We weren't traveling with tons of food options, but we scraped together enough to call it a picnic.

​Minutes Before

We had planned on spending 2 nights in one of the North Rim's cabins. But after arriving, we were told all reservations were cancelled. The park was turning all guests away, due to a power outage.

​(click to enlarge)

Very frustrating! But at least we got to peek around inside and take in the view around the lodge.

Not Ideal

Our food feast was not ideal. Our table did not have an ideal view. I wasn't feeling ideal, since I'd been sick a couple days.

But, I'm so grateful we had our picnic and made a mini-memory at the North Rim! Just over a month later, we were shocked to hear that forest fires destroyed the lodge and other buildings at the North Rim. 

These photos suddenly look very sad to me.
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I've probably had about 15 Mother's Day picnics over the years. This year, Don and I celebrated with a  breakfast Picnic in Sacramento's Curtis Park.

​Breakfast Picnic

My mom was big on breakfast picnics... and it was a beautiful morning.

We brought coffee and breakfast sandwiches and pastries. I wore my hat from my son and daughter-in-law.

.I grabbed a few flowers from the arrangement my daughter and son-in-law had sent. And  yep, we played a little backgammon too!

Part 2

A few hours later we returned to the same park and table.

This time we had sandwiches and a pup with us! We had offered to babysat Lola while our son and daughter-in-law introduced family to their 11 day old baby girl!

Picnic Drama!

We'll visit the little family later this evening, but it won't be for a 3rd picnic. 

Don and Lola and I are picnicked out! The wind picked up and wind gusts sent dirt and pollen swirling. The park was filled with sneezing! And that's not the worst,.. A few large branches from a nearby sycamore came crashing down... more than once!

Gotta love a picnic with lots of drama!
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My grandmother Daw sits between us. Daw must have been in her seventies. She never wore a pair of slacks in her life. There she is, sitting properly in her dress, on the blanket. She looks happy.
Why is my back to Daw? I adored her!

I don't think I've ever had a picnic on Christmas, or Christmas Eve. Ever.

We had hoped to plan a bigger picnic with coolers and sandwiches and games and balls... but this little girl was a tiny bit sick. 

We made it a short, fast food picnic and it was mighty nice after all. Our little sick girl gave us a silly smile of approval.
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Don and I drove from Texas, with everything we'd need for a few days. Our hotel room opened directly to outside. We wore masks in the car with Dad.

More Than Food

We had promised the facility director that we would be very safe with Dad. The masks came off with eating. Then it felt safe to keep them off as we sat outside on that lovely fall day.

After months of daily phone conversations, it was nice to get caught up in person. When we tired of talking, we had books and scrapbooks and photos of Dad's great granddaughter.

For a few hours, it felt like there was no pandemic. We were able to forget. And after months of calls on a landline, I could finally see Dad's face and know that he actually looked very well!

I remember not wanting that picnic to end. Yet we had 2 more picnics planned for the next 2 days!  :)
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We pulled out a beach towel and ate our ​sandwiches and chips. Pine trees and mountains on one side. Parking lot and mountains on the other.

​Even Better

I wandered just  bit after we finished and found this stunning view.

There was history on a nearby plaque. But I can't remember what I read.

I just remember thinking how wonderful it would be to wake up every day to this view!
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We could grab breakfast and coffee from our hotel and eat, with a view of the tracks and mountains and river! 

But it was pouring when we woke the next morning. I was crushed, to miss out. Then I remembered the mini picnic shelters we'd seen in town. Each was a canvas for a different artist!

I'd taken photos the day before and was charmed by the sweet idea. I'm glad I got photos, because we gave up on crossing the street that morning.  The mixture of rain and wind kept us inside. 

Maybe next time!
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And then we found the most curious boxy picnic table!

The sun was intense, but the table was tucked inside a little shelter.

I cannot pass up a perfect picnic spot. But we had no picnic! So we pulled a can of Pringles out of our travel bag. Some water. Yep! That makes a picnic. We munched and slurped in the shade!

After our nutritious snack-meal, we walked across the bridge and enjoyed the view.

A happy memory from 2022! 
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We had fond memories of this park and view. But our favorite marble picnic tables were all in use. We had to settle for a good old fashioned wooden picnic table.

But how could we complain? Look at the view!
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We chose a park picnic over a cafe lunch. We chose a bench over a table. That's because we needed some shade. We ate our sandwiches and watched the flag rippling above us. A good breeze!

But the real memory of our tiny picnic, was at the playground. I found an old merry-go-round, with its bright colors and an odd dusting of pebbles. I got the thing spinning and hopped on for a ride. 

I love picnics because they make me think of good times in the past. Our Corsicana picnic brought back memories of this wonderful merry-go-round fun, 57 years ago in Grinnell, Iowa. I wish I could ride again with my siblings.
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My mother and I both loved picnics, so there have been many. 

​​But this is the first I recall, that involved rain. Luckily Don and I found a picnic shelter at Sugar Land Memorial Park.

And I really loved posing with this sweet gator statue. ​

It was a nice reminder of last year's Mother's Day! I didn't go on a picnic a year ago, but I did see a REAL gator on my special day! It was just about the size of this statue and it was being "rescued" from the lake, right behind our house! 
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After Dad's celebration weekend, Don and I headed off on a brief Rt 66 roadtrip. What hoot to discover this fun rest stop, after picking up some "picnic" foods. Don posed with the retro sign. I posed with the phones near the restrooms!

Choosing a Shelter

On a Tuesday in September, we had our choice of all the picnic shelters! 

We could have dined at one of 2 little "gas stations".  Or we could have eaten our meal at Floyd's Barber Shop.

It was fun seeing the "Meramec Caverns" ad, painted on the roof of one shelter. We'd already spotted many barn roofs on our drive, with that same lettering.

Doug's Diner

I can't remember why we chose Doug's Diner. Maybe we thought it said Don's at first.

Or maybe we liked the glass block. Not sure.

Placemats

We had no tablecloth, but we did have laminated placemats made by my cousin. They were used at Dad's party and each mat showed Dad and the Meyer family tree.

What a fun little Missouri picnic, dining with all faces of my Missouri relatives smiling up from the table.

Sweet memory.
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We did not enjoy the entertainment of any bears. A sign on our picnic table warned us of the possibilities. That could have added to the memory!

That's okay. An hour before, Christy and Alan drove us through the most stunning scenery where we saw hundreds of buffalo. If only we'd found a picnic table in that setting!
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The rest stop just happened to have spotlight on the lava formations that happen to make the Idaho soil perfect for growing potatoes! I wanted to eat my potato, at a table next to the lava... but it was too sunny. I ate in the shelter as the trucks rumbled by! Don waited patiently. He doesn't love potatoes.

My first solo-potato-eating-picnic!
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That meant we could sit a spell and call this a coffee picnic!

Salado Creek

The day before, I spotted the stone tables near our hotel. 

It was 99 degrees and there were lots of families enjoying the creek.

Salado Creek was quiet the next morning. I'm so glad we got to sit at the table and enjoy this view!

We met at Pecan Park on a gorgeous day. The pecan trees had no leaves, so we had no shade. But the temps felt ideal. We sat at the picnic table and talked for 90 minutes.

Feeling just a tiny bit warm, we picked up our basket and cloth and headed for shade. We sat in chairs near the bandstand and another 90 minutes passed.

We sipped on water and at one point I pulled out a sandwich and nibbled. But mostly, the food was forgotten. Sometimes the talk is so much better than the food. The food in the basket was there, "if needed". Just like carrying an umbrella. But today's picnic was all about being together and catching up with a good friend. The very best kind of picnic!
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After checking into our Tiki-decorated motel room, our host insisted we get ourselves on down to Chuck's Seafood Market. He handed us a cutting board and knife and told us to get going. Rik told us just what to buy and said we needed take our purchase to a beach and enjoy it with a bottle of wine.

We did as told. We bought oyster sticks and octopus jerky and lots of other goodies that the locals all adore. I'm pictured with a salmon fin and Don is enjoying smoked salmon stick! It was odd and wonderful!
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But last August, the temps were cool and the trees were shady, in the Portland Park.

We gathered with family and food. It's been a long time since I've been on a picnic with little ones!

Yay for Summer Picnics with family!
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We had planned to eat while driving, but then we stumbled across the Wild Cat Bridge!

It's not everyday that you just happen to spot a covered bridge, from 1925! We pulled over and had our sandwiches on the bridge, above the creek! 

Perfect!
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We chatted a little, with the couple at the other table. That felt odd and wonderful, after over a year of pandemic caution. Like us, the other couple were on a road trip. We swapped a few stories about the woes of pandemic travel. It was a nice and curious encounter. 
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