Spring Picnic

It is supposed to be sunny and 80 today. Not sure it is going to be either but still it is definitely 70's and partly sunny so a picnic is in order. Adding to the need is the fact that my mom found a cute antique picnic basket at a thrift store which she thought I would love and gave me. She was right. I am delirious over it.

I have friends who say they feel they were born in the wrong era because they so love the nostalgia of the past, the chivalry, dress, formality of the past. While I also love those things, every time they say that all I can think is of the practicality of that thought. No indoor plumbing, no blow dryer, no daily (Ok semi-weekly) showers, no modern conveniences in the kitchen or laundry room and as a woman no rights and likely a life lived in poverty. We all want to think we would have maids but the fact is we would probably all be maids. So I am very glad to be born in this era and instead collect and enjoy pieces that elicit the ideas and feelings of those days in which life revolved more around family and friends and the pace was a little slower.

I thought about that as I packed a lunch. Actually I think of Carolyn Ingells, I think those of us who grew up with "Little House on the Prairie" all see her as the epitome of the perfect mother and homemaker of the past. As I packed I thought of all she had to do in a day. Certainly if she didn't "feel" like making dinner her husband couldn't pick up take out on the way home. She had to plan and prepare and she worked hard. Yet I imagine she did have time to pack a picnic on a lovely spring afternoon. What I was struck by was that likely as she went off to picnic in the meadow down the road she was present with her children during that time. She probably didn't take her cell phone and a magazine to chat with friends or flip through pictures while her children went off. That was likely a time she was interacting with her children and letting the business of home responsibilities fall aside for a little while.

I spend alot of the day pushing Isabelle aside to get my "work" done. Sometimes actual homemaking, laundry, food prep, cleaning, bill paying,etc. but sometimes facebook, blog writing, emailing, magazine reading and just plain hiding from the responsibilities of my life. While I can't avoid the fact that tasks do need to be done I can occasionally step out of the business of my life and be present with my daughter for a picnic at the park.

Now in all honesty, despite these deep thoughts as I was making lunch I still brought my cell phone with and even answered a call from my SIL. However, if I hadn't taken it there would be no pictures to post and share with all of you. Further evidence that I really cannot live without a cell phone in my life anymore and just another reason I am glad to live in this era.



OK if any of you are antique experts, it might be an old sewing basket but it worked perfectly for our picnic.