Mom's Massive Missive August 2010

August 1-2, 2010

Hi family –

Dad and I just got back from a little Razer romp through the ranch. Since its recent re$urrection (completely rebuilt engine after over heating and dying), we’re obligated to put 200 miles on it and then take it back in for a check-up. I think we’re up to 15 miles so far.

This past week I had 5 writers spend a couple nights for some critiquing/writing/workshopping on picture book writing. It was a lovely, relaxed, productive time for the writers (including me). Dad seems pleased because he got to do his own thing without being intruded upon and got fed wonderfully and enjoyed interesting dinner table conversations with us all. I expect that this first retreat won’t be the last up here.

Rick Walton, my friend/mentor, (do I still need to identify him by more than his name?) has sent three of my manuscripts to his editor at Putnam with a great gushing intro about me. I feel flattered and hopeful and eager to get on with more writing. Picture books are very hard sells these days, but I have been getting a lot of encouraging feedback recently so I’m hopeful. I’m also thinking of trying my hand at another middle grade novel since they sell better. So what if I have no title, plot, character, conflict or resolution? Got any suggestions?

With the writers here I took them on sunset safaris. I liked it so much I went again Saturday and Sunday nights. Dad gets up and watches the sun rise; I tool around in the car and hunt the sunsets. I’m thinking of launching an art series – either painting (in a Wolf Kahn-like approach) or collage – based on some of the photos I’ve taken. When that will happen, I have no idea.

We head back to Evanston August 25, although we’ll be staying downtown in the same hotel we stayed in just as we were leaving Illinois. It’s right by The House of Blues and spitting distance from Dad’s office. Dad starts teaching an evening class at Kent School of Law downtown on Thursday nights, starting that last Thursday in August. I’ll be jumping right in to unpacking the mountains of boxes at the Prairie place. I’m quite excited about nesting in there – and also to getting back to Jazzercise.

Now for some local color.

Yesterday in Relief Society there was an announcement about helping a neighboring ward’s youth program with a “living nativity” they’re planning to do in two weeks. They need farm animals and thought the good saints in Woodland could help. Someone raised the fact that the Summit County Fair is the same time, and most of the likely fauna candidates have been entered in the fair and won’t be available. Also, since the nativity is rather late in the evening, someone mentioned that “The animals need to be asleep by then.”

Last week my friend Peggy Marty and a woman named Sue Bishop were chatting about who they were using to cut hay and the special issues concerning the timing/moisture, etc. Sue Bishop and her husband are hosting the High Priest Group Social on August 13 and among other things will have country rock music to and a Porter Rockwell re-enactor to entertain us.

I also love that, if it appeals to you, you can watch bull riding on the cable channels out here.

You may remember that when I went to the writers’ retreat at Karen Ashton’s “cabin” earlier in July, I saw a large family photo which included a picture of a baby grandson (now departed) who had the most bizarre head malformation I’d ever seen. His head was enormous from side to side – like those old German postcards of the turnip headed characters. Last week I went with Karen and another of her friends on a “girls day out” trip to a fabulous cross-stitching shop in Ogden. In the car I summoned my courage to ask her about that baby and what his situation was. She was happy to talk about it (thank heaven) and explained that little Luke was born with Carpenter’s Syndrome (Anne, do you know what that is?) which involves the too-early fusing of skull bones. He died at 9 months, the parents knowing all the while that there wasn’t anything they could do surgically or otherwise that would give him much aid. They just spent those 9 months loving him to bits and learning enormous amounts about the syndrome, craniofacial anomalies and of course about compassion.

Last Wednesday Grandmother and I went to lunch and to the Springville Art Museum for their annual quilt show. It was again an extraordinary event with some fabulous quilts (and some less-than ones, imho.) Our lunch was an all-American experience at Cracker Barrel. I hadn’t been to one of those in a long time. I hadn’t expected the more-than-fully-stocked gift shop which already had Halloween and Christmas displays up. (Maybe they have them up all year round?) I snagged some fabulous orange accouterments to wear when I do my next Halloween book presentation in October. A business expense!

This coming weekend is the Madsen family reunion at Rock Canyon (the one BCKI & Evan attended last year with poor Evan’s swollen arms and hands.) We will make an appearance there. Sarah and Kevin are hosting an ELK & Bee family gathering at their place in Springville on Saturday complete with piñata. Miles and (son) Jordan will be in town and will come stay with us at Aspenhof Saturday after the festivities.

I have officially been accepted to the Segullah blog editorial gang. I’m not much for blog reading actually, but I like its tone better than the current Exponent II blog that I blog on every 6 weeks. I already have a couple essays to edit for Segullah (a Hebrew word meaning “Precious Treasure”). I’m impressed with their thoroughness and organization. There’s someone named Melissa Q who sent a couple messages about my new assignment. Anne, is this anyone you know?

I am eager to hear about all your varied comings and goings – maybe with more detail than a common email. You are all wonderful writers and I would love to have something that won’t evaporate into the air like phone calls do – although I love those, too!)

You are an amazing lot and I love you each and all.

Stor kram –

MamaL, MutL, Mutti

PS – I’m thinking of writing this longer catch up kind of letter once a month (fast Sunday weekend, probably). And y’all?

Quilt at the Art Museum