WINTER PICNIC 2021

Have you ever been on a winter picnic?

Yesterday I was preparing myself for yet another day of hunkering down in the house during this lockdown period and Terry suggested we pack up our gear and head out to Elk Island for lunch.

It was a ‘balmy’ +2 and the sun was smiling on us. I can’t believe how full the trunk of our car was after we had finished loading it with the wood, the axe, blankets, chairs, the picnic , and a wagon to carry it all in!

It was a lovely drive out (about 45 minutes from our home) and the roads were dry. The grasses peeking out from the farmers’ fields were a golden delight and the snow shadows a royal blue as they traced the drifts. Aspens stood erect and cattails waved to us as we passed.

It always amazes me to see a buffalo roaming free at Elk Island. We saw 3 yesterday.

We didn’t end up using the wagon as we found a picnic spot right near the road.Terry built up a nice fire for us and I used the windshield scraper to clear off a picnic table for lunch. But we didn’t end up sitting at the table because with the wind chill off of the lake it became a very cold picnic area. Brrrr! We had to sit as close to the fire as we could get but we did wear the right layers for warmth in that regard so it was mostly o.k.. The coldest part for me were my hands. I would take my mittens off to eat the homemade soup we brought but had to immediately put them back on and try and get some dexterity going to maneuver the spoon into the cup and get it up to my mouth…ha ha ha.

Terry cooked the classic fire pit meal of hotdogs and we had them on the most yummy, homemade bread gifted to us from our daughter, Emily. We ended up staying at the site for about 1 1/2 hours surprisingly and except for the wind it was a great picnic.

I had to laugh at myself trying to get up from that flimsy lawn chair. My knees just don’t work anymore so I have to use my arms to push off of the chair arms. But my boots couldn’t find purchase on the snow covered ice. I finally managed to launch myself off but heard the cold plastic of the cup holder break to pieces and I almost fell face first into the fire! Terry just rolls his eyes and laughs because he is so used to this kind of thing. I’m not much help in the clean up department but we’re good company for each other and we make each other laugh every day.

You should try and go out for your own winter picnic. (But you might want to pick an even warmer day!)