Mississippi Library Association Annual Conference
I spent a few hours at the Mississippi Library Association Annual Conference last week. I went to hear my friend, Hester Bass, talk about her book, The Secret World of Walter Anderson, at lunch. Then, I went back for the Awards Dinner, where Hester won a Special Award for The Secret World of Walter Anderson. I had my little camera so the images don’t have the crisp look I’d like, but there worth sharing anyway.
Nancy Opalko, youth services librarian at Oxford Public Library, introducing Hester.
Hester Bass delivering a singing telegram to the lunch crowd.
Hester siging copies of her book after the luncheon speech.
Cynthia Wetzel, a librarian at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, introducing Ellis Anderson.
Ellis Anderson, author of Under Surge, Under Siege, winner of the nonfiction award.
Read more about Under Surge, Under Siege here.
Donna Fite, librarian at Purvis Public Library, introduces Mary Anna Evans.
Mary Anna Evans, author of Floodgates, won the fiction award.
Read more about Mary Anna Evans and her books here.
Marty Coleman, librarian at First Regional Library and chair of the Author Awards Committee, giving Hester her award.
You can read more about Hester and her books here.
Also, if you have read this far and are still interested, you can see last year’s award winners.
Jesse Gates Edible Forest October Work Day
On this sunny day, it was only Loy and me at the Jesse Gates Edible Forest at Wells Church. Lots of lettuce, herbs, and greens are growing! I brought home a huge bunch of lettuce for salads and two peppers.
The cabbages were beginning to head.
Loy checking the information tag for the cabbage.
This lettuce started from seed. It is showing out!
This is a purple top turnip. See the tiny bit of purple.
Mesclun Mix. In a shadier spot, not growing as quickly.
We put down newspapers, wet them, and put pine straw and leaf matter on top.
Loy moving pine straw into place.
Wetting it all down.
Forest lettuce with tomatoes, onions, peppers.
Writing and Illustrating for Kids 2011
I spent the weekend in Birmingham for Writing and Illustrating for Kids, the fall conference of the Southern Breeze region of the Society of Book Writers and Illustrators. We had a fabulous line-up of speakers and I got to see many of my writer and illustrator friends. My volunteer job this year did not involve photography so I have very few photos to share. These are ones I took in the library during the final session of the day: formal critiques.
Elizabeth Dulemba preparing for her critique.
A member being critiqued by Melissa Manlove, editor at Chronicle Books. See more about Chronicle Books here.
A member being critiqued by Linda Pratt, an agent with Wernick & Pratt Agency.
Elizabeth Dulemba showing her portfolio to Deborah Kaplan, art director at Penguin Group USA.
A member discussing her work with Alexandra Cooper, editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Lin Oliver, author and executive director of SCBWI, discussing work with a member.
A member discussing work with Author Lisa Yee.
Painting Photographs
I’ve been wanting to do some more playing with Photoshop for a while. And, this flower inspired me to try again. I found this tutorial, again, and used it to nice effect.
You can see the original photograph in the previous post.
Let me know what you think of these. Do you like the originals or the “painted” versions?
Jesse Gates Edible Forest After Fall Planting
Three weeks ago, a group of volunteers participated in a fall work day at the Jesse Gates Edible Forest at Wells Church. Richard and I got over there yesterday to photograph the new plantings. Some plants started as seeds and others were seedlings. We saw broccoli, cabbage, greens, onions, and lettuce. I’ve also got some photographs of eggplant, peppers, and asparagus that are still growing from the spring planting.
