Mollie

When I first moved to New Mexico I became part of a neighborhood bookgroup that I have enjoyed immensely. Good discussions, some great reads, some not so much, but always a group that I look forward to being with.

We are all women of a certain age -- older -- and all are well educated, well traveled, and everyone is from a different and interesting background. We are of diverse upbringings, different careers, varying parts of the country before landing here, mixed race, mixed religion, mixed marriage status and mixed talents. A weird but enriching group of women.

Because we are old it was inevitable that age would catch up, and three of our group have lost husbands in the past five years. But this winter we lost one of our group, one of our own. Mollie died in early February and it was a shock to all of us.

Mollie was an archeologist. Specifically a plant archeologist, or ethnobotanist. She studied how ancient cultures used plants. Her work was fascinating. At one point she was a science coach and teacher in the local schools.

She was very quiet but deep. I knew her only through the bookgroup, and she didn't talk much (at all) with us about her background or studies, but got going about a new museum show that we'd enjoy or an experimental garden installation we should see.

Her book choice last year was the book on cochineal, A Perfect Red by Amy Butler Greenfield, I wrote about it here. She amazed us with her research on the plant history of cochineal dyes and our discussion of the book was great.

I am hosting bookgroup this month at my house. There will be an empty chair for Mollie.