I bought the pears because they looked beautiful. There wasn’t a recipe in mind, or anyone coming over. Just a bowl on the counter that had been empty for a few days.
By lunchtime, they were on the table with bread, a little cheese, and the plates we use every day. I cut a branch for a vase. It took less time than looking for my phone.
The everyday things
I used to think of setting a table as something you did for other people. Now I like the idea that a small lunch can deserve it too. A cloth, a proper glass, something fresh. It doesn’t need to become a project.
The nicest rooms I know make it easy to live in them. The good bowls are within reach. There is somewhere to put a book. Nothing feels too precious to touch.
Sometimes the occasion is simply that we’re here.
We lingered a little longer than usual. The pears were very good.
