Writing From Your Life

Just back from The Clearing in Door County where I taught a WRITING FROM YOUR LIFE workshop.  Nineteen people from near and far gathered to share their stories, write them down, and have a great time doing it.  Stories of joy and sorrow.  Hilariously funny stories—and everything in between.           

            One participant, a retired farmer, said that when his wife died several years ago, he sold  his cows, waited until the cat died, watched the house plants dry out—and decided he wanted to do something different—something he had read about and decided unless he did it soon, he would never do it.  He asked one of his children, he has five, all adults now, to drive him to Delaware.  Then he started West, on foot, walking.  He walked across the United States from the East coast to the West coast.  Along the way he met loads of wonderful people—he has all their names and their addresses, and their stories that he blends in with his.

            Not all the stories were about walking, or doing other heroic acts, but all were special, whether they were about a first job in a hospital cafeteria, or about a 4-H calf led into the farm house kitchen—much to dismay of the  person’s mother.

            The workshop is a joy for a teacher, for all want to be there, all want to learn.  All want to share their stories.

            For those interested, I will do it all over again on Saturday November 2. 

Contact The Clearing for further information.  This is a link to their website. http://theclearing.org/current/index.shtml

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Everybody has a story to tell—and should find the time to tell it.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.

June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place. Presentation, American Library Association Convention.

July 2, Boscobel Library, 10:00 a.m.

July 13-20.  Writing Retreat, Rhinelander.

August 3-4. Kansas City, Kansas Public TV, Kansas City. A Farm Story.

August 6-7, Nebraska Public TV, Lincoln, Nebraska.  A Farm Story.

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.