Breakfast Al Fresco

Grace and I decided to have breakfast "in the fresh air" one morning this week.  We got up at the crack of dawn to beat the heat. After preparing a fruit salad of market blueberries, watermelon and honeydew, we rode our bikes the short distance to Westside Park.

It was so pretty and peaceful this early in the morning. Besides having fun with Grace - the only other one in the family who appreciates the many benefits of rising early even when you don't have to - I wanted to experiment with picknicking.  We won't really have a "personal" outdoor space once we move into the new house, and I know I'm going to miss our backyard and screened porch.

It wasn't hard doing the things we like to do there. After breakfast, we played a few rounds of the card game "Nine Hole Golf," and went for a little hike around the park looking for birds.  Unfortunately, there weren't many to be seen this morning - just a handful of crows and a few mockingbirds.  I have seen bluebirds at Westside before, which are rare in the suburbs, and I was hoping to show Gracie one.  We'll keep looking.  There are lots of parks and semi-wild places to explore in Gainesville.  And most have picnic tables.