COPING WITH CORONA……GROWING A GARDEN

Aerogarden two weeks or so ago with romaine lettuce

There is something about starting a plant from a seed and watching it grow. The daily anticipation of wondering if the seed has germinated. Then the daily anticipation of wondering if the first leaf unfolds. Then the daily anticipation of wondering if the the first “true” leaves unfold.

While maintaining self-isolation, we decided to get back to our “roots” as gardeners, a hobby we have not tended to in quite some years. Growing up in the northeast, gardening was so much easier than here in Florida. There was the watchful waiting of looking for the very first crocus to bloom as a harbinger of spring. There is something magical about watching a flowering plant wake up, unfolding it’s bloom among snow on the ground.

When we moved to Florida several years back, it amazed me that the plants we grown indoors in pots were the landscape plants outside my house. Something wasn’t quite right about that, but something wasn’t quite right about gardening and putting my hands in soil while risking surprising a poisonous snake at the other end of my trowel.

I had given up gardening in the fourteen years I’ve been living in Florida, but when we recently started self-isolation and social distancing from the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided it would give us something to look forward to if we started a plant from seeds. Watching and waiting for the seed to germinate somehow soothes my soul. Surrounding myself with something growing while being stuck inside was just what I needed.

Would I grow a green plant or a flowering plant? Would I grow edible flowers? Would I grown some vegetable to sustain me in case the food supply chain became scarce. I sent away for seeds for my Aerogarden with excitement. I had decided upon romaine lettuce seed pods, knowing how delicious freshly harvested lettuce is. It is too hot this time of year to grow lettuce outside here in Florida, as it is a cold weather crop.

Two weeks ago, I set up my Aerogarden indoors and inserted the seed pods into the hydroponic growing machine along with the nutrients and water that they plant needs. It always amazes me when I see plants growing without soil and reminds me that we all can “bloom where we are planted” and can thrive with less than we THINK we need.

Each day, I look forward to checking on the status of my new plants and today I tried my first piece of lettuce from one of the plants. It was the freshest tasting lettuce I had ever eaten. Romaine lettuce from the market doesn’t really seem to have much of a flavor, but these dark lettuce leaves from my Aerogarden are tender and delicious.

Aerogarden today with bigger romaine lettuce plants

The need to grow something hit me all over again. Before the stay at home orders and shortly after planting my Aerogarden pods, I went to the garden center to purchase some herbs to grow in pots on my patio so I could be less likely to inadvertently bump into a not so friendly slithering friend. Walking by and touching the leaves of aromatic plants gives me joy. Maybe even bliss. It provides me with that in-the-moment magic that I adore. There is something about using my five senses when I am around plants that gives me that same feeling as when I see a flock of birds above my head while they change direction yet still maintain formation. There is beauty all around us that captivates my eyes and soul.

It is so easy to stop doing something you live for the time being for whatever reason. There are a million reasons why we USED to love something that we no longer do. The pandemic has given us the luxury of a little more time in our homes. Why not take up a hobby you used to love all over again to find some joy.

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow…..”

-Audrey Hepburn

Find a way to believe in tomorrow, for it will be here sooner than you know. Life is good; carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA….THE NEED FOR PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE WITHIN A HOME PROJECT

Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. These are the five stages of grief that psychologist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross described in 1969. These are ALSO the stages of any home project, I postulate. MY home project. A couple of weeks before we decided to self-isolate in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided NOW would be a good time to re-finish an L-shaped desk that we had in our computer room. It is the perfect size for the corner in the room and is solid wood. It is so old that is is actually made in America. I had looked around for a replacement desk to update the look of the room, but the words of my father, who was king of the colloquial expressions, came to mind each and every time I entered a furniture store before self-isolation. “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” WHAT was I thinking?

I decided I just LOVED the new gray color- washed look at Pottery Barn, but they did not have a desk with the storage and configuration of my desk, which wasn’t “broke.” I decided also that I was up for the task of refinishing the L-shaped desk with two hutches myself. I had done a few pieces of furniture in the past already with Annie Sloane Chalk paint, so I was up for the project. With Annie Sloane chalk paint, one doesn’t need to strip the finish off before re-finishing the piece. I loved that idea and somehow thought it was an easy task. Because my furniture was knotty pine from the nineties, it involved a few extra steps, but I like to stretch myself beyond my comfort level from time to time. I had plenty of time in which to complete my project, and what did Annie Sloane have that I didn’t have? What does Martha Stewart have that I don’t have? Patience. Evidently they DO have a great deal that I don’t have, and ONE of those things is patience. WHAT was I thinking?

Denial. Taking over the garage with “Graph Guy’s” (my beloved husband) and my car in the driveway, I had enough space to do the project. I started the first piece and realized that the effect I was expecting to achieve ended up a bit spotty or streaky in some spots. Evidently I was distressed about the “distressed look.” Ha! I thought my results made no sense and wondered if maybe “I bit off more than I could chew” in the words of “King Colloquial.” There was some sort of mistake. Maybe I just used the wrong rag. I probably should have used the tee shirt rags. Maybe I just used the wrong paint brush. Denial everywhere. Maybe there wasn’t enough light where I was working. The desk, as I once knew it, had changed in an instant. There was no going back. I was “in it to win it” now. There must have been a mix-up; maybe I read the directions wrong as everyone else on the net that used this technique achieved stellar results! Life as I had known it had changed that first day in the garage, so I walked away. I walked away for a LONG time, maybe a couple of weeks.

Anger. Once I had settled into the actual reality instead of the reality that I WANTED, I laughed as I asked myself and “Graph Guy” what had I done? Why me? Tongue-in-cheek, I chuckled to myself thinking Elisabeth Kubler-Ross would have a field day with me now.

Bargaining. “Hey Graph Guy, want to do a little painting I asked?” I could use a buddy in the garage, “maybe you could help me, and I can help you with YOUR project (building a wooden hood for his new aquarium) later?” Then finally, “Okay, okay……I will bake you ANY dessert you want or your FAVORITE meal if you help me paint….” while hearing the words of King Colloquial in my mind each and every time. “You hired the band,” King Colloquial would always tell me, “so now you have to hear them play.” King Colloquial would often also tell me with his wry little smile that “I made my bed, so it is time to lie in it”, too. Such wisdom. Words that reminded me that this was MY project, and I needed to see it through. Graph Guy WOULD help me, but I shouldn’t have his help.

Depression. I didn’t feel anything near REAL depression, which is a serious condition, but was sad that this project was far too big for me to attempt at the moment. It was taking far longer than I thought, far longer than I wanted. I didn’t want to talk about my project, I didn’t want to even think about my project.

Acceptance. King Colloquial’s words came back to me again and again. I smiled when I heard him in my mind saying, “Quit your bellyachin’ and just do it,” with that same wry smile. He knew what had to be done. He had told me ad-nauseum when I was a child that if I spend HALF the time complaining about what had to be done and DOING what had to be done instead, the task would have already been completed by then.

I went out into the garage quietly. I picked up the paint brush quietly. I smiled to myself quietly, glad for King Colloquial’s lessons about the need for patience and perseverance. What a gift that man was. I told myself I WOULD complete the project, one side at a time. It didn’t need to be perfect; it just needed to be DONE. Funny this is a lesson I try to teach my daughter, “Teen Traveler,” ALL THE TIME. Evidently I need to learn the lesson myself first today.

THREE out of FOUR pieces completed, I am glad I took the time. They look great. I tell myself that they look great because the metric I am using is they they needed to look BETTER than they did originally in some way. I might even do my kitchen table, too…..the sky is the limit!

Life is full of trade-offs. Life is full of challenges. Life is full of less than ideal from time to time. I’m thinking that is true with our Covid-19 situation right now. Self-isolating means not sharing a meal with friends and precious extended family. Plans with precious extended family in other towns or cities have been cancelled. Bread won’t be broken together right now, jokes won’t be shared together right now. BUT at some point, life will be BETTER than it is right now. I’ll use that metric. Six feet apart is better than “six feet under” as they say.

So remind yourself to “quit bellyachin” and try to do something you need to do but don’t quite WANT to do today. Stretch yourself. Move out of your comfort zone to stretch yourself in some way. Practice patience and perseverance today. We’ll all “get there” (wherever there is) , some day, even if it is a long, long road…..

“The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where,
Who knows where.
But I’m strong,
Strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother...“

So on we go….we’ll get there…”

-“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by Bob Russell and Bobby Scott

Life is good; carpe diem, friends…….

(Annie Sloane chalk paint purchased by The Purple Painted Lady at https://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/. She is one of the THE best sources of supplies and education/information about using Annie Sloane chalk paints on the internet. She even draws designs and pictures on her boxes before shipping to put a smile on your face when the package arrives. She often sticks in a little surprise like a can opener or a paint chart as well. Customer service here is FANTASTIC! She also operates a retail store in NY. I strongly suggest buying your paint and supplies here.)

COPING WITH CORONA….SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO/A LITTLE MAGIC IN THE SKY

Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the appearance of meteors in the sky meant something, either good OR bad, was about to happen. On April 16-25, if you look up into the dark night sky you will likely see some “shooting stars” bringing a little bit of magic to the spring sky. Although at it’s peak on or around April 21, you might be lucky enough to witness ten to fifteen meteors per hour Often these Lyrid Meteor showers can sometimes show one hundred “shooting stars” per hour!

I can still remember looking up into the night sky on a kayak late at night here in Florida in Mosquito Lagoon over the last years with my head tilted toward the heavens in pitch darkness to witness the bioluminescence of the dinoflagellates (plankton) in the water. I heard a splash in the water, wondering if it was an alligator or merely a fish jumping out of the water. One time, a fish jumped from one side of the kayak to the other, right across my lap. While my head was tilted toward the heavens, I stopped paddling the kayak for about ten minutes, during which time I witnessed a breathtaking display of meteor showers. It was so exciting to look around in anticipation as to where I would see the next shooting star. I used to be mesmerized by meteor showers when I was a summer camp counselor at W. Alton Jones Campus in Rhode Island in my early adult years. On our nights off, the other counselors and I would lay supine upon a narrow causeway between two ponds, listening to the sounds of the summer, such as the crickets and bullfrogs making chirping, rasping, and grinding noises that would take my breath away. The stillness of the black night along with those sounds were almost magical. The Perseid Meteor Showers sparkled above our heads as we heard those enchanting sounds, and being in the moment was almost perfect. The timelessness that we felt was extraordinary. Seeing the same spectacular events in the heavens that those that went before us somehow linked us to our past in some profound way.

Although it is not yet summer and not quite time for those same Perseid Meteor Showers in August, the Lyrid Meteor Showers in mid to late April is still something to look forward to. Even though most of the country is in a stay at home or shelter in place status, why not go into your backyard and lay upon the grass with your heads up toward the heavens……listening, watching, waiting for some magic to appear to take your breath away. We all need something GOOD to look forward to.

The Ancient Greeks may have believed that the appearance of meteors in the night sky meant something bad OR good was about to happen. I, however, think that something GOOD will happen if you gaze upwards and take a moment to yourself to watch the sky.

“…Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day

For when your troubles start multiplyin’
They just might
It’s easy to forget them without tryin’
With just a pocket full of starlight….”

–“Catch a Falling Star” written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and sung by Perry Como

Go out and look up into the night sky with watchful waiting for something GOOD to happen at a moment’s notice to take your mind off the Corona situation. I’ll bet you’ll be glad you did.

Life IS good; carpe diem, friends………..

COPING WITH CORONA WITH A LITTLE SLICE OF LAUGHTER

Laughter, the BEST medicine (photo courtesy of dreamstime.com)

I am always of the impression that there is usually a little slice of humor in just about everything, even if we have to look hard to find it.

Picture this. A few weeks after experiencing difficulty obtaining toilet paper from our normal local stores, I decided I would order from Amazon to replenish our supply in mid-April, trying hard to avoid the pandemonium and hoarding of supplies that reduce product availability that others have experienced.

After seeing that Amazon did not have my normal and customary toilet paper brand, or really any other known brand for that matter, I decided that toilet paper is toilet paper for the most part. Some brands are thinner than others, but ALL serve the same purpose, right? On March 15, I decided to order the toilet paper that was assuredly silky, smooth, soft, professional series premium 3-Ply toilet Paper, home/ kitchen, enviro- friendly toilet tissue. The one that was soft, strong and highly absorbent for daily use (White)…….how bad could it be, really? I ordered ten rolls, thinking it would last a while and looked forward to the silky smooth premium THREE- ply toilet paper suitable for daily use. I looked forward to the cushiony and absorbent layers of comfort for the clean feel (I) expect and the luxurious feel (I) desire.Wow. Who knew that DAILY use of said toilet tissue would yield such a comfortable and luxurious experience!

I waited for the toilet tissue to arrive, much like a child waits for Santa at Christmas. Every other day, I checked the status to see if said luxury- in- a – package would arrive as scheduled, or maybe, just maybe, it just MIGHT arrive sooner than I expected. One day, there was silver lining in the clouds above my home, and I was quite certain it was because the day that I had been longing for, the day I had been anticipating, the day that gave me joy, FINALLY arrived. My toilet paper had SHIPPED!

I waited and almost counted the days until my premium three ply toilet paper, which was home and environmentally friendly, would arrive, but then I noticed that is not just ANY toilet paper. I re-read what I had missed originally. And re-read it again. Could it be? Evidently I did NOT see that it was RECYCLED. I also wondered how, exactly, the seller, might think in our sector of the galaxy that it was also KITCHEN friendly? Evidently I missed THAT part, too. Immediately my mind drifted to all kinds of scenarios in which the toilet paper may have been recycled. I was hoping that it was recycled from soda bottles, maybe, instead of being recycled from toilet tissue. Recyled from USED toilet tissue maybe? I couldn’t stop laughing at the scenes that were flashing before my eyes in my mind.

As it got closer to the arrival day, I waited with excitement (or was that feeling more like trepidation) when I found out from the shipping status that the toilet paper was now in Florida. The next day, my excitement mounted when I found out it was in my area and out for delivery. Delivery to ME. Silky, smooth, soft, professional series premium three ply toilet paper, which was home and kitchen environmentally friendly was on its way to ME. Toilet tissue that was soft and strong (a quality I loved in my husband, “Graph Guy”, but not normally in TOILET tissue!). Highly absorbent toilet tissue that was suitable even for DAILY use! Whoa! The bar was high here. I waited and waited, longing for those cushiony and absorbant layers of comfort for the clean feel I expect as well as the luxurious feel I desire! Wow! It doesn’t get any better than THIS, I chuckled to myself.

On Saturday, the paper was here! Hooray! A cause for celebration, of course. “Graph Guy” went out to get the package and called me outside with an index finger beckoning me to its final resting place. It was like a delivery from the Easter Bunny. We walked out the front door. No package. We looked in front of the garage. No package. How can this be, when Amazon assured me it was delivered that very day? “Graph Guy” had an idea, as he cutomarilly does. He deduced the ONLY possible place for the placement of the toilet paper. He is always of the mindset, spoken by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in “Sherlock Holmes” and echoed by Spock in “Star Trek”. “Graph Guy” also believes that “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” The truth is out there. The truth is………………………………..in my MAILBOX!

Evidently, all TEN rolls of toilet tissue that were suitable for DAILY use fit into my MAILBOX. Evidently suitable for SINGLE use only, NOT daily use as suggested. Or suitable for an American Girl Doll. Had I missed that description in the write-up? Suitable mostly for 16 inch dolls or dollhouses? Can’t be.

Toilet tissue next to “Graph Guy’s” shoe

“Teen Traveler” (my daughter), “Graph Guy”, and I all laughed hard at this arrival, chuckling even more at the “business card” that was left inside the package. I’m sure it said, “Let the buyer beware…..” If ONLY I could read Chinese.

You see, there really IS a slice of humor in just about everything, even if you have to look hard for it amidst today’s corona situation. Despite the price gouging ($20.00 for these diminutive rolls), they were PRICELESS as a source of entertainment in the daily “safer at home” monotony here in Florida. I just knew the story would also be a great ice-breaker at a party some day, too!

So go ahead and find SOMETHING to laugh about today. Find the little slice of humor in some situation today. Laughter really IS the best medicine.

Carpe diem, friends………(and don’t forget to take the time to ensure your mailbox is re-painted with all this time at home, too!) Guess I overlooked THAT!

COPING WITH CORONA….A CAUSE FOR A CELESTIAL CELEBRATION

Tonight is a very special night, but you probably know it already. Tonight is the last one exactly like it. Tonight, we experience the moon in the closest position that it will be to Earth all year, 17,000 miles closer to us than it is on average. That means it will look HUGE. That means it will be BRIGHT. In fact, it will be approximately thirty percent brighter than the average full moon.

The name “pink moon” has been used to describe tonight’s moon, but this is actually the name of the first full moon of any spring (in April). The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” says the name is “pink moon” because it happens at about the same time that pink creeping phlox blooms in some climates int he spring.

Looking at the moon tonight approximately one hour after sunset, it did not appear as silvery white as when I normally see it high in the night sky. It had an orangey/subtle pink tinge to my eye, even though it isn’t supposed to really be pink. Despite what I see, I tell myself again that it is only called the Pink Moon because of the “moss pink” or creeping phlox bloom that happens around the same time.

Isn’t that the way, though? We see what we want to see. We open our eyes, yet what we see is what we expect to see. C.S. Lewis said it best:

““What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew

Tomorrow I expect to see beauty. I expect to see joy with a touch of whimsy. I expect to see laughter. I expect to see people coming together for a common cause because where I am standing, the world looks beautiful.

“Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes….”

-“Moondance” by Van Morrison

Today IS a marvelous night for a moondance, a cause for a celestial celebration. Carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA…IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS/A SMALL GOOD THING

Three shakes. A “small good thing” in the words of Raymond Carver, a contemporary short story writer, in one of his short stories. Three shakes delivered to celebrate a small victory, a reminder that until further notice, we celebrate everything.

This weekend was fraught with frustration as we battled a huge plumbing issue during self-isolation that even the plumber couldn’t fix from the street. We were unable to wash clothes, use the dishwasher or two of our bathrooms or showers. Admittedly, not being able to use TWO of our bathrooms is a very “first world” problem to have. There are many others in the world who have none. Thankfully, my husband worked tirelessly from the inside, accessing several access points through out the house until he solved the issue hours (really DAYS) later. I admire and am grateful for his perseverance. I admire and am grateful for HIM.

Later that night, we violated our self-isolation by ordering three shakes from Shake Shake, delivered from DoorDash as a celebration of our victory, small victory that it was. I ordered the shakes and had the delivery person leave them on the porch. I opened the door after they left, using gloves. I wiped the outside of the styrofoam containers with disinfectant, as Covid-19 lasts about twenty-four hours on cardboard and approximately two to three days on plastic according to some sources. I transferred the shakes to our own decorative glasses inside the house, once the decontamination process ended. It has come to this, I thought to myself. But it was so worth the wait, as it was a “small good thing.”

TODAY, someone very special delivered surprise home-made muffins to our porch without notice. Another “small good thing” that caused our hearts to soar. A small good thing, an act of kindness, that helps us to rise above the themes of helplessness, loss, conflict, communication, isolation and loneliness that Raymond Carver develops in his story to lead the reader to discover our connection with others. The kindness of food and comfort given by another illustrates a shared understanding with others, letting us know we are all in this together.

You see, in our house, until further notice, we celebrate EVERYTHING. Sometimes it really IS the “little things” that make a difference.

“Together, together, together everyone
Together, together, come on lets have some fun
Together, we’re there for each other every time
Together, together come on let’s do this right….

Everyone is special in their own way
We make each other strong (we make each other strong)
We’re not the same
We’re different in a good way
Together’s where we belong…

We’re all in this together
Once we know
That we are
We’re all stars
And we see that
We’re all in this together
And it shows
When we stand
Hand in hand….”

-“We’re All In This Together” by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil

Find the small things to celebrate today. A smile, a gesture of kindness. Muffins left upon your porch by a special visitor. A shared connection with others. Carpe diem, friends….

COPING WITH CORONA…LEAN ON ME WHEN YOU’RE NOT STRONG

Feeling lonely during self-isolation or stay at home restrictions? Find a friend. Call a friend. Email a friend. Ask a friend for help. We’re all in this together. A good friend is truly a gift…

“Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won’t let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand
We all need somebody to lean on….”

– “Lean on Me” by Will Withers

Give help during Corona. Get help during Corona. We’ll make it through this together. It won’t last forever, but our friendships do.

“I get by with a little help from my friends……Oh, I’m gonna try with a little help from my friends…”

-“With a Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles

Carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA….VANILLA AND TEMPORARY TATOOS IN TAHAA (Armchair travel to French Polynesia)

Temporary Tatoos in Tahaa? Time for armchair travel to a warm, sunny place….. French Polynesia. Armchair travel in my mind keeps me sane amidst the Corona pandemic.

While visiting French Polynesia, a country comprised of more than one hundred islands located in the South Pacific, I took a tour of one of the islands there, Tahaa. Tahaa is ninety square kilometers (about thirty five square miles) and simply breathtaking. While driving along this island, located on the leeward (western) side of French Polynesia, our guide pulled over to the side of the road to pick a wild fern.

The fern has silvery white powdery spores on its backside.

When you place the backside of the fern against your skin and press for a few seconds, the spores leave an imprint on your skin which resembles a white tattoo. This spore powder doesn’t easily rub off and remained on the my skin for the duration of the day, coming off only when I washed it with soap and water later at my resort.

The thought of a tattoo on my arm did not especially appeal to me, but the thought of a “temporary tattoo” imprint from the spores of this natural plant intrigued me.

For the next stop on our tour, we visited a vanilla plantation. Tahaa is known as “l’île de la vanille” in French, ( “Vanilla Island”), as this island produces about eighty percent of Tahitian vanilla.

The vanilla plant is part of the orchid family, and the wet climate and altitude of this part of the world is great for growing this vanilla. La Vallée De La Vanille, an organic vanilla plantation, was an amazing place to visit.

vanilla normally produces flowers in a short season (May and September mostly)

During my visit, I learned that vanilla beans are harvested after each flower is hand pollinated, after about six to nine months. While it is possible to hand grow Vanilla planifolia (vanilla) in other parts of the world, Tahitian vanilla is actually a hybrid of two species (vanilla planifolia and vanilla pompona), which were bred together to create Vanilla tahitensis or Tahitian vanilla. The bees that normally pollinate vanilla were not brought to French Polynesia by the Europeans from Central America, are not on the island, and are nearly extinct. The plants, which contain both male and female parts, are hand pollinated accordingly. The plant is propagated mainly from stem cuttings instead of seeds because they require a certain type of fungus to even germinate.

unripe vanilla pods on the vanilla plant and a “temporary tattoo” on the tour guide

Vanilla pods are harvested when they are mature, as harvesting them too early before they turn the right color yields a vanilla bean that is not as aromatic or flavorful. Post-harvest, the beans are washed and dried in a series of steps for approximately nine months before going to market.

Marché de Papeete in Tahiti where many things, including Tahitian vanilla, are sold

Tahitian vanilla tastes very different than the usual vanilla we eat here in the Americas, which is usually a Bourbon vanilla or Madagascar vanilla. While Madagascar vanilla taste can be described as “rich and creamy”, Tahitian vanilla can be best described as sweet and floral with a hit of cherry somehow. Many people simply LOVE the flavor of Tahitian vanilla (especially my friend in Belgium), but I find it tastes almost like eating soap some how.

So when the travel bans are lifted, think about visiting French Polynesia. Try something different. Enjoy the local color wherever you end up and keep dreaming. Carpe diem, friends……….

COPING WITH CORONA, PART 11…”GO FLY A KITE!”

How about getting out of the house today with a touch of whimsy before Corona comes knocking at your door? You can head to your local field or beach to fly a kite while still maintaining appropriate “social distance.” When was the last time you ran with the wind in your hair and a kite in your hand? It IS March, after all…..

“You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You’re a bird in flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite
Oh, oh, oh!
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite!
When you send it flyin’ up there
All at once you’re lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over ‘ouses and trees
With your first ‘olding tight
To the string of your kite
Oh, oh, oh!
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Let’s go fly a kite!”

-“Let’s Go Fly A Kite” song by David Tomlinson from the movie “Mary Poppins”, 1964

Get outside and have some fun today; the sky’s the limit! Carpe diem, friends…………..

COPING WITH CORONA, PART 10……THE FINE ART OF HYGGE

The Dutch have it right AGAIN! Instead of Niksen, the art of purposely doing “nothing”, another Dutch approach to enjoying life is called “hygge” (pronounced “hoo-gah”). Hygge centers around enjoying the little things in life that provide us comfort. Although spring is upon us, providing warmer weather in some parts of the country, other parts of the country are still experiencing a bit of a chill. Fire in a fireplace? That’s hygge. Scented candles burning in your home? That’s hygge. Meals with comfort food and friends? That’s hygge. Big comfortable furniture with a soft throw blanket draped around you? That’s hygge. Your favorite hot tea, cappuccino, or coffee served in a china cup? That’s hygge. A long indulgent bubble bath with scented candles burning on the sides? That’s hygge. A bite of a delicious Belgian chocolate? That’s hygge. Anything and everything comfortable and cozy? Now THAT’S hygge!

While you are trying to take your mind off the corona virus situation in our lives right now, turn off your phone and turn on some soft music, sip a hot beverage, light a fire, and burn some scented candles after dinner. You will most likely experience comfort and contentment that will take your mind off of the virus knocking at your door.

Bananas Foster served outdoors over an open flame with family gathered around

Hygge, loosely translated as “to give courage, comfort, and joy”, will help you to live deliberately with comfortable intentions. They say it’s the “little things that matter.” Why not give it a try? Today choose pastry over healthy food for a change. Maybe a bite of a brownie, freshly baked cookies, or Bananas Foster………..

Sign from Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands, showing an attitude of gratitude

Enjoy today; find some comfort. Enjoy the little things. Carpe diem, friends…..

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