Thursday, June 18, 2009

Mad Hatter's Garden Brunch and Tea Party

We have been prepping the last several days for a special event tomorrow morning: 9:30 a.m., some of the neighborhood ladies are arriving for a Mad Hatter's Garden Brunch and Tea Party. Cost of admission: they must wear a hat which they have decorated and befitting the theme.

Amazing how many more weeds have grown since we mulched several weeks ago, and of course, the deadheading is never ending.

I have made signs, tags for the entrees, and prepared as much of the food as possible: dough for Quiche crusts; grapes have been washed; whole bran muffins with apples have been baked and refrigerated; linens, plates, silverware, serving dishes, tea pots, cups and an assortment of teas... are all lined up on the counter.

There are many places we enjoy around the garden, areas to pause, sit down, enter, inhale, reflect, and thus, we have placed various signs accordingly so the ladies have fun in the garden: Please, do sit down... Please, do come inside... Please, do sit down.

Posted in several places is "You must have a cup of tea", and under the tent and upon the dining table: "You must have a cup of tea" and "Drink up, drink up. Move down, move down."

Flowers were cut this morning and arranged in an assortment of vases for around the garden: in the gazebo, our dining tent, the seating area in front of the pond, and in B's Tea Room. Oh, I haven't told you about that yet. Remind me to post on that next week.

Fresh lavender 'Hidcote Blue' (my favorite) was cut and bound with a tiny maroon bow for each of the ladies, plus a small floral notepad I happened upon for each to carry away.

And there must be a prize for the best hat! Hmm. I think it best to have the ladies vote on that.

So I'm off to the kitchen to do a few more things, but tomorrow morning, the food will be freshly prepared. What might I have forgotten? Oh, no one will ever know, and we'll have so much fun. I am looking forward to it.