---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After a time Emma opened the picnic…"
description: "\"“After a time Emma opened the picnic basket and they ate honey sandwiches with ants on them and drank the queer tea that always comes from a thermos.”\"..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg"
---

#  After a time Emma opened the picnic basket and they ate…

![“After a time Emma opened the picnic basket and they ate honey sandwiches with ants on them and drank the queer tea that always comes from a thermos.” quote by Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg)

> ““After a time Emma opened the picnic basket and they ate honey sandwiches with ants on them and drank the queer tea that always comes from a thermos.””

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A whimsical scene of simple pleasures shared, highlighting everyday moments and quirky details that make life memorable.

**In simple terms:** Simple joys can be found in ordinary, odd moments.

Key Takeaway

Appreciate the small, strange comforts of life.

Themes

nostalgia comfort whimsy

Mood

playful reflective

Type

literary descriptive

When to use this quote

- picnic outings
- reading clubs
- creative writing prompts

Key Concepts

everyday magic sensory detail

Questions to Reflect On

- What ordinary moments bring you unexpected joy?
- How can you notice the quirky details around you?

A Different Perspective

The scene may feel overly quaint, limiting broader relevance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ants Drank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants-drank-3576008/) [Ate Honey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ate-honey-3576010/) [Drank Queer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drank-queer-3576011/) [Queer Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queer-tea-3576009/) [Sandwiches Ants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sandwiches-ants-3576007/) [Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/)

[Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/)

> [My mother 'gave teas' the way other mothers breathed. Her own mother 'gave teas.' All of their friends 'gave teas,' each involving butter cookies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/my-mother-gave-teas-the-way-other-mothers-breathed-her-own-mother/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [ “Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth." \[From: 19 Lessons On Tea\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/ecstasy-is-a-glass-full-of-tea-and-a-piece-of-sugar-in-the-mouth-from/)

[Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/)

> [I thought I'd be the first to introduce herbal tea to Patna. White tea, ginger tea, rooibos, camomile. No one touched it. On subsequent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/i-thought-i-d-be-the-first-to-introduce-herbal-tea-to-patna-white-tea/)

[Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/)

> [Tea is soothing. I wish to be tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-giles/tea-is-soothing-i-wish-to-be-tense/)

[Rupert Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-giles/)

> [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/)

[James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/)

> [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/)

[Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/)

> [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/)

[Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/)

> [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/)

[Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/)

> [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/)

[Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/)

> [Of course Messi could handle a cold Tuesday night in Stoke. He'd be drinking tea and relaxing beforehand. Me? I'd probably be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/of-course-messi-could-handle-a-cold-tuesday-night-in-stoke-he-d-be/)

[Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/)

> [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/)

[Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/)

> [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/)

[Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/)

> [Wherever St. Paul went, there was a riot. Wherever I go, they serve tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/wherever-st-paul-went-there-was-a-riot-wherever-i-go-they-serve-tea/)

[N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/)

> [“Americans for Prosperity annoyed some of the Tea Partiers,” recalls the libertarian blogger Ralph Benko. “These people drove up, opened the door, put T-shirts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/americans-for-prosperity-annoyed-some-of-the-tea-partiers-recalls-the/)

[Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/)

## More by Barbara Comyns

> [“It was Sunday morning, and old people passed me like sad grey waves on their way to church.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/it-was-sunday-morning-and-old-people-passed-me-like-sad-grey-waves-on/)

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

> [“Now I lay down on this tree and felt a lonely sadness coming over me in waves. Slow tears ran from my eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/now-i-lay-down-on-this-tree-and-felt-a-lonely-sadness-coming-over-me/)

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

> [“Her face worked in an odd way, like knitting coming undone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/her-face-worked-in-an-odd-way-like-knitting-coming-undone/)

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

> [“She cleared her throat once or twice, and said something about poor people should eat a lot of herrings, as they were most nutritious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/she-cleared-her-throat-once-or-twice-and-said-something-about-poor/)

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

> [“She came to a little wrecked pleasure-steamer, which had become embedded in the mud several summers ago and which no one had bothered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/she-came-to-a-little-wrecked-pleasure-steamer-which-had-become/)

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

> [“When I left the kitchen the whole family were all gazing upwards at the dancing flies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/when-i-left-the-kitchen-the-whole-family-were-all-gazing-upwards-at/)

[Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

[Explore all 7 Barbara Comyns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/)

## More Tea quotes

> [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/)

[Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/)

> [Wherever St. Paul went, there was a riot. Wherever I go, they serve tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/wherever-st-paul-went-there-was-a-riot-wherever-i-go-they-serve-tea/)

[N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/)

> [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/)

[Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/)

> [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/)

[Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/)

> [Of course Messi could handle a cold Tuesday night in Stoke. He'd be drinking tea and relaxing beforehand. Me? I'd probably be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/of-course-messi-could-handle-a-cold-tuesday-night-in-stoke-he-d-be/)

[Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/)

> [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/)

[Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/)

> [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/)

[Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/)

> [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/)

[Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/)

> [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/)

[Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/)

> [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/)

[James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/)

> [Tea is soothing. I wish to be tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-giles/tea-is-soothing-i-wish-to-be-tense/)

[Rupert Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-giles/)

> [I thought I'd be the first to introduce herbal tea to Patna. White tea, ginger tea, rooibos, camomile. No one touched it. On subsequent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/i-thought-i-d-be-the-first-to-introduce-herbal-tea-to-patna-white-tea/)

[Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/)

> [ “Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth." \[From: 19 Lessons On Tea\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/ecstasy-is-a-glass-full-of-tea-and-a-piece-of-sugar-in-the-mouth-from/)

[Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/)

> [My mother 'gave teas' the way other mothers breathed. Her own mother 'gave teas.' All of their friends 'gave teas,' each involving butter cookies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/my-mother-gave-teas-the-way-other-mothers-breathed-her-own-mother/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [“Americans for Prosperity annoyed some of the Tea Partiers,” recalls the libertarian blogger Ralph Benko. “These people drove up, opened the door, put T-shirts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/americans-for-prosperity-annoyed-some-of-the-tea-partiers-recalls-the/)

[Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/)

[Browse all 2,173 Tea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“After a time Emma opened the picnic basket and they ate honey sandwiches with ants on them and drank the queer tea that always comes from a thermos.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barbara Comyns"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-basket-and-they-ate-honey/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Tea"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-basket-and-they-ate-honey/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/barbara-comyns-47028_tea_after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-bask_1197272.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“After a time Emma opened the picnic basket and they ate honey sandwiches with ants on them and drank the…” — Barbara Comyns",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Barbara Comyns",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“After a time Emma opened the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-basket-and-they-ate-honey/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/after-a-time-emma-opened-the-picnic-basket-and-they-ate-honey/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
