During the summer months, it can feel like the good weather brings out positive vibes! After a challenging couple of years people are keen to relax and have fun in the sun with their friends. July is National Picnic Month - what a fun one to celebrate! A humble picnic is a simple concept but at the same time can be very diverse. It presents an opportunity to bring families, communities and even countries together!
The term ‘picnic’ is thought to have first been used back in 1692 and enjoyed in a variety was ways since - including as a form of peaceful protest. The Pan-European Picnic was held on the 19th of August 1989 on the Austrian-Hungarian border as a step towards German reunification. The largest ever picnic celebrated the first Bastille Day in the 21st century and spanned 600 miles!
At Movement in Thyme, we love to promote the wellbeing benefits of spending time outdoors and connecting with nature. Picnics are a great opportunity to go exploring, to breathe in fresh air, connect with others and feel rejuvenated. Stepping outside helps us relax, reduce stress and absorb some vitamin D. If you have been cooped up inside, the warm sun and blue skies allow us to breathe deeply, feel more relaxed and grateful for our surroundings. A picnic is a lovely way to reflect on the things that truly matter – like being able to enjoy nice food together with your friends and family.
Why not try foraging for some of your picnic ingredients! At Movement in Thyme we love foraging for exciting things to add to our picnic salads. Nettles, wild garlic, dandelion leaves and edible flowers are great additions. Just make sure you are foraging with respect to the plants and not taking too much - and that you forage away from where dogs might have been…!
If you’d like to learn more about foraging we offer foraging and wild cooking workshops.
National Picnic Month really brings home our values here at Movement in Thyme. Being outside, connecting with nature and others, having fun and being healthy can have an extremely positive effect on your mind and body. We encourage you to do this as much as you can in order to enjoy the summer while it lasts!
This blog was contributed by Movement in Thyme volunteer, Jodie Murphy.