The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Earlier this week I went to my annual Mad Hatter's Tea Party to support Bethel Recovery Center in Bridgeport. It is a cause that is close to my heart, a home run by Janice Kelly that offers a chance for women suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, to get back on their feet. Many of the woman have no jobs when they first come in, many have been abused, many have not known what it is to be loved and supported unconditionally, and Bethel not only gives them the food, it teaches them how to fish for it themselves so the women can leave and go back into the world.
I love the cause, and I particularly love this fund raiser because I am obsessed with hats - must be the English in me - and I relish every opportunity to wear one. I am not comfortable wearing one around the beach, frankly, it interferes too much with the business of sun-tanning, but invite me to polo, the Derby, a wedding, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to hat myself up.
This year's tea party was held in a beautiful garden in Fairfield, which made me long for a garden of my own. Inspired, I left, and went straight back home to clean up my vegetable beds, and spent all of yesterday weeding and planting, and as long as we can get to it before the bastard gophers, we will be eating fresh produce all Summer long.
Horsey Girl showed up unexpectedly at the tea party, and I brought The Chestnut with me, who shares my hat obsession. I hadn't realised, but The Chestnut is camera-shy. This picture made me laugh out loud so I am sharing it with you. So here I present two of my most favorite women in the world: Horsey Girl, and Hat (aka The Chestnut). She's beautiful, but you'll just have to take my word for it...
Loving to wear this kind of hats is definitely something English. I read an article about it which was quite funny; it dealt with how eccentric English people are, and how they aren't self-conscious about it. But for me, you look great in this picture!
x
Loving to wear this kind of hats is definitely something English. I read an article about it which was quite funny; it dealt with how eccentric English people are, and how they aren't self-conscious about it. But for me, you look great in this picture!
x
Fabulous hats! Yours reminds me a little of the one Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral "thanks I got it specially."
Fabulous hats! Yours reminds me a little of the one Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral "thanks I got it specially."
Love the hat Jane! Fabby! It MUST be the English in you and you should sooo embrace it whenever possible! xx
Love the hat Jane! Fabby! It MUST be the English in you and you should sooo embrace it whenever possible! xx
Jane: I met you last year in New York at the Barnes & Noble talk when The Beach House was just coming out. You might recall me--I was the person who came to see you from Baltimore!
Well, I did not read the book immediately. I was saving it so that I would not be without a Jane Green to read! I am just reading it now because I will have another one of your books soon.
I'm heading to Northampton, MA tomorrow by train and will have the book with me.
Congratulations on your wedding!
--Natalie
Jane: I met you last year in New York at the Barnes & Noble talk when The Beach House was just coming out. You might recall me--I was the person who came to see you from Baltimore!
Well, I did not read the book immediately. I was saving it so that I would not be without a Jane Green to read! I am just reading it now because I will have another one of your books soon.
I'm heading to Northampton, MA tomorrow by train and will have the book with me.
Congratulations on your wedding!
--Natalie