PICKING FAVORITES: Picnic checklist: Weather, location and food

[ˈpikˌnik] NOUN an outing or occasion that involves taking a packed meal to be eaten outdoors

Bob Stout/For Inside Pennsylvania

The really cool thing about picnics is that you can have one on a cold winter day of ice fishing or on a scorching day next to a pond. Tamara and Van Wagner live in Liberty Township, Montour County. They are the parents of two sons, ages 15 and 17. The entire family loves outdoor activities: hiking, biking, fishing and tree climbing — to name a few. Van is a certified arborist. In September, he will be teaching high school students at Danville High School about agriculture and its importance to the health of many living organisms. Van’s first love is teaching, but he has many other talents. He writes and plays music when he is not teaching someone about our region’s heritage and treasures. Tamara has a background in environmental science, so her love of the outdoors is an important part of her life and career. Their trip to Devil’s Featherbed on PA Game Lands 115 on Montour Ridge included a challenging hike, so they were ready to enjoy their picnic — happily perched on a rock. Their smiles prove that picnics are not just for warm summer days. Van shares: Our picnic menu this day was PA-grown macintosh apples and a hearty trail mix. Other favorite picnic destinations for the family include the following: ● Ricketts Glen, Columbia, Luzerne and Sullivan counties ● Lover’s Leap, Montour County ● Boxcar Rocks; Lebanon County ● In a canoe anywhere on the Susquehanna River, in any county ● Liberty Furnace on Montour Ridge on PA game lands 115. Van is always happy to share music and all sorts of interesting information on his website: vanwagnermusic.com

Jean Knouse/Inside Pennsylvania

Story by Jean Knouse

May has to be the unofficial beginning of summer, doesn’t it? Proms, graduations and outdoor ceremonies of all kinds are scheduled to be held in early May. Fingers

crossed. On a warm spring April day, there were picnics everywhere at the Shikellamy State Park. Folks in these photos were grilling and that is an outstanding option for a picnic, but not the only one. No doubt, your family has a lot of favorites for picnics. Tamara and Van chose fruit and trail mix for a winter hike. The recipe for their trail mix is on our Picnic Recipe Website at www.dailyitem Does one of these picnics sound like your family’s favorite? ● A bucket of chicken from the Colonel or the grocery store with purchased side dishes. For maximum enjoyment, choose a picnic table by a body of water to enjoy your meal. ● Prepared sandwiches from one of the many excellent shops in our Valley. Add small bags of something crunchy and individual drinks, and you have a picnic you can carry along in your canoe, on your boat, or in your backpack. ● Sandwiches of all kinds, PB&J, bologna, tuna — the list is endless — and make a great picnic event for kids. When I was a child, church picnics and reunions took place every summer. As an adult, I now realize they were really a test of the mother’s cooking skills. Your mom had to bring a main dish to share, a vegetable, some sort of starch and a dessert. I was always cheering for someone to bring angel food cake. Planning a special picnic often involves family recipes and traditional favorites. At my house, our favorite menu to eat at R.B. Winter or Rickett’s Glen or the Montour Preserve includes these dishes: Meatloaf or Chicken* OR Hamburgers and Hot Dogs* Potato Salad* Cole Slaw* Baked Beans* Watermelon and/or Cantelope

White cake with chocolate icing or chocolate cake with peanut butter icing Iced tea and/or Lemonade * The recipes for these favorites can be found at

If you would like me to add a family favorite recipe of yours to the site, please email me at JKnouse@dailyitem.com.