Once upon a time, we met at a gorgeous public garden. Because one of our members is a professional gardener there, we had the entire place to ourselves.
We entered dramatically.
We got to swim here.
Then we ate here.
Everyone brought food and drink, cups and plates. Someone brought a tablecloth. Another brought a candle and matches. Another a bucket of ice. It was a like a children’s story in which everything, magically and without prior discussion, comes together perfectly.
Then we went on a walk around the grounds.
The gardener demonstrated the amazing water-repellent qualities of the lotus.
The artist was sensitive to the interplay of colors and textures everywhere she looked.
We finished the evening on a giant hilltop. We sat on couches and armchairs made of stone and wood with a carpet of low-growing flowers at our feet, watching darkness fall. Bats swooped, fireflys blinked, and stars emerged. It was utterly magical.
And we loved this book: http://www.amazon.com/History-Love-Novel-Nicole-Krauss/dp/0393328627/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217424120&sr=1-1