Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” – Charles Dickens

(Is it just me or if you look closely you can see the figure of a woman in this photo, a goddess, or spirit, with a skirt and her arms outstretched, and wearing a pointed hat. Does anyone else see this?)

The camera people call it “Photographer’s Light,” that slanting light that is at its most striking in the early morning and late afternoon, in the Spring and Fall especially.

The photo is for sale on Maria’s Etsy Shop.

It’s very cold here, snow on the ground, but the sun tells a different story, the sun says Spring is here, look at me, look at the light. In my head, this means it is Spring, winter can huff and puff all it wants, it is on its last legs.

Driving home from my radio show today, I was overwhelmed to see this gorgeous sunlight bursting through the clouds like some Biblical pronouncement. I pulled over and took this shot, and I felt this one should be put up for sale.

To me, it was Spring meeting Summer.

In my mind, a holy announcement.

It costs $125 plus shipping, it will be available on Maria’s Etsy Shop, a Fine Art Print from The Image Loft in Manchester Center, Vt. Hahnemuhle Photo Rag, 100 per cent cotton acid free paper, archival ink.

The photo will be 8.5 x 12.5 inches, and sold signed but unframed.

It takes about two weeks from order to delivery, you can see the photo and/or buy it here. If you prefer to pay by check, please e-mail Maria directly: [email protected]. Thanks.

Red was in good shape today, he marched out to the pasture, took up position around the sheep, his gaze was strong and clear, and the sheep did not challenge him or blow him off. It was the old Red, and I hope it lasts awhile.

Bud did not move to protect him or act as wingman today, perhaps he sensed that Red was in good form, and was on the case. It was good to see.

I’m bringing Red with me to WBTNAM1370 this afternoon, for my radio show, “Talking To Animals,” on from one to 3 p.m. The show will be re-broadcast tonight from eight to ten p.m.

We’ll be talking about the intelligence of dogs, their consciousness and how to talk to them and listen to them. I’m taking calls 802 442-1010 and 866 406-9286, and e-mail messages: [email protected].

You can e-mail me anytime, I’ll read your queries and comments on the air. Maria will be joining me for a half hour at 2 p.m., we are going to talk about dog training and animal consciousness.

I hope to hear from you, this community radio, your show as much as mine. You can livestream the show here or download any free radio app for clear transmission just about anywhere in the world.

I admit to being anxious today, this is a big day for E K Pru Shee Wah, a gifted, poised and charming refugee student attending the Albany Public Schools. I am no mystic, but if you are so inclined, please think of her today, maybe pray for her, or send her some good thoughts and energy.

I think we are on the verge of changing her life. What a miracle that would be, especially in this tense times.

Her remarkable and amazingly dedicated teacher, Kathy Saso drove her to the Albany Academy this morning where Eh K Pru will be taking part in “Shadow Day,” where prospective new students spent a day following another student around the school, talking to teachers, and taking some  tests.

This is a critical step in advancing the effort to get Eh K Pru a full scholarship to the Albany Academy for the next four years. We’re not there yet, but we’re inching closer.

Kathy grasped that I was nervous and e-mailed me shortly after she dropped Eh K Pru off.

“She there,” she wrote. “I left her in good hands. She was nervous and excited. The day ends at 2:15 and she is going to stay and take the scholarship exam. I plan to get there at 3:45. I will keep you posted.”

I can only imagine how excited Eh K Pru is, she told me she is eager to be successful in order to honor her family.

I did a little rain dance when I got this message. Thanks Kathy, you are the best example I know of what a teacher can and should be. Kathy guided Eh K Pru through every part of this process, including the complex application forms.

Eh K Pru is the first student taking part in a program I am hoping to create to get one or two gifted refugee students into one of the best private schools in the region.

I spent several frustrating months trying to connect with Albany School teachers and guidance conselors to identify refugee students who might be able to get full scholarships.

I also talked to several of the best area private schools about joining with me in this program. Albany Academy was the first. Christopher Lauricella, the Headmaster, responded enthusiastically.

I’m also working with Alex Boggess, a partner in the school, whose senior project is seeking donations and funds for refugee scholarships a the school. If Eh K Pru is accepted and decides to go to the Albany Academy, the school will offer her a (nearly) full and generous scholarship.

Otherwise, it won’t be possible for her to go. Her family works hard, but don’t have that kind of money.

Alex and I will seek to raise money for her if there is a shortfall. She will probably need roughly $6,000 a year for four years, there are several donors in the school who might help and we are exploring ways to set up a donations page, either a crowdsourcing project or a page on the school’s website.

But first things first. She must want to go, and the school must want he to come.

Eh K Pru has to like it, her parents have to agree to send her to the Academy, the school has to accept her and we have to work out the exact financial terms in a way that will keep her there for the full four years.

There is more negotiating to do.

I believe we can do it, there are now a lot of people behind this project, which I hope to expand to other years and other schools. I feel this is the most effective – and practical – way to help the refugees. We raised a lot of money and spent a lot of money in the past few years, but the financial needs are greater than we can possibly meet.

Eh K Pru is, as Kathy suggested, a remarkable person. She spent 10 years in a U. N. refugee camp and has been in the United States for several years.

She is an honor student at the Hackett Middle School, and is motivated, articulate and hard-working, Kathy says she is one of the best students she has ever known. Some of the refugee children are damaged, even traumatized, by being in those camps. Eh K Pru said it strengthened her.

I never heard that before.

Last year, we helped raise money so that another Hackett student, Sakler Moo, could also go to the Albany Academy. I have not been able to speak with Sakler, but I understand he is doing well. We sent the school nearly $5,000 for his 2019 tuition shortfall, and for his meal plan. The school will take it from here. Many thanks to you for your support of this outstanding young man.

I hope we can do this every year, with the Albany Academy and with other schools.

I believe Headmaster Lauricella is sincere about wanting the school to be more diverse, and he and I share the belief that this must be done in a thoughtful and practical way. I like the way it works…I come up with candidates, he comes up with scholarship money.

I was discouraged that the refugee organizations I contacted wanted no part of this program, and wouldn’t even meet with me to talk about it. But this has helped me move much more quickly, without the politics of a non-profit bureaucracy to deal with, I can be much more effective, and I found these groups almost impossible to work with.

Finding a teacher like Kathy Saso inside a school made all the difference. When I met Eh K Pru, I felt I had the perfect student to kick off this program.

So I am on pins and needles and today, I have no official standing here, and will be on my radio show this afternoon, but I  hope someone will let me know what happens. I was up much of the night worrying about it.

Eh K Pru deserves this opportunity if anyone does, and I will do everything within my power to make it happen. I am grateful to the Army Of Good for following this story.

If I need help, I will yell. I am fortunate to be involved in something like this, it feels quite wonderful.

Tomorrow is Talking To Animals, my two-hour radio about dogs and other animals, on WBTNAM1370 and live streamed anywhere in the world between one to three p.m.

I plan to take calls, answer your questions, help you with your problems, talk about visualization,  the minds of dogs, animal consciousness and anything else you want to call and discuss or e-mail me about: [email protected].

You can live stream the broadcast here, or even better, download a free radio app like Simple Radio. You can hear the broadcast clearly for free all over the country and the world.

The program will be repeated Wednesday night from 8 to 10 p.m. on WBTNAM, you can hear the podcast on WBTNAM.US.

People are getting through now on our antiquated but hardy phone system, 802 422-1010 or 866 406-9286, this is community radio, it’s your show as well as mine, your participation is essential for success. Maria will be on the show with me at 2 p.m., she is our roving correspondent, based on Bedlam Farm.

I’m devoting the next few broadcasts (there won’t be a live show March 10, I’ll be away, a re-broadcast will be aired) to understanding the mind of a dog, to talking about animal conscious, or whether dogs have souls, and how they think and feel. It will be interesting.

I will also take your calls and talk about the issues and problems you are having with your dogs. I love playing Sherlock Holmes for dogs, I gather information, do some homework and try to help. From what I’m  hearing, people are happy with my advice, I choose it carefully.

I hope you call, the show is getting hot, but it really only works when people call.

Thanks to the good people who donated to the radio station last week, I’ll read your names tomorrow. You can help the station very inexpensively by checking out the gift cards on the Amazon WBTN Wish List.

There are not many community radio stations left in our country, they have all been scooped up by giant corporate media companies that promote hatred and conflict for profit.

Hopefully, I’ll hear from you tomorrow. This is along-shot experiment in creativity, animal love and technology. The show has no resources to speak of, and no one gets paid a dime.

Maria will be speaking with me about animal consciousness in the second hour  – we love sharing our ideas and experiences that come from living with them on Bedlam Farm.

Listen in, call or e-mail: [email protected] I’ll read and discuss our questions on the air, you can message me at any time. 802 442-1010, 866 406-9286.