That pretty much says it. Despite the fact that I am still working – and very thankful for that – and am hardly in need of things to do in any area of my life, my focus is, well … intermittent would be a good word. Some days are pretty “normal”, but at times there is a sense of drift that never used to be in my life until the Coronavirus blew into town.
I know you are all experiencing this, too. I have yet to speak to anyone who isn’t dealing with some variation of this theme. As best I can tell, those of us who are creative have taken a truly palpable hit. I haven’t blogged in a month; I feel like I have little to say. Or perhaps I’ll just whine. So I started thinking in pictures. I went through the last few years of my photos and below you’ll find a little walk through my town, a little walk through summer. Hope this offers some cheer.
It was early spring, April 12th to be exact. The pandemic was in its serious upswing. I didn’t feel like walking that cloudy morning, but I did anyway. The streets were pretty empty. The flowering cherry trees were in bud, and I was cheered to see our flag, a colorful beacon on one of my neighbor’s porches. It was a comfort in a time that left us all unsteady on our feet.
Daffodils in bloom, the little entry area to the bridge freshly manicured and mulched, but still, it looked pretty bleak. A sunny sky would have helped. There were next to no cars on the road. Everyone was home, wondering what was next. And still, there was our flag, posted by my town, somehow a hopeful reminder – to my way of thinking – that we’d be OK.
My back porch last summer. It was the summer when I got all those amazing plants from Rice’s Market, pictured in a previous post – gorgeous coleus growing like crazy, stunning petunias and snapdragons. This part of the porch was quiet but pretty with pots of impatiens. This year? The porch has the furniture, but the plant market was closed, and I didn’t really have the energy/desire to pot plants anyway. There’s always next year, I thought. I am still surrounded by beautiful hostas, lilies, and hydrangea on the other side of the porch railings. I’m good.
Jazzy napping in a favorite sunny spot in the bedroom. The painted stool was one of quite a few hand-painted children’s items I’d made when living in Pattenburg a number of years earlier. My next door neighbor had converted what was once the town’s General Store into an antiques and collectibles shop, and she featured my pieces. I loved the painting and stenciling. Something I think about doing again, but …
It was a grey-ish day, but the cemetery at the Unitarian Universalist Church was tended so beautifully, it didn’t matter. It was very calm. Peaceful and pretty.
Another view of the Delaware River, separating New Jersey from Pennsylvania. I love this photo as much for the gleaming handrail of the bridge walkway as for the unusual cloud formation. When you live so close to a river, it’s hard not to take photos of it.
Did someone say Jersey tomatoes? New Jersey is The Garden State and this is tomato season! Those rich, red beauties put other tomatoes to shame, and make the best sandwiches anywhere. In reality, you don’t even need the cheese – just plain tomato sandwiches with a little mayo work, too. I literally just came back from a tomato run at Phillips Farms’ new farm stand with a bunch for the week.
Marilyn. Who can forget her? Here she is remembered in a retrospective of the works of Seward Johnson who founded and built the magnificent Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, NJ. His works are always on display, but friends and I made a special trip down for this exhibit which extended throughout the 42 acre grounds and inside galleries. Just do a search on this site for Grounds for Sculpture (or start here) and you will be treated to both his works and those of many other wonderful sculptors. Johnson is known for his lifelike figures, especially those where he’s brought to life the famous paintings of the Impressionists.
Hydrangea bushes are here and there all over the adjoining property, part of which surrounds my back porch. So lovely, here in pale green, slowly changing over the summer from snowy white to glowing rust.
The view at the end of my block. I am just 3 houses away from the Delaware whose many moods charm and inspire. This was from a previous summer, in her full green regalia. This summer, the area is overgrown, and the ability to access a nearer point as was possible in the past, is blocked; whether intentionally or not, I have no idea. So much has changed as of late.
Thank you all for visiting. For those whose blogs I visit regularly, forgive me if I have not stopped by in any sort of timely manner. I value what you add to my life and to life on the internet as well. I’ll get there. As I mentioned earlier, I am just all over the place, but you are in my mind and heart. Keep writing. Your words and images matter.
Still A Dreamer 
I know exactly where you are 🙂 Thanks for a tranquil walk – I remember the beautiful coleus plants, and that’s a wonderful picture of Jazzy with great light. Hoping that you find your way through the uncertainty soon.
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Thanks, Andrea. It’s a very tiring and stressful time, as you well know. Who even knows what the tipping point is that will bring us to a better normal than the one we know right now? We can only be as flexible as we can and see the best. Wishing all that and more for you, too.
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Beautiful photos, Jeanne; thank you for the gorgeous tour, and for the sweet shot of Jazzy!
Gentle peace to your creative spirit. It’s OK to rest, take a break, have nothing to say…as you say, creative/sensitive types can feel more overwhelmed by the energetic assault and all that’s stirring and brewing below the surface… take care of yourself, and thank you again for this beautiful post. It certainly lifted my spirit! Sometimes images comfort more than words. ♥️
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It’s true. And even as I write the post, I feel like I should be “doing something” afterwards! (Groan …) I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and photos, Kitty, and I am happy to return the favor of lifting a friend’s spirits. Take good care. 💗
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Good to hear from you, Jeanne! Glad you are well and things are good where you are. Jazzy looks very comfortable there napping in the sunspot!
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I’m very grateful that my state, county, and town have all taken this crisis so seriously. It’s still unnerving, but we are fairly safe and ahead of the curve. Doing our best. Take care, Lavinia, and be safe, too.
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Jeanne, this was wonderful. It was truly a walk down memory lane. And it just so happened that I had a tomato sandwich for dinner. Only mayo, salt, and pepper on a hardy organic grain bread. You are right about NJ’s tomatoes. Nothing else compares. Thank you for this blog.
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Happy you enjoyed it, Pat. Summer wouldn’t be summer without our tomatoes, would it? 🙂
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Such a good idea, Jeanne, to share these photos with us. You live in a beautiful area and are very lucky! I’ve stayed busy with freelance writing and editing gigs, but my personal writing is at a standstill, even though I continue to attend our Zoom critique groups meetups. I just can’t seem to get back into that writing zone at this time. We all need to just hang in there and stay safe and healthy as possible!
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Thanks, Becky, and yes, I am very fortunate to live in a beautiful area – every time I go out walking or driving I am reminded. I think that’s what we’re all doing – hanging in and doing the best we can and trusting that our creativity will return in some new and wonderful way. And making sure we stay well enough to enjoy it when we’re ready! Glad you like the photos. 🙂
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Hi, Jeanne!
I know you will remember us as Dolly’s adoptive parents. It’s really nice to see your blogs and I appreciate you sharing all your beautiful pictures with us. They are wonderful!! We recently lost our Border Terrier, Bindi, at 16 1/2 years old, and have a 6 1/2 year old Sheltie who is William’s service dog. We are well, the kids are well, and three grandkids are well and growing like weeds. Again, so nice to see your pictures. They really bring you right into the scene and I can almost hear the river. Best, Kathy.
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Hi Kathy! Of course I remember you, (and Dolly – always!) Happy you like my photos, too. Sorry to hear you lost Bindi; I love Border Terriers – such great little munchkins. At this moment in time I have my one cat, Jazzy, as you saw. For a number of reasons, a dog would not be my best bet where I live currently. Maybe again, some time in the future. That you have grandkids seems like an impossibility, but time does fly, and I don’t look like I did back then either! Tx for being in touch and please stop by anytime!! Take care, Jeanne
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Yes, I can relate. Busy with the usual things, yet a low-level anxiety hovers at the edges. It’s such an unsettling time. And the disbelief hasn’t gone away – so many things we still can’t do for fear of the virus.
Thanks for the lovely pictures and memories of more uplifting times. Stay safe and well.
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My pleasure, and you, too, Cynthia. At some point, we’ll get to a new – and better – normal. Can’t wait.
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I love your optimism. It’s a looking forward to the new and unexpected, versus fearing it.
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That’s funny – I wan’t thinking of that as optimism, but you’re right. Thanks for pointing that out. As much as I feel that we are sometimes mired and sludgy in all this, it will change. If nothing else, Cynthia, we’re not quitters! 😀
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Oh Jeanne, thank you for the walk through your delightful town! It was just what I needed, that and the pic of Jazzy:) I am with you on the low creativity levels. You are absolutely right, things like this really hit creatives extra hard. During an annual “tuneup” with a therapist to help me get jumpstarted, she said all the creative types she sees are having trouble concentrating, working, and feeling inspired. I know I’m extra sensitive to things, so I’m struggling. Although, recently, work has picked up and I’m getting more motivated, mostly by necessity. I also went through a period of signing up for every webinar, online class, course, and lecture AND there are so many! So I had to regroup, reset, and prioritize. I’m a Gemini so… well maybe that’s all I need to say:) You live in a beautiful place! It’s good to hear from you, and you’ve inspired me to begin to think about creating a blog post before the month is over. Take good care. x Ps: love the stool! I used to tole paint:)
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Hi Cheryl, Always so glad to see you stop by. Stroll through my town with me anytime. 🙂 Because I work pretty much full-time and in a creative capacity, it’s hard to find the energy until the weekend to think about creativity for my own projects. And as of late? Even more of a challenge. I, too, work with someone on occasion to help me keep my balance on all fronts. Toss in some medical stuff and, as you know, it becomes more of a challenge. But I do think communicating with one another really helps. I am a Gemini rising so I get the trying to do 50 things at once, but right now I think I’d be happy if I felt like baking a pie before the summer is out. I’m glad I can inspire you, and thanks on the stool. You take care, too. I’ll be looking for you, now … 🙂
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I might just surprise you one day when things are back to “normal” and during the big library book sale that you attend:) I’m also Gemini rising and Gemini Sun with a stellium in Gemini! Which means I have an abundance of thoughts and ideas, yet move on to the next thing that catches my attention fairly quickly. My curiosity is insatiable. My followthrough more difficult. Alas.
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How wonderful would that be! I’ll let you know when it’s happening, and if you’re coming, we’ll arrange to meet.Maybe by 2021, it can be held. We shall see…. My Gemini rising is balanced by my Cancer sun. My chart, overall, is pretty balanced, but that has never let me off the hook for life’s many challenges. Haha. But insatiable curiosity — I get that. So much to see, learn and do. Boredom is nothing I’ve ever had to worry about.
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