We love to have a picnic- it’s the perfect way to eat food as a family, do a little nature study, read a book, or just lay around enjoying the weather. It’s a privilege to have a picnic as the Spring flowers bloom around us, the trees start to bud, and we can observe the birds coming back up from their search for warmer weather and getting their nests ready. We love to look out from our little landing pad in order to observe everything around us.
I make our picnic blankets with waterproof backs for an important reason- how many times have I gone out for a picnic and had a hard time choosing a place to set up? So many. The conditions have to be perfect to lay down a blanket- then as soon as I pick it up, I want to wash it.
Our picnic blankets are cotton and soft on the picnic side, and made of oilcloth on the underside. Oilcloth can easily be wiped off and cleaned between washings. The dirt or mud on the ground doesn’t have to ruin your picnic time, and you can set up a picnic in more scenic spots without worry. It means we can go into the woods after the snow melts and the weather is changing, or the day after a rainstorm. What most people refer to as “inclement weather” is my favorite weather to explore in.
The Spring flowers blooming in the forest have been our favorite finds this season. It is amazing to go out in the forest each week or every few weeks to see what flowers are blooming next. The first time we went out in early Spring, we found patches of Snowdrops, Dutch Crocus, and Winter Aconites.
Three weeks later we ventured to the same woods and found Spring Beauty, Daffodils, and Siberian Squill.
As we have been studying about flowers this term in our Gentle Feast Curriculum, it really has been a pleasure to see them in person this Spring. Flowers like this bloom and then return the next year. Nature Study helps us to see, appreciate, and learn what is around us and is a big reason why I chose to implement the Charlotte Mason method in our homeschool. Our picnics help us to get out to enjoy nature and learn more from it.
If you are interested in our picnic blankets, you can find them here, along with our nature find bags for treasure collectors.
Until our next Spring Bloom report <3 Kate
