Reading Picnic | BOOKENDING SPRING 2020

This is my second-to-last post for Bookending Spring 2020! I’m sad this event is coming to an end. It’s been fun to participate in and I’ve enjoyed seeing what other people have posted as well. Today, I’m going back a few days to do a prompt from Jayati @ ItsJustACoffeeAddictedBibliophile. This prompt is Reading Picnic, and I picked it out of the list because it reminded me of summer afternoons spent on the grass outside Exeter Cathedral with my university friends. Obviously at the minute, that’s not possible to do, but I still have my back garden, so reading picnics can continue! Here is my list of essentials — including snacks — that I will take with me to a reading picnic, be it on a public green, or in my own garden.

Food/Drink
Ideally, it’s going to be warm, so I won’t have any hot drinks with me. I might go for a Fanta, or an iced coffee. Or both, if I’m feeling adventurous.
In terms of food, I want something that’s not going to leave marks on my book, so chocolate is a no-go. I also want something in bitesized pieces, so I’m not trying to hold a sandwich and turn pages at the same time. I’m a big fan of the Quorn cocktail sausages, and for the sweet side, maybe some flapjack bites. Health isn’t my first priority when I’m packing a picnic lunch, but I might also take some tomatoes, or some dried fruit. I love dried mango!

Sunny day essential accessories
Continuing to assume it’s a sunny day, there’s a few things I’m gonna need to stay comfy and safe. A sun hat and sunglasses, for a start, are important. I need to remember to take an anti-histamine BEFORE I go out to avoid the hayfever, and apply suncream as well. I take my suncream with me, because I burn easily, so might need to top up if I’m out there for too long. I’m also going to make sure I have a blanket, because I hate the scratchy feeling of dry grass against my legs. Also, bird or animal poop. Not good.

Additional essentials
It goes without saying, you need to take a book. For a picnic, I’d try to pick something easy to read, not too challenging, because I don’t want to get so absorbed in understanding the book that I don’t appreciate my surroundings. I also, of course, have my phone with me, and might play music on a portable speaker if I’m suitably isolated (which at the minute, I am). The other essentials, mostly for if you’re going to a public place, for me, are a good-sized backpack to carry everything in, and a good group of friends. I love to lie around in the sun, reading with friends, reading lines that stand out to me to the group.

A shorter post today, but I hope you enjoyed it! The weather has been really nice in the UK the last few weeks, so I’m lucky to have been able to go into my garden during the lockdown to enjoy it. Is the weather nice where you are? Are you able to picnic in your garden? What are your essentials? Let me know!