The past two weekends have been full of travel and celebrations.  One weekend was a short road trip.  Long road trip another.  VERY long.  Both joyous occasions full of new experiences spent with wonderful people.

The first weekend of the month, we celebrated an outdoor wedding at a farm located just over an hour from the homestead.  It was a glorious summer day.  The setting for the ceremony was on the edge of a pond.  Our friends picked a fantastic location for bringing together family and friends. 

After the ceremony we all adjourned to a huge old barn for the reception.  They had live music and a picnic-style buffet.  I was reunited with some friends from my old job.  What a great time to see them again and catch up on all that has happened.  We were fortunate to have another couple at our table none of us had met.  They too have been planning a wedding of their own.  We were an eclectic group and had a wonderful time getting to know one another.

I had a new dining experience at that wedding.  Although there was pulled pork barbeque, chicken, and potatoes loaded with cheese, there was a dish on the menu I had not yet tried. 

Seitan.

Pronounced “SAY-tan”.  Yes, kind of like the devil.

The bride is vegan, and friends of ours in attendance also share that lifestyle.  It was only fitting that the bride assured there would be food choices for the vegans in the room.  I am an adventurous person and love new food opportunities.

Why not?

Hubby was not so adventurous.

While sitting back at the table, I cut and tasted my seitan.  My friend to the left asked, “What does it taste like?”

Hmmm… good question.  I pondered as my palate started sifting through the many choices of things I had tasted for comparison.

“I think it tastes kind of like mushrooms”, I replied.

I took another taste.  And offered it to my friend.  We both looked at each other…and I concluded:

“Okay… it tastes like dirt”.

Peals of laughter from the table, including the couple across from me who embrace their vegan life with fervor.

Life is about new experiences!

The other wedding we attended was the long road trip.  Did I mention long?  While on our trip we pondered a question with a server in a restaurant:

Do you realize how long it takes to drive the entire width of Pennsylvania?

It takes a LONG time.

Our destination was Long Island, New York.  Traveling to any part of New York City and surrounding areas would be another new experience for me.  Hubby’s niece was getting married in East Hampton, NY and we were happy to be invited. 

We left on Friday after taking Jaxon to “camp”.  By the way, he had a wonderful weekend with many dogs to play with and was exhausted when we picked him up on Sunday!  Much like we were.

The drive across Pennsylvania was pretty unremarkable.  Anyone who has done it knows there really is not much to see along the interstate highway.  We did observe that the trees were starting to lose some green color in some areas and soon it would be a colorful trip.   Otherwise, we just kept moving east.

When we got to the outskirts of New York City, our travel companion (the Garmin GPS) led us to believe we had just an hour to our destination.  We were staying about an hour west of the wedding venue.  The Garmin is a handy item on a road trip.

However, the Garmin does not anticipate traffic.

The Garmin cannot see how long you will be sitting and waiting to cross the George Washington Bridge at 2:00 PM on Friday afternoon.

Despite the traffic, we made it without incident and caught a glimpse of the New York City sky line in the distance as we traveled across the bridges to Long Island.

This wedding was a bit different than the one celebrated earlier, but no less fantastic.  The weather was again perfect for a day of celebration, inside and out.  The ceremony took place at a small Catholic church with an all-wood interior.  Ceiling, walls, and furnishings were all wood.  The only breaks in the wooden motif was a huge pipe organ set high above the choir area, some lovely stained-glass windows, and the golden furnishings that house the sacraments in a Catholic Church. 

The ceremony was not long, and the group assembled adjourned a short distance from the church to the reception. 

The reception was held at the home of the groom’s family.  The home is a modern design, tucked into a quiet wooded area with a crushed stone driveway.  It was a perfect venue for a celebration.  There were appetizers and drinks circulating while we awaited the arrival of the bride and groom.  The banquet food was fantastic!  There was music for dancing… and there was laughter.

We were brought together for the celebration…some friends and family, some old and new.  Some of us were strangers, but not for long.  As we celebrated, we bonded.  We talked and laughed and realized what common threads are woven into our tapestries.  I even met fellow fly fishermen.

Did I mention the donuts?

The bride and groom love donuts.  They hired a local bakery to bring a truck to the reception.  It was parked in front of the house and while we partied, they made fresh donuts dipped in either powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar.  As we left, we enjoyed those fresh donuts.

They did NOT taste like dirt!

At both of these events I carried my new camera.  I enjoyed looking through the lens and seeing who and what I could see.  I am still learning how to manipulate the settings to best capture the image, and I am getting better. 

Most of the time, I saw smiles.  BIG smiles.  As I look at the images today, I too smile at the memories created by these two weddings.

Weddings are THE day for the bride and groom.  Weddings are also for those of us who attend.  It is not only our opportunity to stand as witness for the couple; it is our opportunity to be family.  Even if just for that one day, we are joined in celebration.  We are no longer strangers.

Who knows what paths will cross again.  I am hopeful to remain connected to some of my new “family”. 

Until then, there is more experience to be gained.  Every once in a while, it may taste like dirt.

Sometimes, it is a donut.

Either way I will be savoring that moment.