There she stood in the entrance to the Great Hall at First Presbyterian Church – the Woman in the Green Hat. My cushioned bench seat, next to one of the multi-paned, magnificent Tiffany Stained Glass Windows, enables a view of all the cavernous room. Alone and quiet but attentive I nursed my mug of creamed, full caffeine fair trade certified coffee, First Presbyterian Albany congregation has a social conscience. Me, I watched

My Green Hatted Woman wore a form-fitting, calf length, knee pinned, Pendleton, green and black plaid skirt. This was topped by a deep brown button jacket with black collar that covered a black turtle neck shirt. The Stylish form-fitting jacked was partly fastened by white buttons. A stiff silver and turquoise necklace finished the outfit. And on her head, was that green hat with black ribbon and bow that attracted my attention.

Like a model awaiting her cue to enter the fashion show walkway, my green hatted woman paused, glanced around and then walked, almost flowed with purpose right to the middle of the hall.  Here she stopped directly over and in the middle of a large hot air vent. It reminded me of the grate for the gravity coal furnace we heated with when I was a little tyke. There is nothing like standing on it to let the hot air flow up over you when first out of bed on a cold morning. Even when we moved to a larger house with forced hot air, first thing in a morning I’d place myself in its warm breath that spilled out the wall register.

My model stood on this heat source and with a slight smile she uttered a sound, barely audible, of pleasure. She wasn’t there for long. Soon she was off to the beverage table for a hot drink.

This Woman in the Green Hat was someone I wanted to meet and photograph. I just had to say hello and capture her in a digital image. Dignified and stately of person yet she was able to enjoy the pleasures of a heating era gone by. Indeed she is my type of person.

An intermediary made preliminary introductions and she readily agreed to have her picture taken. Friendly, gracious, interested, open with brilliant blue eyes – why didn’t I ask her myself?

So it is – I share my picture of the Woman in the Green Hat.