June 03, 2013
archive:2013
Something New...
Hello readers! We have something new (and exciting!) for Bonnie's blog this week. My name is Alyssa Schauer and I manage the social media for Bonnie Mohr Studio. This week, Bonnie had a great idea for me - she asked that from time to time, I post a blog about the happenings at the studio from my point-of-view. So, here we go... I hope you all enjoy it! On Wednesday, the studio welcomed the Red Hat Society from Renville and Danube areas. According to their website, Red Hat Societies started when Sue Ellen Cooper, founder of the organization, bought a bright red fedora hat at a thrift shop, and a couple of years later, she found the poem "Warning," by Jenny Joseph, which depicts an older woman in purple clothing with a red hat. For a birthday gift to her friend, Linda Murphy, Sue Ellen gave her a vintage red hate and a copy of the poem - and the gift idea spiraled from there, and soon there were numbers of ladies with red hats who decided to have a "tea" and wear purple dresses and their hats to match the poem's image - and the society grew from there. The mission of the Red Hats is to support and encourage women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and fitness.
This lively bunch donned their traditional purple outfits and of course, their red hats! The group spent the day touring the area and started with lunch at the Tea House in Hutchinson (how fitting!), a tour of the Crow River Winery and they ended their journey here, at the studio. The group was very warm and happy to peruse about Bonnie's gallery (and the gardens outside the studio!) Luckily, the rain held off a few hours so I could capture a photo or two of the group. What a fun bunch! It was no trouble getting smiles from them :)
For those of you looking for a little "Red Hat" inspiration, I found the poem by Jenny Joseph that inspired the creation of the Society: "Warning" by Jenny Joseph When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals and say we've no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells And run my stick along the public railings And make up for the sobriety of my youth. I shall go out in my slippers in the rain And pick flowers in other people's gardens And learn to spit. You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat And eat three pounds of sausages at a go Or only bread and pickle for a week And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes. But now we must have clothes that keep us dry And pay our rent and not swear in the street And set a good example for the children. We must have friends to dinner and read the papers. But maybe I ought to practice a little now? So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised when suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
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Hats off to you ladies for living life to the fullest! You've inspired me to always keep a positive outlook
Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed this new perspective :) Alyssa