A yard sale, I'm convinced, is one of the best ways to meet new people. At times, ours felt more like a mixer than a sale as readers from upstate New York, Connecticut and as far away as the north fork of Long Island mingled, laughed and shopped alongside neighbors from just up the street.    

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They're also one of the great levelers of society. Well, that and the subway. How many other places do people from every walk of life gather together, all searching for the same thing? It's the thrill of the hunt they're after, and I know it well. I think we all do.     

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Down times, I milled about the farm, gathering flowers for a country arrangement.  

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In a pressed glass celery vase, I made a loose bouquet of irises, alliums, hosta leaves, bleeding hearts and (my favorite!) oriental poppies. 

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I love everything about them—they're saturated colors, their feathery edges, and their dark, mysterious centers like plush velvet.  

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Happy Weekend, everyone, and here's to summer!