Not only co-workers and friends, but families too. Add neighbors to that list. I mean you can't have a party and not invite the neighbors. And our kids friend's parents complicate things even more.

I live in a compound; several small homes on a big old ranch. We share food from our gardens, buy eggs and meat from each other and do the work on our commons.

Our commons are formed by dozens of huge old trees that surround a huge patch of weed grass that we keep green with water and mow weekly. Its just weeds, but it looks like a darned park.

One day, I looked outside and decided to invite everyone to one big summer picnic. It worked - it really worked. Putting everyone together in one big crowd meant everyone was outnumbered by strangers. And that ended the us versus them mentality. Suddenly, everyone was just a person.

People started talking to people they never would meet on their own.

Making food the center of attention helped. I do the main dishes, but ask everyone to bring whatever they want. The no-cook anything ever people bring drinks, ice and fruit.

Now when summer comes, I start getting calls and emails asking when is "our" picnic this year? When people arrive I hear them say to someone, hi, I was hoping we'd see you. When people leave I hear them say, see you next year.

Something magical happened in the weeds.