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Gas Station Picnic in New Mexico Last summer, Don and I traveled safely to see our kids. We packed our own food and sanitized picnic tables in rest stops.  But a lot of rest stops were closed down. This was one of our car picnics. It was at a gas station, with lots of Native American decor.  This is pretty disgusting. Not all picnics are lovely and healthy. But, I was hungry and I remember it tasted pretty darn good.
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August 2020 in Oregon For years I thought Don and I were the only ones who still went on picnics. Now everyone is picnicking, thanks to the pandemic.
I'm so glad we got to visit our kids on the west coast this past August. We almost got turned away at this wonderful park on the lake. They were almost at capacity. We lucked out, with our own little lakeside spot, on the gravel. The spread of food wasn't spectacular, but the view was lovely. Spending time with the 4 "kids" was the best part.
Harrison, Arkansas Don and I were driving back from Missouri, when I spotted this park from the highway. I made Don do a u-turn.  It was the slide that caught my eye! It was just like the one I remember from Grinnell, Iowa. My sister called it the Piano Slide. I have such memories of watching my brother climb to the top of the steep and slippery metal slide. I was too small and couldn't even attempt.
Oh how I wish we'd had a picnic basket packed... along with a nice cloth. That table looked bit dirty! Not First Choice Don and I tried to take our picnic to Enchanted Rock State Park. But we were turned away. We hadn't made reservations, which are required during this pandemic.  When the ranger suggested Cross Mountain Park, we headed there. The small park had brand new picnic tables, but it's hard to compete with the scenery at Enchanted Rock! The Mountain We didn't realize the park's name was due to a real cross at the top. At first that seemed odd for a public park. Why a cross in this day of diversity?  But we hiked up the trail and found the metal cross that has been standing since 1949. It replaced the old wooden one!
This little mountain overlooking the town of Fredericksburg, is full of history... Native Americans... Spanish missionaries... Easter bonfires... November Memory It's November 2020 as I write this. A year ago, we joined our dear friends (and old neighbors) in Tulsa's newest park. Gathering Place! It was a lovely day and we enjoyed every moment.  I'm so grateful for that visit. In a year things have changed. We are of course dealing with pandemics in our different states. And the four of us are expecting our baby grand daughters! Oh how I wish our families lived across the street from each other now!
Another Missouri Gravel Bar Picnic I can't believe I found another! Look at my 2 brothers and my dear mom, hanging out near the Current River, in Missouri!  This was probably around 1978. Looks like the photo is reversed, since the Diet Pepsi on my can is backwards. I spy some Grey Poupon and a tomato, and some other sandwich fixings. And yes! There's the fabulous Styrofoam cooler, covered in my younger bro's cartoon drawings.
Oh I miss our wonderful picnics! Missouri Hillbillies I found this, when I went through old slides from the 1970's. I remember picnicking with my brother and his two friends in Missouri.  I recognize the Styrofoam cooler, covered in cartoon drawings. My brother decorated the grubby thing, with a ballpoint pen. I see a bag of Lays and pop bottle and lots of junk. Missouri rivers are beautiful, but this image makes me laugh. We look like a little bunch of hillbillies, just relaxing by a pond!
McGovern Plates I was thrilled when I found this old slide! I remember the picnic well. It was 1972 and our family was visiting the Betts family, in Kentucky.  Mrs, Betts was an amazing cook, but I remember we kids did not appreciate her cold cucumber soup. We made fun of the chilled soup, but devoured her sandwiches, made with her homemade sour dough bread.
What I don't remember is that our family station wagon had a campaign plate on the front bumper. That year, George McGovern lost to Nixon in one of the biggest landslides in U.S. history. Since today is Election Day in 2020, I'll share this picnic memory. I hope we voted for a winner in this year's election! |
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
February 2025
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