A perfick night for eating outside

We've managed a few picnics this year, one to two ended up in the car because its been too cold and windy outside, but tonight for the first time this year we ate outside, it was a little chilly but there is nothing nicer than eating outdoors. The children rarely eat at the table child 2 and 3 tend to squish together on the little trampoline or they drag out the picnic blanket and sprawl over it. Then the minute they've scoffed their dinner down they are swinging on the swing or bouncing on the trampoline (no-ones been sick yet).

Eating outside in the garden always reminds me of The Darling Buds of May a favourite TV series of mine that ran between 1991& 1993. (Based on a book written by H E Bates in 1958). The old kitchen table dragged under what could have been an old apple tree laden with food that Ma Larkin created to be shared by her family and friends is the ultimate in outdoor entertaining.

Our garden unfortunately is on a slope so we have to emulate the Larkins with an old hand me down plastic picnic table with plastic chairs - its amazing what some pink floral oil cloth and jam jars filled with night lights can do us to emulate the Larkins so for now the old plastic picnic table and 4 chairs will have to do.