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Today was a nourishment-filled day! The occasion was our annual church picnic, held each spring at the home of a dear friend who lives in the middle of an orange grove in a tiny town nearby. As with most good picnics, this one was pot-luck (truly pot-luck, as we hate being over-organized and don’t plan out the dishes ahead of time); there was a wonderful variety of food, including made-from-scratch chocolate cake and warm pasta salad with potatoes.

So often at church, even with coffee hour afterwards, there isn’t really time to have deep conversations. But today our group of twenty or so had the luxury of sitting and chatting for ages over delicious food with compatible companions. The conversational groupings ebbed and flowed as people moved from inside the house to outside and back again. Even Mother Nature cooperated. Hummingbirds visited the feeder constantly; the dog was gentle and child-friendly; and the children contentedly munched on watermelon, strawberries, and oranges fresh from the tree while exploring previously unvisited territory.

We headed home refreshed by the time spent with friends and away from electronics and phones. And rather than being tired out by preparing for her visitors, our hostess wondered aloud whether we should do this again in the fall. Yes, please!