With help from Jacquela, Steven mounted the mask to its planned place of honor above the fireplace in the family room.

This is the four seasons/four elements mask that we purchased in Taos — as Steven remembers, it was the trip he blew out his knee skiing, so he sat Jacquela on a bench at Taos Pueblo, a stream behind us, the pueblo and courtyard stretching in front of us, unable to bend down to his knee, and he proposed marriage.

She said yes.

Here we are two states, three houses, one dog, one daughter, nearly two decades later.

This mask is our hearth.