The Pandemic and Traveling

Have you ever wanted to travel?  When you see pictures of exotic places, do you wish you were there?  For me, it doesn't have to be exotic or far away.  I just wanted time that my husband, Gary, and I could spend together exploring.  We both love nature, mountains, lakes, country roads.  We love museums and zoos.  So many things and places to explore that when we were working we really didn't have enough time to do.  

We planned our retirement and one of our first trips under the title "retiree" only to have the pandemic put a stop to those plans and put us on hold for almost two years.  We have still enjoyed each other and projects that we finished around the house.  We added a third bathroom and updated the one upstairs.  We played at gardening. I say "played at" because we would starve if it depended on our ability to grow our own food. The first year was a total fail.  Last summer we did gets lots of tomatoes and green peppers from the garden.  Maybe this year will be better.  We declared war on the squirrels in the backyard that robbed our garden daily.  It was like having a little group of gangsters running around back there.  One of them had such attitude.  Eventually, we had a majestic hawk that came to visit us every day and the squirrels weren't quite as brave one he arrived.  He was beautiful!  We had hummingbirds that went through their feed every other day and then we had gorgeous song birds that came to eat and serenade us daily.  All in all, it was a wonderful summer.  

We lost Gary's sister last year and drove to Colorado to say goodbye.  I think it always surprises us to see how our own families refuse to wear masks or get vaccinated.  That's a discussion for another day.  We really didn't get out a whole lot while we were there but we enjoyed the drive there and back.  It was so nice to be out of the house.  Today I intend to get out and walk in one of our parks or maybe downtown in the Rose District.  I want to get out and enjoy the sunshine, the fresh air and just the freedom to walk around and see how Spring is blooming.  I always love the new life that Spring brings.  

Our Hawk.  He kept turning his back on me. 

Here's our Hawk giving me a side view.  He is actually one of the smaller ones.  

Right now I'm enjoying my coffee and watching the morning news.  Soon I'll be able to enjoy my coffee in my sun room, it's still a little too cool in the mornings for me to sit in there.  It's one of my favorite rooms in this house.  

As I sign off let me encourage you to get out, take a walk, sit in the park and listen to the birds and watch the squirrels.  Just enjoy your day and be happy.