Press Publish calls Miss C
My Turn!
THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Great News is that I have been asked to speak more than a few words at the Press Publish Conference in Portland, Oregon on March 28th – 2015. I know most of you knew that already but I thought I would make it all official and also tell you a little of what I am going to speak about.
When I first saw the email from Andrea Middleton and Jen Mylo asking me to consider talking to them about coming to a conference with Press Publish – I almost deleted it thinking it was junk mail. ( I am so sorry Andrea! You almost ended up on the cutting room floor!) Have you ever had a delay in your head when you read something and it is so NOT what you expected to read – then there is a blank moment, then a few seconds later you cock your head and look back and think about what you just read and have to dive for the rubbish bin to retrieve it and read it properly this time, thank you very much? Or is that just me?
I was visiting Wellington, in New Zealand my home country – cooking homemade tomato sauces for the great lasagna feast. My mind had eased right down into that gentle kitchen cruise. I had just put two baking dishes, loaded with whole well oiled and salted garlic, into the oven to roast, I was heady with the scent of fresh, local garlic and crushed basil. Or was that the wine? Anyway – Random ideas swirling in pictures about my head with words floating behind them like bubbles, my inner score on full glorious sound. I had talked to nobody but tomatoes for hours. Then there was this email asking me to speak Out Loud.
To write is one thing. To Speak is quite another.
Now – I thought. Then I read it again. This. This is one of those offers one must grab with both hands. I thought. But being at a loss for words, I said – Hmm.
(If I have this correct – Andrea and Jen, who are organising and managing these conferences, work for Automattic. Automattic hosts WordPress. Wheels within Wheels.) Brilliant isn’t it!
And what will I be talking about?
Spinning the Yarn: I will be telling you, in person, the journey I took that brought me to blogging about my farm. I will tell a little of my history. Our histories build the path we walk upon. I don’t mean our fathers or grandmother’s history (though that is important too) – I mean us – Our Lives are our strength. We are living in an instant pudding world. We do not have time to be victims of our lives, we need to live in our lives and lean on all the relationships we have built, all the knowledge we have collected, then turn the corner and stride along swinging our arms using that knowledge as fuel. Fuel for the Benevolent Monster. (You have heard me talk of him before – that is for sure). Yes, I will tell a little of that. 
We are never still, life is always in motion. Like our hearts and our imaginations. So I will try to stick to the plan.
The concept I want to explore in Portland is that of Relationships. When I say relationships I mean the relationships with our Histories and with our Bodies and with our Food and with our Cars and with our Health and with our Mothers or our Readers or our Work and with our Keyboard and with our Journals and with our Lovers or our Dogs or some of those or all of the above and much, much more. I think that these relationships and the communication lines we develop BETWEEN these relationships become our vehicle. Our benevolent monster. Then we place our two legged monster, full of relationships chattering away, on a road built with our histories and stories and we gambol along gathering. Relationships are critical to Balance. Balance! Balance in our lives is a Talk in itself.. maybe another day. Imagine being wide awake and seeing these relationships.
So My Talk will begin with those stories, the stories of my youth, where my little self came from. My gamboling. How I grew up surrounded in people and noise. Stories of my growing Up self. How so many of the relationships I developed, or strangled as the case may be, how they all met at a certain crossroads and I turned left and suddenly came to the prairies and its empty fields. And it was all suddenly very quiet. How the farm and my cow and that deep quiet brought me to blogging and to you. And how you brought all your histories and knowledge to my blog, and the relationships we developed taught me and supported me in the farming and keep me honest.
The Fellowship is why I am going to this conference. You build my strength.
Then I will teach those wonderful people at the conference How To Think Like A Cow. Though I will not make them re-chew their food. Or moo. There will be no mooing.
The line up of speakers for the Press Publish conference in Oregon is extraordinary. I have to admit to being a little in awe of my fellow speakers. They know the stuff I don’t even know I don’t know. I am more of a Whisperer than a Speaker. Hopefully they will give me amplification. And for those of you who are closer to Phoenix than Portland, there is another conference there. Not me, but some pretty clever and interesting speakers to further develop the relationships we have within the blogging community.
We love new challenges you and I.
Love your friend – almost back at the farmy
celi
PS Tomorrow we zoom across to the UK for a look at an old farm there. The last farm in this series. We should have called this series Old Farms in a Modern World because I for one, and you too I think, have gained quite an insight from each contributor into how small farms are managing in a big farm climate.
This coming Sunday (the US Sunday) I travel back to the prairies. The tundra. It takes all day so I will leave here at 5.15 am and I should be home back out on the prairies by about 8pm. But I will check all the animals before I go to bed. And check in with you on Monday morning.
Then I am home until the weekend of the 28th of March when you can find me in Portland, Oregon.
c
122 Comments on “Press Publish calls Miss C”
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Congratulations! I wish I was in the area to hear your talk. I know you will be terrific.
Good morning Debra.. Thank you and I hope you are sitting on my favourite Italian balcony this morning. c
Congratulations, Miss C! What a wonderful honor for you! We all have your back, you know, and we’ll be with you in spirit, at least! You will be amazing, just being yourself and telling your own tale!
Thank you Bev, I had thought to myself that if i felt nervous, i would imagine that the audience was The Fellowship, that made me smile! c
..and I think you have to imagine your audience naked if you’re nervous, but a naked Fellowship?…..maybe not?
Now we know what you are going to say, we can be with you in spirit, even though we can’t cross oceans and continents to be with you in the flesh. I’m sure your audience will lap it all up, specially “How to think like a cow”.
love,
ViV
Afternoon to you Viv. I hope there really are signs of a French spring in your area – your poetry sounds like spring!.. c
I love what you plan to share at the conference. Wish I could be there! Will be with you in spirit for sure!
Thank you Fay, .. did you send me your ‘Letter to my Baby Girl’ to me yet? If so I have missed it and I know it was on the way.. maybe email me ?celima.g.7@gmail.com.. love. c
Just sent it over via email. Was trying to fix it up more but I am now at a loss, so this is what I have so far!
Picasso said that true genius/art/whatever is to know when to stop. Good that you have stopped. I will read it tonight.. thank you darling .. c
It’s about time that you’re recognised for being a very special woman. Well done, c. Well done, indeed.
Darling Misky, Good morning to your English garden.. c
What fantastic news! And so well deserved. We love your daily emails from the farmy and you are the perfect person to talk about it! So happy for you! Jim and Mary. Old World end Garden Farms
Oh Jim and Mary, lovely to hear from you.. I must pop over this week and see what you are building for your gardens.. c
Thanks C – always good to hear from you as well!!!
Warm sand, beautiful little girl. Lovely plan for your upcoming talk, tho I think mooing would be fun. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your time in Cali. Safe travels.
I remember working at a conference once (I was teaching teachers how to teach drama) and running the improv workshops. “Well”, said one teacher “at least you didn’t make us bark like a dog!” Poor fella must have been terrified!.. c
Will your talk be recorded, like a TED talk? I would love to hear you. Sounds exciting. Joy
Morning Joy, I will ask Andrea. But I am of the impression that at this stage there are no plans to live stream it or anything. I love those TED talks when I can watch them. c
I couldn’t be happier for you! That is amazing. I’m always bragging to people about this great farm blog I read every day (which of course gets some raised eyebrows since I’m not a farm-girl type!). I hope your talk is recorded and there’s somewhere for us to watch it at some point. I know you’ll be fantastic!
Bragging is a great word! If i hear of a recording I will be sure to tell you.. c
like ‘two engaging goldens’ above I would love to hear your talk…but Congratulations…you will do well..it just takes determination and imagination to talk in front of loads of people…find a spot and keep your eye on it , that will help to centre your being….but you can do it…wow,wow,wow
Thank you darling.. How are all those dogs of yours, i must pop over soon and see.. c
Congratulations! That is fantastic!!!!!!
Nancy
http://www.workingmomadventures.com
Thank you Nancy, It is a game changer that is for sure. I am really looking forward to it. c
So excited for you! Just picture your audience as the comments lounge and you will do great. Wish I could be there and thanks for being the voice for all small farms across America.
Brenda
Hi Brenda, Just imagine if we really WERE magic and we could fill the room with The Fellowship .. America is such a big country and we are such an international group. This is why we blog and comment I guess, so we can all be together here in the Lounge of Comments.. Much love.. c
Congrats, we are all so proud of you! Rather you than me … I’m terrified of public speaking. Would it be possible to record a podcast of your talk? I’m sure you could keep Sheila in food for a couple of winters selling it online! Gorgeous little girl, was hoping for a picture of new little one. Enjoy the rest of your stay and travel back safely. Laura
Oh yes i do have a beautiful shot of her, I will go back and ADD THE BABY right now.. thank you Laura.. c
🙂 🙂 What big dark solemn eyes. Laura
And this post is exactly why I love reading your blog—you are a storyteller of great proportions and inspire me. I am positive I am not alone in feeling that way when I read your words and see your pictures. I am so excited for your speaking engagement and I guess he Fellowship will just have to share you with the world now. The more the merrier, right? Congrats. Maybe you can stream this online when it occurs? Or a podcast? Your fans await!
Oh Beth Ann you are such a lovely person – what a kind thing to say. I hope you are having a gorgeous day.. c
Terrific news, you go girl! As has been said before we will all be there in spirit if not in person clapping you on. Safe journey back Sunday. I’m off to Austria tomorrow, so hope I can keep up with the Farm post x
Austria.. how exciting.. i look forward to THOSE pictures! Fly safe.. c
Congratulations! Though I really think you should make them moo like a cow.
Morning Anne.. Moo.. c
YAY! YAY, Perfect and wonderful and and perfect and we’ll you know. I am speechless with joy
Afternoon Chris, and thank you.. hope all is well with you.. I shall pop over and see asap c
Reblogged this on bridgesburning and commented:
Now this is wonderful news! Congrats Miss C!
I am terribly proud of you. But I do think there should be mooing.
Morning Sweetie, are you travelling? or off home.. i will come over and see.. c
I am working like a mad fiend and haven’t had a moment to post and my darling daughter is having gum surgery today.
Gum surgery.. poor girl.. I imagine you have a freezer full of frozen probiotic yoghurt for her recovery period? that sounds painful… c
Your words about relationships are like you pulled them out of my heart and put them into form. I have always struggled to express my idea that our lives are all about RELATIONSHIPS and not much else. Relationships are the only lingering thing that will remain when we are no longer present. When we exit a phase in life – we leave behind so many relationships.
i.e. change jobs – there are co-workers that will remember you long after you go somewhere else
marriages – in my divorce I lost contact with some people that I did love and wanted to keep in my life but circumstances prevented that
and of course death – which I think we all understand……
I said many years ago, the purpose of my being alive is my relationship to others (human, environment or animal) and that my goal is to be a positive influence to as many as possible. But I am a one-on-one personality, so my relationships tend to be intense….. I would rather know 5 people very well than know 100 people by name only.
anyway, deep thoughts that I seem to be able to express here, but for me to speak in person out loud, can’t do. I’m too soft spoken. 🙂
And thus – YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!! You are going to be fabulous!!! I hope they YouTube your speech!
Last thing: “We do not have time to be victims of our lives, we need to live in our lives and lean on all the relationships we have built, all the knowledge we have collected, then turn the corner and stride along swinging our arms using that knowledge as fuel. ”
This is my quote of the day!!!!!!!!! Can we all say AMEN to this?
A Big Amen to this!!!! I’m going to share this relationship thought as the Thought for the Day that I send out to my siblings! Thank you Celi!!!
How did you end up as “Deleted?” Thank you Pat. I love your thoughts on relationships, they are the threads that linger after our deaths – what a wonderful concept.
Thank you for writing this for us.. Take care.. c
Very good question indeed! I wrote another response early on that didn’t even make it on the blog at all! 😦 About how exciting it is Celi, that you are going to the conference to share your life (which is so interesting!) and your ideas on subsistence living and taking care of our planet, which we on the farmy, and so many others share. But posted it from my iPad that had some issues. Pat, I hope you don’t mind if I share your thoughts about relationships staying on even when we exit this life. It makes so much sense. My Mom would always tell me that, and now, even though I can’t hug and kiss her, I feel her with me always, just like she, and you said. Thank you both for these beautiful thoughts! xoxoxo
I don’t share a lot on my Facebook page but I just posted the same words as quote of the day… nup… quote of the century! 🙂
You guys!! c
It’s great to see you on the other side… in the Commenters Lounge… hope you are having fun, with us and with your beautiful family 🙂
So excited about you speaking at the upcoming conference! You will be fabulous! And will no doubt share the importance of sustainability of our planet. I wish you could be filmed and it posted to YouTube so we could hear. And see you too!!! 🙂
Yes, our relationship to your planet is paramount to the talk and to us! much love c
Thanks for the kool aide colours on a cold day.
I have a special affinity with abandoned sun bleached toys.. hope your weather is a bit warmer this morning.. c
This is an absolutely incredible opportunity of which you are quite deserving. Congratulations! You will do splendidly and make all of us at The Fellowship proud. You already do.
That feeling of pride is such a gift. I never really understood why my Mother was so against pride. (there is another Talk right there!). Hope you are missing this next lot of snow on the weekend Audrey.. c
I do love that word “gamboling”. Oh, how I wish I could attend the conference. I hope the speeches will be available on YouTube or Vimeo at some point. The Fellowship is indeed a wonderful community of folks, and we are all connected as kindred spirits. Being a part of The Fellowship has brought me many lovely friendships, lots of advice, humor and warm fuzzies when I needed them most. You’ll do great at the conference! We are all so happy for you!
I love it too, it exactly describes our awkward yet fearless forward movement.. I think there must be singing involved. On the Press Publish site there is a page for you to enter your closest city to request a conference there.. maybe we could see if we can get one down your way? c
You ROCK!!!!
Morning Julie, you are up early.. can you still smell the bush fires? c
Hooray for you!!!!!
Morning Liz and thank you. I am very lucky, not only do I get to Talk but i also get to see the other Talks and hear what all the Techy guys are teaching.. I had better take my notebook! c
ROCK is right. In more ways than one. Some of us, well, okay, me, are pretty dependent on this blog for my daily shot of courage and humor and above all perseverance. The co-sponsors of this convention have chosen wisely in choosing you, Cecilia.
I have one tiny suggestion: speak loudly and slowly. Some of us (ahem!) are a touch deaf and too vain to wear a hearing aid. You might have a few of us in the audience.
What VERY good advice.. I shall make sure to remember.. hope you and hubby are warm, I hear it has been terribly cold in chicago.. c
Splendid! I wish I could be part of the crowd, actually hearing you think like a cow. 🙂 Oh, joy!
Hasn’t hit 0 yet today, breaking records, which we like to do up here near the Windy City. Have a good day.
I chose the right week to come to California.. is it still blowing? cold and blowing is awful.. c
You sure did. 🙂 Not blowing much right now, just frigid. I wish I didn’t have to venture out in it. Alas and alack, I know there are daffodils and snowdrops hiding under all.
still hiding too, sensible daffs!
Celi, you knock my socks off whenever you write stuff like this. You are a storyteller of great proportions ( Beth Ann ) . Your blog gives us a daily shot of courage and humor ( Equus ) . Your words touch the inner core of my heart…. I said this before.
You will give a great speech and we will cheer you from the comment box. I love to see it on you tube . Have a safe trip
Lol
Morning Gerlinde, I am longing to be home now, cold or not, (you know that feeling) .. and thank you for your comment.. comments like those make us all stronger.. love c
Excellent! And how very brave of you! But, you will be a great speaker–if you have any nerves, just pretend you are speaking to the farmy!
“Though I will not make them re-chew their food. Or moo. There will be no mooing.” lollllllll I can always stand a giggle in the morning.
I know! Mooing would be cruel! c
Hearty Huzzahs! You must visit Powell’s Book Store – make the powers that be give you at least a good hour!
Is it open on Sunday? Saturday will be deliciously packed!
yes; powells is book lover’s urban pilgrimage
WIsh I could be there – just to see you soar. You’re miles ahead of other, Ci. What they know is not what you know. You see and use what you use what you’ve lived – many never learn to do that. Some may teach skill, you teach life – blogging is there, but not all that there is. (Hope that make some sense.)
If even one learns to think like a cow, then they and the world moooves better. (can you set your phone down to record session – then post on blog? With all the WP geeks there, it would be hard to imagine someone isn’t thinking ahead)
Smiles and hugs!
I hate the sound of my voice recorded.. it is so weird! My evolutionary widgits have not caught up with hearing my own voice on a device yet.. I will ask Andrea and will let you know.. thank you Mouse! c
I know what you mean by hearing your own spoken voice. I never sound like I think I sound.
Ah, but on the stage, you can select whatever character voice you choose and be whomever you choose to project! (the only way I was able to teach judgmental secondary kids)
(laughing) Oh yep
I am so proud of you! Graduations! You are perfect. The perfect person to speak for all of us, your farmy blog followers!
Linda ♪♫❤
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
speaking For you. why yes.. that is a wonderful thought .. thank you Linda
I remember, Celi, when you started blogging. I remember you writing about the loneliness of a woman who lived not too far from you who just couldn’t take anymore “alone”. Isn’t it interesting – if her story was a big impetus for catapulting you into the blogosphere, what a gift she gave you and your readership! Plus…oh gads, here I go…since I believe that those who’ve transitioned are aware when we bring them into our awareness, your adventure and success will expand her on-going soul with love and gratitude.
We so easily and simply forget how our seemingly simple lives can impact so many and so much.
Listen, lady, you better be prepared to teach us how to think like a cow! If I missed that…what’s the link?! Meanwhile, get up there and brag about all your smart readers who recognized a good time when it showed up as a blog!
thank you for such a lovely comment.. you are so good.. here is the link to thinking like a cow.. it is about loading a cow onto a trailer gently.. https://thekitchensgarden.com/2015/02/13/think-like-a-cow/
Oh boy, now there’s a tight band around my chest. You did such a caring and fabulous job – being so thoughtful of her – that it makes me wonder how on earth she’ll manage in other surroundings. See, I know she’ll miss you like stink, Celi. Animals do – I’m sorry if that makes you sad, too, but did you tell the new owner the number of eyes and hearts that will be on him with ONE report of carelessness?
she is a resilient soul too.. c
I so want to be a fly on the wall at that Conference but alas it is not possible. I am glad there will be some representatives from the comments lounge to represent us. Your talk sounds wonderful, but we know that from the gems you produce on a daily basis. Just relax and enjoy. In the meantime, we await to welcome you back to the land of real mooing and piggy grunts. Safe journey.
If you flew in (from the part of UK that is really Irish) we would ALL be at the airport waiting for YOU!.. c
What a wonderful welcome that would be! I’ll dream about it tonight, if I manage to sleep. Three nights in succession with only half an hour sleep each, is not good for the looks, mood or ticker. Alas, I think I picked up a bug last weekend when in Dublin (real Ireland) for a tragic funeral. A bagful of warm sunshine would doa power of good. Celi, you could make a fortune if you could bottle sunshine!
Congratulations Celi, you’ll blow their socks off. Sorry I’ve been out of touch, Nanette and I have been/are dealing with Tropical Cyclone Marcia. So far, I’m fine and undamaged, and I’m waiting to hear how Nanette fared in the night…
oh no.. those storms.. glad to hear you came through unscathed.. c
Apart from some loose tin on the shed roof, which is nothing. Now we worry about Nanette getting flooded in.
Kate, as I write – late Saturday evening, Marcia, which is now a depression, has crossed the border and is heading east out to sea. I live an hour west from Nanette in Murwillumbah so her weather is very similar to ours. After weeks of showers and then the east coast low which dumped 200ml in the last 3 days, I think we can thank our lucky stars we didn’t cop Marcia too. Droughts and flooding rains eh? Joy
“Her beauty and her terror, the Wide Brown Land for me”… I guess if you love Australia, you have to take the (very) rough with the smooth! We are extremely fortunate to live in this great country, and even more fortunate that we’ve escaped one of her tantrums!
I look forward to exploring your country one day.. Of course I have been to the cities, but more i would love to see more.. c
Oh Celi, there’ll never be enough time for seeing everything Australia has to offer. She has the lot. If I didn’t have family and friends overseas, I’d never leave again. Everything from hot, dry red desert to cool drippy ancient forests, from glorious beaches to glorious cities… I’ll die still discovering some new thing to stun and excite me.
Oh my Celi … what a magic post. I love the phrase ‘instant pudding world’. How very true. Your speech will be perfect and so very enlightening, I’m so sorry I won’t be able to be in the audience as I would love to. I would nudge the person sitting next to me and say proudly ‘I know Celi’. Congratulations lovely
Oh Julie, that is such a sweet image.. c
The audience, if not part of The Fellowship currently certainly will be after your talk, and maybe even be persuaded to moo… if you’re happy and you know it moo like a cow… nothing wrong with being a little foolish…
I saw the following quote on Pinterest this morning and it has inspired me…
“I must learn to love the fool in me–the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of my human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my Fool.” ― Theodore I. Rubin
I love it when everyone shares wise and inspiring words 🙂
Just wonderful! c
Congratulations! Have a good trip back!
I hope so, it will be good to get back!.. c
That may be the first time for a big speaking appearance for you in the States, Celi: I am certain it will be but the beginning . . . you better get used to listening to your voice recorded! Love your juxtaposition of the family photos in your inimitable way with the précis of the story you are preparing to tell . . .
Morning Eha darling.. life is full of surprises isn’t it!?
You are a wonderful writer and thinker and do-er, Celi. We can all learn from the things you say.
And we all learn from each other.. have a lovely day.. c
Congratulations Celi, and I know you will be a strong speaker because when you talk about what you love, the words will just spring out of your mouth. And if it helps, just imagine the audience as being The Fellowship – hey look, there’s Julie from Frogpond Farm, and Viv in France, and Grannymar, we will all be there and you will delight everyone!
I am not surprised, Celi. Simply wonderful!
Thank you Lynda.. c
Connect with your passion and you can’t go wrong. Enjoy yourself! this is wonderful and a natural extension of what you are already doing.
I think so too, it feels like the next step, .. c
Cool! What a bit of Portlandia to get a feel for the city 😉
Be sure to tell about the comment section. It’s amazing, uplifting, to hear a group of individuals across the country and around the world talk to each other over coffee about the beautiful day yesterday, recorded in images and enlivened with your fresh and often funny words. This experience is like a morning prayer for me. You all, all, are inspiring.
I will certainly tell people about our Lounge of Comments… you have all got me through some pretty hard times .. you are right in calling it a morning prayer.. I think I might quote you!.. thank you Albert.. c
Fantastic! I just found your blog today from reading Anne wheatons lovely blog. And I am so excited because I live in Portland, Oregon! Great city, by the way, and look forward to checking out this conference and saying hello! Thanks!
Lisa
Oh Lisa, I would LOVE to have someone who knows me and my blog there.. c
Somehow I missed this. Well I do know how, but it’s pointless to go into that. I’ve read it now! I am SO HAPPY for you! Whee!!!! Another piece of adventure! And, perhaps you don’t know this, but I lived in Portland. And my father lived in Portland before me. And Portland was a myth in the house when we were growing up on the other side of the country (long before I ever got there). And when I landed in that foggy foggy land, I knew that it was my mythic home. So here I sit in Italy, but Portland has much to do with who I am. And the fact that you will be there makes me happy. Please let us know when and where you will speak. I have some friends I’d like to point your way, so that they can hear your story even though I can’t. You will do fantastically! I know what your voice does, and it does amazing things.
Much as I love words, written and spoken, the thought of addressing any group of people fills me with dread. Public speaking is anathema to me. Full of admiration for you. Good luck:)
Congratulations, I just know you will be a superb speaker.
This is amazing news – so thrilled for all those that we be able to go and hear you! Do hope someone records it and we can watch and hear you in a video 🙂
Bummer! We are just missing one another – I’m in Portland now and back on the island March 6! Sorry to miss your event. Congrats on the gig though! Have fun! xoxo
Like everyone else…wish I could be there. And also hope that they do a podcast or something so that we can hear you…watching and hearing would be even better!