Blossoming Civility – and Creativity, Too!
If you tuned in to WBJC between 10am-3pm last Friday, May 4th, you may have noticed that Jonathan was filling in for me. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I’d been asked to take part in the opening ceremonies of FlowerMart 2012. I rode the bus to Mount Vernon late in the morning & had a bit of time to wander around before taking my place onstage with various FlowerMart board members, media types, & politicians. After the opening ceremonies concluded, I was free to roam around for a bit with Jim, who took a break from work – how lucky for us that his office is nearby! – & the two of us ate lunch in Mount Vernon Square Park. When it was time for Jim to head back to his desk, I began perusing the FlowerMart’s vendors in earnest.
Of course, there were numerous booths selling gorgeous plants at this event, & I browsed a few of them, but alas, I fail miserably at gardening. I can’t even keep a basil plant alive for a decent length of time, & confessed to my neighbor (who is has an amazing talent for horticulture, as does her significant other) last weekend that I manage to kill off a poinsettia each holiday season. So, rather than cause the demise of more innocent flora, I restricted my purchases to a vintage straw handbag from Purses for PLASE & a packable straw hat made my D.C.-area artisan Helen Yuan.
Speaking of hats, they are as much a part of the scenery as blooms & petals at FlowerMart. Attendees wear all kinds of chapeaux, from elegant to outrageous, & the annual Grand Hat Contest gives both kids & adults a chance to win prizes for their creativity (or, for those who enter the store-bought category, an opportunity to show off their fabulous fashion sense.) As competition time approached, Julie Wilson, Hostess & Grand Hat Contest Chair, approached me in a bit of a panic – one of her judges had had to cancel; would I consider being a judge? I agreed, & had a great time inspecting the entries. Iconic symbols of Maryland life & the FlowerMart itself – crabs, the Chesapeake Bay, the Baltimore Washington Monument, lemon sticks, etc. – abounded, as, naturally, did blossoms. Choosing a favorite in each category was no easy task. Here’s a picture of the winners, my fellow judges, Ms. Wilson, & contest emcee Steve Fertig (of WBFF-TV. ) All in all, I had a great day & hope to return next year!
Tags:Baltimore Washington Monument, Chesapeake Bay, Encore Ballroom Couture, FlowerMart, Julie Wilson, Mount Vernon, Project PLASE, Steve Fertig
