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!

Learning to Live Differently

Beautiful sparkles down by the lake one Sunday morning

before everything changed

with the arrival of the Covid-19/Coronavirus.

People were still taking public transport and mixing with friends in groups

Going out freely with my camera to capture some wild plum blossom

On my last day of freedom, I came home with two little pots of Primula

Before planting them on the balcony, 

I arranged some little flowers in my favourite circular vase.

Tulips came home with me too, the last ones before a strict lock-down

especially on people over 65 who are more at risk of catching the virus.

I'm not going to talk a lot about it here.

We all follow the news and know the devastating effects.

Switzerland is very hard hit and there are now over 8000 cases.

The more people stay at home, the less the virus will spread.

Asparagus has appeared in the shops

and that's a sure sign of spring!

Being confined in my home, I have a great deal of time to make delicious recipes,

read, do masses of crochet and choose uplifting films or comedies to watch on Netflix!

Here is my breakfast; French toast, cooked blueberries

 served with a spoonful of coconut yogurt.

I've been baking bread again too

This one is a gluten-free version and very delicious

Being confined to my home, I have set up a plan of exercises to remain supple

which I do twice a day.

I'm also fortunate enough to have a balcony

 and can take fresh air several times a day

or sit outside and read when the spring sunshine is warm enough!

The first day of spring this year will certainly be one that none of us will forget.

I have some tiny violas growing in three of my window-boxes

and can see them from each room of my apartment!

A new habit:

Ringing my Tingsha bells every evening at 9 pm, when lots of folk in my neighbourhood

go outside to shout and applaud for a few minutes.

It's to thank all the medical staff, doctors and nurses

who devote their lives to try and save as many people as possible from the Covid-19.

I also include everyone who is working to help us all survive:

the farmers who produce our food,

the delivery services which deliver it,

the postmen and women who sort and bring our mail,

the pharmacies which remain open

and the post-office workers,

and the men who pick up our dustbins twice a week.

There are so many devoted people out there.

They all deserve recognition and our appreciation.

The spring flowers are in bloom everywhere, even if I can't see them.

These Forget-me-nots were photographed before lock-down

exactly one week ago on Tuesday 17th of March.

A little sapling growing in the grass separating my building from the one in front.

So lovely to see everything come alive again.

The grass is dotted with primroses.

Do you remember the start of this blanket?  I have named it

"January Sunrise"

You can see the photo of that sunrise which I took from my balcony.

I started the project on January 1st this year and finished it six weeks later.

Here it is finished!

I have several crochet projects on the go and I'm trying out a new stitch for the first time

It's called: 'Corner to Corner' and is really fun to do

especially in this self-patterning yarn which makes it more interesting.

Not my usual colours, but very cheerful and Springlike!

Since no one can shake hands at the moment, I thought it might be a good idea

to practice a 'Windscreen-wiper wave'!

So hello to you all!

I hope you are staying safe and respecting the advice of the country and area you live in.

Another crochet project which I started in January

which had been momentarily put on one side:

This is called 'Spring Garden'

and I love using these lovely colours which make me think of spring flowers.

There are different sources for this particular pattern

and the one I am following is from Lullaby Lodge.

Isn't it beautiful?

I will be putting up more crochet flowers from the 2020 Flower Challenge in my next posting.

I hope you are well and adapting to this new and different way of living

We cannot change the course of events, but we can change how we approach them.

"You have power over your mind - not outside events.

Realize this and you will find strength."

Marcus Aurelius

Stay safe

Keep optimism shining in your heart

and only take one day at a time!

March Sunshine

Brightly coloured crocuses greet us in the park

There is still snow in the mountains - and since I took this, there have been

fresh snowfalls!

The two humps are called: Tour de Mayen on the left and Tour d'Aï on the right.

When I walk for about 25 minutes up the hill (all the way) above my neighbourhood,

I can see this lovely view!

The best part is going down the hill again all the way home!

In February, as the days got longer,

I heard the first blackbird sing in the morning and early evenings!

Such a joy!

I also love the beautiful shapes of the trees and their branches without leaves.

These two mono shots were taken in my neighbourhood.

A visit to the local florist's shop to see what beautiful blooms were available.

I asked her if I could take her photo while she prepared a bouquet for a client.

She kindly agreed.

I noticed the wonderful lines and curves of some graceful pink lilies

I brought a bouquet home with me.

They're such impressive big flowers

The stamen are glorious seen through a macro lens.

When they had passed their beauty and starting to shrivel up,

I put them on the balcony and a snowstorm made them look beautiful again.

One day I needed to go downtown and loved passing these street musicians

playing happy traditional jazz.

They were putting everyone in a good mood!

It was one of those sunny days with a perfect blue sky.

This is the St. Laurent Church

close to where the music was being played.

The pigeons were lined up enjoying the view.

Who can resist tulips in the spring?

These came home with me when the lilies had finished their blooming.

They opened up to a beautiful shade of red.

So perfect against the back lighting.

Things have been very busy on the crochet front.

This is my temperature blanket so far

January and February temperatures are represented here.

They range from 0 to 18C.

Our weather has been changeable and now we are entering a colder period again.

It seems that March is coming in like a lion

even though today is very sunny.

The weekly creations of flowers continues.

These layered ones. Really lovely to create.

Roses too, made from three different patterns.

Check out the 2020 Flower Challenge

Anabelia Craft Design

These first two months of the year are perfect for doing handiwork,

don't you think?

Perhaps there are many lovely things that you like doing at this time of the year.