Covid Journal, Day 41: Three New Things

51 and pouring rain this morning. It did let up later so that now Larry is out there moving blackberry plants. This is our third year to try to establish a new blackberry patch. The first one was behind the garage and the canes got so big they literally grew over the garage roof. So we've been trying to get rid of that patch and start a new one. I think the ones we've moved the past two years succumbed to his weedeater, actually. He is contrite, and this time putting hard plastic collars around the new plants so perhaps they'll survive. Cross your fingers! He is deadly with that weedeater, apparently managed to also kill off the two new plum trees planted last year. Lesson learned--no more orchard plants will go in the ground unless they have a protective collar.

Even with the rain, it is still beautiful outside. The green is the kind that almost leaves me breathless, and I never want to stop looking about me at the wonder of it.

A friend got me to thinking about what new things we are doing since this pandemic. What have we changed about our lifestyle, or doing that we didn't do before?

It was surprisingly difficult to come up with answers because our way of life typically does not involve much visiting, going to concerts, or shopping. But I did think of a few things.
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1) I have begun washing the ziplock freezer and storage bags for re-use. I never did it before, and felt a little guilty about it. But I reasoned that we conserve on so many levels that this was one thing I could just not do. Now, here I am washing and drying the bags to use again. It seemed like a waste of time before, but we have more time now.

2) I have read a novel! I rarely if ever read novels, but I read Olive Kitteredge and surprised myself by enjoying it. I have started a new one called There, There, but I am not sure I like it or the style of writing. I'm only two chapters in so it's too soon to judge. Violence and cities are not topics that interest me, I have to say. But this one, a story about Native Americans living in Oakland, California is certainly different. I'll give it that.

3) Having hour-long conversations on the phone. Definitely not something I did before, except occasionally with my youngest son. But lately I've had long, slow conversations with not only my sons, but also with sisters and friends. It really is nice. The Zoom family visits online are good, but it's more like just touching base, since there are so many of us on each call. It is wonderful to see everyone's faces and to laugh together. And that, come to think of it, is another new thing--online video visits and workshops. My poetry group is continuing to meet this way too, and it's very productive.

I think that is all that is really new in my activities. Some things I used to do I have taken up again, like making bread and starting my garden plants. I am glad to get back to these things because I have always enjoyed the sense of peace and plenty they gave me. I stopped doing them when life became too busy to keep up with them but now with less time spent on researching and planning presentations, and almost no travel to stock booths or source new inventory, I have more free time. Which makes me really think about whether I want to get back on the merry-go-round that was my life.

How about you? Have you discovered new activities that you like, or even some that you dislike but find that you must do now? Has this strange time in our lives caused you to re-assess what you were doing previously?


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