Moving on. Happy autumn! We're in the thick of it now, with leaves changing and the garden done. Cool mornings, no more cricket sounds, and that light that gets a little lower every day. At my house, we are cooking dinners inside instead of out on the grill.
We have spent too much time at home this year. None from fear; mostly because the things we would do are not open, and possibly a bit of laziness. It is easy to stay home and not do hair - or cut hair; not worry about matching clothes; not worry about timeliness. It all blends. I know you are there, too. We have spent most of our church hours watching church online; it has been nice to have a quiet morning in pajamas, with hot drinks and fresh pancakes while we listen to a sermon. A sermon very on point. We have been TO church a handful of times. There are still hugs; it is nice to get dressed up and be timely. But I am not a morning person and getting started is always the hardest.
September, we spent time helping my parents pack up and leave their beloved home in the mountains because of wildfires. And then move back in, only without most of the food just in case. Then back out; then in. Each curse has blessings; because of the smoke, we had so many beautiful sunsets. School is mostly online, and now and then in person. It is difficult to watch our community being consumed and dictated by fear. My kids are missing so much. I thought in March, April, May, "It could be worse; we've lived through wars. Graduates went from the podium to the front lines." Now I feel, at least those previous generations were persuing something they believed in; or perhaps naively chasing adventure. Now, we are hiding from The Virus; apparently forever.
October, we raked up many, many leaves, and jumped in them; carved pumpkins and celebrated a birthday. I took SO MANY senior pictures and family pictures. Life is continuing. Some baking, some hiking; some snow, some sun. A very little trick-or-treating. A very lot of Christmas knitting!
November has arrived with an illness and then loss of a loved one's loved one, while remembering our Veterans. I have been fasting from one of my favorite daily things - hot tea with sugar. It is a reminder that there are Bigger Things. I trust November will end with much good food and baking, memories, laughter, thankfulness. Peace.
A beautiful post Karen, with beautiful photos -- as always! I don't really feel affected by all the closures, etc., as I don't have kids in school and we don't go out a lot anyway. I just sit back in awe at the ridiculousness of it all. ;-( It's so good that we have our families and loved ones to get us through!
ReplyDeleteI have also been home more not because of fear, but because it's not as easy to go places with restrictions. We have found a church that doesn't require us to cover our face and life is beginning to feel like normal. Of course, when sick, we stay home.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting, Martha. Well said!
DeleteThese photos are magnificent....inspiring!
ReplyDeleteSteph, thank you so much!!
DeleteHow have I missed all these outstanding posts? I love your blogging style. We do not fear either. I have read many many articles, thought about what was being told to us, and considered what I would live with from this knowledge. None of it has changed. I do not wear a mask. I have been ask to leave a store only once and it was right before Christmas. But usually I have no problem being unmasked. Of course, I do try to go out to the store when I know it is not a heavy traffic time. And seriously almost everyone complies here. Being shamed is not a problem with me because of my strong belief of the dangers and lies behind masking people...and children...oh my! I get so upset on that one!!
ReplyDeleteWe are healthier by not eating out, even though we do order pizza from our favorite Italian restaurant once in a awhile.
My church is a small congregation and they are okay with getting together, even at gatherings in homes. So other than the first two weeks in March when everything stopped due to not knowing...we have met together. I continue with my teenage Precepts Bible study every week in my home, and I participate in a weekly prayer group. I do know many believers that still have strong feelings about the need to wear masks and I am respectful of that, but I do not consider it a virtue thing to mask up.
Probably said more than what you wanted here😊
Not at all! I'm so glad whenever I hear people are getting on as usual. If everyone was up in the air with this, we would surely find it difficult to get on with the wonders of this life!
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