It’s picnic season! Time to grab some food and enjoy a meal outdoors. However this summer, as we all do our part to maintain a safe physical distance, it’s worth seeking out less populated locations for that special outdoor time. Instead of rushing off to the same park, beach or riverside that everyone else is visiting, consider locations that are less popular. Or another option is to consider holding a picnic at a less busy time. How about a breakfast picnic at sunrise?
Recently, I visited our community boat ramp in the early morning for a simple breakfast picnic. There was no one else present so physical distancing wasn’t a problem. This spectacular view greeted me at first light.
The end of the dock provided the perfect spot to enjoy the show and await sunrise.
With such an early start, everything had to be prepared and packed the night before. Luckily, a breakfast picnic doesn’t require much food and the menu was super simple.
My breakfast picnic consisted of blueberry muffins and fresh fruit. It would have been perfect if I hadn’t forgotten the coffee. My to-go coffee mug was ready but, in the rush to reach the boat launch for first light, I left it sitting on the kitchen counter. With or without coffee, this simple meal was tasty and hassle-free.
Aside from the picnic blanket, everything fit inside the picnic hamper. This was my first time using this new picnic blanket and I’m really pleased with the results. The waterproof backing kept the blanket dry despite the heavy dew on the dock—just as intended.
This picnic blanket is a project from last summer. At the time, my research showed that while there are dozens of online tutorials for making a picnic blanket none had all the features I wanted. So I designed, what I consider to be, the ultimate picnic blanket. It’s a generous size, machine washable, waterproof but not slippery, easy to transport, and has a pretty, eye-catching design. I’ll share the step-by-step instructions in an upcoming post. There’s even a built-in pocket that turns into a compact carrying case.
Update July 28, 2020: Check out The Ultimate Picnic Blanket – DIY Tutorial.
As I was planning for the breakfast picnic, it occurred to me it might be fun to include a small boat. I readily admit I got a little carried away. Instead of a small boat, a small fleet of sailboats, complete with colorful fabric sails, emerged. Thankfully, the sailboats actually floated! Here’s the photographic evidence—3 pretty sailboats floating in the diffused light of the magic hour.
By the way, the term “magic hour” is used by photographers to describe the natural light around sunrise and sunset. The morning sequence is magic hour > sunrise > golden hour. It’s the opposite at sunset. Typically, the light during these hours is softly diffused producing the warm, rich colors that photographers love. I also raved about the beauty of this natural light in the post First Light at Peggy’s Cove. Here are the sailboats as the light shifts into the golden hour.
Here’s another example of the little fleet caught in the golden hour.
It took some trial and error but, in the final outcome, these sailboats were quite simple to make. If you’re looking for a fun photo prop, an old-fashioned water toy or a doable DIY project, this little sailboat may be just the ticket!
Update July 14, 2020: A full tutorial with step-by-step instructions is available in the post A Landlubber’s Toy Sailboat – DIY Tutorial.
Here’s one last shot from my breakfast picnic. This is the community boat ramp as I was leaving around 8:00 am. It was a magical start to the day.
More Info
Picnics are a recurring theme here on the FanningSparks blog. Check out the posts Picnic Under the Wisteria and A Colorful Backyard Picnic.
As mentioned above, the post First Light at Peggy’s Cove describes another early morning adventure. Check it out for lots of photos taken during magic and golden hours.
Update July 14, 2020: Check out A Landlubber’s Toy Sailboat – DIY Tutorial for detailed step-by-step instructions to make your own little sailboat.
Update July 28, 2020: Step-by-step instructions to make the picnic blanket are available in the post The Ultimate Picnic Blanket – DIY Tutorial.
Today’s Takeaways
1. In these days of physical distancing, seeking out less populated outdoor locations is worth the effort.
2. Consider celebrating the early morning with a breakfast picnic.
3. If you do decide on a breakfast picnic, don’t forget the coffee!
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