General Doins in Guzland

Today, I'm working on my Library Journal book review column and getting my syllabi ready for my fall classes. I've also been working on stories, one of which I submitted under my pen name, in order to protect the innocent. Ha, indeed. Right now, I'm struggling to get a story done that's just being stringy and complicated. It's based on fact, but I'm having a hard time imagining the details I don't know while still revealing the nature of the people whose actions I'm writing about. Does that make sense?

In other excellent news, I've gotten the okay from Scott, New Yinzer editor, to start a NewYinzer blog, where I post weekly fiction. I plan to get this going tomorrow. Updates to follow.

In the evenings, Michael and I have been spending time preserving food. So far, we've made Bruschetta in a jar, pickled eggplant, pickled cabbage (green and red), and several different kinds of tomato sauces. Last night, we shelled beans: soldier beans and black beans. They're now in the dehydrator, along with some oregano.

My brother-in-law is talking about getting bees and situating them behind the farm house, so I think we're getting him into the hobby farming spirit, which is really good.

Okay....back to work for now, but not without a fun picture. Thanks to fellow West Virginia hobby farmer Suzanne McMinn of http://www.chickensintheroad.com/ for this pic. My folks had a big white Saanen goat named Isabell until 2005. Someday Michael and I will probably buy a pygmy or two for milking purposes. Anyway, we're planning on just a few because goats tend to be naughty and difficult to keep in their pens, although they are truly endearing little minxes.