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June 2013 Near the historic downtown in Salida, there are a few tables beside the Arkansas River where you can enjoy a sandwich and watch the kayakers shoot under the bridge.  Don took this windblown picture of me just before a young man on his lunch break asked if we could share our table. We were glad to share on such a lovely day. We ended up sharing a bit more of the table when the young man's 7 coworkers ended up joining him! I wish they had been in the sharing mood themselves. They had carryout boxes of sushi and pad Thai. We had peanut butter and jelly!
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June 2004, near Kerrville, TX During a road trip with my 17 year old daughter we tried to squeeze in as many stops for Scrabble as possible.  In this photo we were taking a break from the nearby Kerrville Folk Festival, which had left us dusty and drained. We picked up some apple cobbler at the roadside Apple House and had just settled into a game of Scrabble when we heard an amusing sound, "AAOOGAH!"
New to Florida! My silly expression seems to reveal just how excited I was to be picnicking beside the river I had sung about for nearly all of my 10 years.  We had just moved to Tallahassee from Grinnell, Iowa and I was giddy over this new world I was experiencing. We had Spanish moss and palm trees. We had air-conditioning! (Not to mention a dishwasher and disposal for the first time!) And best of all there were beaches we could visit on the weekend! This was probably my first picnic in Florida.
Sandwich on a Rock Two years ago Don and I packed sandwiches to take on a hike to Rubicon Lighthouse overlooking Lake Tahoe.  We knew it was 5 miles UP to get to the lighthouse, but the weather was beautiful. I was actually pretty excited to see this mystery lighthouse that only worked for about a year. When we dragged ourselves over the boulder and laid eyes on the funny wooden structure we both burst out laughing. It looked like an outhouse! A total of 10 miles we hiked to see this funny thing. But we were famished and our PB & Js never tasted so good!
Big Bend National Park in April 2011 It's obvious what was memorable about this picnic. How often do you get the chance to have a picnic in a teepee? Don and I had just spent a few days in west Texas, camping in temperatures above 100 degrees.  We wanted to stop for sandwiches on our drive between Big Bend and Marfa, but knew it would be too hot. When we spotted this crazy roadside spot, we couldn't resist! Inside the strange metallic structure it was surprisingly cool!
St. Louis on the Riverfront! It wasn't easy getting there! Our group of 8 lugged a cooler on the jammed Metro and rumbled over cobblestones to find our spot in the grass overlooking the Mississippi River.  We swatted mosquitoes until we were able to swap a couple beers for a few sprays from a nearby picnicker's can of Off. We miraculously met up with my sister and nephew in the crowds and settled our group of 10 on the blanket, to watch the amazing show blasted into the air from barges below. I think there was also music, but more memorable than that was the sound of the booms and blasts ricocheting off the city buildings... and the colorful lights reflecting off the Arch! Ahhh! Picnics on the Fourth!
1985? I love the details in these old photos and how they jog the memory! My grandmother's corsage tells me it was Mother's Day.  I can tell that Mom and I both contributed to the feast because I see my Hadley china and Mom's coffee thermos. What's in the Corning-ware? I see the top of the 3-pronged cane, so this was before Daw's walker. I chuckle to see Mom's pack of cigarettes... before she quit smoking in 1986. But who provided the tiny clay basket with wildflowers? Daw and Mom look so happy and relaxed.
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Mom's Picnic List
In honor of my mother on the first Mother's Day since she has passed, I dedicate a new list... Mom's Picnic List!
Mom loved picnics and she raised her kids to appreciate the simple pleasures of food, family and friends in the great out of doors. My Plan I will spend a year reflecting on as many past picnics as I can remember. But, I'll also appreciate the here and now by creating new picnic experiences. My goal is to share at least 60 picnic memories, since that's how many years Mom was a mom! Let the picnics begin! Archives
May 2023
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