As I am a current supporter of the Dakin Humane Society, I’m on their mailing lists and recently received an invitation to Mutts and Mimosas, a benefit brunch to be held today at an orchard in Whately. I’d like to go, I thought to myself, and called a friend to ask if she’d be interested; it turned out she was already signed up, so I said I’d meet her there.
My Garmin was useless when it came to locating Quonquont Farm in Whately, but after at least three wrong turns, I managed to find the place and arrived at the venue shortly after 11 this morning. It turned out to be such a lovely day, warm and sunny. Many guests sat outside, under this big tent:
I checked in at the entrance, donated some cat food, then wandered around looking for my friend and her party. I found them indoors enjoying a wonderful repast, so I quickly got myself a mimosa (champagne is one of my favorite wines) and a plate from the buffet and joined them at their table. A musical group, Banish Misfortune, entertained us while we ate. The brunch was catered by Seth Mias, and floral arrangements on the tables were from Forget-Me-Not Florist.
Outside on the patio, the silent auction and raffle items were displayed:
And of course, the dogs enjoyed meeting each other:
Around noon, my friend and her party wanted to walk in the apple orchard, so I tagged along (we missed the welcome and remarks from Leslie Harris):
On our way back to the event for the close of the raffle and silent auction, we stopped at the farmstand store and each bought a peck of apples; there were lots of varieties to choose from: Gala, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Empire.
Guests could have souvenir photos taken (photo booth service was provided by StarView Events):
My friend’s dog, a border collie, is a service animal, but he was not working today. Instead, it was a day to celebrate dogs for the wonderful companionship they provide, and to support Dakin, “a community supported animal welfare organization that provides shelter, medical care, spay/neuter services, and behavioral rehabilitation for more than 20,000 animals each year.” Dakin is one of the most recognized nonprofit organizations in the Pioneer Valley and a national leader in animal welfare. This year marked the third annual Mutts and Mimosas event, and I will look forward to attending it again next year.