August 5, 2009 – Misty. I marvel at the way life evolves. If you had told me a year ago that Frieda would be sleeping in the farmhouse and strolling on a path with Rose and my other dogs, I would not have believed it. Here she is.
  A lot of you are writing in with questions about the move, and since I can’t answer them all individually, I will try and cover some of the more frequently asked questions:

 – Am I sure about leaving the farm?
   Yes.
– Is there any primary reason for going?
  Three. I want to simplify my life and spend more time working and writing and taking photos than I do dealing with farm animals and chores. Farms are wonderful,  especially for people who want to live in the country and share their life with animals. But they are consuming. My work has changed radically. I am passionate about writing fiction (and children’s books) and taking pictures. I want more time to work on those things, and create in a different atmosphere. I want less change, not more, and more focus and discipline.
  I also need more privacy. The farm is fairly remote, and people are generally good about leaving me to work. But with the HBO movie of “A Dog Year” coming out, I think I need a bit more seclusion.
  Does that mean I am not ambivalent about leaving? Of course I am. It would be disturbing if I was not. This farm has altered  and affected my life in so many ways.
– Do I know where I am going?
  Generally.  I am remaining in Washington County and looking for a smaller place with some property. I will surely have dogs and cats, and perhaps more animals, but not many. I don’t know.
  I want to be open and share the process of change with the people who have been coming along on this trip. I also want to protect as much of my privacy and personal life as I can. A tricky process. I will generally confine the news I want to share to the blog and the books.
  I am grateful, as always, to the generous support and encouragement many of you have provided me. If I didn’t expect to have Frieda, I surely didn’t expect to get divorced. Or write fiction. Or be in a wonderful new relationship. Or love photography. Maybe that’s a good reason to take a break from memoirs and non-fiction. I don’t know much about my life.