This and That

We’re back from a delightful two weeks in Florida, where we stayed at a condo in Indian Shores.  Our place was right on the beach—with the sound of the surf ever present.  It was a great place to write, which I did each morning.  Also fun to walk on the beach, collect seashells and do the kinds of things one can’t do when far from the sea.

            We Wisconsinites are not alone in expecting, but not experiencing much in the way of spring.  We saw almost nothing spring-like until we reached southern Georgia and northern Florida.  And, can you believe it; the first couple of days that we were there frost warnings were posted for Florida’s northern counties.

            On our way home, a day after a spring snowstorm swept out of the Rockies, across Kansas, into Missouri and then across Illinois, Indiana and on East, we drove on some of the worst snow-packed highways I've seen in years.  Word was that snowplows had been put away for the season.  Five hours of driving to cover 150 miles—top speed twenty-thirty miles per hour.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  For 22 years I taught a week-long writing course at The Clearing in Door County.  This year, rather than a week-long workshop, I will be doing two, one-day workshops.  The dates are Saturday, June 22, 9-4, and Saturday, November 2, 9-4.  Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).

LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM:  My new book for young readers (Fulcrum Press) comes out in April.  A “Booklist” (American Library Association) reviewer said, “Apps adroitly weaves factual information about the difficulties of life during the Depression with the fictional story of George to create a snapshot of a different time for today’s youth . . . .”  Now if I only knew what “adroitly” meant.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Always good to be home, even though the ground is still snow covered and gardening seems a good distance into the future.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD

DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.

UPCOMING EVENTS (Partial List):

April 6, Shorewood, WI library. 10:30 a.m. (Shorewood Village Center, 3920 N. Murray) Garden Wisdom and more.

April 8, Poynette Library, 6:30 p.m. Garden Wisdom

April 16, Frederic Library, 2:00 p.m. Garden Wisdom, Rural Wit and Wisdom

April 18, Monroe Arts Center, 2-4 p.m. Writing Workshop

April 19, Waupun Library, 6:30 p.m. Stories from the Land

April 25, Walworth Big Foot Historical Society, 6:00 p.m. Horse Drawn Days

April 30, Barnes and Noble, West Madison, 7:00 p.m. Launch of Limping Through Life and Letters From Hillside Farm.

May 1, Downtown Rotary, Madison.  Noon

May 4, Plainfield Library, 10:00 a.m. Ames County Novels.

May 8, 6:30, Wisconsin Historical Society Museum (Downtown Madison) Breweries of Wisconsin.  Dinner, need reservations.

May 9, Reedsburg Library, 7:00 p.m. Garden Wisdom

May 14, Trempealeau Library, 7:00 p.m. Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.

May 18, Dregni’s, Westby. 10-2:00, Book signing.

May 19, Books and Company, Oconomowoc. 2:00 p.m. Book signing

May 22, Women’s Group, Noon.  (More info to come)

May 23, Richfield Historical Society, 7:00 p.m. Stories from the land

May 24-30, Colorado (Tentative)