July is National Picnic Month, So It is Time for a Picnic!

 

July is National Picnic Month, so I thought I'd share this post with you today. When my grands were younger they enjoyed picnics - if the children you love enjoy them as well, consider making plans for a tasty time together before school begins. Gather the ones you love, decide on a menu, make a shopping list, prepare food together, and choose the location for your picnic - be sure to bring your camera!

So, since this post is about picnics, I thought it would be fun today to share some "picnic" info with you! Did you know . . . 

• Picnics are often family-oriented but can also be an intimate occasion between two people, or a large get-together such as company picnics and church picnics. It is also sometimes combined with a cookout, usually a form of barbecue; either grilling, braising, baking, or a combination of all of the above
• In Ancient times, a picnic was a symbol of strength and prosperity
• When the picnic is not a cookout, the food eaten is rarely hot, instead taking the form of deli sandwiches, finger food, fresh fruit, salad, cold meats, and accompanied by chilled wine, champagne, or soft drinks
• A teddy bears' picnic is a party for young children which involves a meal where children are invited to bring their teddy bears
• The earliest picnics in England were medieval hunting feasts

What is your favorite place to have a picnic - mine is in Dunsmuir, California at the place where the Sacramento River begins - up in the mountains! So beautiful! We often went on picnics there with our children when they were young.

Now we live in Michigan and one picnic stands out in my memory which we had several years ago when my youngest grand was just one year old. The family gathered at a nearby park for our picnic - my son brought their one year old puppy with them, Gimli. While we were all eating our supper, Gimli took food from the youngest grand's hand - Gimli was gentle, but he did steal food. My son told Gimli not to steal food from the baby - Gimli put his head down and looked sad. My one year old grand looked at his dad, then at Gimli and held out food to Gimli with a huge smile on his little adorable face. Gimli perked up and happily, and very gently took the food - it wasn't stealing from the baby if the baby was willingly giving it to him!

It makes me smile all over again remembering this picnic from twelve years ago!

What picnic memories do you have with your children and/or grandchildren?