Backyard Fun Without the Fuss

Some of the greatest memories I have of growing up are the times our family shared in the back yard. Though we all enjoyed the fun times at a picnic or party, activities in the back yard sometimes have their challenges.

Sudden bursts of wind can carry off your plates to the next-door neighbor’s, and flies quickly crash a party when they land on the food and become constant pests. If you have ever been faced with these problems, never fear. I have found some quick and easy ways to alleviate the stress of outdoor fun and make it exactly that – fun!

Insect control

Unfortunately, there are usually at least a few uninvited guests who show up at any outdoor meal. Flies, ants, wasps and mosquitoes all want the right to dine alongside you, or even on you. But with a little planning there are ways to discourage the bugs.

One of my favorite solutions for keeping flies off serving dishes before and during an outdoor feast is to use the embroidery hoop technique. Simply tear off a piece of plastic wrap and fasten it between the two hoops as if it were a piece of cloth to be stitched. Place the hoops over plates and bowls and you will prevent flies from enjoying the food before you do – and you’ll keep the food from drying out as well.

When you are working to prepare food for cooking, insects are especially unwelcome helpers. So set up your table with two large fans facing each other. Turn the fans on high. This will not only help keep the insects off the food, but it will make it much cooler for you to work. When the food is ready, put the fan on one end of the serving table to keep the bugs away.

Windproofing Your Table

Speaking of tables, Mother Nature is always a guest at our outdoor dinners, and that can make for some interesting dining. In fact, airborne paper plates and napkins are as much a part of eating outdoors as ants at a picnic.

Instead of placing rocks on each person’s place setting when the breeze blows, why not try a pretty, windproof solution and make your own picnic tablecloth with special pockets to hold each place setting? An example is a cloth with pockets shaped like strawberries. Each strawberry has a large pocket for the plate, one loop on the left side for the fork and two loops on the right side for the spoon and knife. Slipping those supplies into the pockets and anchoring paper cups with ice cubes will keep your eating utensils on the table where they belong.

Sandbag Clothespin Weights

To keep your tablecloth in place, sew tiny 2-inch-square bags from scraps and fill the bags with sand or pebbles. Attach each bag to a clothespin by threading yarn through the clothespin’s metal coil and then sewing the end of the yarn to the sandbag. Snap the clothespin sandbags to the edges of your tablecloth on windy days.

Sewing Drapery Weights into Tablecloths

Sewing drapery weights into the hem of your tablecloth is another way to prevent it from flying away in the breeze. Drapery weights can be purchased at most fabric stores. If you can’t find drapery weights – when you throw out your old plastic shower curtains, save the weights from the hem and use them to anchor your tablecloth.