fall picnic: a movable feast

Fall is the perfect time of year for a picnic...
enjoying an alfresco meal that is elegant and fancy, plain and simple, or somewhere in the middle.
Keeping basic elements needed for a picnic ready to go in a basket or tote
makes it easy to enjoy a last-minute trip
to enjoy sunset on the beach or a temperate day at the local park...
Don't let the fact that summer is over keep you inside!

...continue reading to see just how easy it can be to create a Movable Feast!

Packed up into a large woven tote and a big wire basket,
this movable feast was easy to transport everything from car to a grassy park in one trip...

it's not a massive meal, just a tasty repast of bread, fruit, cheese, wine, and water.
( oh, and some homemade, hand-cranked ice cream for dessert! )

Just add an iPod with music, a classic book of poetry, and someone special
for a perfectly relaxing Autumn afternoon...
in the park, at the beach, in the mountains, or even in your own backyard garden.
  

How to Create a Movable Feast: 

* The dishes nestle into a lined basket for transport,
while a small galvanized bucket holds flatware.

* Vintage galvanized cookie boxes hold bread, fruit and cheese.

* A 'new but looks old' galvanized napkin holder fits right into the look.

* Tumblers work far better than stemmed glasses for wine
(steadier on rough tables, and oh so European!)

* Water is presented in re-used glass soda bottles instead of plastic.

* Galvanized candle lanterns hold citronella candles to ward off pests.

* That little vintage galvanized ice cream maker is one of my prize possessions.
but it's just as easy to fill the cylinder with store-bought gourmet sorbet or ice cream, 
and pack the bucket full of salted ice to keep it cold - AND keep your secret!

* A simple canvas painter's tarp serves as a sturdy tablecloth -
and can come off to lay on the ground for an afternoon nap, as well...

There's something really special about this tablescape... it's the dishes.
They ARE vintage, but aren't fancy or precious or particularly valuable. Just sentimental.

 These melamine plates and bowls from a grocery store promotion in the sixties
feature seasonal-themed artwork by Currier and Ives, with a pretty floral border in brown + gold tones.
That border makes it perfect for a fall color scheme...
but I chose to use the dishes because for over 45 years,
these dishes have been known as 'the picnic dishes' in my family.

They belonged to my Grandma Ward, and she brought them out for every camping trip and picnic.
She kept them in her truck camper's 'kitchen box', and then in their little Shasta travel trailer.
During my childhood, that little vintage trailer was my 'playhouse', and these dishes were my toys.
I created elaborate and artful 'salads' from leaves and flowers and errant vegetables
sneakily culled from Grandma and Grandpa's garden.
(why I didn't grow up to like cooking, I'll never know!!!)

After I grew up and had my own family, Grandma gave me her dishes.
So we used them for camping trips and backyard barbecues and picnics at the beach, too.
Now, they live inside the Shasta trailer that Mom & I have, and we enjoy using them each time we camp.

I treasure them, and just looking at them brings back SO many memories of happy times...
which is exactly what picnics should be!