Jesse & Gracie

Jesse Larsen is one of the most interesting people I know, and her service dog Gracie, a rescue dog of mixed ancestry, is one of the nicest dogs I've ever met. The bond between them is marvelous to see, and the care with which Jesse has trained Gracie -- and set up detailed plans for Gracie's well-being, should something untoward happen to Jesse -- make me wish every dog had an owner like her.

A self-described "working-class artist, writer, and organizing coach," Jesse has lived all over the US and in Canada. She earned her BA [Bachelor of Arts degree] and MFA [Master of Fine Arts degree] in Writing and Literature, as well as started carving rubber block prints, after her 50th birthday. Jesse is a co-editor of 500 Great Books by Women, A Reader's Guide (Viking-Penguin, 1994), which grew out of her focus on the literary tradition of working-class women of all colors around the world during her undergraduate and graduate studies.

I came to know Jesse through the photography I do for the Bellingham Farmers Market. I love her cards, prints, magnets, and other creative offerings, and admire how she brings her stall to the market by bus.

We enjoy getting together for lunch and discussing books, food, and most of all, our lives, as when you reach a certain age, there are many past experiences to talk about! Today was one of our lunch days, and afterward, I gave Jesse a ride to the library to return the stack of books she had borrowed. Gracie enjoyed the loving attention of several children in the library, including this boy, who knew just where she liked to be scratched, and the soft light outside the library was perfect for a brief informal portrait shoot of my friend and her beloved dog.

P.S. Phil's done a food blip today! Don't miss it...