From the Mask Desk: I am grateful for every person wearing their masks. It shows me I'm part of a community of people who care for each other. Wearing them is becoming a habit as I ready myself for forays beyond my door. It makes me appreciate the nuances of communications, too, because as my hearing has diminished with age, my sight helps pick up cues and follow speech by watching mouth and facial movement. I didn't know this for a long time. Gradually it came to me. Closed captions are now part of my life.

My compensation mechanism is magnified now because masks hide us a bit from each other as well as preventing dispersals of COVID-19 aerosols and droplets. My hearing aids are turned up to the max to capture communication. (I have to be careful not to yank them off my ears with the mask strings.) We're all experiencing this struggle to some extent. I've looked up American Sign Language so in our masked encounters I can gesture "smile" when I see someone and my hands are free. We'll learn more aids as we go along.

At last, I was able to order thread and even elastic and fabric so I am back in the mask-making business. So, masks for the long haul...

The price came down, too. $4.69.

Seven! prototypes. I'm going with the bottom left design.

Valerie made this one for Kingston.
Very handsome, young man.

I think Kingston looks better in his. At least, he has a haircut.

The Farm Report: Walks continue but are done pretty late when the land has cooled off a bit...

The garden continues its amazing growth.

From Wendy.

The grasses and field growth always attract...

...burrs in the making...

...and surprises.

Pat sent a surprise from the backyard at Marge's...

While she was sitting in the shade a Monarch alit and stayed a little while.

And Gloria sent pictures of the blooming "pink cacti" that have thrived in her front entry area which were small pups years ago on my patio. They are blooming in 110 degree heat...

Friday Morning...

I'm in tears. Again. I know when John Lewis got to heaven he was was welcomed by those with whom he marched who preceded him to that Promised Land. I feel, there standing among them, were dear, departed grandson Kwame and great-grandson Dimetrios.

This morning, rain is coming. I will watch for a time when it stops to go to the farm to again take into my heart the family members living there, the garden, the walk, the furry and feathered friends I can touch. I will think of family and friends scattered across the nation, near and far. I want the best for them, for all of us, for our country, for our planet. What we are given is so precious, yet so fleeting. Let us love and embrace and care for all of it.

*

John Lewis gave his all to gain voting rights. Through the days ahead until November 3rd, I will include reliable links to voting information. We know now, ever more acutely, deep down remedies are needed. The vaccines lie in a ballot box. Each vote is a remedy. 

ELECTION INFORMATION from League of Women Voters Education Fund
    *See What's on your ballot
    *Check Your Voter Registration
    *Register to Vote
    *Find Your Polling Place
    *Discover Upcoming Debates in Your Area
    *and More

U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

Repeat after Me: I Will Vote!

From the Elections Desk:

Have questions? Here are plain, simple information links:

AM I REGISTERED TO VOTE?

GET YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT

Need assistance, accessibility?

U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

This next one is the Big Mama (disclaimer: I support vote411.org). Here, you can see all your ballot choices, what the office does, all its candidates, each candidate's own answers about their background, why they're running, and answers to questions on current issues. Not only that, you can side-by-side, visually compare candidates. Plus, each of your ballot issues is there in succinct, plain-English summaries that includes both Pro and Con views on each one. While you're reviewing the candidates and issues, you can check your choices and at the end print it out, email or text it to yourself, so when you actually vote you have your own personalized, informed list to go by--no matter your affiliations! 

So, here it is--my non-profit fave:

ELECTION INFORMATION YOU NEED--from LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

Repeat after me, "I will vote!" 

Disorderly Conduct & There Is a Balm

I rose at 4:20 a.m. today, as most Wednesdays these past five months, hurried into clothing, picked up my sorted basket of laundry, supplies, and bottle of still-precious alcohol, headed down my housing's corridor to the far end laundry room, disinfected machine surfaces and fired up a couple of washers to do my laundry before anyone else showed up. This, to account for so many people slacking off on the masking we're asked to wear outside our senior-citizen apartments. Some sloppy adherence to protocols seems due to age-related, unintentional flubbing, but more often seems just a willful, dumb thing--cover their mouths with a mask pulled below their nose, or worse, pulling it all the way below their chin to say something to someone else, or sit close to each other to chat with their masks under their chins. Lip-service to masking in broad daylight.

All this makes me think we're entering an even more dangerous part of the disease-spreading than even at first when we knew much less about this pathogen. Unfortunate numbers of people, through one thought process or another, shed responsibility and humanity to err on the side of convenient denial leading to more death and misery. It's both scary and maddening.

I'm hunkered down much the same as I was at the beginning of the lockdown, but with the addition of walks once or twice a week at my family's farm and outdoor distance visiting when one or another of the family gratifyingly come outside while I'm inspecting the garden or hugging pets. Those furry and feathered (chicken) friends became my welcome source of touch all this time--thank you, Toby, Frezz, Fancy, Sebastian and Miss Florence the Friendly Chicken. I've been to some medical appointments for issues that were put off for months. Those venues and personnel were assiduous in protection protocols. I haven't gotten up the nerve to try out the hair-cutter yet. Soon my hair will earn a Medal for Disorderly Conduct.

Disinfecting and precautions are a little more meshed into my routines now. Reading one of the interviews with Dr. Fauci outlining what he and his wife do in their daily lives to maintain common-sense protections was satisfying because I found my routines are similar. I originally had based my responses on the research I did to help out long-distance for Dimetrios' illness and for COVID19, all simultaneously happening late February and early March; since, augmented over the months with reading as new angles to the treacherous virus are discovered and reported.

Mental? Hmmm. Well, so far fairly good--according to self-analysis. Yes, the recent loss in our family is an undercurrent that surfaces at unexpected times. Electronic, snail mail or phone contact provides extraordinary relief. Somehow, we humanoids need each other; at the least it affirms our existence; at the best, it affirms love. As a single person holed up in an apartment, I have not yet run out into the streets screaming, but I'd say I'm stressed at times; especially, if I don't ration news and time of day I take it in.

Well, that's today's laundry morning and my thoughts and irritations.

*

From the Art Desk: While science races for treatments and vaccines, we wait and wait and wait. There are balms that span all ages and cultures to soothe our spirits. Here's just one to have with your morning coffee, or apply as needed...

From Paula Borchardt, graphic designer, artist, musician, and photographer in Tucson, 40 new works of art ...Illustrations.

23 & Power Birthdays

On the 16th and today, the 19th, Keoni and I celebrated our 23rd and 81st birthdays, respectively, together. His for the first time at home in seven or eight years. Wendy and Aidan and John put together a wonderful outdoor "distance" birthday for us early in the week. They day was predicted to be rainy, but turned into the most exquisite evening temp with a light, soft breeze to enhance the sense of a French meal outdoors...

Aidan's pano. Happy Birthay #23!

Wendy's French menu. It was all delicious.

John barbequeing.

Aidan spent hours making a wonderful German Chocolate cake complete with chocolate curls, all handmade.

The book Keoni is looking at is my present from the family--"The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse" by Charlie Mackesy. It is the most beautiful book I've ever seen. Mostly, drawings and handwritten vignettes. I've been through it now more than once.

That is Wendy's wonderful mocha goat ice cream she made to go with the cake.

The whole evening reminded Wendy and I of 31 years ago when she put together another birthday meal for me with friends and guests. Long ago but not forgotten.

*

Today, which is my actual birthday, Keoni and Aidan came over and played a concert for me outside under the shade trees at the end of my wing.

Pastries, produce and program.

I love their program fastened to a slate tile from a stack in their barn.
Favorite pieces of mine.

This is a portion of the first piece...

I'm posting next the Humoresque piece, but my phone gave out. (I really, really NEED to get busy and replace it.) Aidan loaned me his phone and here's it is from him...

Sitting and listening to the music was wonderful. 

I'm having the birthday that keeps on giving. So many welcome and heart-warming messages and people to love and cherish.

(The Amazon trucks zooming (!) in the videos are from one of their distribution centers about a half mile away. Late at night they're parked row upon row in unused parking spaces of defunct shopping centers and strip malls.)

Cousin Jackie's birthday greeting included her husband Taylor's message that I am having a "Power" birthday. What's that? she asked. Turns out I had one 17 years ago and I won't have another one for 19 years.

9 x 9 = 81

Now I get it.

*

Out west, the family is keeping in touch as they help and support each other through their time of great readjustment and change. Before Val and Tim returned to New Mexico, and Duane and family returned to Wisconsin, they spent family time together. Here's some captured from their texts...

Kingston.

Valerie and Sonja.

Tim and Sonja.

Valerie, Sonja and Tim.

Valerie and Elijah.

Elijah, Jeff and Duane--Elijah's dad.

Kingston and Duane's family--Meagan, Erika, Simone and Joanna.

Sonja and Jeff

Trying out something new.

And today, Sonja just sent this of Kingston...

He's learning from big brother Elijah!

*

From the Art Desk:

Keoni trying out his new iPad features.

Keoni requested from me a rendering of his favorite corner of his mom's kitchen which I managed to complete for his birthday...

*

And between crushes of recording music for the virtual institutes he's in, Keoni has been walking over at Green Lane Park where the Perkiomen Creek lies...

After a recent rain.

Pat and I had a "distance" lunch together a few days ago. She posed with her new shirt...

You rock, Pat!
And yes, that's her mask on the table. She took it off for the picture. So nice to see a smile now and then.

I'll leave you with the bounty of Wendy's garden for some eye balm...

Delivered by the boys this morning.

It's growing exponentially.

Earlier this week...Without doubt, if you are following the recent threads, you'll know our family has been deeply mourning over this past week. The goodbyes, the witnessing, the rituals of comfort we extend to our loved ones and friends, really make a difference whether in quiet presence or expressions of care and love. For that, I am deeply grateful. Thank you.

*

It was yesterday I noticed my day took on a different color. A few ordinary things needed to be done. An early morning curbside grocery pickup was followed by dropping off my pony at Subaru for some needed attention and to at last get the four months overdue Pennsylvania auto inspection done. A little scary because I hadn't been inside a business for that long. They were following protocols with plexiglass, wiping vehicles before/after, masks, maintaining distances, etc., for reopening; except, sloppy masking by one employee doing paperwork and fetching the loaner vehicle. I stood well back. And, I did some vehicle disinfecting myself from my own nearly depleted small Lysol wipes and sanitizer.

What an enormous amount of work, juggling and wiping! Wondering, worrying. But that is where we are. So, maybe it's time to switch from mask-making to making sanitizer holsters.

*

Back to the present...

From The Arts Desk: A few weeks ago friend Paula in Tucson noted in verse the degrees of which communication modes help our social connection needs...

Connecting with loved ones

Connecting in person

is better than

    a video chat

    which is better than

        a phone chat

        which is better than

            email and texting

            which is better than

                nothing at all.

                     --Paula B., June, 2020

In recent times, to further ordinary human endeavors, Pat turned up in the area. We found ourselves free to grab fast food take out, another first for both of us. A satisfying, if  distancing, lunch took place in a Telford park next to some pastured buffalo...

Pat.

Watching the garden grow at Wendy and John's farm is always a soothing mecca...



Other at random images from this spring's archive...

A Quakertown deer helps herself to birdbath water. From Pat,

Carol and Janie's horses arriving at ranch in Tubac AZ where they spend their summers along the Santa Cruz River.

Springtime at the Santa Cruz River south of Tucson. From Carol. 

Wendy and John's little hideaway in the woods that I pass on my walk.

A first. Haircut by Wendy. From Keoni.

And John, too. Note they're still smiling. Keoni says Aidan went and hid in the woods.

Aidan at work. From Keoni.

No haircut.

Masked, next to the parking lot.

From the R & J Farm Market. Alas, people are flocking to them now so it's no longer easy to schedule my order from them.

Foggy morning from Keoni.

The zucchinis are coming in from the farm garden.

A foggy morning a few weeks ago. From John.

From Keoni.

Miss Florence Friendly has another friend. (From the family.)

Before one of my walks, grilling was going on.

Captured by Keoni (I think).

From the Normal Desk: In search of normal, we go back a few decades to an unknown wise person who said, "Normal is a setting on a wash machine." Further inquiry into my confused brain and a button appears. It was pinned to the shirt of Pima College teacher and friend, Carol. It said, "Why be Normal?"

And that is my existential question for this blog. Indeed! why be normal? Toby consulted the dust fuzzies: Just find what works best for you, the people around you, your community, and our precious world. It works on any given day, any given place--do it, and be it, the best you can on the next right thing. There is no normal.

I doubt Toby listens to the dust fuzzies.