It is now October and over a million people have succumbed to the Corona-19 virus that has changed the world forever. We are prisoners on our own planet, afraid to touch or touch out to one another, reluctant to travel across town or to laugh, love and live like we did just six months ago. Although we constantly think about and remember the good old days it is still hard to accept that life might never be the same again. If we can embrace the words of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who said ''that which does not kill us, makes us stronger" we might even maintain a positive outlook for the future. Here then is a summary of life for us this unforgettable and unbelievable spring and summer of 2020....
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April, when we thought we could still gather together at Tony's with some degree of safety
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April, a last fling at winter to remind us nature is in control
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Winter , which had refused to depart this area finally succumbed and with the arrival of spring new hope for a better world filled our hearts. We were told to be safe and follow the governments guidelines as we tried to cling to a sense of normalcy. Life for a while went on for us here as per usual, social distancing and the wearing of masks not yet the norm. Hand washing seemed to be the order of the day. And lots of it. We often thought of our cancelled European trip and wondered if we might do it the following year, unaware of how unrealistic that dream would soon become. But how refreshing to leave behind the cold and suddenly bask in the hot sun again at our little lake property and start a garden for the first time in many years. And with the arrival of three Rhode Island Reds, Loretta, Patsy and Dolly, we were feeling like part time farmers once again!
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May, the time of new growth, hair included
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May, when we decided to raise chickens for eggs
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May, the time of new life as a baby goose
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May, and the ice has finally gone from our lake
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May, Marie starts a garden on the deck
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As spring gave way to summer the pandemic swept around the world, throwing lives into turmoil. Fear and the possibility of someone you knew or loved becoming a victim became a constant threat hanging over our heads. We shopped from home and kept to a small circle of friends, apprehensively visiting Phil and Fer in Montreal for mine and William's birthday, then later driving into the country north of the city for a most delicious picnic in a real apple orchard. We brought the two grandkids home with us for two weeks, promising to be safe and to have as much fun as possible. Which we did - kayaking on our lake, swimming, catching snakes, butterflies and frogs and going for daily rides in our VTT.
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June, and a wonderful experience for William and Amy at the Cabane d'a Coté
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June, a celebration for William and Gary
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| June, time to replace our old house batteries |
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June, and everything is growing to Marie's delight
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June, time to get reacquainted with my frogs
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June, the garage is an ongoing endless project
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June fun in Lac Megantic
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June is the time for Amy to catch butterflies
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June, two weeks with Grandmama and Grandpapa
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June, three eggs a day collected by William
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June, at our swimming hole
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July arrived with no let down from the hot, dry weather or the creeping, silent killer that was infecting all levels of society and the way we lived. How different and strange life now seemed six months ago. We all still held hope a vaccine would soon be developed and the trials begin. The news became grimmer each day as the bodies piled up. The numbers in Quebec were improving though and we felt we were doing something right. Fernanda and Phil drove up to pick up the grandkids, but before they returned to Montreal we all went to a local you-pick, Ferme Marichère Roy in Nantes, and picked three large containers of strawberries. Later in the month I finished the fence on the north east side of the property and began clearing brush and trees on our lake property. We spent a few nights camping there, safe from anything and everyone, thankful we were not yet confined to home. The cedar siding for the garage was delivered and I spent every day for the next two weeks staining it.
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July, snake hunting with brave Amy and William
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July, strawberry picking at a local farm
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July, saying goodbye to Grandmama and Grandpapa
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July, our lake property, a good place to relax and be alone
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July, camping
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July, staining cedar siding for the garage
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to be continued.....
