Mother Nature must be a reader.

There was a 60 percent chance of rain Aug. 26, when Tuesday Literary Club met at the home of Suzanne Zerbe and John Erickson (the parking guru) for the annual fall picnic. Their home, along Coon Creek, is surrounded by lush greenery and has tremendous views, so everyone was hoping the rain would hold off long enough to enjoy the repast lovingly made by club members outside. And it did, even though the dark clouds threatened.

Lee Yaseen served as co-hostess.

The picnic always a chance to catch up after a summer off, share some good books discovered, and, in general, enjoy the art of good conversation. Which is one of the reasons I like this group so much.

Never boring, always fun and throw in their philanthropy, Tuesday Lit scores a lot of gold stars in the Neighbors book.

These women can cook. Chicken enchiladas, squash lasagna, a plethora of salads and, for afters, homemade ice cream, the best chocolate cupcakes ever and a gooey chocolate-caramel cake to top it off.

Tuesday Lit is beginning its 76th year.

Last year, the topic was humor, covering everything, as they said, from Aristophanes to Nora Ephron. This year, they are embarking on a study of the town they all call home – “Durango: Her Characters, Her Calamities, Her Curiosities.”

Not only do I love the alliteration, I love the topic, because we all know how much I enjoy learning about this town from all of those angles. I’m going to have to attend some of those meetings.

The picnic turned into a booksigning. Associate member (that just means having all the fun with none of the responsibilities) Tekla Miller and her sister, Alyce Bonura, had just had their booksigning at Maria’s Bookshop on Aug. 22, and Bonura stuck around for the picnic. Bonura sported bunny ears, apropos for the topic of the book. You see, Bonura was a Playboy Bunny mother in Chicago in the 1960s, certainly Hugh Hefner’s heyday and a time full of change and upheaval.

Mother Rabbit is full of stories from those days for a behind-the-scenes look at a moment in time in American history.

Thanks for another lovely evening, ladies, and here’s wishing Tuesday Lit another year of learning, friendship and laughter.

HHH

Here’s hoping these Virgos enjoy birthdays full of chocolate and cheer – Carol Bruno, Mary Butler, Sharon Kuhn, Nate Verow, Jackie Honold, Natasha Brown, Brian Honold, Dottie Anderson, Donovan Forsyth, Bob Meyer and Bobbie Carll.

HHH

The Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money for research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, continues to gain traction across Durango. I can’t tell if the spread is organic or if someone’s especially persuasive in getting all kinds of people to agree to a really cold public shower.

The Durango Choral Society’s Music Director Linda Mack took one in front of all her singers Tuesday night on the lawn at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

And today, at 4:30 p.m., 10 managers from throughout First National Bank of Durango will allow their staff (and any customers who want to chip in) to give them the bucket, so to speak. In their case, there’s a personal reason for getting chilly. Their friend and colleague, Darrell Lee Gardner, died of ALS in May at the age of 53. There’s nothing like losing someone you care about to a disease to make one inspired to help find a cure, especially such a destructive disease that kills people in the prime of life.

Although I always wonder if it’s good for your career to be the highest bidder on targeting the boss. Just saying.

HHH

Once we’re past Labor Day, it seems like we’re back to real life, but that doesn’t mean there’s no romance in store for Steve and Andrea Owen on their anniversary.

HHH

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