Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

10 October

News From The Art Room, Friday, October 11, 2024. A World Of Ideas, Thanks To You

by Jon Katz

Sue Silverstein, the art teacher at Bishop Gibbons High School in Schenectady, New York, is a fantastic teacher, a brilliant artist, and a saintly uplifter of people. We met a few years ago to work together to support the artists coming to America. She never stops helping people, especially her students. And they never forget her. It’s an honor to have her column published here every Friday. I thank again the many donors who support her excellent art program, which is one of the best of any school in the country. She depends on your donations of lost and forgotten items that she and her students turn into art. Thanks for being a part of this. You can learn how to help below – Jon Katz.

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News From The Art Room, by Sue Silverstein

I sometimes base project ideas on the materials I have in abundance and the time of year. The younger students especially love seasonal projects. I saved many bottle corks and found a cute idea for pumpkins made from painted corks.

I said to myself, “Simple, quick little Monday activity to start the week.” Things I learned… Painted cork is slippery and hard to hang on to. The concept of painting one side first and letting it dry did not happen.

I spent much of my day using stain remover despite the students being aproned up ahead of project time. One of the students asked me how I knew how to get stains out. I told them I got an A in stain removal in art school. I must admit that the finished projects are cute, and the kids enjoyed making them. It’s a good thing I bought an economy-sized bottle of stain remover.

The studio class is still finishing monster drawings. They knocked it out of the park this time. We have been concentrating on drawing and shading techniques, and it is fantastic to see how their artwork matures and takes on an entirely new level of skill as they work.

One of my drawing rockstars, Maya, has been working hard this year. I have my eye on some contests for the kids in the spring, and I keep telling her to pack her bags because she is going on the winners’ trip to DC. She works at her craft and is producing fantastic work.

On my drive to work the other day, I listened to news of all the musical artists who donated to the hurricane recovery efforts or planned benefit concerts. I started thinking about how to help the students use art to process the devastation they see from the news images. In some cases, we talked about the difference between a personal loss and the loss of a whole community.

We talked about human nature and the goodness of volunteering. I challenged the kids to create a piece of artwork that conveyed emotion related in some way to natural disasters they have seen or heard about. They threw out ideas. Thomas, a senior, is drawing a father holding a baby and the hand of a small child. They are at a gas

station that is out of gas, a car full of possessions, and a tornado bearing down. I’ll be sure to follow the photos. We would love to turn some of the images into a fundraising tool to help in whatever small way we can.

This week, I want to give special thanks to Theresa from Illinois for the box of treasures. The stamps, maps, jewelry, and other items are the best.

Thanks to Cathy from Pennsylvania for the canvas, map, and beautiful shells.

Thanks to Cecilia from New York for the assorted box of remarkable things that arrived today. Someone is already trying out the loom!

A huge shout out to Danielle and their family for delivering healthy foods this week! I sincerely appreciate the help. Kids learn better with full bellies. We are truly fortunate to have so many wonderful people behind us. We appreciate each of you, and Jon is our hero!

I am still seeking donations of everything you feel could be turned into art! Wire, gauze, plaster, shutters, glassware, paint, canvas, printing materials, maps, stamps, sandpaper, wood scraps, and all the other amazing things you can think of would be so helpful. If you are local and have smallish pieces of furniture you would like to see repurposed, we are always looking! The students love to make old things new! Holiday items are also great this time of year!

I love hearing from you. My email is [email protected].

Have a blessed day!

Sue

ND-BG

2600 Albany Street

Schenectady, New York 12304

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The Cambridge Food Pantry

10 October

Pantry Today: Out Of Toothpaste And $1 Shampoo. Tomorrow “Soup Day,” You Can Get a Jump Right Now…

by Jon Katz

The Pantry had another busy servicing day yesterday; they are out of toothpaste and shampoo. They are also out of almost all of their soups; tomorrow will be “Healthy Soups” on the blog. Today, we hope to focus on toothpaste and very inexpensive ($1.01) shampoo. Tomorrow, “Soup Day,” a sneak preview is down below.

Thanks for yesterday’s rush on Betty Cracker’s much-loved family snacks and dessert. It’s on the way. I’ll put up some soups below if anyone wants to jump the fence and send some today.

These are beneficial for diet and good hygiene, especially for the children.

They must go to school clean and happy, with good teeth and scrubbed.

Sarah’s two urgent requests for today:

Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste Gel, 10 Benefits, Freshens Breath, Whitens Teeth And Provides Sensitivity Relief, Mint Flavor, 4 Pack, 5.1 Oz, $15.31.

Alberto VO5 Extra Body Volumizing Shampoo, 15 Oz, $1.04.

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From yesterday: All of the Becky Crocker Mixes on the blog yesterday were bought out immediately and are on the way to the food pantry; curiously, no one bought a single Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix 6.5 oz (Pack of ) $13.41. Odd. I just bought two of them, and perhaps we can get a few more on the way; there might have been link issues. All the others sold instantly. Thanks for all the ones that are on the way.

(61 vitamin and energy goods for the backpack programs. This is for children who need support to eat from Friday to Monday. There are more of them than one might think.)

The Army of Good came through again; every backpack went out with a healthy “Life Cereal” and other nutritious energy items from the Wish List. The pantry families and their children thank you from the bottom of their hearts.

I’m adding several soups tonight.

Tomorrow will be “Soup Day.” Another significant number of newcomers arrived yesterday, and the shelves were out of soup. It’s getting cold: soup is a big deal. I’m getting a jump on it for those who like to make food decisions for donation or satisfaction. It feels excellent to do good.

Tomorrow’s Wish List: “Soup Day.”

Dinty Moore Beef Stew, 15 oz (8 Packed), Fully Cooked 7 Ready-to-Eat with fresh potatoes and carrots, Gluten-Free, 10g Protein, No Preservatives, Perfect for Noodles, Biscuits &Hot Pies, $17.12.

Campbell’s Chunk Soup, New England Clam Chowder, 16.3 Oz Can (Case of 8), $13.73.

Campbell’s Chunk Creamy Chicken and Dumplings Soup, 16.3 Oz Can (Case of 8).

Campbell’s Condensed 25% Less Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup, 10.75 Can (Pack of 12), $11.94.

Note: You can access the Cambridge Pantry Amazon Wish List anytime, day or not; go to one of the links here or the green “Cambridge Pantry” button at the bottom of every blog post.

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Beautiful Morning

10 October

Beautiful Morning At Bedlam Farm: Black And White. Just Me And Fate

by Jon Katz

It took me a while to forgive fate for being our first border collie, who loved to run around sheep but declined to herd them. Fate doesn’t care what I think and is joyous, enthusiastic, happy, and busy running in her beautiful, wide circles around them.

They pay no attention to her at all. Bud makes them nervous, but Fate, from a storied line of herding dogs in England, doesn’t. Go figure. It was great fun for us to work together again, if you call it that.

This morning, Maria was dealing with a sore foot (for some reason, she likes to kick doors open with her bare foot when holding something heavy.) I’m encouraging her not to do that. She didn’t stay out with the animals for morning manure shifting and snack disposal.

I invited Fate to come out with me, just like in the old days—no Zinnia, just us. It was great fun. When I put my ego aside and stopped muttering about her, I once more appreciated what a great dog Fate is for Maria and me. Fate has a good and happy life and is loved and cared for. I loved going out with my monochrome camera and Fate and taking some nice Bedlam Farm morning pictures. (The Sun was rising when we first came out. The photo was dark, so I left it alone.

I’m having so much fun with my Leica SLR-S that I sometimes forget the monochrome. That would be a shame.

Last of the mist.

Zip winding up for the day.

Fate awaiting instructions, which are always the same: “Get the sheep.”

Zip surveying his kingdom.

Soon Gone, Garden Bed

Red Leaf On The Ground

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9 October

Zip And Fate: An Odd And Fascinating Friendship

by Jon Katz

Fate and Zip are the most fascinating animals I’ve encountered on the farm. Like Red and Bud, Zinnia is not complicated; they are straightforward, quiet, and obedient. I wouldn’t call either one of them – or the donkeys, for that matter – strange.

Fate and Zip are not simple and uncomplicated; they are unpredictable and strange. Fate is the weirdest dog I’ve encountered yet.

Fate does not like Zip and is never happy to see him. She doesn’t love the other dogs either. She loves things that bring her to sheep, period.

She is not an aggressive dog, so apart from occasional and almost laughable stalking (Zip usually pays no attention to her), they have nothing to do with one another. Fate is the only animal on the farm who pays no attention to Zip and who he hasn’t charmed or manipulated.

I’ve lived with Zip for over a year, and I can see he could charm the Sox off an animal rights fanatic in a second.

I noticed the other day that Zip and Fate slept next to one another by the chairs in the backyard. However, he is too cautious and intelligent to do that if there is a chance of harm.

Zip loves to play with Zinnia and even some of the sheep. He likes to swat them as they go bye and then play hide-and-seek before they can get to her. He is careful to have a hiding spot nearby – in this case, the animal feeder, which the dogs can’t reach.

When Fate goes tearing past Zip to run around the sheep, he often takes a swipe at her, sometimes getting her backside. She pretends not to notice and keeps moving; she never turns on him, growls at him, or chases him away. When she stalks him, he practically laughs out loud and enjoys it.

This morning, Maria captured Zip’s newest scheme to annoy Fate safely. He hops into the feeder (Fate always races past it), leans down, and takes a swipe. This fails three times to catch her attention—he loves it when she gets rattled, startled, or annoyed by his ambushes. He has this great “what me?” look.

I feel that they are at heart okay with one another, although each one is too proud to admit it. You will never catch Fate doing what Zinnia does: great Zip with a lick first thing in the morning. Fate usually runs off, as she does when sheep come at her.

I love Maria’s photo; it captures two of the oddest and most fascinating animals on the farm.

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Flower Art

9 October

Flower Art. Down The Road. I’m Trying To Learn How To Get People To Pay Attention To Flowers In A Different Way. Pretty Cheeky.

by Jon Katz

“When I was small and went to visit my O’Keeffe grandmother, I someetimes got into the parlor by myself and would take a shell from the “whatnot,” a set of fancy shelves between two windows. The shelves held many things I could not touch, but when I got in alone, I would take a shell from the whatnot and hold it close to my ear. I had been told that the sound I heard was the sound of the sea – I had not heard the sea at that time, but it was wonderful to me to listen to it in the shell. So when I grew up and went where there were shells, I was always looking for them.” — Georgia O’Keeffe, “Georgia O’Keeffe.”

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I have almost no memories of my childhood, just vague and blurred images that flash in and out. I was close to no one near me or outside of my life, and it wasn’t until I met Maria that I could be close to anyone.

It was quite a shock; I had no illusions about being an artist. I am still determining where it came from. I wanted to be a writer when I was eight, and it was my life.

I wonder at the certainty that O’Keeffe had – Maria has it about her art, but the flowers obsessed me about taking pictures of them. It was like a beast popped up inside of me and roared out.

I had never seen flowers, really, until I knew about them, and I wanted to help others see them. I could not charge people for buying them. I want them to be free. I’ll never put a price on them. But I am addicted to taking photographs of them—photos of what I see, not what anyone else sees.

They make me wonder what life is about when all is said and done. Mostly, we all worry about bullshit or things we could never control.

Georgia would not have agreed to that. She knew what she was worth and insisted on it, something most people are afraid to learn. I had that certainty about writing; I never considered myself an artist. I still identify as a writer; at least for now, I’ll keep it that way.

I’m learning not to look for an answer to everything but to let it happen and accept it. It’s so much easier that way. The most critical word in my language is “I don’t know.” I call these flowers “photo painting,” I hope they bring you peace and pleasure.