How are you faring in this strange new reality?
I'm doing okay. Sometimes sleep doesn't come easily, and other nights I can hardly keep my eyes open by early evening and sleep deep and long.
But I'm getting outside as much as possible for long walks and bike rides, trying my best to stay socially distanced. On popular trails, it's tight. So I'm going in off hours, whatever that means now.
I'm very fortunate to live within walking distance of the Salish Sea and some woods in a big city park. Getting to these regularly has been a salvation.
During this interlude, which could extend months (?), we're all being challenged to stop relying on driving long distances to trailheads for our outdoors fix. Now it's all about being where you live.
For some of you lucky enough to live on the edge of the mountains, you'll have a lot more solitude this summer. For those of us in more densely populated urban settings, well, we'll do what we can.
I've discovered a sparsely used trail in the woods near my home that has been yielding early spring treasures (like my first trillium sighting of the year and fiddleheads on ferns).
Today on my walk, as I was rounding a bend in the trail by a salmonberry shrub ripe with brilliant magenta blossoms, a shimmering green Anna's hummingbird buzzed past. I watched in wonder as it poked its long thin beak into three blossoms in quick succession. I didn't have time to get a shot.
But it was a magical moment. In that instant there was no pandemic, no anxiety, just a beautiful little bird blessing me with its presence for a few memorable seconds.
I'm very fortunate that my work is still relatively steady. I've worked from home for years anyway, and my normal routine is not that changed.
What has changed is not roaming the region, skiing and hiking. And not seeing friends and family.
My regular morning coffee group has scattered - several are holed up in their vacation homes away from Seattle, and the rest of us are hunkered down here, disconnected. I live alone, so really miss that regular camaraderie. No Book Club dinners, no tai chi classes, no athletic club workouts, no hikes with friends, no regular meetups for tea at my local haunts, and so on. There are some Zoom meetups, so hopefully more to come.
And how are you doing? I'd truly love to hear in a comment below. I promise I'll respond!
Take good care, be safe and be well.
Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons!
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6 comments:
Hi Jill. Lovely to see you lately on Zoom, and so nice to see pictures of spring in the woods "back home". My part of MI still has snowdrops and crocuses. Say hello to Carkeek and Puget Sound for me!
The flowers popping up help mitigate the dreary circumstances of our lives now. However sheltering at home means I am getting some way overdue tasks done so that is my little ray of sunshine.
Jill, the seattle house is in final closing so we are, finally portland people. Its odd, river water vs salt water. But given a choice I am a river girl -lakes are dull, beaches or ok but a river is amazing - active,changing and defining the topography and it runs from source to the ocean. Things to stay alive to witness is the removal of the Klamath river dams. Benjamin and I are hunkered down in the new condo, Sullivans Gulch. A bit fancier than we really wanted but it has what we need so here we are.
Its time to leave seattle and our house was too big for two people and the yard never really worked so, in Portland I am now a working distance from the farm. Our social distancing routine is rarely leaving the condo and making a combo farm grocery store run. no problem with social distancing when the very closest neighbor is about an acre away. The local grocery store was pretty empty and fully stocked. Managed to get the first peas in and looking forward to bigger garden since we are about 40 minutes to be out the door and in the dirt.miss you kiddo Mary lou
Lisa, I've enjoyed seeing you, too, via Zoom practice. Thanks for the comment. Take good care!
Anne, yes, spring flowers and house projects! I thoroughly cleaned my office weekend before last. So many projects I'll never get to even now, maybe? Thanks for the comments as always.
Suezy. always love your descriptive comments! Ha, no sidewalks in my neighborhood, but still. Good walking. I'm sorry walking alone isn't so great where you live. I'm glad I can give you a glimpse of the Northwest, and you're so sweet to offer such feedback on my blog.
Mary Lou, life sounds good on the farm. And Portland is of course a wonderful place to live. I always feel at home when I'm down there. I hope when this all clears I can make it back down to the farm nand perhaps even harvest walnuts. Take good care!
Hi Jill,
We are fortunate to have our foothills literally across the street, so we get our daily fix of hiking and running. Unfortunately, swimming is on hold for the foreseeable future. We just saw our first buttercups, bluebells and balsalm while traversing our local foothills trails.
I'm still working full-time, as we are an essential government service. However, evenings are blessedly uncommitted and I am immersing myself (more than usual) in my quilting and piano practice.
I'm inspired by Mary Lou and her gardening. I'd like to get at least a few tomato plants into the new garden. However, I need to wait until the deer move up the hills for the summer -- there were nine in our yard this morning. :)
Take care!
Lesley
Hey Lesley, Ah so fortunate to be so close to all that foothills splendor, and the flowers! Is it possible to enclose your garden in a deer-proof fence? Good to hear from you, take good care!
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