Well, as much as I realize that some people teach full time and write books, I’m not one of those people. First of all, when I teach even one course (not to mention two sections, in a new university, with all new systems and rules) I take over the entire third floor studio with my stacks of papers and books, notes and plans. The Alice Book and my poetry flee in horror. Um, I shove them gracefully to the side. There’s no screaming. And, thanks to my wonderful poetry workshop (Hayden, Doris, Mary, … [Read more...]

Over the last few weeks, I’ve worked with a helper, Jenn Bickel, to fill in the blanks in the catalog of Alice Steer Wilson paintings. We find wonderful slides, entire collections of paintings, waiting to be scanned and dropped into place. We feel we are making progress, nearing completion. Then, randomly, I receive a call such as the one I received on Sunday, August 8th, from my sister-in-law, Maureen Stridick. She had just entered the condo they rented for the week, and found, lurking in an … [Read more...]

Today I spent a lovely few hours with artist Linda Townshend. We shared stories of family, as women do, and then we shared stories of inspiration and regret, as artists. Linda recalled a visit to my mother’s bedside, during her last months, in which the two of them painted disks of watercolor paper, with simple color forms, turning the circles and moving forward -- making things, not worrying about perfect gradations of color, or exact reproduction of an image -- and, said Linda, it was just … [Read more...]

 Last weekend, for two hours, I had the pleasure of showing and telling tales of Cape May past, and present, alongside my husband Paul. But when it comes to telling tales, he outdoes me every time . . . My mother would have been proud; every pillow was plumped, every picture hung straight, and the weeds had been replaced with flowers.   … [Read more...]

Last weekend was extraordinarily gorgeous, warm and just a hint of wind. I walked along the shoreline with Pasha and Anfisa, choosing shells, which I then forgot to bring home. On days like this, writing is impossible. But fortunately, today is a cold, windy day and I’m getting work done, including a new page of “events” to forecast upcoming workshops, and more. Check them out! Enjoy the surprises of spring.Generic Cialis if you think that it simple to celebrate that to big disappointment of … [Read more...]

It’s been a lot of travel lately -- to Charleston, West Virginia with my niece, Pasha Alice’s, “Flat Stella” and then, to the big writer’s conference in Denver. Many inspiring seminars later, I’m dedicated to posting my published poems as podcasts, and keeping this site updated. To listen to “For Alice,” just click on the link to the podcast, above. … [Read more...]

My mother’s artwork surrounds me, and sometimes it is completely light-filled, supportive, energizing. Other days, like yesterday, I feel weighed down by the undone, uncataloged, unsung, uncopyrighted, unfiled presentness of it all. She somehow worked through this -- the unfinished work sat at the sides of her studio, or boxed in the closet above the stairs. I can do the same, but . . . I need a cheering section, a deadline, and a stronger sense that this really matters, that it’s not going to … [Read more...]

Thanks to my birdfeeders, I never even considered staying indoors when the snow began on February 6th. I shoveled paths from the kitchen to the back shed at 7 AM that morning, as the powdery first blizzard covered the orchid gazing globe. Cardinals, sparrows, titmice, cowbirds, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, a red-bellied woodpecker and countless morning doves have thanked me, repeatedly, with their presence, song and swooping flight through the curtain of snowfall and the glow of a snowblink … [Read more...]