The Corona Chronicles entry #12

Day #74

It's strange writing day 74 up there. I mean we are still in a state of lockdown and the coronavirus is still very much effecting our lives. It's just become more normal these days. Perhaps we've all figured out how to live in this strange new world. Living with the virus. Knowing that it's out there and praying it doesn't come to visit anyone we know and love.

Our country just passed 100,000 people lost to COVID-19. I remember several months back when Dr. Fauci projected that we'd lose 100-260K people and it was a shocking number. Almost unreal. It's not unreal anymore. I feel like we'll probably surpass 260K at this rate. We are still losing 1,500 people a day and there is no end in sight, at least until a vaccine is released......which is likely a year away.

Our state is in phase two of reopening, I believe that now means hair salons and gyms can open along with restaurant lobbies and clothing stores. I've got to say I'm not interested in getting out there and patronizing these businesses that are now open. I'm happy that I'm able to go get a hair cut but I'm still not ready to subject myself to possibly getting infected. Maybe I'll get there one day? I'm still wearing a mask when I have to leave the house but I'm finding I'm one of the few people wearing one when I go to Lowes or Tractor Supply. Luckily I'm still in the majority of people wearing one at the grocery store which is good. I'm not sure why people have stopped (or never started) wearing one.

I find myself enjoying the time at home. This isn't really a big surprise as I'm pretty introverted and like to be alone. I like not having a structured calendar of events that I'm part of. I'm wondering how much I'll return to once everything opens back up. I find myself missing my church family but not missing the meetings and practices that I'm part of. It's so freeing knowing that my calendar is pretty clear for the foreseeable future. I've gotten so many things accomplished at home!

Stay safe!

Spring Happenings

I don't know if we get this lovely spring weather every year or that I'm just stuck at home and am forced to enjoy it.....but it's wonderful! It's between 65 and 75 degrees each day, not much wind. I've been getting so much stuff done. I tilled up a large plot next to the new strawberry bed and got about 12 seed packets planted of all different tasty goodies. The strawberry crowns that I planted in March are now full of flowers and partially grown strawberries. That's exciting!

We've had plans to fence in the front walnut grove ever since we moved in here 16 years ago. We've fenced in every other part of the property but that few acres has been put on hold for some reason (we're tired of fencing, that's the reason). Well, we think this is the year. Usually the weather goes from winter to summer with about 2 weeks of "spring" in between. So it's pretty easy to decide to put it off if the weather is already pushing 95 degrees in April. So Sean went up to the front pipe fence, that had some partially broken welds, and welded it up. He did a great job!

Since this pipe fence obviously won't contain goats, and really won't keep predators out we had to come up with a way to fortify it. We bought cattle panels from the feed store that we are going to clamp onto the pipe fence with stainless steel zip ties. Will it work? Who knows. It should keep goats in and dogs out but will it be pretty, perhaps not so much.

About a month ago two guinea fowl showed up at our property. They are very strange creatures that fly up into the trees to roost and make quite a bit of noise at dusk. They are also natures best bug eaters and will tell you if anyone or anything is happening on your property. The two guineas stayed with us for about 3 weeks before leaving and we really enjoyed them as did our closest neighbors. I talked with her and she said she'd love to have more of them around and they were a pleasure to watch out in the yard. So I went on the hunt for some hatching eggs (since chicks were hard to find especially right now when people are buying them up like crazy). A lady about half an hour away said she'd sell me some eggs so I went and picked them up and put them in my new incubator I got for my birthday (thanks Mom and Dad!). They should hatch the end of May if I'm doing it right.

I was at the feed store the beginning of last week getting some river rock for a project and since I was there I wandered back to their chick tanks. Low and behold they had six guinea keets sitting there. It's very rare to see them for sale in our area so I called up Sean and asked him ever so nicely if he minded six guinea keets in our living room. Of course he didn't care, he's cool like that. So now, best case scenario I have 11 keets the end of May, worse case the eggs don't hatch and I still have six. So I'm happy and the kids love looking in on these new babies and watching them scratch around and sleep all day.

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe!

The Corona Chronicles entry #11

Day #48

Things have been good. It almost feels normal again. Maybe a new normal? We've all gotten into our own grove and routines have been made. Our state is about to start the first phase of opening up. I think we are all ready for a change and I hope the gradual opening is successful. There is a fear of an increase in Covid19 cases once people start milling around again. I think that's in the back of all of our minds.

Having a birthday during a pandemic really wasn't that much different than having a birthday during normal times. Sean asked me what I wanted to do as he took the day off to spend with me (he's a keeper), I said I wanted gravel to fill the large potholes on the driveway. It had gotten pretty bad so we got a load in the back of the truck and filled all the holes. It's so nice having a smooth driveway.

We haven't eaten out since this whole thing started the middle of March. I had been dreaming of eating mediterranean food from our favorite restaurant for weeks now and decided it was time for some delicious carry out. They make a wonderful vegan eggplant stew and their hummus wins awards so that's what I got. It was SO good and everything felt somewhat normal for a moment....even if the food was delivered to my car window by a woman in a mask and gloves.

Have I mentioned what a wonderful family I have? Well if I haven't in awhile I should. My husband has been very helpful and supportive of my crazy and often expensive hobbies. I mentioned how much I'd love to get that walnut grove fenced in for the goats and he said we should do it. So he went and welded the broken welds on the front pipe fence last weekend and we bought hog panels to attach to it (since the pipe fence does not work to keep goats in).  We also bought a 330 foot roll of cattle fencing to start attaching to the t-posts we installed several years ago. I'm just excited to be moving on this project again, it's a big project though!

The kids made me the best cards. Love these rugrats!