We all have our little quirks, those things that our friends probably recognize as distinctly us, whether its putting mayo on only one side of a sandwich or knocking on wood before opening an envelope from the tax collector. Quirk: a peculiar behavioral habit. Houses and homeowners have their quirks, here in Gainesville. Take this mailbox two blocks over from me. Every time I walk by it, I smile. I have no idea why that little figure is cemented to the top of the box. Is the homeowner a veteran? Or did they find that little toy figure on the…
Month: April 2020
Close to Home: Power
(This post is directed at my readers in the United States who are citizens able to vote in US elections.) I’ve been thinking about power the last 24 hours: who has it, who doesn’t, and how both those factors affect the response to the pandemic. These are all our elected officials running things at the federal and state levels. We can send messages and texts, emails and postcards to let them know how we feel and what we want them to do. Every four years, we get to vote on how they’re doing. Right about now, some people are saying…
Close to Home: Challenge
Today was the day I was supposed to pull out of Gainesville and start a Spring tour of my favorite Southern campgrounds. I was going to meet friends along the Georgia coast and then head up to South Carolina to meet up with more fellow travelers. We’d hit up Asheville and the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, and Virginia. It was going to be so fun. Instead, here i am, in Gainesville, Florida, for at least another month if one is trying to read the tea leaves about lockdown duration. Trailer wheels are firmly chocked and nothing inside the Alto is…
Close to Home: Life
Just when things are hard, something comes along to remind me that life does indeed go on. Or, to borrow from Jurassic Park, life will find a way. Today, life sent a big bouquet of irises to remind me of that fact. The bush in the backyard that yesterday was only promise delivered this morning, and it was glorious. Several friends posted fresh blooms on their Facebook pages this weekend. A feast for the eyes: magnolia blossoms, colorful tulips, and cherry blossoms in abundance! Each photo shares the experience of Spring, from Canada to North Carolina to Pennsylvania, and now…
Close to Home: Space
Sometimes the house, or the trailer, in my case, isn’t big enough. Today, I found solace in a wide open field a few blocks away. Usually on a Saturday, this place would be packed with soccer players, flag footballers, and family groups. Today, it was silent, with only a light wind blowing through the trees. I’m fortunate to have open space close by. We’re allowed to walk here as long as we all keep our distance from each other, which we do. Walking outdoors gives me time to think, the rhythm of my steps calming my soul. Today, I wore…