Byproducts of the Lockdown

Forgotten Gems in the Sky

Around 11:00pm, Noelle and I go out for her last call. She is sniffing in the yard. I look up the sky. In the silence of the dark and the clear air, bright cold blue and white dots are scattered.

This has been my new routine since the lockdown. Before that, everything was more systematic to check off the list. As she went down to the yard, I was trying to spot her in the dark to make sure she was not goofing around. My alarm would go off before 6:00 am. Every second counts. As she got her party done quicker, I'd get more sleep.

One night after the lockdown began, the air was very crisp. I noticed the night was much darker than usual. Maybe, the moon was very thin. Then, I looked up. I found stars twinkling in the sky. I had not seen them for years.

Now, I'm happy to find myself enjoying stargazing every night. It's only a couple minutes, but that is my satisfing moment. Regardless what's going on in the world, stars are shining high up in the sky every night. They make me feel how small we are as a part of this Universe. They make me feel nothing around me really matters. There, I find my peace.

I don't know much about constellations, but I found the Bid Dipper. Since then, I look for it every night. That draws back my memory at the planetarium I went as a school trip in third or forth grade. The guide was taking about the Big Dipper, the Polaris, the Ursa Major and the Ursa minor. I don't remember the story, but I remember I felt so sad for the Bears.

Sometimes, the night sky is so bright. Then, I find a full moon. The moonlinght is gentle enough to let starts shine, yet its bightness is breathtaking.

I am fully aware of that many people are facing a difficult time by this pandemic. But, on the other hand, I wonder how many people have been re-discovering their life and values of things had been neglected before the lockdown. It could be simply appreciation to what they have, the life or others. It could be joys in simle things. I call them byproducts of the Lockdown, some bright sides of the difficult time.

To me, re-discovering the beatiful nightsky is one of them.

Happy Hour

We've been spending more time on the porch having a little happy hour. "Conquer the Colona with Colona!" We squeeze some lime and enjoy Colona on the porch in early evenings. Breeze comes and goes. We spot bunnies having dinner in the yard. Gold finch has a lot to tell on the bird feeder. Sparrows are bathing in the bird bath. If we're lucky, we get to see a humming bird pays a visit.

Not just those views from the porch. I also look around the porch itself, and re-discover how beautifully it was made by Tom and his crew. I told him what I initially wanted, then he filled in details. It came out much more than what we expected, and we're still very pleased with it.

As mush as we've loved the porch, we hadn't used it much. Even longer day time during summer, I came home around 6:30, rushed to water the garden, feed the dog, then make dinner..., just repeating the routine. Having a little cheese place along with shrimp cocktail over chilled beer has been such a treat to us. Don't forget about the entertainment in the yard.

It is not a funcy life, but it's a good life. A funcy life is not necessarily a good life. On the other hand, a good life is always a good life. We've been enjoying that a lot. We're blessed.

These are a couple of things I've found "good" in this odd time as the byproducts of the Lockdown. What's yours?

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