Mary Driscoll hosted the annual picnic of the Six and Twenty Club at her beautiful home on a lovely June afternoon. Members brought salads and desserts to share. Driscoll provided fresh baked rolls, marinated shrimp, tea and lemonade. The tables were covered with checkered tablecloths and adorned with fresh cut summer flowers.

Following the luncheon, president Cindy Crossthwaite opened the meeting. Mindy Henson read the minutes and historical minutes. Theresa Rembert, program leader, spoke briefly about the book she is circulating: “A Perfect Game: America Looks at Baseball” by Elizabeth V. Warren and Roger Angell, who has been referred to as the “poet laureate of baseball.” The book is published by the American Folk Art Museum. American folk art refers to “art made from found materials.” The book showcased many examples from the museum’s collection of art inspired by baseball.

The current exhibits at the American Folk Art Museum are one that explores how mental health issues are expressed in folk art and one that explores the way in which artists depict their sense of home. In light of that, Rembert introduced her guest, Anne Krouse. Krouse, a school psychologist, has been a friend of Rembert since they were young professionals in the late 70’s working in rural communities on the coast of North Carolina, addressing the mental health issues of children.

Krouse brought with her eight boxes that she had designed as rooms of a house and decorated with miniatures that she made from found items in her home. She worked on this project during her COVID isolation as a strategy to work against loneliness and prevent depression. Members of the club enjoyed exploring these charming rooms as Krouse explained the various items from which she created the miniatures.