I wanted to greet you with something happy and colourful today!
This is my new front door decoration:
A rainbow wreath with a happy sunshine
and a heart to bring joy to anyone passing my front door,
but also to thank all those people continuing to work for us
to deliver food and all the medical staff
working so hard to help us during this Covid-19 virus
which has been raging across the world for several months now.
Reading time on my balcony after lunch in the sunshine.
For almost three weeks, I stayed in solitary confinement within my home
as was told to us by the Swiss Confederation.
The big phrase everywhere was, and still is,
"STAY AT HOME"
first of all to keep ourselves safe,
but also to avoid spreading the virus, which is very contagious,
and therefore not adding to the already heavy load of work asd doctors and medical staff
work long, tiring hours to help very sick people in intensive care.
I was so happy to have planted three window boxes of colourful viola plants
just before Lockdown in Switzerland was announced on Monday 16 March
until March 19.
It has since been prolonged for another week until April 26.
The first tiny Campanula flower opened up yesterday in a big terracotta pot
next to the kitchen.
Looking to the right from my balcony, I can see a small park
and was thrilled to see the Forsythia in bloom.
On the other end of my balcony, I could see some blossom in someone's garden.
I watched our postlady come every day to bring us our post.
She was wearing a mask and gloves.
I left her a message on the seat of her Vespa to thank her for delivering our mail every day.
I am thankful for the people delivering our food and I have a standing order
once a week for fresh farm produce.
Then I thought of the dustbin workers who come to collect our dustbins twice a week.
I taped this thank you message on the dustbin container this week.
It's good that they know how much we appreciate them during this time.
I heard from a friend that some doctors were recommending that we go out for 30 minutes exercise
every day, but to avoid being in contact with other people and practice social distancing
of keeping of two metres apart.
I decided that I would like to leave the confines of my apartment for a short period each day.
So I thought that going out very early between 5.30 and 6.30 am would be perfect.
I'm a very earlybird, so this is not a hardship for me.
The above picture was taken on my first outing when the sky was still very dark.
The tree is in my street.
Another morning took me a little higher up in my neighbourhood to capture the first sun
on the mountain tips.
The daffodils were out and only five minutes away from where I live!
Just to make sure that I wasn't taking any risks by going out every early morning,
I phoned the Coronavirus Hotline to ask advice.
I told them my age and that I was in good general health
and asked, to double-check, if they considered it alright for me
to go out on my early morning outings.
I was happy to get a positive answer
and was reminded about the social distancing if I encountered other people
when I was out.
I am very careful and meet very few people indeed so early in the morning.
One morning, the sky was an amazing shade of lavender blue with hues of pink
near the horizon.
Then there was the full moon in a moody and dramatic sky
This is what it looked like when I left home before 6 am
Then like this as I returned home in a lightening sky.
The clouds soon disappeared and we've been enjoying very warm and sunny days.
I love to see the shadows of the bare trees on the path when I set out.
and hear the blackbird sing against the pale blue sky.
The morning chorus is glorious!
This morning, I did a second short walk just to capture blossom.
I knew exactly where to go to see this one!
This white cherry blossom is just at the top of my street and reminds me
of the first verse of a poem:
"Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide."
A.E. Housman
Beautiful Magnolia growing nearby.
My pre-dawn walks have transformed my days.
Otherwise, I read and crochet, sometimes watch Netflix,
Keep my home in order and cook tasty meals.
I am never bored, but I do miss the contact and interaction with other human beings!
I consider myself fortunate in many ways
and however things evolve with this pandemic,
it's really good to just take one day at a time!
I hope you are feeling well
and finding a way to take what we are currently living with philosophy.
Stay safe!
My daughter dropped by with the cutest Easter Bunny in my favourite dark chocolate!
