Picnic for Two

Happy Monday everyone. I am so glad you are here today because I am sharing a few simple tips on putting together an effortless picnic for two!  

This weekend we found ourselves spending another Saturday morning running a never ending list of errands. I really wanted relax and slow down this weekend.

After finishing up at the Farmer’s Market we were headed to the grocery store when I mentioned to Tim that I would love to pack up a picnic for two and head to the park for awhile.

I got this gorgeous picnic basket for my 50th birthday last October. I finally decided it was time to cut the tags off and put it to use.  It is designed especially for a picnic for two, with two plates, wine glasses, sets of cutlery, and napkins.  A table cloth and salt and pepper shakers complete the basket.  

I have never seen a picnic basket quite like this one before. It is round like a barrel and has lots of extra room for packing your goodies!

By the time we entered the grocery store, I had talked myself out of the idea of a picnic.  I told myself I really did have too much to do.  I didn’t really have any real picnic food at home (and not much left in the grocery budget to add much to my list). Besides I just didn’t feel like prepping anything fancy.  

I stood in the bakery section silently arguing with myself as to why (and why not) we should just go on the darn picnic.  Finally I said to myself “enough already, why am I making this so complicated”, we are going on a picnic. I grabbed a package of mini croissants, and headed for the checkout.

At home I whipped up some cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches.  They are really easy, and using croissants make them a step up from a plain old sandwich.  I had whipped chive flavoured cream cheese, which was delicious with the English cucumbers I had picked up at the market.

Another easy picnic idea is to take along a block of cheese and a few crackers.  I had a block of garlic and herb Havarti and some mini vegetable crackers, but any kind of cheese or crackers you have on hand would work.  The idea is to make it simple.  

A simple dessert of fresh fruit and raspberry and cream pastries make for a yummy dessert.  The pastries are easy and fast.  I used the same method for my Salted Caramel Pastries, but switched out the caramel for seedless raspberry jam!

 

Using mason jars for your beverages makes transporting them easy and spill proof.  We brought along some icy lemonade.  An ice pack at the bottom of the picnic basket kept everything cold, even though we don’t have far to get to the park!

A stop along the way to pick up a pretty sunflower bouquet made my day!

Given it was a Saturday afternoon in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the park was full of people.  We were lucky to get a picnic table in the shade of a big tree.  There was a cool breeze under the tree that made me want to stay all day!

Later in the evening at 8:30, like so many other Canadians, we attended a party to watch what is likely the very last concert the Tragically Hip will ever play.  

I won’t go into detail (This Washington Post article will explain the significance), but suffice it to say I was so glad I decided on our picnic for two today, and I will be taking a lot more time to slow down and live in the moment from now on!

This IS our lives.  What will you do to make the most of your life today?

Until next time….