When the sun comes out from behind the grey cloud cover that often blankets Western Washington and Oregon, one of my first thoughts (after the obvious Thank You God) is “Let’s have a picnic.” Is there anything more deeply nurturing than gathering a friend or two and heading into glorious nature with a treasure trove of great things to eat and drink? Not in my book.
So you can imagine my delight when I recently discovered that The Nature Conservancy is sponsoring a Picnic for the Planet. That’s right, a picnic for the ENTIRE planet. It’s this Sunday, April 22nd, in honor of Earth Day.
The Nature Conservancy is the world’s largest conservation organization, working in more than 30 countries and all 50 states. They work closely with the people who provide our food–farmers, ranchers and fisherman–and with our support, they can continue to protect the most vital habitats on Earth.
In Portland, Oregon, the picnic will be at beautiful Mt. Tabor Park, with its gorgeous views, open space, and hiking trails. The covered picnic shelter is reserved for the event, so the picnic is on rain or shine. (To scout the location in your area, check out this picnic map.)
So now that I have a picnic to go to and not much time to create a bevy of new dishes, I decided to rely on a few of my favorites from past posts. In addition to Blueberry Lavender Limeade, I’m bringing:
LunaCafe’s Spicy Fried Chicken
Old-Fashioned Creamy Macaroni Salad
Chewy Gooey Congo Bars (Blondies on Steroids)
Hope to see you there!
Resources
- The Nature Conservancy: http://www.nature.org/
- Picnic for the Planet: http://www.nature.org/earthday/
- Picnic for the Planet 2012: http://www.crowdrise.com/tncpicnic/
- Attend a Picnic: http://www.nature.org/earthday/attend/index.htm
The sunny weather we’ve been having has apparently got our 12 year old thinking about BBQ’s. She’s been asking almost daily, but I have to admit a romantic picnic with my husband has actually been on my mind… At any rate, what a great way to observe Earth Day!
Now this looks like my kind of picnic! It is so much like what I was raised with but expanded flavors.
Happy Earth Day
Oh, that limeade – wow!! I so have to try making that once blueberries are in season where I am and come down in price a bit. I feel like a fancy drink just makes any meal (or afternoon sitting out in the sun!) feel so special.
All of this food looks gloriously satisfying, but the blueberry-lavender limeade looks divine! Gorgeous photo as well.
We’ve got glorious sunshine in Yakima, and what better accompaniement to a picnic? We’ll be on our way to a winery, picnic in han! 🙂
Mary-beth
Mary-beth, how I miss the Yakima sunshine! Spring is the best time in Eastern Washington. and the wineries! Hey, did you see that Walla Walla was named one of the 10 best small towns in America? Have to plan a trip to Eastern Washington this summer.