People have been going on picnics for a long time! The opportunity to get into the beauty of the outdoors and relax over simple foods and drinks has a special draw to it. Maybe it’s the change in routine or the fun of games and conversation with family and friends. Or maybe the attractive part is just being away from the responsibilities of work and home.
Disconnecting, even if only for an hour or two, is often refreshing enough to make the rest of the week a more positive experience. I mean who doesn’t benefit from a slice of watermelon and a round of Kan Jam. What’s your favorite picnic memory?
Of course, not every picnic is memorable for good reasons. As a kid, I had a nightmare of a picnic experience that I’ll never forget. My Grandma Dea took me on a picnic when my brother was born, and I haven’t viewed picnics the same since. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and red Kool Aid were on the menu. I was young, so I’m sure I don’t remember these events perfectly, but I have 2 images burned into my mind.
Image 1: I remember sitting at a picnic table in the park on a sunny day without a care in the world. My peanut butter and jelly was actually peanut butter and applesauce sandwich. My mom always said that was a special way to do it. I think special meant cheap, but either way, I loved it.
The first image is this. I had taken my first bite and turned to show grandma that I needed my Kool Aid cup filled up, only to see her running with the pitcher away from the table and dumping that sweet nectar into the grass. WHAT!%$#? “Grandma, I’m thirsty!” I figured out why, a few seconds later when I started getting stung by bees! We both took off running towards the lakeshore.
Image 2: Well, grandma figured there was no better way to forget these bees than to go for a walk out on the pier. It had started out a beautiful day in Michigan and Lake Hurons calm breezes and an opportunity to skip some stones across the water would help me forget my encounter with the bees. Maybe we could at least finish our sandwiches as we sat on the boulders overlooking the harbor.
Unfortunately, I was one bite into my sandwich again when fishermen along the docks started yelling, “TAKE COVER!” The second image I have ingrained in me forever is of a waterspout! That’s a tornado on the water for all you land lovers out there! It was tall and thin and looked like a giant Bugle (the snack not the instrument) coming out of the clouds and touching the water. The wind picked up whipping gravel and sand around and picnic #2 ended in a mad dash back to our home. We survived but we were a little hungry.
You can’t control everything about your picnic experience. Here’s hoping your picnic goes better than mine! We know rain, bees, and twisters are all out of your control, but, if you are wondering what steps you can take to ensure an awesome picnic then here are a few picnic tips you’ll want to consider.
