Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

5 December

Good Morning, Zip. He’s Always There For Breakfast, Gone For The Morning

by Jon Katz

Zip has explored every inch of Bedlam Farm and the woods and marshes on our property. He never ventures off Bedlam Farm but has four or five warm, dry, and copy spots to sleep in. In the morning, he always comes out to greet me and Maria. Then he disappears until his morning and evening meeting with me.

Zinnia tries to chase him in the morning, but he sits there and waits for her to get close so he can swat her on the nose lightly, which causes her to turn and run. Zip is not a fighter, and Fate pretends to be tough but keeps her distance. Then he chases Zinnia a bit; it’s a game they play.

Every morning, I see him slide under the gate and into the pasture; he loves exploring the marsh.

I wasn’t home for our regular morning meeting, but we’ll probably get together this afternoon. Maria always hunches down to greet him; he is spoiled already.

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Bishop Gibbons

5 December

“It’s All So Nice!” – Merry Christmas And Thanks, From Sue Silverstein’s Bishop Gibbons Art Program, To The Army Of Good

by Jon Katz

“It’s all so nice!” Sue Silverstein told me yesterday, “Such a good job on the furniture, and I love the two-tone pajamas. They are so cute with their Christmas ornaments.”

Sue sent me seven photos of her student’s holiday art and thanked the Army Of Good again for donating all the materials. All these works, including the furniture, were done with donations and discarded materials shipped to the school by you, the readers of my blog. None of this could have happened without your great heart.

Don’t listen to anyone who claims Americans are heartless and selfish.

Sue’s love for her work, students, and art is palpable and infectious. Just look at what she has done. Art programs nationwide are being canceled for lack of funds and upside-down priorities. The art program at Bishop Gibbons is roaring.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to see a blog used positively and meaningfully and to see so much enthusiasm from young people who are believed to care only about TikTok.

Sue has set the young artists in her program on fire with her great assignment ideas and openness to letting the students choose their work. None of these inventive works would be here without these donations of discarded materials, mostly rotting away in attics and garages.

Sue and her students will make art from almost anything.

Merry Christmas to the young artists and Sue, the angel: Send your discarded stuff to Sue Silverstein, Bishop Gibbons High School, 2600 Albany Street, Schenectady, New York, 12308. Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you all; you are all angels doing God’s work. Please send your donations in January; the school will be closed for two weeks. Great work, people.

A discarded desk comes back to life. This was beautifully restored.

Two-tone pajamas as a Christmas gift.

Christmas ornaments from discarded materials.

Tree ornaments from discarded materials.

This table is another excellent furniture restoration. It was rescued from the junk pile and rebuilt. It’s going to somebody’s home. Some art goes to the students, some to poorer people who need help, and some to grandmothers and grandfathers, siblings, and parents.

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Bedlam Farm Journal

5 December

Bedlam Farm Morning Journal, 12/5/:2023. “This Is Us:” Our New Sign Finds A Home

by Jon Katz

Our new “This Is Us” sign found a home yesterday, right underneath our “Books” sign on the back porch. I think it says it all, and I am happy to have found it and found the right place to put it.

A couple of people have messaged me asking if my new sign violates the copyright of the hit TV show “This Is Us.” The answer is no. Phrases cannot be copyrighted unless they directly compete with the same name’s commercial property, and even that’s a close call. That doesn’t apply here.

It’s a cold, cloudy November morning, damp and dark. My dogs always cheer me up. I went and had my blood drawn for my Thursday doctor’s appointment; there was only one more doctor to visit, the dental surgeon who did my implant. If he says it’s okay, I’ll get the crown shortly.

I went to take a picture of Fate at Rest, and Zinnia moved right on.

Portrait, Maria and hay in the afternoon sun.

My daily morning and sky landscape. This is an excellent example of a photo that needs no enhancement.

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Zip

4 December

Color And Light: Zip, Lulu, And A Beautiful Flower. Sleep Well.

by Jon Katz

I decided to close my blogging day by offering three images of the farm.

One, above, is of Zip, who joined me for our afternoon meeting and cuddle. He crawled up on my shoulder, his favorite cuddling spot, and I started scratching. It’s a sweet moment for me.

As he was purring, I saw him freeze, followed his eyes, and saw a chipmunk 20 yards away popping his head out of a hole.

Zip flew off my lap, rushed to the gate, slid under, and slowly and quietly headed for the chipmunk, who seemed oblivious to him.

As he got closer, the chipmunk sores him, squeaks loudly, and dove under the hole. Zip stuck his head down there, but no luck. It was cold and raining, so I waved goodbye and went back into the house to finish writing.

That’s Zip, lots of love, lots of distraction. He is having a great Barn Cat life. I love his fierce and angry look. It’s just a pose, unless you are a rat, mouse, or chipmunk.

Lulu stuck her nose out as I walked away, pleading for an alfalfa cube. I stopped to give her and Fanny one, of course, and left to the sweet, some of them chewing on it.

I yelled good night to Zip, who was paying me no attention by then, and then came in and picked a color and light photo for tonight.

I decided to throw in the two others. Nothing on my blog is more popular than Zip at the moment, certainly including me. I get it. He is great fun and quite the challenge to any photography. Everything he does, he does quickly.

He is also insanely photogenic. I’ll keep taking the pictures.

Lulu has mastered the art of hustling Jon. She’s been doing it every day for nearly 15 years.

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4 December

Sweater Blast: Making “Ugly” Christmas Sweaters Uglier – The Mansion “Ugly” Christmas Sweater Party Is Close. Maria And I Are The Judges

by Jon Katz

We had an “Ugly” sweater gathering at the Mansion this afternoon; Maria and Paryese, the Mansion activity director, and Robin, a Mansion aide, helped the residents apply the Christmas decorations we brought to make their “Ugly Christmas Party” sweaters uglier.

It was a blast. Maria loves this stuff. My job was to make smartass remarks and take a lot of photos.

I’m not sure I ever saw the residents have more fun than that. The sweaters will be worn to an “Ugly Sweater Christmas Party.” Maria and I will be the judges choosing the ugliest and most creative sweaters.

Robin used hot glue to fasten the Christmas ornaments to the sweater.

We got most of the sweaters done. The pictures speak for themselves. Come and take a look. And thanks for donating some of your “Ugly” Christmas sweaters. We have enough.

We are very much looking forward to the party. All three of us, Maria, me and Zinnia, are invited and have accepted.

Our Mansion work is a joy to us and, hopefully, to them. Paryese says they very much look forward to our visits. We do also. My Meditation class is moving to Friday.

Tomorrow morning, I get up early to get some bloodwork done before my meeting with Amy, my primary care nurse, on Friday. It’s my regularly scheduled visit.