Tuesday, June 18, 2013

INTERNATIONAL PICNIC DAY 2013



By Diane Forrest

When my son was young, my mother would occasionally take a pack lunch and take him down to the Mississippi River, where they would play, watch the boats rolling by and eat a sandwich or two.

Today is a good day not to cook.  It's International Picnic Day.  A day to pack a lunch in a basket, grab a blanket, head to the nearest large oak tree with lots of shade.  Make a few sandwiches, or some cold fried chicken.  Invite some friend and grab a quick lunch and relax and talk about the weekend, before heading back to work.

This style of dining is thought to originate from the French word, Pique-nique - Piquire meaning to pick at food and unique - something small of no value. Many historians believe that picnics date back to Medieval feasts that would occur after village hunters had a successful kill.

When I was younger, my grandmother would take me to the zoo, and pack up a basket full of food.  We would walk around and see all the animals, then go outside the gate where there was a little pond.  We would spread out our blanket and dig into the sandwiches, chips cookies and fruit that she brought.  We would eat until we were stuffed, then laid back and listened as she read stories to us…well until we fell asleep that is.

Having a picnic is just a nice way to break away from the hustle and bustle of the office, and traffic, and noises and other people, and just have a little while to gather your thoughts and breath fresh air and listen to the sounds of nature. You can even kick off your shoes and walk barefoot in the grass.  If it is raining, and you can't get out today, try watching the movie Pretty Women, where she takes Edward out on a picnic, then try to go out on one another day.

(Photos from Google) 

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