We are fully into summer and still pausing as SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent disease COVID-19 resurges. So, looking back how did you manage from Mid-March through now? What interesting activities did you do? How did you connect with Nature? How did you nurture yourself? What did you do for others? Make a short comment that I’ll review, sort through and share some.
We did the usual projects at home and in the yard. Then, we found that taking regular forays in the truck around town exploring different neighborhoods helped acquaint us with Our Town. Weekly we took day trips to natural areas and made short videos for families to see. Our interactions with others were minimal and always at a distance. People nodded, waved and we all went on our way.
Painting small deck
Projects: scrubbed the porch and deck railings. Re-sealed the big deck and painted the posts. Cut wood. Hauled wood from downhill to uphill. (naturally!)Stacked wood. Cut more wood. Hauled more wood. Stacked wood. Refreshed the woodstove room with new paint. Sorted and discarded “stuff.” Planted the garden. Painted the inside of the barn. Built birdhouses. Watched the birds court, nest, raise young.
Yellow River State Forest
Activities: Walked nearly daily. We found it best to walk less frequented places. Rode Bikes. Took in many ZOOMs through various organizations. Attended church via ZOOM. Increased our blogging and FBLive with Hoover’s Hatchery. Maintained our schedule with Winding Pathways. Day tripped to Ram Hollow, Matsell Bridge, Wildcat Den St. Pk., Hopped a car ferry across the Mississippi, skirted the River, crossed to Iowa and lunched at Yellow River St. Forest. Explored Ciha Fen twice. Foraged wild spring greens like nettles and lamb’s quarter. Slept in our tent in the backyard two nights between bouts of rain. Overnighted at Beaver Creek Hollow State Park and came away drenched.
Oreo discovered carrot tops.
Since we were home so much of the time and with no travel in sight, we got back in the bunny business. We adopted a black and while hybrid “Lionhead” bunny named Oreo. She needed a new home. So, we said, yes. She is funny, shy, thumps when she wants attention, and squeaks.
Submitted to cataract surgery and nursed eyes back to health. Put in many eye drops. Learned a new healing skill. Spend too many hours on Zoom. Wore and washed the same few clothes over and over. Practiced gratitude. Joined a new church in another city via Zoom. Ventured out to a couple of restaurants open at 50% and ate outside. Found a Tai Chi class on the labyrinth at the park. Made finger labyrinths. Washed clothes. Did much personal growth work. Wrote someone a letter and mailed it via snail mail. Received a letter in return. Planned a retreat that may not happen this year. Cleaned out desk and found someone else’s treasure, mailed it to them. Washed clothes. Did online Yoga. Washed more clothes. etc.
Thanks, Karen! Goodness. You have been busy. Thanks for sharing.
Well, I’ve spent almost everyday since the middle of March on return from Florida playing every single piece of music that’s been stacked in the closet for many moons. I’ve kept certain pieces aside so that I can call a friend, a relative, an acquaintance, a business person and play and sing a song to them over the phone. Some of the music is from 1897 and much of it is from the early 1900’s to mid-1970’s. It’s been a total blessing to me and everyone has been most appreciative and one friend shed a few tears because her mom and dad’s favorite song was “Cruising Down the River” which I didn’t know when I selected it. I’ve also written numerous Corner Shot articles and sent them to the Roanoke Times. Several of my articles have been posted in the master gardener’s newsletter. I’ll keep on keeping until we can mingle and hug one another again.
Thanks, Jackie: People have shared a variety of interesting activities. And, the synchronicity of your selecting a piece of music that was special to your friend’s parents is particularly poignant. Thanks for sharing.
My mother was in a nursing home in Bettendorf. Visitors were prohibited but I was able to wave to her and blow kisses through a glass door. After 3 weeks of isolation from family, she passed away on March 31. We could not have a proper funeral due to the virus. It was not how I imagined her life would end. My husband still had to go to work every day so my days were spent in solitary isolation. Once the weather warmed up, I spent hours in the garden and puttering in the flower beds. I cleaned out my garden shed and found an old birdhouse one of the boys had built in Cub Scouts 20 years ago, I painted it and hung it in our ash tree. A wren immediately investigated. I had twice weekly Zoom meetings for an organization I belong to. I acquired the Audible version of Stephen King’s unabridged book “The Stand”–which I read back in the late 70s–but at 1,000 pages, I chose to listen to it instead. (That took 45 hours.) Listening to it while I cooked, cleaned house, and drove around was entertaining and frightening, considering the subject matter. Steve and I walked outside every day, hiked the Amana Nature Trail, Pleasant Creek Park, FW Kent Park, and others. On one cold, overcast day, we climbed into the car and drove backcountry gravel roads in the area east of Solon, with no idea where they led or where we would end up. We were rewarded with beautiful pastoral landscapes, green pastures dotted with peeks of sunshine between dark clouds, and a delightful trio of baby goats scampering in a pen next to the road. We were able to get out of the car and interact with them for a while. Such a joy in these dark times to watch new life scamper about, trying out their legs.
Thank you, Sheri, for sharing. I am sorry about how your mother died alone. That is tough. Your travel adventures during The Great Pause are terrific! We also have taken in the Amana Trail and were just at FW Kent park in our background work for an article for the Cedar Rapids Gazette on camping as seniors. I will use your reply in the post on The Great Pause. Initials only for privacy. Thank you and may you continue to heal as you move through the transitional time of the death of your mother. May you have wonderful memories. M~