Last Saturday I attended Waupaca’s Arts on the Square, and
what a fine event it was. There was
music, dance, and paintings; woodcarving, blacksmithing and quilting
demonstrations, poetry readings and lots of food.
Colorful tents on either side and in back of the public
library in downtown Waupaca sheltered people from the predicted rain, which
never came, but hundreds of people did. I was privileged to be one of the
presenters. I talked about storytelling,
how to do it, and why it was important for everyone to write their stories.
On a table just beyond where I was talking, poet Paul Wiegel
conducted a hands-on workshop with manual typewriters. Paul collects these now antique machines and invited the young people in the audience
to try typing on one. He provided the paper.
In an age of computers, smart phones and other electronic
devices, typing on a manual typewriter (no electricity or batteries required) proved
more than a little challenging for some of these young people. A beginning problem—how do you put paper in
the machine?
One of the featured typewriters was an upright L.C. Smith. It was big brute of a machine that I remember
fondly from my days of taking a typewriting class at Wild Rose High School many
years ago. Except for me, the class was
all girls, who had long, slender fingers compared to my short, stubby
ones. But I soon discovered that I had
an advantage over the girls in the class.
I was milking cows by hand in those days, and had strong fingers, a
considerable asset when typing on a manual typewriter. I came to really like typing, and as my
readers know, I’ve never gotten over it.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: You never know what you’ll learn at an
art fair.
Workshop: Writing
From Your Life: Offered at The
Clearing, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on October 28.
Call 920-854-4088 to
learn more and to register.
Upcoming Events:
August 22, 7:00 p.m., Twin Cities
Public TV. Live appearance. The Land
With Jerry Apps
August 29, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin
Public TV. The Land With Jerry Apps
August 30, 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Public TV. Live appearance. The Land With Jerry Apps
September
8, 7:00 p.m. McMillan Memorial Library,
Wisconsin Rapids. Workshop on memoir writing. Participants should have a copy
of TELLING YOUR STORY as it will be used in the workshop. Book will be
available for sale the evening of the workshop.
September
15, Midwest Master Gardeners, Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells. Dinner Speaker, Whisper and Shadows.
September
18, 1-5, Markesan Heritage Days, Markesan, WI.
Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial
Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fundraiser for them):
The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs:
Emmy Winner, A
Farm Winter with Jerry Apps (based
on The Quiet Season book.)
Jerry Apps a Farm Story (based on Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old
Farm books.)
The Land with Jerry Apps, (based on the book Whispers and
Shadows.)
Also
available are several of Jerry’s signed books including: Jerry’s newest novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames
County. and Wisconsin
Agriculture: A History.
Jerry’s newest books, Roshara
Journal (with photos by Steve Apps) and Telling Your Story—a guide
book for those who want to write their stories—are also available.
Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
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