One Day at a Time

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!

22 comments

  1. Hi Sandra, I know all your random acts of kindness are much appreciated. You are so blessed to have such beauty around you rather from your balcony or from your walks. I am so glad you are now able to get out for your early morning walks and not only get exercise but take also take beautiful pictures. Isn't the Spring glorious with all the beautiful flowers and bushes starting to bloom. We are so fortunate to be surrounded with such beauty in nature.

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  2. Thank you, Nancy, for being the first one to visit and leave a comment! We are living through very strange times and this has changed our lifestyle completely. In some ways, I believe that this situation can be a wake-up call. We shall be more able to realize the essential in life and how much we can actually live without and be completely content!
    I did this blog entry yesterday evening and was relieved this morning to re-read the whole thing and correct some careless typos that had slipped through my attention!!

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  3. Good morning Sandra . . . thanks for your lovely post with such gorgeous pictures. I'm so pleased that you are able to go out and about safely on your early morning walks. Very glad to know you are keeping fit and remain healthy. Nice of you to say thanks to the key workers like you did.
    Sending hugs to you and wishing you a Happy Easter,
    Sarn xxx

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    1. Always so nice to see you here, Sarn! My very early morning walks have made a huge difference to my quality of life during this period! I hope you have a lovely Easter!

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  4. Hi Sandra
    There are so many courageous people out there working hard to keep the country going. I'm sure your notes of gratitude are much appreciated. :) The flower pictures are divine. I so wonder how you can capture them some delicately? Steady hand a wonderful lens I suppose. Love love love the pink and the white ones. And how i wish I was an early bird. I would love to be but struggle to get up before 7 or even 8. It would be lovely to take that morning walk watching the sun rise and the day awaken. And knowing you are out there too at the same time in a different place. And another friend who is up too at that time walking her dog in the forest not far from me. Something comforting in that. Maybe I should challenge myself on getting up earlier for a week and see where it takes me...
    Happy Easter and thanks for a wonderful post.
    Xxx
    Annette

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    1. So lovely to have you visit, Annette! The different blossoms are so wonderful right now and this is my favourite time of the year! There are many lovely private gardens around here with beautiful plants and flowers.

      As fo life as an early bird, why not try it? You could put your alarm clock and allow yourself 15 or 20 minutes to wake up! Splash your face with cool water, drink a glass of water, throw on your clothes and you're ready to go! Let me know how you do! You might love it so much that it could become a habit! I leave home around 5.45 am. There is hardly anyone around and the birdsong is wonderful!

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  5. What a beautiful rainbow wreath you made- ah LOVE it!! We want to wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter tomorrow! Most of all, stay safe and healthy!!
    xo anna and liz

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    1. Thanks so much Anna and Liz, for coming in to say hello! Making the rainbow wreath was huge fun and it smiles on my front door to everyone who passes!

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  6. Your early morning walks sound wonderful, Sandra--you have so many beautiful places to walk in your area! And how kind of you to leave the thank you notes for the mail woman and the trash pick-up folks. I'm sure they appreciated them very much.

    Glad you are not bored at home--I'm not either. Thank goodness for my hobbies and the fact that I've always enjoyed "just puttering around the house." But, I do worry--especially about my 92 year old mom all alone in her senior living community. I can tell the loneliness is getting to her and depression is sinking in. Such a sad way to live out one of her final years. She will be 93 in a month and I'm afraid none of us will be able to be with her unless a miracle happens.

    Your rainbow wreath and crocheted heart are so cheerful and are sure to bring a smile to all who pass by. Take care now--and Happy Easter. (Not sure I could eat that little bunny--he is just too cute!) ♥

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    1. Thank you for your friendly comments, Carol. Yes, that little bunny is rather too cute to eat! I do hipe you will be able to keep your mother's spirits up until you can visit her again. I'm guessing you can give her daily telephone calls. It's so hard for all the older folk. My very early morning walks are wonderful!

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  7. A beautiful post Sandra. Happy to hear that you are fairing well, all things considered. The rainbow wreath and the early morning walks are so special, oh and that chocolate bunny...mmmmmm...Take care my friend.

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    1. How lovely to see you visit, Astri! We crochet girls are certainly using up our spare time most creatively, aren't we?! Will I ever be able to eat that cute bunny?
      Happy Easter, Astri!

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  8. Sandra your post is absolutely breathtaking as always. Thank you for the hug you left on my post today, I need every hug that I can get. My life has changed and I cry everyday, but I know that I have more living to do and will find a way to carry on. Your blog always reminds me of the loveliness that is in this world if we just take the time to look.
    Thank you for your blogging friendship, it means a lot.
    Connie

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    1. Dear Connie, I'm so glad you find a little loveliness here when you visit. I will write you a private message in a less public place.

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  9. That is such a happy wreath! I like the lavender sky. The blossoms are wonderful to look at. I really like dropping by here to see all the wonderful colors you've captured with your camera.

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. Thank you, lissa! The wreath felt happy as I was making it! I wanted it to make people smile as they passed by my front door! The spring blossoms are all wonderful and I see them on my early morning walks! Glad you like popping in here. It's always nice to see you and read your comment! I'm preparing colourful scenes from my pre-dawn walks and they will be featuring in my next blog entry this month!

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  10. Lovely strand of images.
    I am so glad you can still enjoy walking and the treasures you find.
    Your yarn arts are lovely and cheerful. And I can only imagine that your thank you notes are appreciated. I have been told that here in the US, some folks that are asked to keep working resent that they are put in danger while others are home safe. Such a mix of feelings at this time.

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    1. Thank you. Tammie. Yes, these are difficult times indeed and I can understand that some people who have to work, resent the fact that others can stay at home. Doctors and nurses, ambulance drivers and other medical helpers don't have a choice and every day is dangerous for them. Every evening at 9 pm, I go on my balcony to clap, with many others in my neighbourhood, for all the people that are working, but especially for the medical staff.

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  11. Spring is looking especially lovely in Switzerland! I'm so gla you're now allowed to take early morning walks. I'm grateful that we have property so we can go outside anytime I want. I've also been going to a small park to walk. There is never anyone there. Love your front door wreath to brighten the days of others. Stay safe!

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    1. Thanks, Cathy. The very early morning walks are my great joy. I stay confined for the rest of the day, but also eat and sit on my balcony to read.

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  12. A very uplifting blog. Thank you Sandra. I will visit again.

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