The Gift of a Picnic!

We celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary in July!

The Saturday following, we were given such a sweet gift ...

we were sent on a picnic!

 Let me tell you, it was fabulous ALL the way around!

We are blessed with some great friends & it was one of those families who so generously gave us 

this fun memory ... a whole experience really.

It was a full afternoon of brand new things!

A place we've never been, a basket full of goodies, & rest ... yes, rest.

Rest in a place surrounded by tranquil beauty.

This particular day followed 2 weeks of whirlwind activity.

We were thrilled {especially Gunnar} when Abigail got to come for a visit.

During this time, we had lots to fit in.

She & Gunnar had wedding planning, suit shopping {lots of shopping, actually}, 

gift registration, an engagement photo shoot, 2 wedding showers,

and a million other things in between.

It was such a fun time!

One of the showers was on our actual anniversary & we were delighted to share our special day

with what became one of their very special days.

So, after all the fun & excitement settled down, this picnic was the perfect, perfect anniversary gift.

The basket was delivered to our house by Tammy & Hannah.

{Tammy was the creative genius behind all this & you couldn't find someone more giving than she is.}

We could not wait to arrive at our destination & see what all was packed inside.

 

We couldn't believe all the yummy food she had packed!

Not only did we have quite the spread, look at our view!

I tell ya, we were feeling quite spoiled!!

 

 Not only did Tammy not forget one thing, 

she packed a lunch sensitive to the gluten intolerance that James has.

 These lettuce wraps were SO delicious!

And I totally giggled when I found these beets ... she knows my mad obsession with them ;)

 The cucumber ranch dip was very refreshing ...

& there was the cutest little cup of pickles.

 

One of Tammy's specialties is her delicious strawberry lemonade...

& we drank it to the very last drop.

 

Lastly, she included fresh berries ...

 

and yummy desserts in a jar for our sweet tooth.

 

I'm serious ... we were like kids at Christmas pulling all these goodies out of this basket!

After finishing our lunch, we stayed at the table for another 45 minutes or so

just relaxing, taking in all the scenery, talking, taking selfies, & listening to the LIVE music

that started just as we were unpacking our lunch.

We were delighted at that, for sure!

After 23 years, he still makes me giggle ...

 

And wherever he is, that's where my heart will feel at home.

 

 

We finally packed everything up & set off exploring the grounds.

Tammy had suggested that we picnic at Oliver Winery & Vineyards in Bloomington.

She said it was one of the prettiest places they'd visited ... and boy, was she right!

There's something so beautiful & earthy about rows and rows of grapes growing on the vines.

Now, I'm sure the majority of folks go to Oliver's for the wine {duh}, 

however since we don't drink wine, we were there to picnic & enjoy the property.

It did not disappoint.

 There are so many varieties of flowers & bushes.

 And several wooden benches here & there to sit and admire it all.

We loved the water features & stone structures throughout the gardens.

 

 The patio area was packed with people.

There was a bridal shower under the pergola & others were dining & listening to the band.

There lots of families, many picnicking just like we were ...

some at tables, some on blankets.

I'm sure it would be gorgeous at dusk, relaxing under these lights.

We hope to have something like this in our backyard when we move to the country.

There is also a large gift shop, full of food & trinkets.

It was really a neat place to visit.

To our sweet friends, The Walkers, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts 

for this perfectly delightful day.

We can't say enough how much we appreciated your thoughtfulness.

You helped us make a memory that we will treasure for always.

I included a short video, but be forewarned ...

you'll feel like you are on a roller coaster by the time it's finished!

Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.
Monday          C.R.A.F.T      The Dedicated House  I Should Be Mopping the Floor
                  Between Naps on the Porch  The Modest Mom
Tuesday     A Delightsome Life   A Bowl Full of Lemons    Titus Tuesday      A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style         Adorned From Above
                    The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch   Serving Joyfully     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Best of the Nest
               French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things    Suburbsmama    Sew Many Ways