For someone like myself who loves the outdoors – particularly activities like walking and puttering with plants – the upcoming Gardening Extravaganza in downtown Brookhaven is definitely an event to attend.

The Extravaganza is back in Railroad Park after a couple of years at the Lincoln Civic Center, and what better setting for our Lincoln County Master Gardeners’ showplace event than the green space in the center of downtown.

Scheduled for Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Extravaganza will feature vendors selling plants and gardening items, plus there will be educational seminars beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce.

Brookhaven Regional Arts Guild will be doing art in the park and offering their work for sale. The Gardeners also have some kids’ activities planned.

Saturday also is the day the chamber and local retailers will be holding their annual Spring Fling from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some 25 merchants will be offering special bargains, door prizes, refreshments and more.

So what better day than tomorrow to stroll through Brookhaven and maybe go home with a new outfit and/or some plants for your yard and garden? As of Thursday evening as I write this, the weather forecast for Saturday calls for temperatures in the 80s and sunny skies. I sure hope it stays that way despite the havoc it will wreck with the pollen count.

Nice weather Saturday also will be a big boost for events just up the road in Wesson.

Our neighboring town is holding its Sesquicentennial celebration throughout the day Saturday with a parade, vendors and activities for the kids, followed by a 150th birthday party Saturday night, a time capsule ceremony and fireworks. Things will get started at 8 a.m. and continue through the fireworks show that begins at 9 p.m.

Turning 150 is a significant milestone and well worthy of a big celebration. I remember when my hometown, Columbus, in northeast Mississippi, had its sesquicentennial the local men were encouraged to grow beards. I guess the idea was for them to look like men did 150 years earlier.

My father decided to get into the spirit of things, so he quit shaving for the prescribed period of time. I think more than anything he was curious how he would look.

As the whiskers started coming in, we all were surprised to find my father, who still had not sprouted gray hair on the top of his head, was getting a gray beard. Not just gray, mind you, but more like “white.”

As one of the few in my class who had parents who were in their 40s when they came along, I was more than ready for my dad to look young again and shave off the offending evidence of passing years.

I checked out Wesson’s calendar of birthday events, and, sure enough, there’s a beard-growing contest on the list. There also are other adventurous competitions, including a hotdog eating contest and a pie contest.

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By way of an update, my “five W’s and an H” column last week drew a lot of favorable responses. A number of readers called or emailed the “who, what, where, when, why” and “how” of their upcoming events. Thank you!

As I said last week, this kind of input helps get more stories into the paper and allows us to better serve you, our readers.

So it bears repeating, the email to send us news items is news@dailyleader.com. You also can go to our website and click on the “email us” link in the top left corner of the main page on the site and send a message that way.

I hope to see you Saturday. It will be a good time to grab some sunscreen and get out and enjoy the day.

Rachel Eide is editor/general manager of The Daily Leader. Contact her at rachel.eide@dailyleader.com.