Questions and Answers

Turkey

Feathers. A plate.

To gobble is to wobble.

Gaggle.

Yes, a goose.

Ouch!

And then we got stuffed.

It’s been another tough year on this planet of ours.  Mankind has been up to his usual no good at times and Mother Nature has once again proven how angry she can get, undoubtedly due to some of the no good mankind has afflicted on her.  Why shouldn’t she be upset?!

In a German children’s picture book that we grew up with, ETWAS VON DEN WURZELKINDERN (Something from the Root-Children), there is a wonderful illustration of Mother Earth preparing the root-children for the coming of winter.  Now this is the way it should be!

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Eleven.Eleven.Eleven.

“Ill get you my pretty, and your little dog too!”

11.11.11.  The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. That’s today.  It was the day and time in 1918 that World War I – you know the war that was to end all wars (Right!)-ended.  It was formerly know as Armistice Day, but was changed to Veteran’s Day because it was easier to spell and WW I did not end all wars.

11/11/18 Wall Street, NYC

11/11/11 last year is also the official day that Tom Hachtman and I decided would be the publication date of our book GERTRUDE and ALICE and FRITZ and TOM.  We liked the way it sounded and considering all of the alliteration in the book seemed right. By the way, have heard from Tom and there is lots of post-Sandy cleanup in his home in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.

Now one year after the publishing of our book on 11/11/12 some thoughts about the book on its first anniversary.

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It has been a week since Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast and it has been a week since I last heard from Tom Hachtman, the incredible illustrator of my GertrudeandAlice picture book.

Tom by Tom (2011)

Tom and his wife and mother-in-law live in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. not far from the ocean.  They have been in my thoughts all week.  A mutual friend has tried to reach them via phone, but has not been successful and closed his last e-mail to me with –  “I will let you know if I get any news.”

Me by Tom (2011)

I know that the pictures online and those on TV only tell part of the story and just as in the case of Hurricane Katrina, any of us who have never seen or lived through this kind of devastation, have really no idea of what it must be like. (I have not been able to fathom the destruction that my parents witnessed during World War II and their ability to move to a foreign land and start over with 3 young children in tow.  I don’t think I’d have it in me to do the same.)

Berlin, 1945

Tom has a thing about redheads. ( I don’t recall him ever telling me how this came about.)  Every morning he sends an e-mail to his list of friends of his latest redheaded find  – movie star, model, famous painting, etc.  He must have a collection of several hundreds of these.  The last one was sent weekend before last, as he wasn’t sure how much longer they would have power.

From time-to-time I sent him redheads that I’d find online or in magazines and even sent him a redheaded Gertrude that I created from a picture postcard.

Tom, Joey and Myrna my thoughts are with you, your families  and your neighbors.  Please know that I’m here to help in whatever way I can.

Missing you and your redheads!

PS

November 6th:

The first redhead du jour arrived early this morning and here she is: