it's all remarkable

It's Sunday. This photo of a marigold chain and Tibetan bell were taken yesterday afternoon just before it started to snow again. It's still snowing.

This has been a busy two days. I've written before about how this is the "Year of Remarkable Women of Taos" and that's what it's been about.

the literary heart of Taos
On Friday, SOMOS (Society of the Muse of the Southwest) celebrated the woman who has been its president, supporter, overseer, and muse for over 20 years. Phyllis Hotch retired at the young age of 84 amidst a gathering of friends and colleagues. The event was held at the spiffy new SOMOS digs overflowing with flowers, champagne, cakes and goodies. It was officially announced that her third book of poetry would be coming out in the fall.

This was the transformed "tea party" that I wrote about last week where we all planned to wear hats and gloves. It somehow turned into a champagne party, sans accessories, except for Phyllis who looked ravishing in her hat. About 40 people showed up to honor her with poetry, gifts, flowers, reminiscences. A good time was had by all.

festival
Arrived home that evening and immediately got to work on the final edit for the reading I was scheduled for next morning at Mabel Dodge Luhan House. It would open the all-day Remarkable Women of Words Festival.  Ron actually came to hear my segment and took this fuzzy pic from the back of the room before I went on. (Note on Ron: although he has three degrees, reads, paints, scuplts, he stubbornly refuses to go to readings because he hates to be "read to"). I was pleased and surprised that he came and he showered me with accolades when it was over.

The huge (40 writers) event was coordinated by Liz Cunningham and Veronica Golos and the whole day turned into a resounding success. The readings, panels, music, were presented in segments with breaks in between, two tables of books by featured authors were available for sale (the only books with my work included and which I had extra copies of were KnitLit too and KnitLit (the third). (knitting is attached to my life the way my shadow is).

Books were purchased, acquaintances renewed, enthusiasm reigned. Four writers, knitting in the audience, added to the theme of Remarkable (and multi-talented). The audience, ever-changing, reconfiguring, never diminished in volume. Plans are afoot to make it an annual event.

and then it snowed...
At some point in the early evening, before the final segment was presented and before the audience started pouring in, with heavy snow falling, I stepped outside to take snow pics.

It was lovely and magical and I didn't go beyond the open doors to photograph because it was also very wet. I'd already rushed home once to change from bare feet in sandals and flimsy top with light cardi (it was gorgeous warm spring in the early morning), into socks (sigh!), real shoes, warm sweater and winter coat (retrieved from back of closet where I'd stashed it only last week with hope in my heart).

How great do socks feel when your feet are cold!
I remember a cousin of ours saying that one March afternoon when we'd all just returned from a long Narragansett beach walk. Andrea said, socks are the most useful, beautiful article of clothing ever invented. This was long before I learned how to knit them and maybe recollection of her words years later, were what prompted and inspired me to always have a sock or two or three or four on needles since that gray chilly day.