Dorothy Maloney.

"My name is Dorothy, like the Wizard of Oz," said  the most life-filled and energetic 93 year-old I have ever met.

There is something about small towns that I absolutely love. The unity, the serenity, the country. Ok, make that there are many things I love about small towns. My mom's good friends own a 700 acre ranch in Bitterwater, California. Most have never heard of this town, the closest city is King City, and if you haven't heard of that, perhaps you have heard of the Pinnacles.  The Pinnacles are beautiful rock formations made from volcanos many years ago and now a national park.

When mom asked if I wanted to come up to this town and photograph some things, I was slightly hesitant, being the same weekend as General Conference and a good friend's birthday. She made it quite impossible to refuse her offer, so my bags were packed at 5am on Friday morning as we made our way up north. Once in the town we made our way to this beautiful house where Tim and Nancy live. Everyone knows about everyone, which I suppose you could take that in a good or bad way, but I loved it.

In the past 48 hours, I have fed cows, birthed kittens, saving one of them, seen a car burn, volunteered at service auction, and met the most beautiful and interesting woman; Dorothy Maloney. Dorothy is from New York, she came here to King City after her husband, the love of her life, passed away.  She worked at an electricity company and her husband was head of the english department at New York University.  She waited 15 years for him, and another 6 years before she could marry him because he was Irish Catholic and had to wait until his mother passed away to get married. When she spoke of her husband, her eyes lit up as she had a smile from ear to ear. Her daughter had moved to King City, so she sold everything in New York and headed to CA. She didn't know a soul so she walked the streets, met everyone, and now is quite famous in the town. She is beautiful, inside and out. This woman was so inspiring, humorous, and just everything you could want in a friend, a mother, and a grandmother. She loves to read and one day her great grandson asked her, "Great grandma, do you read with your head or your heart," I can answer that for her, there isn't anything this beautiful woman does without her heart.

Meet Dorothy: