Kathryn Watson's Networking Secret [Cont.]

High in the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California, the ski resort town of Mammoth Lakes is a great place to visit even if you’re a warm bunny like me. Some people call Mammoth "God's country." Some call it paradise. I call it cold! But Kathryn Watson, aka “The Chieftess,” calls it home.

Kathy has been chronicling the beauty and history of the California Sierras on Mammoth Lakes Daily Photo for about three years. Accompanied by her Golden Retriever Kelly, the Chieftess gets around: to the many lakes in the mountains, to the small, western towns along California’s highway 395, and to her favorite spots, like the ghost town of Bodie. Kathy’s pictures tell of history, hardship, and grace. With each photo she posts a quotation, expressing her connection to it all.

That connection might be surprising, because it hasn't been there long. Kathy's a transplant from the warm, San Gabriel Valley of southern California. Three years ago when her husband took the job as Mammoth Lakes Chief of Police, she went with him and they've quickly made a home there. It's not impossible for Kathy to get back to soCal and see family and friends, though the roads can be impassible in winter. But a five hour drive is not a hop/skip/jump proposition, either.

How do you make friends when you’re new in town? "Join a group," says Kathy. "Volunteer for something that interests you."

It doesn't hurt that she's an extrovert. She's on the board of the Friends of the Library, helping to raise funds for the Mono County Free Library. She's active in Rotary Club, where once or twice a year she joins other members on a trip to build homes for indigent families in Mexico. And she's a docent/tour guide at Mono Lake (if you click no other link, click this one), where she shares her knowledge and love of Mammoth Lakes with visitors.

Another group Kathy joined is the Mammoth Lakes Original Book Club, and that's where I come in. Kathy talked her club into reading my novel, Camelot & Vine, and they invited me to their March 21, 2013 meeting.

A five hour drive? From sun and warmth to the freezing cold? I'd be delighted! Yes, Mammoth Lakes is remote and yes, it's cold. Yet at least one other CDP blogger has visited Kathy there: Bibi (Pat) from A Yankee in Belgrade. (I will never, ever, complain about a five-hour drive.)

I loved my visit, and I especially enjoyed meeting the book club. While the fire glowed in the pellet stove, we ate potluck dinner at the Watsons' big dining table and talked about Camelot & Vine. I felt blessed.

The next day, before I drove back to Pasadena, the Chieftess took me to two more of her favorite spots: The Booky Joint independent bookstore, where she introduced me to the owner, and the Mono County Free Library, where I got to meet the head librarian. Both agreed to consider stocking my book. It’s generous of them, and it was generous of Kathy to introduce me to them.

Kathy Watson knows the secret to networking, which is simple: networking is giving. Being generous of heart and spirit, Kathy's a natural.