Who would have thought terms like “flatten the curve,” “social distancing,” “PPE’s,” “contact tracing,” and “N95” would make up so much of our vocabulary today. I hadn’t heard of any of these expressions a couple of months ago. It is hard to believe that today is the start of week five of lockdown in British Columbia.
What is Normal
According to those in the know, we are likely to be shut in for another month or so. It is incredible how people have adapted to the new “normal.” Many wear masks and gloves in the grocery store. Most folks give you a wide berth or even cross the street when they walk past you. Although we can not get physically close to those outside our immediate household, we have found creative ways to stay in touch. Many people have reconnected over Skype, Zoom or FaceTime with friends they have not talked to in years. It will be fascinating to see what “normal” looks like after the coronavirus is behind us.
My Covid Diaries
With Easter this past weekend, I decided to combine my Covid diaries weeks three and four into a single post. Here are the photographs I created each day over the past two weeks. I hope you enjoy them and that they make you smile. Until next time, please stay safe, stay home, and stay healthy!
To follow along with my daily images, check out my Instagram Feed. You can find links to my past week’s diaries here:
Week 1 – My Covid-19 Self-Isolation Photography Project
Covid Diary Week Two
Day 15 – April 4
‘Lysol’
Who would have thought that a spray bottle of Lysol could look so pretty in the evening sun!
Day 16 – April 5
‘Lonely Pussy Willow’
We went on a 12 km hike in the woods today. What a difference a little forest bathing can do for your outlook.
Day 17 – April 6
‘Pancakes’
Sunday pancakes have always been a favourite with our family. We use an old recipe from a 1960’s vintage recipe book that came with my mum’s blender. The blender was a wedding present to her and my dad in 1963. That blender is long gone, and unfortunately, so are my parents. However, the recipe book and memories live on.
Day 18 – April 7
‘Discarded Surgical Mask’
In Vancouver, we are still allowed to go for walks. That is how I start each day, rain or shine. However, there are fewer and fewer paths I feel safe going on now. And with the sunny spring weather upon us, everyone is trying to get out for some fresh air. For the most part, people walk single file and step to the side of the trail. However, there are still some folks that don’t seem to get it. They insist on walking side-by-side. Or they wander down the middle of the trail, totally oblivious to other walkers trying to maintain social distancing. So recently I have taken to walking the streets in our neighbourhood. On the roads, it is easy to move into the lane to give passersby a clear two to three meters distance. And although I love my forest bathing walks, I am enjoying getting to know the neighbourhood streets better. Today, however, I came across a discarded surgical mask. Not only is this garbage unsightly, but it is also potentially contaminated with the Covid-19 virus. Please, safely dispose of PPE’s in the trash!
Day 19 – April 8
‘Walking the Gloves’
On my trek through the neighbourhood this morning, a woman approached me on her morning walk. In her hands, she carried a pair of surgical gloves. I found it odd that she was holding them and not wearing them, although I couldn’t imagine why you would wear surgical gloves on a walk, even in today’s Covid climate! The street photographer in me immediately turned around once we passed each other to document the strange scene. And in case you were wondering, I did maintain social distancing when I created the image and cropped the shot slightly in post.
Day 20 – April 9
‘Morning Sunbath’
Daisy and I enjoyed a little photography together this morning. She loves to sit on the kitchen window sill in the morning light and watch the birds. It must be nice to be utterly oblivious to what is going on in the world right now. Ah, the life of a cat!
Day 21 – April 10
‘The Elusive Feather’
I wasn’t very motivated to take pictures today. I’m not sure why. It wasn’t like I had anything else to do. Except, grocery shopping, we did need groceries. But, I dread that task now, so I was putting it off too. And I wanted to sew some fabric face masks. However, after digging through all my old sewing odds and ends, I couldn’t find any elastic. The fact that I couldn’t just drive to our fabric store to buy some made me feel like Covid-19 was getting the better of me. I guess four weeks of isolation was beginning to get me down a bit. When I went upstairs, I noticed that my daughter’s cat, who has to be kept separate from ours, was pawing at a feather from under the bedroom door. I guess she had been playing with it, and it had slipped under out of her reach. I think she felt like I did.
Day 22 – April 11
‘Sewing Helper’
It is a new day and the start of our fourth week of confinement. The sun streamed into our bedroom this morning, and I felt much brighter than yesterday. I made 22 face masks for family and friends this afternoon. That gave me a sense of accomplishment. However, I still didn’t make it to the grocery store! Happy Easter, everyone, and please stay safe and maintain social distancing this weekend.
Day 23 – April 12
‘Shower Time’
I hope this one makes you smile! Today the sun was shining, and the garden was calling. My husband and I are fortunate as we live in a detached house with a yard. We spent five hours trimming, weeding, and pulling an old stump. The hard work was a perfect remedy for the Covid blues. By the time we finished, my back was yelling at me, and the shower was calling my name. When Aslan heard me in the bathroom, he raced upstairs. Aslan loves water! And yes, Aslan is a cat. And not only did he get an afternoon shower, he got two of them. I took this picture while my daughter washed up. Aslan said it was a purrfect afternoon!
Day 24 – April 13
‘New Neighbours’
We spent another glorious day in the garden. It was a great way to spend Easter Sunday and distracted us from the Coronavirus saga. To lift our spirits, even more, a pair of sapsuckers are building a new home! Very conveniently, they have picked an old stump just across the fence that gets beautiful evening light! It was nice to see that even with all this craziness, life still goes on.
Day 25 – April 14
‘Morning View out of the Bedroom Window’
I’ve started to bring my camera to bed with me! Well, not literally. But I leave it on the bedside table now. I’m finding it harder and harder to capture unique images as the quarantine drags on. And I find my creativity is waning. After all, how many cat photos can one person take? Don’t answer that! This morning, as I lay in bed, I noticed the light streaming through the bedroom window. So before even getting out of bed, I captured this shot. To me, the light symbolizes a fresh start and hope.
Day 26 – April 15
‘Thank You For Making Me Smile’
As a change of pace today, I decided to walk up the trail behind our house. Lately, the trail has been very crowded, and I have felt uncomfortable trying to maintain my 2m social distance. However, it didn’t seem all that busy when I went out, so I decided to give it a try. A bit of nature, as opposed to neighbourhood streets, would be good for my soul. I was so glad I did. Carefully spread out along the hike were numerous freshly painted stones. They were made with love and carefully hidden along the edge of the trail like Easter eggs. They made me smile. As I searched for more, I reflect on all the things that have lifted my spirits during the Covid-19 pandemic. So I want to personally thank the person who thoughtfully laid these small gestures out. Not only did you make my day, but you gave me hope that our world will be back to normal soon.
Day 27 – April 16
‘Seeing Soap in a New Light’
During my Covid-19 Isolation Photography Project, I am trying to see ordinary things in new ways. Since handwashing is so important these days, I felt that the soap dispenser sitting on my kitchen sink made an appropriate subject.
Day 28 – April 17
‘Stripes and Spots’
Here are two of my favourite subjects to photograph, Aslan and strong shadows.