2020 Perspective - Part 2 June through October

Our First Mr. Lincoln Rose was Perfect

Summer was right around the corner but by now what seemed to be normal and maybe perfect was suspicious.  Everything outside of our controlled environment could not be trusted including much of the media.  Politics was heating up with growing hate and distrust in every aspect especially dealing with the health issues from the coronavirus.  Leadership was failing in many areas starting from the national top government level to our own local authorities.  Lines were being drawn where some people on one side refused to wear masks and social distance where others were taking all precautions.  My husband and I opted to take all precautions and then some including using Lysol spray on all delivered packages and the bottom of our shoes after being in public places.  People were hurting from loss of jobs and all kinds of related economic problems.  Health issues were real and scary as the daily reported numbers grew of positive COVID-19 tests, hospitalizations, and deaths.  It is a worldwide thing and no one anywhere had any control even when they thought they did. Yet many people ignored the best warnings based on science and the coronavirus spread.  It didn't have to get that way if there was a more centralized, science-based leadership that inspired people to treat others as they would want to be treated.  

The failures were increasing.  Even our Hickory County, which at this point was the only county in the whole state with no positive COVID-19 tests, was suspect.  That all changed one week after the July 4th weekend when all state and federal run parks were opened as well as businesses with some restrictions.  Money needs won and no place outside of one's own home was safe now.  I bought my first set of three washable masks, double-layered with pouch for filter insert.  Good for two years and filter changed after about 10 hours of use.  My husband jumped right to the top line and more expensive M95 disposable masks.  We don't have to go out in public unless we want to as we are retired on a fixed income and pretty much already adapted to minimal social contact in our lifestyle by choice.  No restaurant indoor eating, no church or volunteer group meetings, and limited shopping at stores that require masking became our norm.  Most shopping is done online through Amazon and delivered.  Of course, we have been doing this for several years already.  New to me is the curbside pick-up at Walmart.  I will continue that even after this pandemic blows over as it takes so much work out of the monthly items I do not buy from Amazon.  I do shop locally for some fresh items but it is an effort to find my choices and with no masks required, it limits my time in there.  So that just leaves visiting big-box stores like Lowe's for building supplies.  What can't be ordered online and mailed, can be ready for pick-up.  I did start going into Walmart when they required masks for a quick in and out of a few self-checkout items.  But mostly we may only leave our house 1-2 times a week.

95% Polyester, 5% Spandex Re-useable & Washable with PM2.5 Filter Inserts

June

With no travel plans and no out-of-state visitors coming this year, we had our yard and garden work done with more time left over for kayaking, fishing, bicycling, and hiking.  It was decided to cancel the yearly trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas in October.  Taking a break from house remodeling was possible for a change!  It was getting too hot to begin work on the much needed exterior siding.  We had planned to take this mid-summer time to remodel the two upstairs bathrooms.  That would be the final remodeling project.  It was decided to put it off until 2021 as we needed a break from all the noise of construction and likely products would not be readily available when we needed them and we would be unnecessarily inconvenienced with only the downstairs bathroom available for use.  That bathroom was one of our first remodeling projects years ago and would be our use option when the other two are under construction.  But the stress from the pandemic toilet paper hoarding months was all we could handle and didn't want to go over the edge!  Haha!

We spent more time on our beautiful Pomme de Terre Lake since it was not visited by many people because of the closed campgrounds.  We also found a beautiful pond to fish near Clinton in a state Conservation Area.  In between we were growing plenty of garden produce including gooseberries in the yard.  Also, my large established gardens with varieties of lilies and irises were blooming as well as lilacs and so many other flowering plants were to enjoy.   My regular bicycling on the Katy Trail always included a stop at Gordon's Orchard on my way home for fresh peaches each week; later it would be apples.

Me and My Kayak on Pomme de Terre Lake

Kayaking on a Pond at the Conner O. Fewel Wildlife Area in Henry County

Gooseberry Pie, Peaches, and Variety Flowers

Bicycling was a Regular Activity on the Katy Trail

The only social gathering we could not miss was the outdoor birthday pool party on our granddaughter's 3rd birthday!  There were about a dozen friends and family but everyone stayed apart in a natural way.  As far as I know, no one to this day is the worse for it.

Happy 3rd Birthday!

July

When summer came, there was no big deal for 4th of July celebrations as far as I could see but I could hear fireworks in many directions.  Likely people just did their own thing as public gatherings were unheard of; maybe they did, maybe they didn't.  Life went on with more biking for me which included finding a good crop of elderberries this year on the Katy Trail.  I picked about a gallon and dried them to be used for a healthy tea.  My daughter and her family went on a beach vacation so I didn't see them other than wonderful pictures sent to me.

My Firecracker Girls

My Front Yard View on 4th of July

An Abundance of Zucchini from the Garden for Breads

Good Crop of Elderberries Found on the Katy Trail

Dried Elderberries for Tea Made with Ginger and Cinnamon

August & September

My granddaughter spent a couple weekends in August and September with us overnight.  It was the best time for things to do outside in my Garden Wonderland.  The flowers were amazing and plentiful and the bugs and critters abundant.  We also found so much to do inside when it got too hot outside.  I am so thankful to have her in my life and that my daughter is generous with sharing her time.  I was also fortunate to be invited to my Colorado niece's Baby Shower Zoom Party.  That was a new and fun experience for me!  Feeling so blessed!  The rest of the world is so far away!

Time for Water-Based Art Activities 

Cooties Seemed Like an Appropriate Game for These Times

Picking Tomatoes with Grandpa

Our Favorite Place to Sit and Watch the Birds at the Feeders

Frozen Blueberry Yogurt Pop While Watching Dora the Explorer

First Pumpkin Found in Babi's Pumpkin Patch

Friends Don't Run Away Anymore When Petted Gently

The Obelisk is Completely Covered but Not Colorful with Blooms

 

Moonflower Bloom

Monarch Caterpillar on HoneyVine

Hiking at Ha Ha Tonka Castle Ruins Up and Down the Long Stairs is Good Exercise

Bicycling on the Katy Trail 

October

With the weather cooling down somewhat, it was time to return to hiking on the 3-mile Running River Trail below the Pomme de Terre Dam a few miles from my home.  I also continued biking to enjoy the changing leaves as fall begins.  There was a couple more overnight trips to stay with my granddaughter while her mother was deer hunting.  My husband began construction on the house siding.  The back of the house is two stories and he extended the new deck to fill the full length of the house to access the second story.  Each day he had work for me to do as I cleaned up what he tore off.  I was also there as an extra pair of hands as needed.  The weather stayed cool and dry.  We were happy to have good weather this late in the season to paint all the new construction.

The Running River Trail Close to my Home That is a Big Part of my Life

Final Bike Ride on the Katy Trail for 2020

My Future Katy Trail Biking Buddy in Training

Fall Colors - Pink Dogwood and White Dogwood with Fairy Tree in My Yard

My heart is filled with joy!  I have found my way to cope in these troubling times.  I can only wish the same kind of peace for others who are having negativity dominate their lives.  It has to come from within each person.  For me, making good choices in food and exercise are the first priorities.  Yes, I have made poor choices with over-snacking on junk food and going 2-3 days without moving much, but I have to motivate myself to change.  I had gained an excess of five pounds but lost it and gained it back.  Now it is off again.  It is the things that we can control that help us cope with the things we cannot.  It is not easy for anyone but worth the effort!  Cutting my own hair, going without a monthly deep tissue massage, dropping in on friends to visit, and just not getting to do things and go places on the spur of the moment are adjustments that have to be made for now to protect myself as well as others until a vaccine is available.  I am thankful for great health insurance and all the wellness programs available to me and my husband.  Our pantry is full as is our freezer.  I have much to be thankful for!

I will write about November and December at the end of the year and be done with 2020.  It is now mid-November as I'm writing this and I am still filled with joy as I plan a big Thanksgiving Dinner here for my daughter and her family with my Virginia son and daughter-in-law attending on Zoom.  The election is over for the most part but the contention is increasing as is the numbers of positive COVID-19 tests and deaths.  But there is hope on the horizon as a better leader will be president. There is news of at least two good vaccines becoming available in the near future.  The next couple months will likely be dark and even more troublesome than before but I know I will get through it with God's loving guidance and I hope you do too!  See you on the other side!

2020 Perspective - Part 1 January through May

 

Winter Sunrise from my Front Yard.  "Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning?"

I always begin each new year with hope and optimism and 2020 was no different.  I had completed and published my first novel, Rudolph's Rhapsody, which is available through Amazon and is the subject of the previous blog I posted here.  I promoted it with all the effort I wanted and watched the money trickle into my special bank account set up for it.  After an initial flurry of activity, sales slowed down as did my interest to put forth anymore effort in promotion.  It is what it is and the value I received for my efforts is mostly in personal accomplishment and satisfaction.  I never did it just for the money but had a story to tell.  I may do more towards sales promotion by making it available in hard copy in 2021.  I have already started on a new book with completion of the first chapter which is rather lengthy.  It is starting out as my autobiography but may turn into a novel; too soon to tell.  I'm anticipating a long dark winter for 2020/2021 so anything is possible!

Before 2020 becomes the Year to Forget, I wanted to put events in a timeline that is relevant to me.  I will not go into well published aspects of the national election and worldwide pandemic nor will I spend time on all the natural disasters, economic fails, related world events, and so many other negative things that occurred this year affecting so many people.  There's more than enough to be found on the internet and news broadcasts everyday.  The reader can only take in so much information and likely has all the knowledge they can handle already especially in their personal perspective.  I'm here to relate my Perspective of 2020 especially so I can come back in later years and see just what happened to better understand how moving forward continued amid the challenges.

January

New Year's Day began with a hike at Ha Ha Tonka State Park with the Lake of the Ozarks Chapter of Master Naturalists.  This was to be my 7th year as an active member.  My husband joined us but preferred to stay with the group cooking the Hoppin' John New Year good luck meal at the picnic area instead of spending the time hiking the challenging terrain.  This was my first and last event participation with this group in 2020.  Looking back now, I hate to think how much worse the year would have been if we didn't participate in this traditional good luck meal!  It wasn't long after that I lost a good friend, Kay, who was one of the members I was closest too all these years.  I'm not going into what she meant to me at this time as I had expressed myself immediately after her death in a tribute on my facebook page and was shut down by her "new" best friend who had the task of settling her affairs and was told I was putting her property at risk.  Of course, I complied and now keep the tribute and memories all to myself.  I stopped going to the meetings soon after.  This was the third in "three strikes you're out" incidents of negativity I experienced with members of this group.  The group is not to blame for the poor actions of a few members but it may take time for me to return.  I am a forgiving person but one that never forgets!  

Hopin' John with Cornbread - Traditional New Year's Meal for Good Luck

Hiking Down to the Spring at Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Happier events included time with my two and a half year old granddaughter at Itty Bitty City in Springfield.  It was on the same day my daughter had an appointment with a health center chiropractor which also was a place to get a deep tissue massage appointment made.  It was to be the last massage I got before the pandemic began.  My regular masseuse, Kati, quit me unexpectedly in December.  I had been going to her at least once a month for many years.  This was our second time at Itty Bitty City and filled my heart with joy!  I also stayed overnight as my daughter and her boyfriend were in Kansas City to see in person the KC Chiefs team win what they needed to be in the upcoming Super Bowl.  I became a first time football fan watching the game on TV with my granddaughter while her mother and her boyfriend were there.

Itty Bitty City is Full of Activities for Young Children

Kansas City Chiefs Will Play the Super Bowl

Later in the month, I had an opportunity to Skype with my second cousin and his daughter in the Czech Republic.  We were now into about a five year email relationship since Paul found me through this blog.  His grandfather and my grandmother were brother and sister.  His European family never knew my family in the United States.  My novel tells the story of why and he helped me fill in so many genealogical blanks.  His highly educated daughter, Lucy, has contributed much with her English speaking skills.  Our relationships continue and likely will include a visit in the future.  Paul's has been taking English courses all along and has shown much improvement.  Lucy did come to the U.S. in 2020 before the pandemic restrictions on traveling to a trip to Boston for her first time and she and I Skyped often.

February

The best part of the month was spending more time with my daughter's family especially watching the KC Chiefs win the Super Bowl.  The other event that stood out for me was Election Poll Training in my county.  This was my 8th year.  I was happy to see a room full of new people as I was one of the older ones and thinking this might be my last election year to work as it is a long 14-hour day and this year could be contentious.  We were all assured that the sheriff's presence may be needed at the polls to make sure all runs smoothly.  The first election would come next month and it would only have one issue.  Then the primary in August and then the national in November.

March

This was our usual month for Continuing Education for the Missouri Master Gardeners.  There are little to no opportunities in the county I live to get CE.  So for many years, we attended the fun and interesting workshops put on by other Master Gardener Chapters in the state which counts for the six required CE hours annually.  This is in addition to 20 hours of volunteer service to be in good standing.  This is my 8th year as a Master Gardener and my husband's 6th year.  We both work together at the Settlers Village Gardens in our county as our service project.  We usually exceed the required hours.  We always look forward to and enjoy the Spring Workshop in Branson.  This was the last time we got together this year with other Master Gardeners because of the pandemic.  

Missouri Master Gardeners Continuing Education Workshop in Branson

This was also the last election I worked as there were a few incidents that I found to be intolerable.  The first one involved the Republican poll workers who lied to me at the start of the day.  They sat in their cars while me and the other Democrat worker set up the polling place which takes the first hour to be open to the public by 6 AM.  The lie was that she didn't think we had showed up at 5 AM and she was there parked waiting for us although all the lights were on and the door unlocked.  I let it go even though it was a lot of work for just two people to do alone.  The day passed okay as it was uncomplicated and minimal as far as elections go.  The other two incidents happened when the polls closed at 7 PM.  It takes about an hour to finalize and prepare ballots to take to the county court house.  These two Republicans hardly did anything unless I pushed them with suggestions to help out here and there which I shouldn't have had to do.  It was at this time that a person from the press found their way into the closed building while I was moving things out to my car through the one unlocked door at the back of the building.  She identified herself with a letter that had numerous logos; likely Associated Press.  I didn't read the letter she tried to shove at me because I knew she had no authority to be inside the building at this time.  I had no help from my co-workers in directing her out of the building after she pushed her way inside which was illegal after the polls were closed.  Again, no big deal in itself but it would have been better to have had the support of my co-workers or a sheriff's presence.  The last straw began at exactly 7 PM when several cars pulled up to the building as we locked the doors.  I went outside to let them know they were too late to vote now past 7 PM as more and more cars came into the small parking lot.  I was told they rented the building at 7 PM for a church revival meeting.  I told them they could not come in until we counted all the ballots and locked up to take the ballots to the courthouse.  They wanted my key and I said to pick it up at the courthouse when I'm done with it.  I went inside, locked the doors, and soon, the person from the press snuck in while I was going back and forth to my car with the voting supplies.  Before 8 PM, all of the poll workers were out of the building trying to leave but the parking lot now had at least two dozen cars blocking us or at least making it difficult to leave.  While I was slowly backing out, I barely touched one of the revivalist's truck but did make it move so I stopped and got out as soon as I could straighten out so he could get out of his door.  He jumped out with anger and fist-pounded my car several times.  We had a confrontation with words and I wanted him to follow me to the courthouse where the sheriff was as there was no way another vehicle could fit in that parking lot!  Several people surrounded me and I stood my ground and said I was taking these election ballots to the courthouse and if anyone tries to stop me, I would press federal charges.  The young man who's truck I barely bumped said it wasn't big enough damage and to forget it in front of witnesses.  It was all over then and I was on my way.  I relayed these incidents to the Republican County Clerk who seemed to dismiss me as she received the ballots.  Nothing else seemed important to her at that busy time.  I went home and had several shots of tequila to calm my nerves which was the first time I had a strong drink this year and the last (so far, as I'm writing this in mid-November).  When it was time for the next election in August, the County Clerk called me and apologized for all that I said had happened in early March.  Maybe she paid attention after I posted the events on Facebook with lots of support!  She said that resolution was made with the city office about not renting the community building ever again on an election day.  Nothing was said about the lack of help and lies from the Republican co-workers.  She did say that the sheriff's department should make an appearance at each polling place especially at closing time.  She had said that at the February training too!  Then she asked if I would work again and I said no for the first time in eight years.  It was so obvious that she only apologized because she needed a Democratic poll worker.  So my election poll worker days ended.  I was sad but relieved.  This was the only negative experience in all my years as a poll worker.  I remembered that room full of new poll workers at the February training class and felt that it was a good time to move on.  By mid-March the pandemic was increasing.  It was slow to come to Hickory County.

I stayed busy going to the YMCA until the pandemic issues closed the doors and I had my last Silver Sneakers class.  I had been going 2-3 times a week for over a year and was in great shape and health.  My husband even started going regularly the past few months and it was something we enjoyed doing together until it stopped being available. Previously, I had been going to another gym during the winter months for 25 years.  Life went on finding things to do close to home as the world started changing because of the pandemic.  Basic items were becoming hard to find such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies.  We bought a new washing machine to replace the noisy one we had fixed once and it didn't last a year.  Our TV quit and we couldn't buy a replacement for several months so we got by with an older one we had.  Then our dishwasher quit and it took about six months to get the one we wanted.  My hands were especially clean with all that dishwashing!  I bought a new daybed and fixed up my daughter's old bedroom to be a nice place to take a nap during the day and to have everything just right for my granddaughter as she will be old enough to stay here overnight soon.  There was a big delay in product pickups as all businesses were shut down for a long period.  I can't remember the last time we ate out in a sit down restaurant but it likely was in March or April.  I hope I ordered the dessert!  By the end of the month I was learning about curbside pickup grocery shopping at Walmart.  All the counties around us were seeing increases in COVID-19 positive tests but none in Hickory County, so far.  There was a sense of caution in the air along with the potential of the coronavirus all around.

New Daybed and Remodeled Room for My Naps, Yoga, and Granddaughter Stay Overs

April

Did a lot of Skyping this month with family.  The hummingbirds and orioles started coming around which brought me great joy!  There were many walks along the Pomme de Terre River near my home and I found lots of morel mushrooms.  I started bicycling on the Katy Trail this month.  This is my 26th year.  I started buying meals at drive-thru fast food restaurants which was something I rarely did before the pandemic.  My world was all about our yard, house, and the service project at Settlers Village as we felt blessed to have our immediate world around us safe.  Gardening and more gardening done as spring brings new beginnings and hope.  My husband kept busy with unusually good weather over the winter and early spring months building a deck.  We also did some kayaking and fishing as the weather warmed.  Yet the coronavirus is on the increase everywhere but not yet any cases in Hickory County.  Just watching enough news on TV and on the internet to be aware of what's going on around us but no problems identified here yet.  Empathy for those suffering in their health and economic conditions increases. The idea that this will all be gone by mid-summer is prevalent.  Warmer weather and being outside will surely end it!

Morel Mushrooms Along the Pomme de Terre River Trail Close to Home

First Garden Harvest

Growing Vegetables at Home

Easter Egg Hunt 

Lots of Crappie Fish to Eat and for the Freezer

Baltimore Oriole and Many Other Birds Come to Visit

Exercise Continues with Biking on the Katy Trail in My 26th Year

May

Spring is in full swing!  One day while I was out bicycling, I came home to find my husband built an obelisk for me to plant morning glories and moon flowers.  Everything was blooming and I had the perfect view of my yard from the front patio where I spent so much coffee and tea time with Bobi Kitty watching the birds and other critters that came to visit everyday.  The best visitor was our granddaughter who stayed a couple weekends for the first time.  What a joy having her here!  

New Obelisk

View of My Front Yard and Bird Feeders from Patio...

...Where I Enjoyed Every Morning and Evening

Granddaughter Visits are the Best!  Lots to Do in My Wonderland Yard!

So Much Fun on the New Deck!

Bobi Kitty is Always in the Yard if You Can Find Him!  

We had to cancel some travel plans because of the pandemic.  We usually travel to Iowa this month to see family.  That was a hard thing to cancel especially since my husband's mother was 93 years old and he had been visiting her several times a year.  That stopped.  It was also a time I enjoyed looking up old girlfriends and visiting my older brother and his family.  We even had to cancel my older brother's yearly trip to visit me in Missouri in which he drove his Harley and we would go everywhere to eat around Branson and Lake of the Ozarks.  Still, we had no positive tests for COVID-19 in Hickory County but it was increasing everywhere else.  I can only think it was because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed all eight parks around our Lake Pomme de Terre around Memorial weekend.  We typically get hundreds of thousands of visitors from Kansas City and St. Louis on a holiday weekend as Hickory County is predominantly a lake recreational area.  Most every business depends on the seasonal tourists and lake goers.  Most all the businesses and schools had been closed so there was limited things for entertainment.  So my brother and I made tentative plans to travel to Hot Springs, Arkansas in October because surely this pandemic would be done by then!  We had a great time there the past couple years when he joined us.  My other older brother from Virginia was also planning to join us on that trip.  But we agreed to wait and see how the pandemic plays out.

Still, my husband and I adjusted our plans for our 46th Wedding Anniversary celebration.  Turns out that our favorite local winery would open and welcome us on our special day which happened to be on a weekday when they would not be very busy typically and next to no business at this time.  So we had a beautiful day with great food and wine close to home.  There was only one other couple in the whole place while we were there so social distancing was no problem.

46th Wedding Anniversary at Local Seven Springs Winery at Lake of the Ozarks

At this point, the world we had around us was better than tolerable for a pandemic.  There were inconveniences, sad stories, and an uncertain future.  But like a perfect rose, joy can only be fully appreciated when shared with others.  Our immediate world was good.  I shared uplifting posts on facebook and tried to be sympathetic and encouraging to the less fortunate.  We were living in the now best we knew how!