The old adage “April showers bring May flowers” rang true throughout my childhood in Seattle. After months and months and MONTHS of rain, May would finally offer reprise in the form of sunshine and blossoming flowers.  Suddenly the Pacific Northwest was the most beautiful place in the world and all of us who that made it through the winter felt a sense of hope that we had lost somewhere around the fortieth consecutive day of rain.  Sunny days had come again and a beautiful Northwest summer was within reach.

I take for granted the fact that most every day in Southern California brings sunshine and warmth. There is never much of a changing of season and April rolled into May unceremoniously.  And you know what?  I miss the collective sense of excitement and hope that comes when you don’t take springtime as a given.

This May I’m dreaming of colorful flurries of flowers blooming seemingly overnight.  I’m dreaming of long Northwest evenings when the sun doesn’t set before 9 PM.  I’m dreaming of picnics by the lake and garden parties and Sunday brunches.  So today I hope you’ll indulge me in my nostalgia and fawn over some gorgeous tablescapes that epitomize the very essence of the month of May to me.

I adore this perfectly imperfect table runner. It would be as gorgeous on a brunch table as it would on a wedding table.

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