My Dearest Edythe,

Were your ears burning this weekend?

Author Catherine J. Rourke, who led a Writers’ Workshop we attended in March of 2016, sent us an invitation to a 1930s-Style Literary Salon, “Midnight in Florence,” hosted by the Florence, Oregon Regional Art Alliance & Writers on the River. The tag line: “… Bringing the River Seine to the Siuslaw” caught my attention and my imagination went wild.

During your last visit in Edmonds, we daydreamed together about jointly hosting a Literary Salon! I knew we had to attend! I started to phone you, then of course, I remembered, I couldn’t. I phoned Catherine instead. I told her how delighted I was to receive the invitation. Then I shared how we lost you at Christmas. Audibly shocked, Catherine said she would dedicate the Salon to you, my dear sweet plucky Edythe. She asked if I would send a photo and read an excerpt from your work. I said, “yes and yes.”

You would have loved the Salon last night. I loved the Salon last night! It was held in the same Florence Regional Arts Center on Maple Street in Old Town Florence, where we attended Catherine’s writing workshop. Beautiful creative art work of varying mediums graced the walls, as well as displays of jewelry, woodwork, and textiles. The venue was inviting and well organized. A table of complementary refreshments of wine, cheese, crackers, and brownies insured what hunger the literary arts did not quench, the goodies would!

Catherine has a gift of making each person feel welcomed and valued. She opened the salon dedicating it to your memory. She shared how we’d attended her workshop and how you’d made such an impression on her and the other attendees. She projected a lovely slide with your photo, name, dates, and identified you as a writer, poet, and playwright.

Catherine presented a brief history of Literary Salons. Her slides read: “Salons began in 16th century Europe as convivial gatherings in the European courts to promote art, music, literature, philosophical discourse, and New Thought. Author Gertrude Stein’s salons in Paris in the 20s and 30s became renowned for spawning new trends in art and literature …”

Former Oregon Coast Magazine editor, Judy Fleagle opened the formal readings with an excerpt from her upcoming book The Oregon Coast Guide to the UNEXPECTED, as well as a selection from her book, DEVIL CAT and Other Colorful Animals I Have Known. Edythe, you would have enjoyed meeting Judy. She taught grade school for twenty-one years and then started her writing and editing life.

Speaking of the UNEXPECTED … I greeted a lady sitting behind me and asked if she would be reading. She replied, “No, I am a listener.” We quickly realized that this was Carrie, a lady who had won a copy of my A Tall Tale About a Dachshund and Pelican through a Goodreads Giveaway promotion. She’d seen my Facebook post about the Salon, had indicated she would come and asked me to bring more TALL TALES. Such synchronicity! Carrie and her husband Trev have lived in Florence a short time and were pleased to attend a local event where they had a connection. We promised to let each other know when we were in each other’s towns. And yes! She bought more TALL TALES!

Dear Edythe, you kicked off the second half of the Salon. Catherine projected your photo again. I gave the backstory about our lengthy friendship and our yearly writing pilgrimage to the Oregon Coast. I read your “Shotgun House” essay written for a Cottage Grove Community College Writing Class. I introduced your work with the email you wrote when you sent me the essay, “Here is my work in progress for this week. It’s supposed to be a memory or life experience. At least I’m writing again. Deadlines do wonders for me. Love, Edythe”

I distinctly remember reading it because I had never heard of a “Shotgun House” before. Your essay explained, “A house constructed where you could see from the front door clear through the living room, bedroom, and kitchen. You could, theoretically at least, shoot a gun straight through the house.”

You spoke so vividly about family members. The audience especially seemed to relish the paragraph about your Grandma: “My Grandma wore an apron over her dress every day but Sunday when she wore her Salvation Army dress and hat. She wore her hose neatly rolled up and kept her hair tightly contained in a net. On Saturday night she would let her hair down and allow me to brush it. It fell to below her waist and was a joy to brush. She eventually had to cut it off because the doctor said her heavy hair was the cause of her headaches. She cut it off, but the headaches didn’t go away. I think she would have cursed that doctor good, but she didn’t believe in cursing, so she bit her tongue.”

Edythe, your writing evoked heartfelt laughter and a warm appreciative round of applause.

I then read from my Dog Chronicles, the “Two Kizzies” which will be published in an Anthology next summer. I enjoyed reading the amusing true story of working at a retirement home where there was a dog with my exact first and middle name! The audience chuckled along enjoying the coincidence and unexpected consequences!

The readings were varied and interesting. So many talented and creative people! One woman was a stand-up comic. Humor is such a challenge. She filled the room with laughter.

It was easy to have my “extrovert hat” on. I enjoyed the formal contributions from the mic and the informal chats with the attendees. Most of all, Edythe, you and your writing were honored and remembered.

I think back to our own Salon brainstorming in my sunroom this past November. Midnight in Florence was a different venue, different audience, but the spirit of our dreams came true. And even with you gone, you were there.

It was not only “Midnight in Florence,” it was “Kindlandia in Florence.”