News and gratitude from Bedlam Farm, from me, for many things.

I am grateful for my life here on the farm, for Maria, the animals, my photography, my blog, my friends. There is much pain and anger around us in our country now, and I feel it acutely. I hope for less suffering and conflict and appreciate the good things life has brought me. I give thanks every day for my life.

Tomorrow morning, Donna from the hardware store is bringing us a young Romney wool sheep named Izzy.  She’s coming in the morning, the first new animal to the farm since Fate.

Since Maria sells her wool for yarn, we thought it important to refresh our flock a bit. Izzy (a female) has a rep as a good and easy-going ewe, Red and Fate will be excited. We are too.

Gratitude. I am grateful for all the support so many readers and supporters of the blog  have given and are giving to me and others in recent months – Joshua Rockwood, Ken Norman, Tawni Angel, the New York Carriage Horses, Scott Carrino and the Round House Cafe.

This Saturday, I will be joining Joshua at his West Wind Acres  Farm Festival, lots of great stuff going on there. I’ll be giving a talk but there will be photo contests, farm tours, visits with animals. Check it out. Saturday, 10 a.m. Glenville, N.Y.

The sense of community growing in the new world of animals is accelerating. Born out of the New York Carriage horse awakening, there is a new social awakening, we are coming to understand the need for community and also to understand animals in a new and more mystical way.

As many people have banded together to take animals away from us, and promote ignorance of their needs, we are now banding together to keep them among us and help people to understand what they are truly like. We win some and we lose some.

Tawni Angel lost her struggle to keep her pony ride contract with the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, her contract was revoked after one animal rights protester, a politician,  claimed it was torture for ponies to give rides to children. The New York Carriage Horses won their struggle, so did Joshua Rockwood.

When we get together, we are a mighty force.

We are increasingly connected to one another, defending one another, and increasingly supporting one another. So far, Farrier Ken Norman has raised nearly $7,000 to buy hay and repair his trucks and farm equipment. This on top of the $40,000 raised for him nearly two years ago when he had a double knee replacement. He is continuing his good work on behalf of farmers and horses. Ken is seeking $8,000.

Joshua Rockwood is not seeking financial aid now, he won his painful court battle with the town of Glenville over the care of his animals. The festival is a celebration for Joshua, an affirmation of his business and purpose to build a business selling the best and most healthy food to people.

The support people from all over the country gave him – more than $70,000 for legal fees and new farm equipment – was critical in helping him fight the unjust charges against him – and keeping his farm.

Scott Carrino has raised more than half of the $75,000 he is seeking buy the building his community-centered care is in.  Much of that money came from you, in support of community. Thank you.

I’ve asked people on the blog if they wish to support Kelly Nolan, you may have seen her photos here, she had to spent $1,300 to save her newly-adopted rescue dog and two of her puppies (no one knew she was pregnant).

I love Kelly and know how many drinks she will have to serve and meals to carry to pay that credit card bill. After the horrific news of last week, I wanted to do a small thing to affirm my own sense of hope and humanity, and a dozen of you joined in on Paypal right away, sending me money for her. I haven’t been to the Post Office yet today, we’ll see what the mail brings, this was essential a Post Office Box campaign (P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816). Good people sending small amounts of money for worthy causes, the idea behind crowdsourcing.

I’ll keep the fund for Kelly going through this coming weekend. This is not a crowdsourcing project, but an effort by readers of the blog. We are a community for sure. Thanks to those of you who have sent contributions on line ([email protected], plse mention Kelly.) It’s a small, personal and intimate thing.

I also want to thank you again for the support you gave me to buy my black and white monochrome camera. Our deal was a good one. I got the camera, I’ve shared more than 300 black and white photos so far, as promised. The response has been great, and this is a successful (I think model) experiment on behalf of photographic exploration and expansion of creativity that would not have been possible without you.

It led directly to the acquisition of my infrared camera, a gift.

I thank you also for the voluntary payments many of you have been making to support the blog. It matters and is appreciated, where it is a one-time payment of $75 or month payments of $5 or $10 or contributions by cash or check sent to my post office box (P.O.Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816). I often get beautiful letters with a $5 or $10 bill folded up inside. Those are precious to me.

The blog is and will remain free to those who can’t afford to contribute or don’t wish to. The contributions help support and pay for the blog’s maintenance and my time working on it. It is good to be paid for one’s work.

This is the new life of the writer, and I embrace it fully and enthusiastically. I am so grateful for the blog.

There are many needy people in the world, and all of us have choices to make about who we wish to help. I respect them. I am mindful of the fact that I do not want to ever seek contributions to pay for my life, only my work. I know many of you struggle financially and lived on tight budgets. Please don’t feel any pressure to contribute to these people and causes, I love that the blog has become a powerful force for good, but I don’t want to see anybody sending money they can’t afford.

Thanks much. Big hearts.