If there is one transcendent symbol of our Open Houses, it is Mary Kellogg, our believed friend and poet. Mary has published three books of poetry and we are working on a fourth with her. We have known her all of our lives together, and at 87, she is radiant and loving and so important to us.

She has come to just about every one of our Open Houses to read from her poems, Maria and I published her first books of poetry together, before we were married.

Mary still lives along on her 30 acre farm on a remote hill top about 20 miles from us, she is proud and independent and determined to remain in her home. It is impossible to imagine an Open House without Mary, and she is coming back Sunday to read again.