Wendell Gladstone, foreground, and his family enjoy lunch in upstate New York in 1936. Among those with him is his wife, Ruth, holding baby Shirley on her lap. Shirley’s daughter, Wendy Eaton of Seattle, WA, sent in the picture.
With no AC at home, Jack Gross, second from left, took guests Grant, Neita and Derril Gwinner on a picnic in Columbus, NE, in 1958. Wife Hilvie snapped the shot, sent by daughter Dulcie Shoener of Whitefish Bay, WI, who was pushing sister Melanie’s buggy.
Sister Debbie balances on Dad’s arm at a gathering in northeastern Ohio in about 1952. Tom is the 2-year-old on the blanket with parents, Kenneth and Magdalen Freeman.—Thomas Freeman (Outside or inside, eating together is one of the important habits all happy families have.)
Picnicking at the First Battle of Bull Run, July, 1861
"When the Civil War first broke out, it was incomprehensible that the conflict would last longer than 90 days. The few people who had higher estimates (both about the time it would take and the civilian death toll) were written off as absurd and untrustworthy prophets. But years later the highest estimates would seem tiny.
The First Battle of Bull Run (or, First Battle of Manassas) was in Prince William County, VA, about 25 miles WSW of Washington, D.C. It was the first major land battle of the Civil War. The day had a certain excitement – similar, I can only imagine, to the first modern Olympics. It can’t be compared to D-Day or any other major US military action, because back then we were more naive.
Women and men alike – even Congressmen – brought breads and champagne and dressed up for the event, all eager to see the brilliant battle. The soldiers sang little ditties and everyone was excited to attend their first real war.
It didn’t turn out to be quite what they’d expected."