Lunch Out-on-the-Town

When dining out for lunch, it's always nice to have fresh, white and starched tablecloths on the tables.

 It makes a diner feel extra special.  Most upscale restaurants cater to their customers in this way. Of course, along with the nice cloths come sparkling glasses and gleaming silverware.

Now let it be said, loud and clear, that I love going out to lunch, especially when it's at a new-to-me restaurant. Always love an adventure.

Dear long-time friends invited me to dine at a restaurant called Zinc, in Lenox, a small, picturesque town in Western Massachusetts.

It was an excellent choice. The nice atmosphere added to the fun.

First of all, I loved all the floral bouquets all over.  My first inclination was to touch the flowers to see if they were all real.

They were----even in the bathroom!

There was art displayed in the bathroom, too, and it's for sale. (What a great idea!)

This one, done by Christine Jordan, a Western Mass artist, seemed reminiscent of autumn leaves.

For lunch, I chose a piece of bacon and spinach quiche with salad.  Both tasted good. The crust on the quiche, (my favorite part) , was tender and flaky.

I also had a coffee and it was dark, rich, and strong, just how I like it. 

Both of my dining companions had trout with tomatoes, capers, olives, and green beans. The dishes looked colorful and got good reviews. (Shown at top of this post).

This creme brulee with strawberries and a shortbread triangle looked sumptuous but I was very disciplined and didn't even try one smidgen.   I wanted to, though. 

What a perfectly delightful time we had, dining slowly and leisurely.  Lunches like that, I hate to see end, don't you?

Across the street from the restaurant is an antiques store.

Couldn't help going over to the window and peeking in.

After all, what self-respecting blogger would not want to share with fellow bloggers every single aspect of a perfect afternoon ?

Alas, the store was closed, but they sure had some beautiful items on display in the window. It was just my kind of shop.

WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT OUT TO LUNCH AND WHAT DID YOU HAVE?

Long-Lasting Friendship and Flowers Are Gifts To Celebrate

A dear friend of many years gifted me with a purple and white Mother's Day floral arrangement.

It came in a pink basket with green and light turquoise trim. Toting other gifts as well, this dear soul even delivered everything to our house!

Our friendship is like the long-lasting baby's breath, daisies, mums, and statice in the bouquet. 

For awhile, our lives went along totally different paths but we never lost touch.  Letters, cards, and then e-mails helped us maintain communication when we lived thousands of miles apart. 

My dear friend has survived divorce, deep disappointments in life, and breast cancer. Right now, she is battling with diabetes.   She is an amazing person with an indominable spirit. She is also kind and generous beyond belief.  She's  immensely talented, creating all kinds of gorgeous arrangements and decorations from silk flowers, for all occasions.

As for the flowers in the bouquet, one of my favorites is the daisy.  When we were kids, we plucked off petal by petal. As we did this, we thought about certain boys we liked and said, with each plucked petal, "he loves me, he loves me not."   If the last petal turned out to be a "not," I'd throw it down on the ground and start all over again!

The Greek name for baby's breath, gypsophila, means lime-loving and sure enough, this plant likes alkaline soil in which to grow.

Crysanthemums, natives of Asia, have been around for a very long time. As a matter of fact, Confucius mentioned them in his writings in 500 B.C.!  While the petals of this flower are edible, I prefer them in bouquets for their color and ability to last a long, long time---kind of like my friendship with my dear high school buddy. Both the bouquet and her continued friendship were among my best Mother's Day gifts this year!

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL FRIEND OF LONG DURATION?

From the Heart of a Friend

(This angel makes hundreds of little rainbows when the sun hits her crystals!)




One can have many acquaintances all through life but true, faithful friends are fewer and farther between.

If one has a friend in whom she can confide and be 100 percent honest with, that's a gift. A genuine friend, who loves you through good and bad times, who will be honest with you yet believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself, is a rare treasure.

Three of my dearest friends all live in Tucson, Arizona. They stuck by me during some pretty dreadful times as well as shared happiness on so many special occasions. We went out to eat together, shopped, shared holidays, and pretty much helped each other for many years. When our family moved away from the southwest, part of my heart remained with my three best buds.

I feel each of those dear women is a kindred spirit. We all still correspond either by phone, e-mail, or snail mail.

"D" and I have exchanged hundreds of cards as well throughout the years. I can't throw a single one of them away because they come from someone so special to me.

We have given each other all kinds of gifts as well. One of my all-time favorites from her is a brass angel with crystals. Placed on the kitchen window, it has some pretty "miraculous" powers. When the sun hits the crystals, hundreds of small rainbows form all over the kitchen walls and appliances. It's like being in some kind of wonderland. Of course, every time it happens, I think of my beloved friend and pray that she is well and happy.

Friendship is such great gift. We are lucky, indeed, if we have a friend to share our joy or console us if our hearts are filled with sorrow.

When a brass and crystal angel covers me with rainbows, I know how lucky I to have the friend who gave her to me!

What do you do for a friend to keep your friendship strong?