We went to the top of the mountain today, to visit our great friend Mary Kellogg, the poet. Jackie Thorne, another poet and friend came with us. She and Mary have become friends, as Mary and Maria are friends. Me too. The three of them have the most beautiful appreciate for and connection with one another.

Something it is so rare for men to do.

Mary is a central figure in my life with Maria, she was with us from the beginning. “She will keep you in line,” she told me when I told her Maria and I were in love. Mary has seen me at my worst and my best and stayed with me through both. I was the first person in her life she showed her poetry to, she had been writing poetry since she was eleven years old and thought people would think she was strange – even her beloved husband – if she showed it to them.

We have published three of her wonderful books of poetry and today, we realized Mary has enough poems for a fourth, which we will publish hopefully in time for the October Open House.

Jackie is a student in my writing workshop, last year she published her first volume of poetry, “Gone To Ground.” Like Mary, Jackie reads her poetry at our Open Houses. Like Mary, she is an exceptional gifted poet. The two met one another at our farm.

Maria is 88, and has dealt recently with the effects of Lyme disease, she couldn’t make the Spring Open House, I believe it is the only one she has missed. Mary lives by herself at the top of a mountain on 30 acres and purchased and lived with alongside her husband Dick, who died more than a decade ago. She took care of it herself until

Mary raised funds to build a hospice far out in the country a few years ago, is a passionate gardener and works on her poetry.

It was a wonderful thing for me to see these three creative, compassionate and beautiful women – creative goddesses all – have tea and ice cream with Mary at the top of her mountain, which she loves so much and will never leave.  They talked openly, laughed and shared their lives and ideas with one another.

Mary has seen me through some of the most intense phases of my life, and she says she loves me the most lately.

I love her more and more all the time, too, she is one of the most remarkable people I have known, full of compassion and character. Her poems are rich in poignancy and wisdom and Mary read several of them to us today.

Maria edited Mary’s first book of poetry, and the next two as well. I submit a number of my photographs, and the two of them choose which ones to use. It is one of the sweetest collaborations of my life.

We made tea for Mary and brought her some black raspberry ice cream. She says she needs to gain weight.

Mary is full of character and humanity, like the other two goddesses at her table. It was a creative summit of the goddesses, or so it seemed to me. I could almost feel the white light radiating from them. They gave one another love and strength, the work of goddesses.

She plans to be at our October Open House, and so does Jackie. The creative goddesses will all be doing their thing.