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.

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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.