here i am. life in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. i’ve unapologetically fallen into a deep state of peace. these are good days for me. i’m aware that for others they are fraught with struggle, worries, and difficulty on so many levels. life surges onward. here is my hit-or-miss account of week 10.
more and more people are wearing masks these days in los angeles. they’re required indoors and any place where you might come in close contact with others. i’m all for this idea as it seems logical that it reduces spread of the virus.
i expect i’ll be wearing one all day long in the fall when some semblance of in-person school starts back. at this point no one knows what that will look like. time will tell. while i wait to find out what the future holds, i’m immersed in these days, mostly at home.
i’ve been making lemon marmalade since some friends left an enormous bag of lemons on my gate. the first batch i chopped by hand, the second i pulsed in the food processer. the food processor method resulted in a creamy, tart, lemony marmalade without large chunks. vastly superior to batch no. 1. this is my method:
- juice lemons and deseed. set aside juice
- pulse rind and flesh in food processor.
- soak chopped bits in water for 12-24 hours changing the water periodically and replacing with fresh (i use a mesh strainer for this). this cuts down on the bitterness from the rind/pith
- put strained rind, flesh, and lemon juice in pot, add sugar (2-4 cups depending on amount of lemons), few shakes of salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cook for 30 minutes.
- ladle into jars, store in fridge
- the IG video shows me making the first batch with the chopped method.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAf–lJAn89/
i’ve begun to have social distancing art time with 1 or 2 people OUTDOORS on patios and porches. there is plenty of moving air and sunshine. the top photo was not one of those times.
this contradicts my sentiments from the last post where i eschewed such contact until there was a vaccine. my thoughts evolve as time passes. i feel safe outdoors and the growing consensus among “the experts” is that maintaining social distance outdoors seems to be a low-risk behavior.
as our cities, states, and countries reopen we’ll all be navigating cautiously. testing the waters. figuring out ways in which we can and cannot live. i like to think that common sense will prevail.
the natural world continues to astonish.
i’ve spent some time at the beach this month. social distancing as i do here, but there. where i can walk the empty beaches at dawn, take walks at the salt marsh in between online meetings with my students.
mostly i am at home. heading out early for walks in the chill of morning.
i’ve walked nearly every day since late march. pam, my sisters, and i give each other daily mileage, heart rate, and exercise ring reports. as i mentioned in a previous post, i’m in training for longer walking expeditions in england. like these only shorter!
i’m scouring youtube for some good cornwall channels so if you have some recommendations please post in the comments.
i’ve been sitting by the windows and reading or zooming.
watching my garden.
painting and pressing wildflowers.
and always keeping my journal by my side.
i’ve just begun joining in the 8 pm “party” on the porch. i take my old harmonica out and join in the whistles, clanging, tuba, horns, and calls. sending out my harmonic sound waves into the community.
if you’re an essential worker, i thank you. from the very bottom of my heart. THANK YOU.
let me know how you’re doing. what you’re making, reading, watching.
on my bookshelf
i finished WRITERS & LOVERS. a well-written, good read. just started THE BEES.
I still love your blog after all these years!
Where did you get those awesome stickers on your journal? ( dump Trump, Calif. Bear etc)
Keep wandering!
I’ve only been to Cornwall once in ’99 – absolutely LOVED it. Thanks for sharing. xo
The scenic and artistic images in your posts are always inspiring but also calming. So many beautiful bits in California! It’s not so lovely here – at least not in the same way – so I enjoy seeing your views of flowers and shore. Staying in is quite easy for me. Always something to do – reading, crafting, sewing, and overall piddling. Just finished Writers and Lovers at the recommendation of a friend, and we both absolutely loved it.
Check out a YouTube post, its a husband and wife team exploring the England country side with bed and breakfast locations as well as castles and shopping and pubs/restaurants.
you mention Cornwall, I think Tintagel; the Arthur legends, the Lady of Avalon if you like reading.That’s the way to document yourself before going and then, with all the stories in the back of your head, experience Cornwall…. it’s beautiful there!!!! Bodmin Moor, Magic (wuthering heights but not in Yorkshire but very exciting) and Jamaica Inn in the middle …. read the so called novel by Daphne du Maurier…and remember there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing.
Regarding Cornwall, I recommend a British tv program called Escape to the Country. The premise is that the host takes prospective home buyers to look at 3 potential homes in the countryside. Each program focuses on a specific county. The homes are amazing, so much history and character. In between the home shopping, they visit a couple of local places of interest like a farm with miniature donkeys or a cheese maker or a market garden. I’m addicted to it. You can find it on YouTube. Search for Escape to the Country Cornwall and you’ll find some gems. Enjoy!
Hello, MAM, I’m reading “Blooming: A Small Town Girlhood” by Susan Allen Toth. Are you familiar with her work? She has written a couple great books about England. Looks like my trip with sister and friend is off. We’re going to try and get our plane fare back, rather than a voucher, since the Prime Minister has that two-week quarantine thing on top of everything else. I’ve been listening to true crime podcasts while working from home. A bit creepy, indeed. Lots of online classes. Learning about paint qualities (acrylics). Stay well! XO
Hi Mary Ann,
I rarely comment, but read every post you so kindly release into cyberspace, and each time I do, it feels like a letter from a good friend. I love the way you hit on all the little pieces of life…your work, your art, your thoughts on current events, what you’re reading…thinking…doing…making. It’s always a treat to see a new notification in my email that you’ve posted! Just wanted to let you know that. In times like these, it sure is nice to hear from kindred spirits out there. I hope you enjoy researching Cornwall in preparation for your future trip! The town where I live, Grass Valley, CA, is a “sister city” to Cornwall…founded by Cornish folks who came West to share their knowledge of hard-rock mining here in Gold Country California… 🙂 Each year there is a “Cornish Christmas” festival on Friday nights during the winter, complete with magicians, choirs singing Cornish mining songs, and of pasties to eat! It’s a delight. Anyway…thanks for sharing the life and times of Mary Ann Moss from your little cottage!
PS: I’ve been having some “porch painting parties” outdoors with my neighbor as we learn watercolor together, painting away in our journals from safe distances…chatting, or not…just enjoying creating. It’s a good thing…it’s nice to have at least one social activity that feels low-risk and is such a pleasure. I’m glad you’re enjoying some of that, too.
heidi, i don’t know where to begin…grass valley has a special place in my heart ever since i read wallace stegner’s “angle of repose” many moons ago and subsequently made a roadtrip there up the gold rush hwy. that’s been over a decade. i had NO IDEA it was a sister city to cornwall. how i love that and makes my decision to visit cornwall on my maiden voyage to england. i see now that i must travel back to grass valley and stay for a bit in winter. i endeavor to do just that.
i love hearing about YOUR porch painting parties. they sound splendid.
i can’t wait to try a cornish pasty.
thanks for your note. loved reading it so much. xo
Hi, Mary Ann –
I just finished listening to Dear Mrs. Bird; my audible credits are adding up as I have not been driving 40 minutes back and forth to work each day. I have been creating virtual lesson plans and becoming proficient in all things Google (2 more weeks!!!). I have also been binding books and selling them like crazy; lots of people are making art while in quarantine apparently. Tomorrow I am planting my garden . . . green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and whatever else I can find for seeds. I am enjoying your flowers too, both painted and photographed. I am longing for the ocean but would need to quarantine myself for 14 days in Maine and Mass., so I wait patiently. I look forward to your updates.
if i have to say, “unmute your mic” one more time…oyvey!
your book sounds interesting…will check it out!
enjoy planting the garden – sounds charming. xo
Enjoyed post…you are making me want to paint, love May 17 flowers…and photos, especially critter feet on beach… check out Nicki Positano vlog on Cornwall last January…made a yummy banana chocolate bread from her new cookbook…been messing around with carrots pineapple banana and applesauce and coming up with some decent muffins…
i just bought nicki’s cookbook too! looking forward to watching her cornwall video. thx for mentioning it.
I think you’ll like Cornwall – ancient woodlands, stone circles, clotted cream ice cream, wild ponies, the lost gardens of Heligan, wild waves. St. Nectan’s Glen, described as ‘a place where animals and birds play amid a mysticism of fairies, piskies, serenaded by the wonderful sound of bird song. The area has been appointed a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to rare specimens of plants.’ might be somewhere you might enjoy .
I’m also thoroughly enjoying (to be honest) my weeks of solitude, catching up on so many little projects around here, puttering, watching the birds and rabbits by the pond visible from my art room window. I’ve hung pictures, painted a decorative screen, collaged a door, made cocktails, updated spreadsheets of budgets, and logins, re-learned knitting, tried my hand at sewing masks and making little bags for them, and a hundred other things that I’ve put off for years. Definitely aware of the luxury of being able to remain at home, which has felt very safe and comfortable. I return to Scotland in mid-June (mask on, bringing my own snacks for the plane!); at the time I left in early January, I’d have never guessed it would be six months before I’d return. As they say, ‘may we live in interesting times.’
you’ve given me some enticing things to check out. i think i’ll start with the lost gardens of heligan!
your home projects sound like they’re keeping you occupied.
xo
Lovely, thoughtful post. Thanks, as always. 🙂 I’ve been renovating my garden. Lots of spots had gotten overgrown by thug plants, so they are being moved, yanked, thinned, and so forth. The weather here in KC has been cooler than usual (though today is warm and humid). We’re due for a few rainy days coming up, so I’ve been trying to get most of my seedlings in the ground so that they can get a good watering-in. Just finished rereading AN EPISODE OF SPARROWS by Rumer Godden. A favorite. Also working on some book illustrations, and designs for decorative panels for a City park pavilion. Keeping busy whilst keeping safely distanced from the rest of the world. Will be wonderful to hug my loved ones again. We had to cancel two trips this spring, Hawaii and Oregon, but otherwise grateful that we are so much better off than so many others.
Oh! Your panels sound lovely. Keep me posted on those when they’re completed please.
thanks for the book rec!
Thanks, Mary Ann. I love reading your updates–the more often the better!
Earlier this month, I was to have led a lettering & art study tour to Brighton, Cotswold, and London. Not so fun–instead, I spent a chunk of my time trying to get as much as possible refunded and reimbursing the 13 participants. We’ll try again, later, probably with a smaller group! Your planned trip, involving Cornwall and walking, sounds heavenly!
I’ve taken up pickling! Today it will be cauliflower/carrots/jalapeno.
Lots of online classes, too. Just left one–the instructor had a storm come through and the class is rescheduled for next week, same time-same place–lettering art on the IPAD. Other sessions: Drawing birds with John Muir Laws; currently in the process of signing up for Design for calligraphy.
Decluttering boxes and boxes of paperwork–finished shredding decades of financial paperwork and now on to clipped magazine articles that I’m reading, maybe scanning, or simply tossing. I’m going through old art magazines/books and getting them ready to pass to friends, when this is over.
Like you, I’m working to make the most of this downtime. Unfortunately for my personal projects, I’m being called to organize online sessions for our southern California calligraphy guild–I’m not ready to get back into the swing of all this volunteer work, but it needs to be done. I’ve been dragging my feet, but slowly getting into it. I will work hard to do less in the future–I’m reminded of the value of personal time!!! You’re a great role model!!!
Kristi
so sorry about your trip to the UK 🙁 must’ve been frustrating trying to get everyone reimbursed. i can just imagine!
i’m a NO person. comes easily to me. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! not caring what people thinks is helpful.
just a NO without a reason is a powerful thing.
once you get a few under your belt you’ll be wagging your tail!
nevertheless v.v. good of you to donate your time the way you do.
I’m waiting for “A Garlic Testament” by Stanley Crawford to get to my apt via amazon. I’m so excited!
I just ordered “The Bees”, it’s sounds so interesting!!
I love getting the emails with your posts, it’s like a soothing balm.
bee balm?
tee hee 🙂
I think you write a wonderful and very interesting post every time!!!
Thank you
Susan
well, thank ya kindly, susan!
Hi MAM,
Your black and white photos are really quite lovely. Thank you.
I was in Cornwall last January to fulfill a life long dream to go to Bodmin Moor. That week met all of my expectations and more…I would return in a heartbeat. I would even brave the towns heaving with people just to see all the fabulous gardens in the spring. But no matter the time of year, I imagine you will like it very much.
i am thrilled to know this and now i must go investigate BODMIN MOOR. xoxoxo
i’m reading your comment after placing my own. I also recommend Bodmin Moor: I found that so exciting!!!! I felt a person in Daphne du Maurier’s novel.