I took my award-winning dog for a walk this afternoon to celebrate her loving spirit, and the affect it has had on me, my life and the other animals here. Lenore is, in many ways, the spirit of the farm, and her gentle acceptance and affection suffuses the place and touches everything. This is the tone I have always wished to set for the farm, and for the New Bedlam Farm, once we get there.

This morning, it was announced that “Meet The Dogs Of Bedlam Farm” was chosen by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center of the University Of Wisconsin as a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book – as one of the best written children’s books of 2011. I think this is the first award I’ve ever won in my life. Lenore deserves it, along with my editor.  Lenore got a hamburger today. The book is the story of how she helped bring all of the disparate Bedlam Farm dogs together. Maybe she ought to go to Congress.

I was invited to go to the awards ceremony in Madison, Wisconsin on March 3 and I accepted. Maria may come along, if she can take a break from her Studio. We celebrated in two ways. Maria took me out to a fancy dinner, and I took a long, cold walk with Lenore. Photo album on Facebook.