Francis is the creator, editor, and webmaster of The Zoo Fence, and, except where specifically indicated otherwise, the author of everything on the website. Thus, his work may be found throughout the site, including at Letters, Brother Theophyle, The Gazebo, Definitions, The Sacred Riddle, Editor’s Desktop, Miscellanea, Anecdotal Evidence, and Books & Stuff.

He and Nancy, his best friend and wife, are the sole owners of The Laughing Cat, the parent of The Zoo Fence website. Together they own the copyright on all of the material that appears on The Zoo Fence and on Nancy’s website, NancyNadzo.com, except where specifically stated otherwise. For more about that, please click here.

Nancy (sometimes known as Anna) holds degrees from Skidmore College and the British Institute of Homeopathy. Francis is a graduate of Hamilton College and Columbia University’s School of International Affairs (since renamed). He began a course of studies at the Bangor (Maine) Theological Seminary, which he chose not to complete. Nancy grew up in Hawaii, Francis in New York City and Rome Italy. Before undertaking their spiritual journey, both worked successfully in the mainstream. He was an officer in the US Navy and the diplomatic service. She, besides serving as the wife of a diplomat (a job in itself), held administrative positions in various institutions, academic and governmental. In addition, throughout her life, Nancy has pursued a continuing interest as a professional artist. In 1974, they “left the world”, and built a house themselves — bottom to top, masonry, carpentry, plumbing, wiring — at the end of a rural road. Here, they consider themselves to be contemplative monks, and they live accordingly. Some of their story is told here and there on The Zoo Fence at The Gazebo and Open Forum, particularly at Nancy’s Blog, and as “true fiction” in The Cranberry Tales and A Continuing Fiction.

Nancy is the author of Nancy’s Page on The Zoo Fence, and she is the creator of many of the paintings and etchings on the website. For more about that, please see TZF’s Art Gallery and her own art website. Both Nancy and Francis were frequent contributors to The Zoo Fence’s Open Forum, which is now accessible in read-only form. There her username is Anna, his is ZooFence and Speculum. Visitors particularly interested in some of the specifics of Nancy’s and Stefan’s spiritual journey may wish to read her blog here.

Although no longer doing so, years ago Francis and Nancy taught in various venues across the United States on their experience as seekers of Truth and homesteaders.

On The Zoo Fence, Francis goes by the name Stefan … and others.

Email: thezoofence AT gmail DOT com