so many meaningless obligations that didn’t… [Read More]
It’s Spring, and my muse has awakened!
Spring arrived officially last night, March 19th, at 11:50 pm EST, the earliest vernal equinox in 124 years. Don’t ask me why. I tried looking it up in the Farmer’s Almanac, but the explanation was utterly inscrutable—I’ve never been strong on science. But today, the first full day of Spring, feels happily auspicious. Walking my… [Read More]
The Most Over-Hyped Time of the Year
Once again, I’m reposting this oldie but goodie. It’s 2019, the day after Trump’s impeachment, and we could all use a little holiday cheer. I wrote the following intro last year, when I was still recovering from brain surgery. Pleased to announce I’m feeling much better now. Christmas is just over two weeks away, and… [Read More]
Real-life soap drama shatters idyllic writing retreat
As promised, here’s what I wrote about Wellspring Retreat House when I visited in August of 2015. After two feet of snow, it looks very different today. I’ll post some of the photos in the next installment. Working on my memoir, SUBDURAL, and the writing’s going well, “Wherever you go, there you are.” That’s the… [Read More]
Hunkering down at Wellspring for a winter writer’s retreat
It’s two o’clock in the afternoon—time for General Hospital if this were Monday and I were at home. But no, it’s Sunday, and I’m at Wellspring Retreat House, staring out the window over my laptop at a bleak vista of leafless trees and ground carpeted by fallen leaves in shades of brown and red. I’m… [Read More]
My Woodstock paintings to be featured at NYS Museum
“Woodstock in History and Memory”—that’s the name of the panel I’ll be on as part of Researching New York 2019: A Conference on New York State History on Saturday, November 23 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at the New York State Museum. I’ll be showing photos of the paintings I brought to the original… [Read More]