The Winter Festival at Hubbard Hall is catching on, the plays are selling out there, drawing a full house even in chilling winter weather. The crowds – pulled by strong word-of-mouth for all of the plays and productions, are changing the dynamic of my play, they are laughing harder at the humor, feeling the sorrow and challenge more deeply. The actors are figuring out their characters and getting more confident and sure. Exciting.

I’ve made a big decision for me, I’m going to finish the play. Now, it is all set in a cow barn, I’m going to add scenes from a farm kitchen, from a Farm Prayer Group, and from the house of the farmer’s son and grandson. This will flesh out the play, give it more depth and range. David is encouraging me to work on it and finish it, I don’t need much encouragement, it is  work of love for me.

I have been writing about displaced people my whole life as a writer, starting with my first novel “Sign Off,” my first book. I am loving the work of all the actors, especially Christine Decker who plays a strong and powerful female character in her role as the farmer’s wife. She will not let him sink. Lots of writing opportunities, my head is spinning as I think of the possibilities here, the opportunity to build on what I have written.

Creativity for me is about change, I am sometimes successful with change, sometimes night, but it is the essence of creativity to me. Stasis is a death of the creative spirit, I have to stay focused and determined and open to change. This is something Maria and I share deeply, I draw from it continuously, as, I think, does she.