It's still snowing...! And raining.

But we are still planning, too!  On the heels of an enormously successful first-ever gallery opening, showcasing the amazing fine arts photography of Allison Nowlin Ward, we are looking forward to several delightfully busy months ahead.

As the official events committee for Medusa is predominantly women, and we tend to think nonlinearly, in loops and circuitous maps, providing an easy road map is nearly impossible.  But here goes...

We have another gallery opening on April 9th - this time it is the work of Rodolfo de Florencia.  Angela Cappetta, our esteemed (and adorable) curator, describes him as "an international sensation".  If that seems like an unlikely fit for our sometimes sleepy village, there's also this:

"From his studio in Cuernavaca, Mexico, he creates large, heady paintings which encompass the full ancient Mexican experience. Fastidiously made and heavily influenced by a Victorian sensibility, Florencia's brush is filled with longing, desire and curiosity to paint dream-like representations of the real world as only he sees it."

Longing, desire and curiosity is what we're all about in Medusa, so stick April 9th on your calendar, grab your kids and your spouse and whoever else you can fit in the car, and join us for a few (hopefully) warm April evenings admiring art and engaging in passionate discourse.  We're even having MUSIC this time!  That's Medusa.

We have several additional openings to remember, too - Memorial Day weekend will showcase the work of one-time Rensselaerville resident Jessie Mann, which we'll be celebrating with festive homemade flaming balloons, and our curator will be presenting her work on July 4th weekend.  My favorite holiday is accompanied by a chicken barbecue showcasing local chicken (I hope!) and brand new Wild Thymes sauces!  I'm shivering with anticipation!

If it's textiles that thrill you, though...  Last night - and for every Wednesday forever after -Kate Hendersen is leading a knitting circle at the Store.  We think it's going to be a large crowd, and amazingly fun.  And I'm providing the coffee - so, several Medusa sized hats are not out of the question by next week.  Everyone's welcome, from beginner to old-hand - starting at 6pm!  Kate's also generously stocked us up on her Medusa grown wool as well, in several vibrant colors.

May21st - are you sitting down? - is promising to be the best MedusaFest ever.  There are lots of great minds thinking hard on how to thrill, entertain and, most importantly, FEED, all of you, so save that Saturday for a helping of local flavor.  We're thinking of doing something extra-special at the Store that day to honor Medusa, too.

I've been brainstorming with a few others, trying to develop a series of art fun-shops around natural materials.  I'm hoping that we'll have a 4-6 week series starting at the end of April through Memorial Day.  We love the idea of sharing pigments and dyes and natural clay - embracing the arts with what's freely available in our local woods and streams.  It's going to be messy - what better way to celebrate the spring??

Never the least, because feeding all of you good food is a high priority of mine, but almost last: we have lots coming in this week, from UNFI and Albert's.  As I've been promoting on Facebook, we've got Annie Chun's potstickers and miniwontons coming in, as well as a great price on Udi's bagels and breads.  Bhuja! is coming back, too, as well as lots of chocolate covered pretzels and raisins.  Strawberries, kiwis and pineapples from Albert's, as well MacroVegetarian's Hunan dumplings.  Hopefully, with warmer weather, my MacroVegetarian fans will return in force and I'll order some more of their stuff - healthy and incredibly delicious, and (my favorite) you don't have to cook the damn things.  :)  Oh, and for everyone who's been going through terrible withdrawal - Angie's Kettle Corn will be back in on Friday.

And that's supplemented with some amazing stuff from Ryan's, who's proving to be a really Medusa-worthy vendor.  Maybe someday we'll even get them to deliver!

Lastly, a few dear friends of ours have been struggling with some sad news of late - and I was hoping we could all keep them in our thoughts.  We're told Jon Chase is home - and doing a lot better.  The news last week was pretty scary, and we're glad for this bit of blue sky.  A good friend of mine lost her brother last week - a tragedy that was completely unexpected.  Please keep Lara and her family in your prayers.  And Ken Briggs, who organized his band, Nite Train, to play at the winter carnival, also lost his brother a few weeks back.  Life is so fragile - such news is a reminder to hold your loved ones a bit closer, I think, and embrace this amazing, and often brief, life with renewed gratitude.

Much love to all of you.