Me and Mabel

Whew, what a busy week. I ended up having to drive through a mild snow storm from Ojo Sarco thru the mountains and back to Taos. It was a true winter wonderland scene but I was too afraid to move my eyeballs from the road to appreciate it much! California girl has to get used to driving in the white stuff. But nothing was going to keep me from my Thanksgiving dinner at the Sagebrush Inn with my neighbor Grace. It was worth it.

Now I have put in two wonderful days at my new part-time job as receptionist at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House here in Taos. This interesting lady (Mabel Ganson Evans Dodge Sterne Luhan-she got married a lot) was from a wealthy family in Buffalo, New York, and lived from 1879 to 1962. She is famous for the salons she hosted in Florence, Italy, then Greenwich Village, New York and finally here in Taos. Her fourth and final husband, Tony Luhan of Taos Pueblo, built her this fascinating home where she hosted such luminaries as D.H. Lawrence, Georgia O'Keeffe, Willa Cather and John Collier. She loved the animated flow of ideas among artists, writers and other movers and shakers. Now the house is used for bed and breakfast (great rooms and delicious food!) and workshops, such as Natalie Goldberg's writing ones. The place oozes with atmosphere and history.