I have a cold. A bad head cold. The kind where your sinuses fill up and your brain feels like it’s stuffed with cotton and you have a hard time stringing your thoughts together.
I meant to write a great article today.
Really.
I have so many things I want to talk about. My trip to the Milton Hershey School this week-and the fantastic opportunities they offer for underprivileged kids. My plans to revamp the blog. A follow up on my Stouffers trip w/cool recipes. My Hershey Spa experience and some frugal ways to replicate some spa treats. A garden post about planting my peas and buying my petunias. A couple more giveaways (Rubbermaid containers, Maybelline mascara, and a whole beach bag full of cool stuff). Summer BBQ Tips & Tricks.
Yeah-None of that is happening today.
I’m going to sit on the sofa, maybe use twitter and facebook a bit, and vegetate. Hopefully a nap is in the offing before the kiddos get home from school.
But I am going to ask for your help. Monday’s show for Frugal Coast2Coast is going to be in honor of Memorial Day, which is the kickoff of backyard BBQ & Cookout season here in the North. I’d love any great tips or links you all might have for anything Frugal BBQ or Cookout related. Recipes. Games. Organization. Decorating. Themes. Whatever you’ve got.
Thanks in advance-I love you guys and know you’ll help me out.
Photo by Armand Agasi
My mom came up with a great housewarming BBQ game. The lady who had previously owned her house had planted a lovely garden full of plants that we couldn't identify. Since a lot of my family are flower lovers, mom found some little stakes that held cards (like to stick a card in a floral arrangement) and had people identify the plants. They would write their name & what the plant was on the card, stick the card by the plant, and she tallied up the scores at the end.
Jenn, I hope you are able to get the rest you need and that your cold goes away quickly!
Emily-Well that sounds like a great game for a botanically inclined family!
Trish-Thanks, feeling much better today.
It's almost time for bbq season! Yay! I certainly can't wait for this cooler weather to pass.
Okay, frugal bbq/picnics/whatever. Here are some of my faves:
– Instead of entertaining at home, which can sometimes get pricey (or you're bored with it), a potluck picnic at a local park (with a bathroom) or other attraction is a great option. When I lived in the Atlanta area one of my favorite things to do was meet friends for a picnic at Stone Mountain Park. It's completely free, you could bring whatever you like, and there are bathrooms on the grounds. For those who don't know what Stone Mtn is, it's a big rock face around which there is a park & walking trails, and evenings they show a laser-light show projected on the rock. Anyway–doing such a picnic is lots of entertainment for low cost, and you don't have to clean your house. Especially nice if friends are meeting up from different locations.
I've mentioned before that I love to throw our annual redneck BBQ–it's potluck sides with a very white-trash/redneck theme. Sofa in the yard. Mismatched everything. Come-as-you-are or dress the part. Last year I wore a housecoat & curlers. The men don't shave. You get the idea. Throw the recyclables around the yard for decoration. Very easy, and everyone has a good time. (Moon pie puddin', anyone?)
When cooking food at a public park facility, I make sure to bring nonstick aluminum foil. I don't usually use the stuff, but on a public grilling platform I like that barrier–and the nonstick stuff works great for cleanup.
BBQ decorating–I find that less is more. When you're outdoors, the ambience is automatic. I like to save glass bottles & jars for outdoor candle lanterns. Sometimes I'll twist wire around the tops and hang from trees or fenceposts for pretty lighting for evening. I've notice that the dollar store is featuring some fun paper lanterns and other picnic-y decor on the cheap. For me, though, the food is always the star.
Bug control – this is something you need to consider before having people in your yard. Mixing up a batch of dish soap with lots of water (weak solution) and hot pepper sauce sprayed around will keep bugs and critters away. Don't forget a fish head or other icky bit in the farthest corner of your yard–the ants & flies will go THERE instead of around your guests.
If you don't have a cooler and want to go on a picnic it's still do-able. Those plastic $5 storage bins do a great job filled with ice. Certainly bigger than a styrofoam cheapo, and more durable.
As far as getting organized, I like to think through the whole event, start to finish, and try to prep for any & all situations. Endroll paper & tape (or tablecloths) for covering public picnic tables. Trash bags for taking out what you bring in. Citronella candles & lighters. Napkins. Extra paper towels. Vinyl tablecloth as a barrier under your blanket in case the grass is wet. Partially freezing lemonade (or tea) so it stays cold longer. Books from the library for reading materials when not napping. Camera. Frisbee. Maybe a board game. We like our activities to just happen naturally.
(Obviously I love picnics off-site.)
Sorry–my thoughts are pretty scattered! Hope this helps out.
I appreciate the photo attribution, and I hope your cold cleared up quickly! <3