Come to Luncheon.

Spring is such an invigorating and refreshing time. I wonder who ever decided that the new year should be celebrated in January when everything is dark, cold, and seemingly lifeless. The energy of Spring is much more conducive to setting new goals and maintaining resolutions. So use this as your permission slip to try again if your January resolve proved weak and undone.

There is something about the subtle shift from longer nights to longer days that seems to boost the creativity and inspiration. And I begin to crave more connection too. So it's the perfect time to throw a party for the pure delight of being in company with others of the same mind.

A couple of years ago, I enlisted the help of a couple of friends, and we hosted a gorgeous luncheon in the full-bloom almond orchard across the road from my house. A dozen ladies came ranging in age from nine to eighty-ish. We wore cute hats, drank tea, and played croquet. It was most charming.

Another time (later in the season) I had a few girls over for a farewell brunch for one of our friends. We talked about spiders and health and everything in-between--except people. We didn't talk about people. That's what stands out the most to me. We need more talk like that.

Back when I was 15 my mom did a thing where every month or so she invited the ladies from church whose birthdays were that month, and she and I made a special lunch for them. Each one had a different theme to go with the season. February was a dainty tea-party, March everyone got pansies to take home, May was Tex-Mex inspired salads, and July was Oregon Trail Dutch oven cooking. Those are good memories of helping Mom decorate the table and all the things.

Well enough of the reminiscing. I am going to post a few tried and true recipes perfectly suitable for this kind of occasion over the next few days, and in the meantime, here are some pictures to get you thinking.