Postcards from the Picnic

Oh no! Time is running out. There is only one week left in July. July is National Picnic Month. Have you had a picnic yet? 

Perhaps, like me, you’re not quite sure how you feel about picnics. As with most things in this life, I’m enamored with the idea of a picnic. It sounds so lovely. Perfectly prepared food eaten in a picturesque setting while pleasantly conversing with your partner. 🧺 🥰  What’s not to love? 

My real life experiences have fallen somewhat short of this idyllic mark. 🤨

There was the time I carefully packed all the ingredients for a delightful picnic with Mr. Murphy (we were just dating at the time and I was wanting it to be magical 💫 😊) We had quite a drive to our enchanted picnic location so I decided to assemble the sandwiches upon arrival in an effort to avoid soggy bread. 😝 When we arrived I was horrified to discover I had remembered the meat and the bread but had forgotten the condiments and toppings! Ever the gentleman, Mr. Murphy ate his unadorned lunch without complaint and simply asked for “Another plain, meat sandwich, please.” 🤦🏼‍♀️

Oh, and there was that time when we packed our picnic lunch and headed to the ocean during our college spring break trip to Myrtle Beach. We had just laid out our chairs and towels and I innocently asked, “Do you want to swim first or shall we open the picnic?” Right at that moment, the life guard sprinted by blowing his whistle and shouting, “Shark!! Everybody out of the water!! Shark!! Out of the water immediately!!” 🦈 

“Perhaps we should eat first,” was Mr. Murphy’s droll reply. 🙄

I can recall many other disappointing picnic experiences over the course of my life, mostly having to do with the food getting invaded by ants 🐜 and bees 🐝, the people getting eaten alive by mosquitoes 🦟 and my perfectly planned food not traveling well and ending up in an unappealing mess in the picnic basket. 

I don’t know why I keep trying. 🤷‍♀️  If literature has taught me anything it’s that most picnics are rarely...well...picnics! 📚 🧺 😱

• Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay. Set in an Australian girl’s school in 1900, the pupils go on a picnic and three of the school girls disappear all thanks to some creepy rock formation.
• Emma by Jane Austin. Emma humiliates Miss Bates and everyone marinates in an awkward tension. Later, Mr. Knightly scolds Emma and everybody’s crabby. 
• Enduring Love by Ian McWan. The picnic is abandoned due to a freak hot air balloon accident that haunts the picnicker and basically ruins his life. 

It is the truly wise person who learns from the experiences of others, even that song Teddy Bears’ Picnic has always kind of freaked me out a little. 🐻 🧺 😦 

Well, if you are willing to risk it, despite my ample warnings, I encourage you to celebrate National Picnic Month this week. Be sure and send me a letter or postcard! I want to read all about it!! (From the comfort of my own home😉)

Go Postal People!

XOXO, 

Mrs. Murphy

It’s lovely out in the woods today, but safer to stay at home... 🎶 🐻

(see what I mean?)