A Vintage Picnic In the Garden of Eden

There are times when life hits a roadblock.  Recently, the downturn in health of a significant other has meant a trip to emergency, multiple blood transfusions and then daily visits to the hospital.  All of a sudden, yardsaling, home decor and writing about such things seem to fade away.  However, at the urging of said significant other, I did manage to go to a sale recently.  I have to admit that it was a very much needed stress release to get up, go saling and go to the hospital bursting with news of my find.  So what did I find?  I knew as soon as I saw it sitting underneath a table that it was a fabled vintage Redman picnic basket.

This basket is enormous, most definitely what could be termed a "family" picnic basket.  I opened it up and saw plastic cups, plates, vintage packages of plastic spoons and a vintage tablecloth.  It was as if time had passed it by.  I debated and debated the praticality of buying it.  How I loved it!  I loved it the more because everything you could possibly need for a picnic was in that basket and I just knew that it had seen many family outings full of summer sunshine and laughter.  But it was so very large and my home so very small.  And I thought of a certain person lying on a hospital bed who would surely scold me for making such a whimsical purchase. With regret and many backwards glances, I left it behind.

And yet, as you see, it is now with me.  I went off to the hospital with my regretful tale of the wondrous picnic basket that I left behind.  And what did the significant other say to me?  "I wish you had bought it.  Go back and get it."  And so I drove rather swiftly back, my heart in my mouth the whole way, thinking of the impossibility that it would still be there.

But it was.  And because the sale was winding down, I got it for 50% off.  I can't even describe my feelings when I went back and saw it there.  It was as if it was all meant to be and the basket was waiting patiently for me to find it and live days of sunshine filled joy again.

Remarkably, buried under the plastic cups and plates was the pie riser or shelf.  After all, a picnic isn't really a picnic without a pie.

And flowers of course.  And fresh berries.  After all, it is given that there will be beautiful flowers when picnicking in the Garden of Eden.

I'm linking up to Apron Thrift Girl, A Stroll Thru Life, Coastal Charm, Southern Hospitality, My Romantic Home, The Thrifty Groove, Her Library Adventures.