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The Tomie dePaola eNewsletter By Bob Hechtel, with Tomie dePaola On Friday, Tomie received an email that began… I know, I know! You’re thinking that the person who wrote that note really used the word “really” really too many times. ----- This past week we’ve had a burst of warm weather during the days. But, the evenings have been quite chilly. Two yellow tulips have opened. I guess spring is here. Although black flies aren’t supposed to be a menace until Mother’s Day, several people have seen them. Black flies are vicious little insects and their presence is another sure sign of spring. I used to plant thousands of tulip bulbs throughout Tomie’s yard. But, word spread quickly from deer yard to deer yard. “Great tulip feeding at dePaola’s!” I now only put tulip bulbs in the one flower bed the deer have yet to notice. The “my yard is better than your yard” annual competition has begun in town. Our lawn mowing machines got picked up for servicing Friday just as the neighbors across the street completed their first mowing. It appears as if the neighbors are winning at this early date. Soon after we come back from the event in Meriden, Connecticut, I’ll bring the potted plants I’ve wintered in my garage and the greenhouses to the courtyard between Tomie’s house and barn. There are over fifty large pots containing citrus, Christmas cactus, clivia, agapanthus, mandevilla, and rosemary plants and grasses that need to be introduced slowly to the sun. We’ll first place the pots in the shadiest areas of the courtyard and move the pots weekly toward the sunniest areas. June 1st, we’ll move the pots to their sunny summertime locations. I knew nothing about gardening when I first began to work for Tomie, but after decades of his instruction, I know a lot more. Mid-May, Tomie will travel to San Francisco so that he can present the 10th Annual Effie Lee Morris Lecture on May 17th. After he leaves San Francisco, he’ll fly to Washington, DC to attend the BEA convention of booksellers to promote CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED, his first book for adults (perfect for family enjoyment). After I finish writing this newsletter, I will return the books Tomie autographed this morning to our local bookseller, Morgan Hill Bookstore (603-526-5850). Morgan Hill calls us when they have books that need to be signed. Tomie usually signs them while watching “CBS Sunday Morning.” (Note to Helaine, a teacher in the New York City area, and a reader of this newsletter. Tomie signed your JAMIE O’ROURKE AND THE BIG POTATO this morning, and Morgan Hill will probably send it to you tomorrow.) ----- Back to the wedding. Tomie loves to fill his house with cut flowers. But, we no longer have a decent local source for cut flowers. He learned of Maplecrest Lilies in Maine many months ago. So, he has a standing order with Maplecrest and receives a box each week of spectacular and long-lasting Oriental or Asiatic lilies. http://www.maplecrestlilies.com As Easter approached, he wanted calla lilies for the house to complement the lilies from Maplecrest. He found several sources online and decided to order from two of them to compare quality and price. Although large boxes arrived filled with callas lilies, I didn’t think Tomie had ordered an exorbitant number, at least for him. But Pacific Callas (http://www.pacificcallas.com) apparently thought he had ordered enough for a wedding. He chuckled over that email. Hanna in Port Saint Lucie, Florida asked Tomie why he put numbers next to hearts in some books and not in others. Hanna is very observant. Sometimes, Tomie counts the hearts he draws in a book and puts the total number next to one of the hearts. On the title page of STREGA NONA, HER STORY, Tomie put the number “59” by the heart in the lower left corner. Tomie counted 59 hearts in STREGA NONA, HER STORY. I hope he was right. Hanna, when Tomie jots down the number of hearts, it’s just a quirky thing he sometimes does. Until next time, best wishes, http://www.tomie.com UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST Saturday, May 6, 2006 Monday, May 15 Book Signing at Tuesday, May 16 Book Signing at Wednesday, May 17 Wednesday, June 14 – Sunday, July 2, 2006 Friday, July 28, 2006 Saturday, July 29, 2006 Thursday, September 14, 2006
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