There are so many things to love about eating al fresco that there’s no way that you could list them all here.  But the things that one doesn’t like about eating al fresco can be summed up in one word:  BUGS.  Those loathsome, pesky little creatures - both winged and multi-legged - do nothing but annoy, harass and irritate (to say the least).  They’re flying in your face, buzzing in your hair, climbing up your ankles and sitting (and doing heaven knows what) right on the food that you’re about to bite into.

You’ve got a couple of choices; you can sit around waving a disgusting fly swatter at everything that crosses into your “zone” or you can whip out a great big can of insect repellent and fumigate the whole yard.  Or you can grab your burger and run back into the house where it’s bug-free (and boring).  Or you can get under cover.

“Yeah, right,” you say.  You don’t have the luxury of a 3-season summer hut or an enclosed cabana.  All you’ve got is a picnic table and a sun umbrella.  Perfect!  What you need is an umbrella screen, which you can find online or at DIY centers and those boxy mega stores.  The screening merely drapes down over the top of your opened umbrella, and you unzip or zip to your heart’s content.  You (and your food) will be well protected from those heartless blood-suckers and their brethren.

No itching, scratching or swatting.  And best of all, no worrying about the raisins.