It's Saturday . . .Much to do . . .

Reading:

On June 1st, I went to Seymour Library in Brockport, and  picked out a new novel: Running by Cara Hoffman.

The Book Discussion on June 28th, 11-12, will feature The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.   I found my copy, and have begun reading. I seem to read this novel every two years. I have wanted to be in a book club for a long time now.  Maybe summertime is the perfect time to join a group.

Writing:
  
Since the end of the Spring 2017 semester, I have been trying to switch gears to a work schedule that is strictly my own. Some days, I'm inspired; other days, I'm distracted.
However, I have been writing.  Mostly 100 word stories ( my latest addiction) and several CNF essays, of varying length, and a fistful of poems.  Mid-May, I returned to my novella, and was surprised by how fluent it is.  I asked my son Nick to read a bit, and he grew very quiet, quieter than usual.  I said, "What do you think?" and he said, "Your writing makes me want to steal some of these lines. I can "see" what's happening."  I was thrilled by his immediate reaction. I actually "see" this novella as a film. So, this summer is the summer I get it ready to be sent off to publishers.  I'm making plans.


Planting:

For the past week, I have been lifting, bending, raking, pulling, reaching, digging . . .
My body is just "thrilled" by all of this movement.  Yes, I found  500 new-to-me
muscles. Flower gardens are in good shape, save one garden that is a total mess, and may have to be taken apart completely. We'll see. We're three weeks behind on the vegetable gardens.  Hoping to get things going in the North garden this weekend. Again, we'll see. More rain in the forecast.

 



 
 
 

June 1st: The Sun is a Bright Pearl . . .

June 1st. The sun, the sun, the sun

photo K. Iuppa

Here we are on the brink of summer.  So much is changing, and for good reason. I'm ready to imagine

everything a little bit different.  Have started two writing projects and a major get rid of the clutter project. Received advice from my friend Pat Mannix on how to begin to downsize, and so I have begun to do as she advised.  Yesterday, I delivered two boxes full of books to Good Will.  I'm sure they will be loved by someone new.

At the Good Will, they ask you to fill out a form on their computer for your receipt. The men who were working the back ( it was a parade of cars full of bagged stuff), looked at my white hair and me squinting at the computer screen, and thought I was a lost cause, and offered to help me.  "No, no-- I got this.  I'm just trying to see the screen . . ."  Clickety-click, I'm now in the Good Will system.

Yesterday, I cleared out one flower garden. I do love the physical work, but  my initial agility is comical.  The way I walk, with tools in each hands resembles Frankenstein. It makes me laugh-- how ungainly I am at this point of the season.  Thankfully, I improve as the work becomes daily activity.

Change is on the horizon  . . .  I'm excited for the possibilities.

Too Long Since My Last Post . . .Here's the Update

Photo: K. Iuppa

It's the last day of May. Our gardens  still haven't been turned over yet.  Our seedlings are jumping out of their containers.The weather has been very wet (many rain & wind storms) and dreary. Lake Ontario is at a new high and threatening  all the homes along its shoreline. We're hoping for a few days of sun and light wind to dry out our soggy earth.  Over the Memorial Day weekend, I did get a start on the many chores of our little farm. So much to do, so many hours in a day, so many other things I'm plotting to do this summer.  This is either a good sign or bad sign.  Peter and I are getting ready to learn the art of beekeeping.  This week we will get  our first hive. There is so much to learn.  So, with good luck and wild flowers, we will have honey by September. I do hope the bees like Red Rooster Farm.

Next, in the South garden, we discovered rows of garlic, and it's growing, growing, growing. The heads are going to be robust and flavorful (hot, actually).  Oh, this is such good news. Onions too are happy in this current weather.

THINK SUN!


Recent past:  The Spring 2017 semester galloped to the finish line.  I received The New York State Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching.   The award ceremony was at The College at Brockport on May 18th, 2017. It was a special moment in my career as a teacher.

Photo: Nick Tonery


I'm finishing up residencies and reports, and taking time to reflect on all that has happened this year. Small Worlds Floating continues to receive positive reviews.  I am in the process of booking readings and workshops; looking forward to traveling a bit and meeting new poets and writers  and readers in the process.


I'm hoping to post more  frequently about the farm, beekeeping, and the writing life.

Stay tuned!

Happy New Year!

It's been weeks since my last blog post.  A lot happened in the Fall of 2016.  The harvest lasted until the end of November, which seemed to be endless hours standing over pots of boiling water. The dining room table withstood the weight of jars upon jars of tomato sauce, strawberry, plum, raspberry, and "Blazberry"preserves, salsa, salsa verde, pickles, and more.

Here is canning evidence of  what was keeping me away from this blog:

In late October, I had the opportunity to go to the North Country SUNY Potsdam to promote my newest poetry collection Small Worlds Floating (Cherry Grove Collections, August 2016) as well as offering an Ekphrastic poetry workshop.  Earlier in September, I read at Writers and Books, and at Your Quiet Eyes Bookstore; and then in early November, I had the best time reading at CFI literary Cafe hosted by Poet Jennifer Campbell. I am very grateful to those who attended these readings and bought my book.  I am fortunate to live in a strong and supportive literary community.


Small Worlds Floating has received some buzz in thumbnail reviews:

5.0 out of 5 starsA Special Treasure in My Poetry Collection!

By Books Public on November 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

Small Worlds Floating was game changer in how I look at connecting the landscape to my life, family, seasons to my writing. Iuppa captured the much forgotten simplicity of life with Company is coming and landscape perspective with Natural History. One of the first poetry books I have ever read cover to cover. It spurred several concepts and memories to fuel my own writing.

 

5.0 out of 5 starsHighly recommended

By W. S. on November 6, 2016

If you have ever looked closely at a raindrop hanging from a leaf, you know that you can see images reflected and refracted, so richly held that you sometimes hold your own breath, lest the drop fall and the world be lost. I had the same feeling reading these poems. The "ordinary," the "quiet," the "everyday" of life trembles on their surfaces, while their complexity and the surprises inside them slip into view and make me gasp. I couldn't read the book all at one sitting - I kept trying, but couldn't do it. I needed to slow down and pay attention to what was going on in these "small worlds," because the invitation was there to travel inward, and so I did, and quite possibly I still am.

And featured on Verse Daily http://www.versedaily.org/2016/interview.shtml

Consequently, I will be doing more readings in the Winter-Spring-Early Summer.  Looking forward to promoting this collection in 2017, and awaiting  the release my fourth full-length collection This Thirst (Aldrich Press, September, 2017).

Small Worlds Floating Has Arrived!

cover photo K. Iuppa

Yesterday, the UPS deliver the first box of three, marked 'heavy.' Peter had  partially opened the box, when he realized that it was my third full length poetry collection: Small Worlds Floating.  It looks gorgeous. It's quite a thrill to hold a new book in your hands.  There is a bit of disbelief as you check it over, and over. Open it, read a poem; close it, then open it again. A surprise each time.The jolt of memory. Thank you Kevin Walzer and Lori Jareo, editors, Cherry Grove Collections for this dream realized.

Here's the link to Cherry Grove Collections:
http://www.cherry-grove.com/iuppa_small_world_poems.html

Summer in Full Swing!

North Garden, June 2016 photo by P. Tonery

Here we are, nearly end of June.  We've had a bit of rain the other night, but could use more. It's become my nightly prayer: rain, rain, rain.

Since the semester ended, I have been living the mundane.  We've spent days, that turned into weeks, getting the gardens planted.  There are two other gardens (East and South).  I have been  diligent in my weeding, which has been a challenge (as it is every year).  I planted over 150 tomato plants. Tomatoes of all kinds are beginning to show themselves on the plants.  Yellow Jubilees are in the lead! Followed by Sweet 100s, honeybunch,  red grapes and so on. Who doesn't love tomato sandwiches. O, I can't wait.

I have been on track with my writing projects too.  This is what I've accomplished since May12th, 2016:

1.a chapbook of prose poems and  flash fictions called e-Motion.  This has been sent out to publishers.
2. Fourth  full length collection of poems called This Thirst. This has been sent out to publishers.
3.  Finished Novella on June 7.  Several weeks a head of my writing schedule.  Novella's title is Blue Door.
I'm currently editing this now, after a couple of weeks of letting it rest on the back burner.
4.  Last leg of writing projects.  I have two play ideas, which I have been mulling over, and plan to start working on them soon. Very soon.  Maybe today.
5. After finishing the novella, I started to write a poem a day.   At first, it was difficult switching gears.  So I spent some time revising some poems that I had written in the Spring, and this seem to let me find my way back to writing poems.

What have I learned?

1. Set deadlines.  Stick to them. Writing is like tending a garden, in so many ways.  If you say to yourself, I'm going to write for 2 hours in morning, 3-5 pages, and actually do it, you will be over the moon with the accomplishment.

2.  Try to embrace the mundane.  It could be the meditation you need  to be creative.

3. Be present and mindful.


What's next?

1. Weeding.
2. More canning. I have put by 4 batches of strawberry jam.  Every morning's cup of coffee accompanied by toast and jam!
3.Swimming.
4. Working on daily sketches and watercolors.
5. Writing letters.

Seasons of Ups and Downs

Summer 2016, may be the summer of getting it done.

After a steady 36 day writing regime, I finished my No Name Novella, 86 pages, 25,000 words. After my comb through, it may expand a bit, more or less, we'll see what happens.

I began this novella, 2 years ago.  It languished at 12 pages. I decided that I needed to make this a priority this summer. (Amazing what happens when you make a plan!). I think it's a good story, and I can see how my years of editing other writers' work has informed this project.  I think I wanted to tackle the novella because it's a bit misunderstood as a narrative form, 60-120 pages. Once I figured out my novella's trajectory, I broke out of the gate--horse race with myself. I was so surprised to cross the finish line before the end of June.

I feel giddy about this, and I think when I was working in the garden, I came upon its title.
During this time, I didn't write anything but the novella.   Now that it's done, I've been wanting to work on something else.

Good thing I have this physical work that allows me to stir my imagination.
Next on my writing to do list is a play.

Currently, my fourth full length collection of poetry is scattered on the dining room table.  I have tried, without success, to come up with a strong sequence for these poems.  It's like wrestling with a 15 foot alligator that's swallowed a clock.   Funny thing, this work has a working title.  I have the cover, too. Nothing like cart before the horse.

Gardens are nearly in. Things are going well here on Red Rooster Farm.

Last night, I went to a reading that showcased 8 writers (Sonja Livingston, Alison Smith, Willa Carroll, Jack Garner, Joan Murray, Mira Jacob, Debra Dean, Lauren Acampora) in celebration of Writers & Books 35th anniversary.  It was held at the Lyric Theater at corner of East Avenue and Prince St. It was a lovely reading, that also celebrated Joe Flaherty, the founder and current executive director, who is retiring this month.  Tonight is a Gala for his retirement and last event for the 35th year anniversary.

Looking forward to this.