Owl Farm Blog

Well that was a nice surprise. This year was bound to be the worst Christmas ever. There is a psychic energy around these times that can be crippling. And with all sorts of weird tensions building in Gonzo world, it was going to suck.

Nope. All is well. I don’t know why It took me so many years to realize that if you wait for everybody to be on board with a project before you go ahead with it. I guess that’s what death by committee means. So, alas, Owl Farm is now an actual farm, projects abound, and the family is still at peace.

And perhaps most important, Jesse, the peacock, is well. I was worried that he was infected by some sort of super-parasite from the chickens (yes, I have 25 chickens and a rooster) and kept bugging the Vet, Dr. John Kuck, to check for organisms. — This is the same Vet hospital — Dr. Daliginow, that saved Popcorn’s wing years ago. Hunter was thrilled.

I just got off the phone with John, who assured me that it is highly unlikely that there is a uber-parasite running around in the digestive tracts of my birds. Dr. John explained that the most successful parasites don’t kill their hosts — as they need the host to be alive to survive.  I, guess, kind of like lawyers. 

Anyway, all is well at Owl Farm, and all is uber-good in the Gonzo Family. 

With Love from Woody Creek,

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 05:26 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Thanks Richard for sending this link about Ernest Hemingway’s home outside of Havana. The home and grounds are absolutely stunning in person, and this on-line quick tour with Mariel Hemingway  is fantatastico.

Good god, would I love to do this with Hunter’s home. I’m so ready to move and do this, but I can’t without causing a lot of family animosity. It’s killing me, and I’m coming-this-close-to making a public plea for help –from you. 

It’s very common for the children of the fist marriage to attack the current wife of any man, so no need to take it personally. But this situation is so over the top, it’s sad. 

To see some shots of the outside of Owl Farm, go to the Gonzo Foundation .org and click on "Owl Farm."

We love you Hunter, wherever you are.

Love, 

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 11:40 AM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Sad day today. A great American Voice is gone. We will miss you Christopher. All our love to Carol and family.

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 11:19 AM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Where are my manners?

Although being ladylike is the quality that has served women the least over the centuries, it is important, however, to be able to tap this quality, when we choose. Feminine, polite, yes, these are in our nature. But lady-like, well, use it only on special occasions when the forces of outdated chauvinism have been replaced by modern chivalry… like this:

A few months ago, a huge step toward peace in the family was made by my step-son, Juan Thompson, and his lawyer friend, Gerry Goldstein. I never publicly thanked them. So here, I want to say: Thank you, Juan and Gerry, for returning a lot of the money that was raised by Ralph Steadman and Joe Petro for the Owl Farm Mortgage.

After 6 years, it is pretty clear that I will not sell Owl Farm, and I can’t thank you enough for respecting that, and returning such a (relatively) large portion of Ralph’s funds to the estate. We are all very grateful to you both for this gesture of sanity.

All the best,

A. Thompson

P.S. And Peter, yay.. Beautiful work on the new design. And wouldn’t-it-be-neat-if we had that long blue banner across the entire length of the site? like you originally designed it? It can wait until you return from Kiev. I love you. xoxo Sis.

Posted by Anita Thompson at 12:18 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

People have accused me of "not being very nice" to Hollywooders. First of all, that isn’t true — I’ve said a lot of nice things about many of them– and second, I am Singing huge praises today to West Hollywood…

They are the first municipality to set in place an official ban on fur sales. Although it’s only for clothing (people will still be able to buy mink couches, for example) it’s a beautiful step in the right direction. Hot Damn.

A gross sort of man, Keith Kaplan, who heads the so called "fur information counsel"  is crying that it will cost jobs. Really? You mean the minks and foxes are going to get fired? Fuck you, Keith Kaplan. And Fuck you, FICA.

Hail to the West Hollywooders,

Your friend in Woody Creek,

Anita Thompson

P.S. yes, FYI, I was kidding about the hacking of the website. My brother, in charge of the new design, said I’m one to talk, given all the typos and grammaticos on my blog. Yes, good point, Peter. xoxo

Posted by Anita Thompson at 12:59 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

reward for information and free hoodie to the hacker for having a sense of humor.

your friend, who takes no responsibility for the design of this site,

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 02:01 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Good Morning. George McGovern has a black eye after hitting the concrete. Whew. He’s back in fighting shape after he got some rest – finally, after 89 years of cruising around the world by air, boat and marching boots — fighting in WWII, fighting the biggest monsters in Politics, and fighting world hunger.. but most important, elevating people around him.

I don’t know why I was so worried, this is George McGovern we are talking about here. Of course he’s all right!

We love you George. And George Stranahan, and George Receli, George Tobia, George Washington, George Burns (wherever you are), we love you too… (the George Ws, are excluded from the love list)

Your friend in Woody Creek,

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 10:50 AM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Just a quick note for holiday shoppers;

GonzoStore.com, the Official online store for Hunter S Thompson merchandise, has e-Gift Certificates available for those hard-to-shop-for people on your holiday gift list.  The Gift Certificates are automatically emailed to the recipients of your choice (although if you want to hold wait on them getting the certificate, you can always just email it to yourself and print it out as a physical gift to slip into a greeting card/stocking/gift basket/reindeer harness/etc).

-Pete B
Gonzo Web Guy

Posted by Peter B, Gonzo Web Guy at 06:21 AM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Hi. Let’s all send good vibrations to George McGovern — more than usual. He fell and hit his head before a C-Span live interview. I don’t know the details, and he’s not answering his cell. So, George, and Ann and family, we’re sending you all good vibes for a speedy recovery. We need you.

love, Anita

Posted by Anita Thompson at 09:26 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

For Anita: A Tribute to HST    by John Gillespie  
 

Hunter: Legacy

He moved in words
Stitched together in phrases
Cast into thoughts  
Gathered into sayings  
Or essays or tomes.
Profound, Angry, Noisy, Gonzo
Brilliant, Gentle, Determined….
Ensconced in dreams  
Of a better World.
Costumed in an image
Sensed at first as glory
Then as duty,
Finally as burden.
Going gently into
“That dark night”
Was not his Way.
Though I never met him,
Still I find rapport  
As lovers of a World  
Descending into madness  
Find hope in  
Tomorrow’s potentiality.

-J.P. Gillespie.

 Thank you again!

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 01:52 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

"Learning, that’s what it’s all about."

— Hunter S. Thompson

Hello.

Yes, The Gonzo Foundation / Bridges Between event was a success last night. We met at the Aspen Institute Koch building under Tibetan Flags and Gonzo Banner. Brooke Paparo gave an excellent presentation after just having returned from Kathmandu. The photos were great, and Brooke was inspiring.

Although one of the Bridges between people pulled me aside before the event to ask me raise a bizarre amount of money, I doubt that we did that. But everybody there learned more about the daily lives of women and how important these schools are in Nepal — and that it is possible, thanks to people like Brooke Paparo.

So, for that reason, it was a success. Gonzo Foundation is a young organizaiton based out of Woody Creek and we don’t pound people over the head for money. That’s not the Gonzo Way.

Thank You, Brooke Paparo for the wonderful work you are doing in Nepal. We wish you all the best. If anyone would like to send a ton of money, or just a bit contact info@bridgesbetween.org

 Your friend in Woody Creek,

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 01:31 PM | Permalink Post a Comment:

Thank you so much, everyone, who made the Rum Diary discussion a success. The women of Pitkin County Library, the Aspen Writer’s Foundation and the Gonzo Foundation hosted an intelligent and fun night with The Rum Diary novel and Hunter’s spirit in the air.

Wayne Ewing was on hand to talk about his many years working with his beloved Hunter on the Rum Diary (book and film). You can check out his vodcasts here. They give great insight.

Join us tomorrow for the Gonzo Foundation’s hosting of Brooke Paparo’s presentation on the successful opening of the second school for adult women in Nepal.  Bridges Between is dedicated to creating a world where all women are literate and able to share knowledge within their families, their communities, and the world.

I’m very excited about the work she is doing. The Aspen Institute has been very generous, so the Gonzo Foundation will be able to give Brooke the space and venue she needs to share the successes of her latest trip to Nepal — she just returned from Kathmandu last week.

Join us on December 1st, 6pm at the Aspen Institute, Koch Seminar Building (Stranahan room, 1000 N. 3rd street).

Please contact brooke@bridgesbetween.org for more info if you’re not in the area.

Thanks again everyone.

Your friend in Woody Creek,

Anita Thompson

Posted by Anita Thompson at 12:33 AM | Permalink Post a Comment: