Shari Della Penna
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"Small acts of kindness can change and humanise our world."
   Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks 1948-2020
   ​Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, 1991-2020
                         Author, Advocate, Advisor

Picnic Anyone?

8/9/2016

2 Comments

 
Every Teddy Bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.
 
Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
'Cause that's the way the
Teddy Bears have their picnic.
                                from:
The Teddy Bear’s Picnic
                                by Jimmy Kennedy and illustrated by Michael Hague
                                Holt, 1992.


    Picnics are not my favorite way to eat a meal. Camping is not my favorite way to spend time. It’s all the prep and planning and dragging and dragging back and unpacking that gets me. But, I like the being outside part.
     I don’t mind bugs. I like them. Once, I ordered a pint of ladybugs to release in my garden.  They didn’t know they were supposed to stay in my yard to control an aphid infestation. Another time I bought praying mantis eggs. I wish they had hatched. Now I'm content to watch the bugs that choose to live near me.
    It’s the bugs crawling in my food that I mind. Food tastes better eaten inside.
    When I was about seven or eight, my dad announced he had made arrangements with a co-worker to borrow a pop-up camping trailer. We were going on a new adventure: an overnight in the woods. The next weekend. I think my sister didn’t want to go the most, but I had serious reservations, too.
     Packing was an ordeal. I had to choose clothes that would keep me warm enough but not take up too much room. Plenty of underwear. We even brought our own toilet tissue! And of course all of our food. We’d be having three picnics a day!
    The first meal was lunch. I'm sure it was something like peanut butter sandwiches and apples.
     Dinner was more rustic. My little brother and I were sent out to fetch wood. We learned the difference between tinder and kindling and made a good haul for our campfire. I don’t remember the menu, probably hotdogs. 
     Dad brought the Coleman stove so he could cook our breakfast.       The pop-up didn’t go up as easily as my dad was lead to believe, but it did go up. Although he and my mom assured us that it was sturdy, I chose not to believe that and took a looong time falling asleep. I don’t remember all the sleeping arrangements, but I bunked up on the top with my mom.
    I didn’t like being on the top bunk, but morning finally came and brought a beautiful sunrise. We camped until it was time to un-pop the pop-up, re-pack all our stuff, and head for home.
     August is National Picnic Month. I’m not celebrating.
                                                                                                                                                      --stay curious!


2 Comments
Shari's Little Brother
8/10/2016 06:58:54 pm

I remember an animal of some kind visited our campsite. Dad shot at it with a BB gun. Not sure if he hit it but he scared it off and it left us alone!

Reply
Shari Della Penna link
8/11/2016 05:11:39 pm

Yeah, I think it was a bobcat. The whole idea of him having a BB gun, let alone shooting it was scarier for me than the scary animal!! Thanks for the comment.

Reply



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         I'm a children's writer and poet intent on observing the world and nurturing those I find in my small space .

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