Busy Weekend Socializing

Saturday I was at the GreenFest volunteering and then sitting in on some talks and visiting the exhibits. The fest is mostly environmental issues but overlaps a lot of other good causes and groups such as fair trade, simple living trends, urban forestry, etc. I got several great story ideas and contacts on subjects such as herbal medicine. I stayed so long I missed out on the BookFest and Peace Rally on the Mall. I guess I'm just going to have to come to terms with the fact that I cannot attend EVERYTHING.

After that I was off to my friends' wedding. Karen and Mark had a beautiful ceremony that was full of music and laughter. This couple is a jazz drummer and a classically trained opera singer (though she does not do that for a living). I'm looking forward to the little musical genius(es) they give birth to and raise! Here is their official wedding Web site.

Sunday was the Washington Gardener party. It went well and had a great mix of magazine contributors, friends, family, and neighbors. The surprise of the afternoon was my four-year-old niece, Savannah, who turned into quite the party hostess. She is normally a very shy and timid child among strangers, but she was the one who insisted on giving everyone the garden/house tour -- pointing out the mouse hole under the bird feeder, the fish in the pond, the cat hiding in an upstairs closet, and all the other 'highlights.' Meanwhile, her two-year-old sister, Lexi, turned from wild child to wallflower. I guess you can never tell what mix of elements will draw a child out or make them retreat.

It was great to see guests making both personal and professional connections. I think I will make this party an annual event -- though maybe a bit earlier in the season when the garden is at its best.