House of Mirth

On the July 4th weekend, Adam and I were blessed to attend the wedding of our friends Julie and Peter. Julie, you may recall, has been a friend since the 4th grade. Needless to say it was a pleasure to see this couple, who we enjoyed many a fun night with as New Yorkers, join together in marriage. It was a joyous day celebrated in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.

The ceremony was lovely and was followed by a picture-perfect reception at the estate of author Edith Wharton, known as "The Mount".





The grounds of The Mount are expansive and meticulously kept. Sitting atop a clearing in the woods, the manse overlooks the quiet rolling hills of the region while its tiered garden seemed to be tailored for such an event. A long row of trimmed hedges leads to two side gardens, each with a gravel path framing a babbling fountain. That day, one side garden was awash in late afternoon sunshine, accentuated by a jewel-box of flora,



while the other was serene and restrained with its white Astilbes bathed in shade.



The setting was the perfect backdrop to such a lovely event. That night, we ate, danced, and celebrated two wonderful people. The Mount, that night at least, was a house full of mirth.