In one word: yeah!!!

In two words: love it.

In three words: so much goodness.

That picture above is from heading over the Englishtown ferry on my way to North River on Friday.

The gala Friday night, featuring a collaboration between Otis Tomas and Carmel Mikol.

My friend Kathy, that I stay with whenever I go to North River for the festival, seems to get a new kitten every year. This is Julie. And yes, I took videos – I’ve got to figure out how to get those up on the ol’ Internet. I’m sure my ratings would increase tenfold!

Saturday morning at the Hall – the view from the front door. The bookmobile came and hung out too. Me wearing the volunteer button, at my station, the front door.

Lunchtime!

I wrote a little note to myself in the copy of the book I was reading from. (This is the short story that’s being published in a book later this month.)

The view from the Chanterelle Inn, where I went to pick up Peter Robinson. That’s right, I got to play chauffeur to one of the world’s best crime writers! And yes, he’s a really nice man.

After dinner in the St. Andrew’s Church basement, we were treated to comedy acts by Maynard Morrison and Bette MacDonald. So funny! “Cripes dear!”

Sunday morning, the view across from me at the front door table. Community Hall bulletin board.

Books I bought at the Readers’ Market (a small bookstore set up on the stage of the hall) – one by each featured author, and an extra one from Peter Robinson. Got them all signed, of course! That’s one of the best parts of the festival!

Hall chairs and hall floor.

Sunday morning panel discussion.

****

Overall, it’s such a great festival. It’s filled to the brim with laughter (so much laughing!), smiles, good words, comrades in the writing lifestyle, and of course, delicious food. So much good food, I can’t even begin to describe. It’s healthy food but it’s also really tasty. And there is lots of it.

Going out there, to North River, is a retreat for me with no cell phone service. Specific houses have internet but I didn’t bother getting my friend’s wifi password (plus I think I asked her for it last year and she couldn’t remember where she’d written it down). So I took it as a welcome break from checking my phone for text messages and Facebook updates. (Sorry – I love using Facebook to promote stuff and stay in touch with people, for sure, but I also really love a break from it.)

Going there is also, for me, a trip into the past. From the age of seventeen to twenty-two, I would live there in the summer season. I would board with a family friend and work in a pottery shop and studio that was in an old schoolhouse. I made lots of friends, had a few boyfriends over the years, and lots of adventures. Going there now, for a weekend, at age 29, is odd and a strange little trip back in time, to places I spent a lot of time and had a lot of formative experiences. It’s good, overall, for sure. But strange. You probably have places like that yourself, and know what I mean!

Anyway. The festival is so great. It’s a real gem.

Afterward, I wasn’t ready to go home, so I went for a little hike. I’ll share the photos of that tomorrow!