There was a monumental mix-up Tuesday about my trip to Cincinnati, I nearly didn’t make it, we dashed out of the farmhouse and just made it to the Albany airport after lunch, I didn’t have time to blog or take my camera. I did make it to the Animals For Life Foundation annual gathering as the keynote speaker, and this is a group that is made for me in and for animal lovers and farmers in so many ways, the foundation devotes itself to helping the agricultural world communicate, and focuses on finding ways for animals to live in the world and be present among us.

This is the right group at the right time, the foundation gives grants for farms that help autistic children, among other things and helps farmers start blogs and learn to talk about their lives, values and needs. The group is especially devoted to finding ways for animals to work meaningfully with people, I devoted a lot of time to the New York carriage horses. I hope I can stay connected to them, they are important and doing wonderful work.

I’m not sure I have ever felt more comfortable with a non-profit group than I did with this foundation, I would encourage anyone who loves animals to take a look at the work they do, it is powerful work and desperately needed, especially as animals are being driven farther and farther from human beings all of the time, and in many ways. I talked about the carriage horse controversy and I could see people in the audience – their eyes were nearly popping out of the heads when I said people in New York think it is abuse for horses to pull carriages.

I’ll write about this more later on, it is midnight and I am wiped out, glad to be  home, anxious to see what George is doing in his darkroom, I missed my camera a lot, I feel quite naked without it. I think I have an abscessed tooth which needs some treatment in the morning, and then Maria and I are going to Glens Falls to get the new sewing machine funded by her Kickstarter project “Reclaiming Vintage Hankies.”

Red came to the airport with Maria to pick me up, we were happy to be reunited. Zelda hasn’t given birth yet, nor have the other pregnant ewes, the donkeys are great, I got some great brays when I got home. Air travel is a grind in many ways, I am very happy to be home.