river birch leaves in autumn
Latest statistics: New London County now has 4,668 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those, 33 people are currently in the hospital and 155 have lost their lives. That’s 1,212 new cases since October 24 when I last reported.
Connecticut’s positive test rate is now 6.4%. (It was 2.9% on October 24.)
Is your caravan lost?
It is,
If you no longer weep from gratitude or happiness,
Or weep
From being cut deep with the awareness
Of the extraordinary beauty
That emanates from the most simple act
And common object.
~ Hafiz
(Someone Untied Your Camel)
Colonel Ledyard Cemetery, Groton, Connecticut
Sorry to read about the radical increase in Covid cases. Someone untied your camel for sure. Short but sweet post otherwise.
I was recently thinking about my grandson and it nearly made me weep because he is so tender-hearted. I know it’s not manly to admit this but I care little for how others think of me.
I had purchased him a Mickey Mouse sticker book and he clutched it to his chest and refused to put it down even insisting that he was to sleep with it. How do we protect our children and their innocence today in a world that has a dirty underbelly?
I’m sorry if that is negative as it’s not usually my ilk to be so. Thank you for the new post. It seems to have brought out the emotion in me. Maybe it’s the many dying leaves?
James, we desperatley need more tender-hearted men in this world. It’s a strong man who possesses compassion. I am seeing the same thing happen with my sensitive six-year-old granddaughter whose heart was broken when she found out our president took children away from their parents. I never worried about things like that when I was six. I do wonder and worry about what kind of world we are leaving our grandchildren. I was hoping the brightly colored leaves were some ‘common objects of extraordinary beauty’ to illustrate the poem. Sorry they affected you differently! 🙏
I absolutely love the pictures of the leaves but I’m a Spring/Summer kind of person. That said, I love Christmas for what it represents and I’m not referring to St. Nick.
I was oblivious to the world at age six in spite of a hostile home environment. Photography was an escape for me. I suppose it still is.
There have been moments recently when I have wondered if the world is coming to an end? I feel as though we are at a tipping point morally and spiritually. I have been praying in earnest for the souls of all those affected.
Okay, I’ll cheer myself up and be a better responder next time around! Thanks for all you do. 🙂
It’s always interesting how we tend to gravitate to different seasons. I love fall and winter, perhaps because I was sick less during those seasons. I suffered from chronic migraine as a child (and as an adult, too, until I was in my 50s and Zomig came on the market) and the bright sunlight often triggered brutal headaches so I guess I loved the darker, cozier time of year.
We also seem to be at a tipping point environmentally. If the world is coming to an end I suspect it will be because we have managed to trigger our own extinction. I think we’ve always had morally and spiritually corrupt humans on the planet but we’ve never had the power to wipe ourselves out until recently in history.
Dear Barbara, Those photos catching the dance of wind and light and leaves and color – you caught its extraordinary beauty for sure –
and – leafs don’t die, they cover the root and give it nourishment –
just like this is a time to go inward, sit, breathe, give thanks for what we have – like i give thanks for you, Barbara, my new friend
I am so grateful for your friendship, too, Leelah. 💙 We were driving home from one of our walks and we passed by this cemetery and the leaves were so beautiful that we turned around and went back to take these pictures. Leaves also provide cover for the bugs that feed the birds, taking their place in the circle of life. Breathing deeply in gratitude with you, my dear friend.
This viral wildfire has untied all of our camels, hasn’t it? Positivity rate in Illinois is scary high, too. My friends and I are in full hunker down mode~thank goodness for a stack of books and good friends like you on my computer. I sympathize with JKPridmore. My son has just purchased a house and watching him go out into the world, meeting it with his clear innocent heart, with all of its ugliness is very hard. I want so badly to make the world better for him.
Yes, indeed, Melissa, there are a lot of untied camels wandering around but we keep managing to tie them back up somehow, with a little help from our friends. 💙 It’s kind of encouraging to know most of the nation has hunkered down so that we’re all in this together, even if separated. 🙂 I share your desire to make the world a better place for your son. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be a young adult in these times. Let’s hope going through this together brings the world closer together somehow, and unifies us in ways we only imagined before.
Seems covid-19 is raging everywhere. It is extremely bad here in Arkansas now. Plan to spend Thanksgiving without a family gathering. Loved the beautiful pictures of Autumn colors. Brings cheer to a world filled with problems.
Sorry to hear things are so bad in Arkansas right now. It’s going to be a long winter, Peggy, but we can do this! Some day we will all have stories to tell about our Thanksgiving in quarantine. This, too, will pass. So glad two promising vaccines seem to be coming.
Yes – This too shall pass. Hope they get those vaccines out to the public as early as possible.
It will be interesting to see if people are eager to get the vaccine or how many will resist getting vaccinated. Wondering just how it will all play out. Time will tell…
I plan to get the vaccine. Yes, it will be interesting how the vaccine is distributed and who will refuse to take it.
Me, too. It will be nice when we’re all vaccinated and my sister can move back in. She lived with us part time while she is teaching at a nearby college to save on commuting. But she moved out when the pandemic began so as not to expose us to anything. I miss her!
You’re blessed at having COVID rates of just 6 percent. Here in Illinois, our rate is approaching 15 percent. Talk about scary! And I just read that a 30-year-old woman, with no medical conditions, one who wore masks and distanced, recently died from it. Barbara, your leaves are beautiful — I’m surprised you’ve still got that many on the trees!
15 percent — yikes! That’s terrifying. The fact that 40-to-50% of people who test positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic is so creepy and so random, when you think about the healthy young people who get so sick and die or are left with chronic health problems. Sigh.
Because we are in the southernmost part of New England we are the last to get peak fall colors. We used to go to Vermont for the long weekend in October and still have colors to enjoy here in November. 🙂
So many covid cases in your neck of the woods. I am so sorry it’s increasing so exponentially. Enjoyed the pics. The one with the yellow leaves–third one down–is my favorite.
From what I see in the news Michigan is having a hard time, too. I’m glad you liked the yellow leaves — the color has been slowly growing on me because it seems to be the one Presence is offering me this year!
The leaves are beautiful with the touch of sunlight hitting them and the blue sky in the background. I like the poem too – it was sad and I have to admit that I listened to the Governor’s press conference at 6:00 tonight where some restrictions were imposed as our positivity rate is 14% and rising … the conference concluded by saying to continue to have hope but know that our deaths could double in the next few months before a widespread vaccine is administered. Our Governor was taken to the Supreme Court in Michigan recently for her restrictions early on, so now she does not wield the strong restrictions – the Michigan Department of Health does. I had a fairly solitary existence before and have worked from home the last decade anyway, so there were few things for me to change or to have angst over … back on May 1st when my favorite park closed since people were not social distancing, that month that I walked the neighborhoods really bugged me as I had not done anything wrong and felt like I had my hand slapped. That was the City that imposed the restrictions not the State. We are adults but some refuse to act the part. I also went to my park three times a week to feed the squirrels, walking through the high grass (no lawncutters for a month as there were barricades at the Park entrance) and luring them to the picnic table at the pavilion and leaving a bag of peanuts dumped out for them. I didn’t advertise I did it, but I didn’t do it under cloak of darkness either. I was there once when there were firemen taking down the caution tape they put up (carelessly) because they were afraid it would blow in the Creek and injure the waterfowl. I told them why I was there – they said “our eyes are closed” … but somehow hearing that speech and closing line tonight unnerved me a little and made me sad. I continue to wonder if I should cut out my jaunts to larger parks – that would avoid having to gas up more often, however, the car needs the run. I did not go far enough this past weekend and I will decide by next weekend whether to go or not. I never go when there’s a crowd – so the crowd is not the problem. I have made an allergy appointment for Monday the 23rd and would get gas then and that’s it for interaction of any type. My handyman comes for the gutter cleaning in the next few weeks and I’ll just leave his yard waste bag and check between the doors – I never usually “visit” with him at this time anyway. What a way we are living now.
Linda, I was so happy to see the blue sky behind the leaves because when we woke up that morning it was so foggy we couldn’t see anything out the windows! Thanks for liking the pictures and poem. 🙂
14% positivity rate is so alarming. We’re in for a very rough ride and I’m glad you made all your preparations for hunkering down. Let’s try to stay safe until the vaccine arrives. It seems nothing short of a miracle that they think the two they have so far are thought to be over 90% effective. Our governor is in quarantine now because he was in contact with someone who tested positive. He’s setting a good example. I hope he doesn’t come down with COVID-19. Understandably he’s been looking worn out over the past few weeks. The decisions our governors have to make must weigh heavy on their minds. At least ours isn’t facing the kind of opposition your poor governor is getting.
It seems like people should have learned that lesson in kindergarten when a few kids would spoil something for the whole class. I haven’t been down to the beach in a long while because I don’t want to see if it’s been trashed again like it had been in the spring when the bars closed. Our bars still haven’t opened but people have turned restaurants into bars by staying there late, not leaving when they’re done eating, just ordering drinks for hours on end. So now the governor is having the restaurants close at 9 pm to discourage this behavior. Some people just don’t get it. Sigh. My husband and I looked at each other and said at the same time, “Who eats dinner after 9 o’clock anyway?” (Maybe we’re showing our age…)
Funny the things I remember. When you mentioned gutter cleaning I pictured when we were in our 20s and 30s my husband used to clean the gutters in my aunt’s little mobile home park (4 of them, including hers, for a little retirement income for her) every spring and fall. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about him climbing ladders any more! 🙂
The one picture you did show the fog at your window – amazing how quickly it cleared up for you – such a pretty blue sky. I hate making plans for a long drive to a park on a weekend, then it is foggy out. The seagulls are a pretty raucous and wild crowd when they get human food to eat … it was a little scary to see them converge like that and screeching and wing flapping. I took bread for the Canada Geese at the Park once and they finished it quickly, but more geese came along and chased me down – they wanted bread too. I was out by then and I disappeared into a small group of women walkers and they quit following me. Last Winter, the geese took a notion to eat the squirrels’ peanuts and I have a post where the squirrels are looking at me helplessly like I could come to rescue their peanuts – I felt badly, but I didn’t want some rogue goose getting mad at me either.
They have given our Governor a hard time for months feeling their rights have been infringed upon. The stats doubled since last week. I am glad I have nothing more to deal with outside the house after next Monday and if things are really bad re: COVID, I don’t need to go there but it will be my last visit for a while at any rate.
I don’t like to climb on ladders – when I worked at the law firm before my boss and I left, I had two coworkers who took tumbles off the ladder over Labor Day weekend one year – the secretary broke her wrist, the attorney broke an ankle. I am glad I have the handyman – I guess I would get Gutter Guards if I didn’t, but not sure if they work against all leaves.
Oh dear, I never tried feeding Canada geese before and don’t think that I will after hearing your experience. My aunt badly broke her ankle falling off a ladder and wound up needing permanent pins in it. It caused her a lot of pain for the rest of her life. It’s good that you’re getting everything all squared away for the winter and for quarantine. Please stay safe, Linda, and take good care of yourself!
Yes, don’t feed them Barbara, but feed the ducks … they are docile and entertaining to watch and are grateful for the corn or seeds you give them. The Canada Geese got that notion to steal the squirrels’ peanuts for a few weeks and haven’t done it since. They chased down the squirrels’ peanuts … I had to watch myself as I’d be bending down putting peanuts on the path and felt a presence. This is a long post, but if you scroll down 1/3 of the way, you can see the geese going after the peanuts and the squirrels had to go along with it.
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2020/01/08/oh-nuts-there-is-a-new/
Both of my coworkers had nasty breaks and pins too and the attorney was 70 when the accident happened and had arthritis and much pain after it healed.
A lot of Michigan restaurant owners filed a class action suit today with regard to tomorrow’s ban on indoor dining … the Governor is standing firm on her decision – it will likely be heard overnight or tomorrow. The owners say it is safe. There is a new story every day and it’s not good. Our City Hall had multiple employees test positive and have closed down indefinitely. Someone will be there as tax bills go out the first of December. What scary times we have – you stay safe too Barbara. I am thinking I will forego any trips this weekend and stay close to home with my local Park. I went there today and the temps were in the 20s, a NE wind blowing at 17 mph … downright cold and I had on lug-soled hiking boots as there was a light layer of snow. The joy of a four-season state when Winter-like conditions first arrive.
We went out yesterday but I forgot to bring the corn and seeds — there were no ducks out and about so it didn’t matter. Wish I had the seeds, though, for a couple of song sparrows we saw. Lots of Canada geese but we didn’t go near them. I imagine those were warning honks they were giving us. 🙂
It’s cold here this morning, too. Apparently a busy hurricane season is usually followed by a snowy winter here. We’ll see. Last winter we only had a trace of snow, which felt very odd.
We stopped going places on the weekend so we’ll be doing some more painting this weekend. Because we’re retired we can go to parks on weekdays when there aren’t so many people. But since you’re still working during the week it makes it impossible for you to use that as a strategy to avoid large groups of people. I don’t blame you for sticking close to home. When are you retiring? (If you told me before I apologize for forgetting…)
I’m off to follow the link to your post!
Stay safe, Barbara, we’re doing our best as well. I am really worried about the holidays and this winter. My son called yesterday and told me to get out and buy critical items I needed for next month or two before heading back home end of this week. Maryland is going back into lockdown phases and he said the shelves were already empty of paper and cleaning products. I immediately called my daughter in Delaware, she dropped everything she was doing and went shopping. She was shocked to see the empty shelves in her store, she went to two more trying to get toilet paper. I was in the grocery store yesterday here in Florida and about 25% of people were NOT wearing a mask while shopping (the sign entering says you must wear one). No shortages here (yet), I was even able to buy Lysol spray cans. I felt like I found gold!!! 💃
So far my husband hasn’t noticed any shortages at the grocery store — he’s taken over the food shopping since summer — we had our groceries delivered at the beginning of the pandemic. Now we’re wondering if we should go back to having them delivered again. We’re stocked up on tuna fish and sardines in case there is a meat shortage. And we buy toilet paper, paper towels, toiletries and cleaning supplies by mail in large cartons even before the pandemic so I think we’re all set for the winter. The only thing we need at the store now is bison, chicken, fish and frozen vegetables. Husband reports that mask compliance at the grocery store is excellent, and he goes mid-morning on week days when there are very few people in the store. Have a safe trip home, Donna! You’ll have so many lovely birding memories to recall over this long winter. 🙂
That’s not the way I’d like to see your statistics go. Your photos of leaves are beautiful. I think I’ll concentrate on them, and try to not think bad thought about people who are spreading this virus.
Thank you, Ally. It’s been wonderful having so many leaves this fall, even if they mostly weren’t in my favorite colors. 😉 It’s good to reflect on how natural beauty is still here, in spite of our human activities, self-sacrificing or otherwise.
Everything seems very surreal just now, Barbara. 🙁
Stay safe. xxx
Surreal is a good word or it. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I have to remind myself that this isn’t just a bad dream. We are doing all we can to stay safe!
<3
💙