Breakfast Picnics

 

During the pandemic, daily walks have been a means for me to find sanity, comfort and even joy. Sometimes all three in a day, sometimes just holding tightly to sanity. 

I occasionally add a breakfast picnic to the outing, and it's definitely a boost to my well-being. It typically works like this:  I pack up my backpack with a very simple breakfast (muffin, scone, etc.), a cup and saucer (maybe two), a thermos of tea and maybe a tablecloth.  Then off I go for my walk, ending where I can sit and have a quiet moment. 

Even if it's on your patio or front steps, consider giving this a try!  Now that many of us are moving into cool weather, don't give up.  A hot cup of tea warms my heart and soul. 

Sunrise Solstice Tea in the Garden

Today is the summer solstice, the "longest day of the year," thanks to the Western Hemisphere's deepest tilt toward the sun. The sun rises and sets at its northernmost point along the horizon. It's funny, really, as the solstice is considered the start of summer and yet it's also the tipping point towards winter. From here, we lose a bit of light each day even as the temperatures continue to rise. That's because the land and oceans are still warming.

Humans are deeply connected to the shifting seasons and the moon phases, even though most of us don't acknowledge these subtle patterns in our life. It's something I aspire to observe.  I rose extra early to enjoy a solstice sunrise tea. I confess - it wasn't easy dragging myself out of bed - but I'm so glad I did! I took my chabako kit (a box with all the necessary implements for making matcha in the traditional style) to one of our garden plots. It was cool and quiet. The robins were beginning to hop around and the bees were still asleep inside of the hollyhocks.

I tried to follow the forms and practices of this tea procedure as best I could. I was both host and guest, which is unusual in a Japanese Tea Ceremony and required some adjustments. When I said, "otemae chodai itashimasu," thank you for making this bowl of tea, I was thanking all the people involved and the earth's generosity in bringing me this bowl of tea. It's an interesting contemplative experience if you dive into the thought of being both host and guest. 

I enjoyed being alone and spent some time journaling. Both tea and writing nourish me.

About an hour into the morning, the sun broke through the clouds, and everything began to sparkle.  

By the time I departed, about two hours after I began, the bees were humming and the sounds of human activity were floating in my direction. It was a time to go. A wonderful morning.

Meatless Monday: A Late Summer Picnic

All packed up and ready to go!

The weather has been so nice lately, and with our abundance of garden tomatoes...a picnic was in order!

Our neighborhood has several lovely places to sit and snack. I liked this one for the view of the roses and the large grass lawn. The angled sunlight of this time of year is beautiful and golden.

Garden tomato and basil with fresh mozzarella on baguette, one of my favorites

Lemonade with huckleberries

How are you making the most of these late summer/early autumn hours?

A Little Breakfast Picnic at the Rose Garden

A recent regular day was elevated to specialness by a little breakfast picnic at the International Rose Test Garden.  I left early this day so that I could have an hour to myself to browse the garden.  I wanted a few moments of private solitude.  There were a handful of others milling about the roses, but we respectfully gave one another wide swaths of space.

The DH had made strawberry scones, whole wheat and delicious!  I packed them along with some Oregon cherries and a thermos of pineapple mint herbal tea.  I sat on a bench and took in the views of the roses and the surrounding ring of towering evergreen trees.

But I didn't sit long, as there were many roses to see  We're very lucky to have this public garden.  The roses bloom from late spring through September.

Where would you choose to have a solo little breakfast picnic?

Picnic at Pittock Mansion

View from the grounds of Pittock Mansion, looking across the city to Mt. Hood

The DH and I recently visited Pittock Mansion, an historic landmark and city park in Portland. The grand old home sits high on a hill in Forest Park, overlooking the city and its rivers, and on a clear day, with views of five mountains.

The mansion was built in the early 1900's and was home to Henry and Georgiana Pittock.  I admire these two visionaries.  Henry worked his way from poverty to owning the Oregonian (the local paper).  He was an avid hiker and bicyclist, riding until the very end of his life.  In addition to hosting some of the earliest rose shows in the region, Georgiana dedicated herself to improving the welfare of women and children.  Clearly, they were a power couple dedicated to improving the lives of those in the community.  "With great power comes great responsibility."  ~Voltaire

Mt. St. Helens

We enjoyed a picnic with this customized blanket from my sister.  It's from the Thirty One company.

The blanket is just the right size for two adults to share.  The backing is lined so that it's moisture-resistant, while the inside is soft fleece.

We enjoyed apple-walnut lettuce wraps.  Super simple and super fast to pull together.  Chop apples, walnuts and celery and dress with honey and lemon.  Serve with fresh leaf lettuce (lucky me, ours from the garden.)  Yummy, fast and healthy!

View from our picnic spot

Now let's go inside the mansion...

The marble staircase

 View of the back lawn

Sewing Room

Ready for tea in the sewing room, where Georgiana and her friends worked to raise funds for various causes.

If you're in Portland on a sunny and clear day, Pittock Mansion is worth it!  You can enjoy the grounds and the views for free.  The entrance inside is $8.50.

A Picnic Indoors

As a belated Valentine's Day gift for the DH, I recently made dinner, as in a real dinner and not my normal pasta-corn-peas-greens-cheese routine. I wanted to have an indoor picnic in front of the fire, and I wanted to replicate some of the foods from the Darjeeling River Picnic. 

I think it turned out great!  I made this Salad Nicoise and these Carmelized Bananas.

When was the last time you had a picnic indoors? 

Darjeeling River Picnic and an Earthquake

The Rungeet River

I plan to do more picnicking this year!  An inspiration was this picnic, one that sets the bar high!  The Rungeet River runs through the Glenburn Tea Estate and we traveled from ~3,000 feet to ~800 to picnic near the water's edge.  The water was high and rushing when we visited, but at other times it flows gently enough to wade across.  Should you have the pleasure to visit, bring along your spirit of adventure!  The trip to the river is full of magical vistas and heart-in-mouth 4x4 travel down the mountain (especially in monsoon season).  

The Glenburn Lodge

We gathered in the lodge, appreciating the screened-in open air, yet protected from the occasional drizzle.  We started with shandies and fresh-squeezed lemonade.  The picnic feast included barbequed pork and chicken, quiche, salad nicoise, chicken salad, foccacia bread, tomatoes, potato salad, and grilled banana for dessert. 

The feast

And of course, cups of Darjeeling tea!

Even the china matches the lush green

The return trip was surreal. The region experienced an earthquake; the epicenter was about 50 miles away in Sikkim.  We didn't feel the shaking, as we were in our own quaking 4x4 rides up the mountain.  As we entered a small village, we were met with general chaos as water gushed from a broken pipe.  Sanjay, the plantation manager, was driving the lead jeep (I was in this).  He stopped to assess the situation and learned of the quake.  We continued up the mountain (we were almost to the top), so that he could return and help with the water shutoff.  A few moments later, Sanjay received a phone call.  The 4x4 behind us could not pass the village, a landslide had occurred in the few short moments between our passing and theirs.  Sanjay dashed back to retrieve the others and then sped away again to ensure the villages were safe and to check the damages.  I was relieved to learn that no one was seriously injured on the plantation. 

Safely arrived back to the bungalows, we settled our still-trembling nerves with cups of tea.  At dinner that evening, as the generators provided electricity, the guests shared earthquake stories.  A bonding experience, a humbling reminder of the power of nature.  The quake wasn't giant in California standards (magnitude 6.9), yet it was quite impactful near the epicenter, a remote area with limited access to rescue equipment.  I went to bed that night with immense gratitude for our safety and prayers for the hard-hit areas. 

The Year of the Picnic

I've decided that 2012 is going to be the year of the picnic!  I had such a fun time with a few picnics last year, that I want to bring this way of re-creating into my life on a regular interval.  I got an awesome "Tea Time" picnic blanket from my mom for Christmas, and I can hardly wait to put it to use.

I hope to have at least one picnic each month, and share the details with you.  Here's my first picnic report...

Where was that promised sun?!  The sky was one big duvet of grey as I headed out on my bike.  The robins puffed their chests but did not chatter as I made my way past them.  Folks around here may have called it cold, with the slight wind and threat of a drizzle, but I couldn't.  Forty degrees is a fine temperature for a bike ride.  Within a few minutes of pedaling, I was unzipping my coat.  The colors popped against the grey palette.  I smiled wide at the countryside, having forgotten that I wanted sun.  I always smile with this feeling of freedom.

I was riding alone today, which meant I could go as slowly as I wanted, and so I did.  At the turning point of my ride, I hadn't gone far but I had braved a new route, and I was ready to pick up the pace.  Food will do that.  :-)  I was en route to a beautiful little picnic spot I spied on my way out.

My picnic spot

Today's picnic basket, a waterproof bike pannier

In my bike bag, I carried a thermos of vegetarian posole, a seeded whole wheat roll and aged goat cheese, and chocolate-covered hazelnuts.  Having worked up an appetite, I think my taste buds were heightened because this simple meal was extremely satisfying.

This picnic was particularly notable to me, because it was:

• Thrown together (I spent very little time planning)
• Not a "picnic weather" day, but out I went anyway
• Via my bike, always a plus
• The start of something grand

Do you dream of picnics this year?  What are your tips for making the most of them?