One beautiful summer morning, two lovebirds flew side-by-side in the hazy light of the new day. As they swooped down over a garden, sparkling with morning dew, they happened upon a patch of fresh red strawberries.

"I love strawberries," said the male to his mate.

"I love strawberries too," said the female. The two began pecking at the sweet berries.

"And I love you," said the male.

"How long will you love me?" the female asked.

"I loved you then," said the male as he pecked a strawberry. "I love you now," he continued, pecking more strawberries. "And I'll love you forever. How long will you love me?"

"I loved you then," she said as she pecked a strawberry. "I love you now..... And I'll love you forever. That's how much I love you," she said, pecking strawberries all the while.

When they had their fill of strawberries, they fluttered over to one another, shared a kiss, and took flight into the sky.

Shortly thereafter, the owner of the garden came by to pick his strawberry patch. Because the spots where the lovebirds had pecked the strawberries were so small, he didn't even notice them and picked those strawberries along with the others. He brought them to the house, where his wife promptly made a pie out of them.

That night, following supper, the man and wife sat quietly on their porch swing and enjoyed a piece of the pie. Although they had always been generally fond of one another, they rarely expressed feelings of deep and abiding love. However, upon finishing the piece of pie, they were suddenly struck with a feeling that was deeper and sweeter than they had ever felt. The man asked his wife to a dance.

As they swayed under the stars and among the evening fireflies, they gazed into one another's eyes. "How long will you love me?" asked the wife.

"I loved you then," said the man. "I love you now," he continued. As he twirled her under his arm, he finished, "And I'll love you forever."

The wife swooned. "And I..." she said. "I loved you then, and I love you now." She moved closer to her husband, and just before she placed her strawberry red lips on his, she whispered, "And I will love you forever."

The husband and wife never knew what it was that captured their hearts that night and deepened their love for one another, but from that day forth, they shared a dance every evening and repeated those words to one another.

As long as the strawberry patch lasted each summer, the wife would make the pie over and over and share it with her friends and neighbors. Over time, the love around them grew and grew. Eventually, the man noticed how they lived in a community filled with love.

One day while picking his strawberry patch, a pair of lovebirds landed at the far end and began to peck at his berries. The man watched them eat and sing songs to one another and flutter their wings. It reminded him of his wife and the dance they shared the night they first shared a piece of the strawberry pie.

He went to the house, where the wife was making a pie to take to the local church auction. After giving her a peck on the cheek he sat down at the table. "You know," he said, "I think that since you make this pie so often for our friends and family, it should have a name."

"What a good idea," said the wife.

"I think we should call it 'Lovebird' pie," said the man.

"That sounds lovely," said the wife. That's how 'Lovebird Pie' came to be.

The moral of the story is this: Life is sweet. Eat it up when you can. Love is contagious. Spread it around.

Up next... The recipe!