Well the critters have all been given extra treats, not that most of them need anything extra!

Mr. Cecil the horse is quite the happy camper, he got an apple.

Hope you are having a good day with loved ones. Don't eat too much.

Happy Thanksgiving.

      Then for my birthday this year, my dad (ain't he great) got me Rose Daughter, Chalice, and Dragonhaven in trade, I had to wait till they came out thus. He also got me a Pegasus hardcover, and Sunshine as an audio book. I love audio books, though I still get an actual book for each that I love. So now my reading limits are full up. I honestly want to sit here and read them all in a row, but sadly cannot do that....darn, life gets in the way. However with the Sunshine audio book, I can do other stuff while still reading...isn't that sneaky, but awesome? 

      I just need to get Fire and Imaginary Lands, and then my McKinley collection to date will be complete...I think. Of course then I want them all on audio. 

      In between all of my art shows this fall I have been reading every article and interview I can about the Pegasus release and whatever glimpses I can, just so excited about getting a McKinley book on it's release date. Whilst trying to relax this evening I enjoyed another one, written in a fun way, by Melissa Marr...her books sound like they might be good too, must investigate. Anyway, should you be interested journey over to her journal at http://melissa-writing.livejournal.com/408020.html

      I have read a few on livejournal by other authors whom I have heard of through Robin McKinley. I would love to be on that fantasy book shelf someday next to them. http://sarahtales.livejournal.com/

      And if you are looking for an adventure to take you away into another world, read a Robin McKinley book. ***

http://www.robinmckinley.com/

*Yes Pet Peeve of mine, don't crack/ruin the spine!! People who bend the book all the way around, flatten, shove, toss...gasp....make me cringe.

**You know, cassettes, those things prior to cds, which were prior to mp3s.

***Must enter footnotes, because we are talking about Robin McKinley and she does this on her blog. :0)

      Robin McKinley is one of my favorite writers. I love, adore, reread, and cherish each of her tales and books. She's on the "reread every year" list with J.R.R. Tolkien. I have been reading Tolkien since I was five: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I have been reading Beauty since I was 11, when I choose it from the order list of R.I.F books in school. So glad I did, I now have three copies of the same edition, but sadly no hardcover original as yet. That way I have one to lend out, and two for me. I read very carefully and though my books are well and frequently read, their spines do not show it.* I used to read a book a day, large few hundred page books, and still worked on a farm and did schoolwork...no video games. 

      When I was in school I borrowed an audio book on cassette** from the local library. It was The Hero and the Crown, and I loved it. I would have preferred if a woman was reading it rather than a man, but still I loved the tale. I checked it out till it got worn out between myself and others. 

      When I graduated from school my dad bought me Spindle's End, Rose Daughter, The Outlaws of Sherwood, and Deerskin in Mass market paperback size and A Knot in the Grain in trade paperback size. I found I much prefer the trade paperback size. Whilst it is not as hardy has a hardcover, it is lighter. Trades are much easier to read than the mass market style; text is larger, book can be read without bending spin, and it doesn't involves as much scrunching in holding. It was not long after this that I developed my health issues, that prohibit the reading of mass market style due to horrible pain and headache increase, and thus never got to read Rose Daughter, Spinde's End, The Outlaws of Sherwood, or Deerskin. They still sit proudly on my shelf, but I wasn't able to read them myself. 

      Then due to our lovely local bookstore, which is no longer in business, my dad found trade versions of The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword. I still adore TH&TC, however I almost love The Blue Sword better, maybe.  Our "local" bookstore is now 40 miles away; Barnes and Noble and then Borders came 'round. At B&N I was able to get Spindle's End in trade and finally read it. And at Borders I found The Outlaws of Sherwood in trade style, as well as A Door in the Hedge. Yay! And when Water came out I was able to get it. 

     Well we have returned there and back again, safely, unloaded all of my boxes of products and paraphernalia and, in theory, I haven't lost anything....well at least I have not noticed it missing as yet. 

      We met a variety of characters this weekend and had a good time at the WQLN Holiday Arts Show at Rainbow Gardens in Erie, PA. For all you out of town folks, look at a map of Erie County, Pennsylvania and you'll see Presque Isle jaunting out into the Lake. Rainbow Gardens is just inside the shoreline there with Waldameer Park and Waterworld, which is closed till Spring.

     There were a number of kindly folk who took time to peruse around our table and visit with us. We even had a few lovely return customers who said they came with us in mind, of which is greatly appreciated! Also, quite thankfully, this year they played more of a variety of Christmas and Holiday tunes over the loudspeakers than last year. If you were there last year there was only one cd for three days, and I had planned to bring some more variety to share, but forgot the disc. Glady there were more. Setup went well, and I had nice neighbors on either side, and I very much appreciate WQLN taking my special needs into consideration or it wouldn't have been as easy.

     I must say the highlight of the whole weekend was a special girl who I know is getting a surprise present from her mom this Christmas. Mom had just stopped, quickly, before the kids caught up, to see the newest Critters That Call the Farm Home book, Candy the Colt, which we luckily hid just before they came. As soon as she saw The Bunny Dance on the table her eyes lit up, "It's the Bunny Dance. I love that book, we have that...." and she was so excited she kept talking all about it for a few minutes and how it is her favorite book, and they read it all the time.

     She was practically jumping up and down. Her mom kept trying to get a word in edge wise, and after a couple times she finally heard her, "This is the girl who wrote the story." She stopped talking, her mouth dropped open, and she got kinda shy as she slowly turned to me and was all starry eyed, "Really?!!" 

     Boy that really made my day!! I sure hope come Christmas she like's her new book too.

     We look forward to next year and I appreciate my friends and families help in setup, teardown, and throughout the show. This show is a nice one and benefits WQLN: PBS television and Radio Stations.

      Brrrr!!!!! It was about 20-25 degrees here last night. Our little pond and any sitting water had a fine frosty film of ice reflecting the bright stars. Being it was such a cold, crisp and frosty fall night the stars were gorgeous; not a cloud in sight. They were as bright and twinkly as a late December night.

       I was out was to take pics of course and stargaze for a while, as well as trying to find Comet Hartley 2, not sure if I did have to look at pics. Did get some interesting ones though. Saw two meteors too. I love watching Orion rise, and it was exceptionally bright tonight too. I think I even got an Orionid whilst taking a shot of the Nebula.

       I discovered two things tonight. One is that my umpteen year old, Made in the USA, jean jacket with sweatshirt lining and hood, is still the warmest coat, comfy too, even though it's falling apart it is so worn, torn, eatin' by goats, scratched, and all around hobo looking I still prefer to use it for a barn coat. Also that metal Talon Zipper is awesome; lasts longer than the five minutes these new plastic ones do. Now on the other hand, my deerskin, stuffed gloves, that are made to wear in deep winter, however were helpful but not as warm. Yeesh, very, very cold fingers!

       The second thing is that boys make better photography assistants than girls; cats that is. Mister Fiddle, one of my barn cats, is my usual sidekick when my dog is not helping, for star photography. He'll at least sit on your feet or wind himself back and forth for attention, but at least it helps keeps your feet warm. Now he can be a pest because he'll wind himself around the tripod too, and purr, which ruins the shot. He'll hang around till he gets bored then disappear. However in August he did push the line and brought me a mouse... a live one, which proceeded to crawl up my leg. Yikes!!!!

        However his mama is a total brat and nuisance, and completely unsuited as an assistant. Oh she wound around my legs too, then stood on my boot and proceeded to use my leg as a scratching post, got her claws stuck in both pants and leg.  Then after that incident and a few minutes hunting away from me, without warning used me a a tree.   

        With claws fully extended she jumped on the back of my leg and crawled up my leg, back, got stuck and was falling off my coat, and made it all the way to my shoulder, then full on pounced on my hood covered head!!! Ouch all over. She even tried to jump on the camera. All to tell me she was cold and wanted in the barn, where she should have stayed. In her defense, she was shaking with chills all over, however less drastic measures could have gotten my attention. She's not a tiny little kitten anymore, and hasn't been for three years!

Anybody want a cat? (Just kidding, this is not a cat ad)
       Being as the fall rutt is underway for White-Tailed Deer I also heard two bucks fighting in the field next to the pasture. It was a very quiet night and there was no mistaking the sound of antler hitting antler and grunts and snorts. Very cool, wonder who won.

       Camera is thawing out. Always remember: When coming in from cold temps into warm, camera needs taken apart, and set out to dry so condensation does not build up. That's my photographer tip for the day.