Gazing at the moon

...which is perfectly framed in my window. Almost full. And beautiful. 

Are you homesick? Annabelle asked me as we lay side by side tonight. No, I admitted. Our little cabin here in beautiful Port Townsend, doing puzzles and reading and running by the water. It reminds me of how the simple things make me so happy. I always get these same feelings when I spend time by the water. I have written one good essay and one good short story here these two weeks, taught classes and read and talked and thought my thoughts. It has been lovely. 

Sunday home, where hopefully the heat will have broken. And hopefully I can bring some of this simple pleasure back with me. 

Port Townsend, Week 2

I am just pinching myself that I am here in WA with my jeans jacket on and missing the heat wave back home for another week! New workshop group started yesterday and it's always fun to face a new bunch if writers, observe group dynamics, read new stories, tackle writing problems. 

Annabelle is having a ball, exploring beaches and bunkers and coffee houses. We've discovered a new game called Quattro that one of us (ok, me) is addicted to. And we've managed to finish one jigsaw puzzle and start a new one with the help of a closer poet and our fearless babysitter. 

Cafeteria food growing old week 2, so tonight: pizza from town and some Pinot noir. Tomorrow is the whiskey and pie party, another fabulous combo!

Our whale watch on Sunday had us find seven orcas!

Here's the male. 

I've even managed to finish a short story here, which right now I'm liking a lot. And I've started an essay. So nice to write with a view of the water...

What's not to love

When I wake up here in Port Townsend and look out the window, I see a strip of fog over the water. So beautiful. Some afternoons that fog lifts to reveal tall snow capped mountains. Add a family of deer frolicking in front of my cabin. A high blue sky. And my happy sigh. 

Last night we ventured into town for dinner, after shopping. Of course there is an amazing yarn shop on Water Street where I had to be dragged out. An entire room just of knitting needles! At another store I picked up some Jane Austen band aids. Need I say more?

Here is my neighbor:

Greetings from beautiful chilly foggy Port Townsend, WA

I had forgotten just how gorgeous it is here. Well, it's been about 30 years since I traveled around these parts, out in the San Juan Islands and here in Port Townsend. I was smitten then and am again now. So far I've been here in the state park where the writers conference is held and haven't had a chance to get into town yet ( tomorrow I will!). But the deer everywhere, the morning fog, the bay and mountains and evergreens...all enough to keep this girl happy. Oh. And it's chilly here! That heat and humidity in New England is no friend of mine. So I am loving the air. Loving everything. I have a terrific workshop. Good friends teaching too. And Annabelle with me thanks to the tireless Erica. Big happy sigh. 

WHERE I'LL BE TEACHING, AND WHEN

I've been getting lots of emails asking for my upcoming teaching schedule. Thanks for your interest!

FYI, my summer classes in Port Townsend, Sicily, and Tuscany are full.

But there's lots coming up. Please email me at amhood@gmail.com if you would like more information on any of these!


The Provincetown Fine Arts Workshop, online:
WRITING THE PERSONAL ESSAY
September 30-October 25

MA residents are eligible for a scholarship if they apply before September 6!

www.fawc.org/24pearlstreet/‎


WRITING THROUGH GRIEF
December 6-8

Whispering Pines Conference Center
Exeter, RI

PLEASE NOTE: THIS ONE IS ALMOST FULL


Eckerd College Writers Conference
January 18-25
St. petersburg, FL


THE FIRST 10 PAGES: workshopping your beginning pages of fiction and/or memoir
January 31- February 2

Whispering Pines Conference Center
Exeter, RI


Summer 2014:

The Aspen Writers Conference, June
Tin House, July

Tuscany Writers Conference 2014
Date TBA

It's a boy!

August Lloyd (middle name after my brother and my dad) Goldberg. We waited all day, but the little guy took his time. Gogo and I are heading to Boston this afternoon to meet him. 

Spent yesterday afternoon making soup. I believe in soup. For this hot weather I made a gallon of gazpacho, a gallon of vichyssoise, and a gallon of corn chowder. Enough to feed the Goldberg's for a little while, especially in combination with all the food Gogo made! (Last night she told me we had to take her car to Boston because her cooler of food was so big)

I am also bringing cute gifts for the baby. My favorite: a pacifier with a moustache over it. Very debonair. 

Annabelle sewed a rabbit family. They are super cute. 

Welcome to the world, August!

I just got the Blogger app and am really excited!