Nancy sent me this lovely hand-made birthday card that is an image for our times (thank you Nancy!)…
But to back track…we went to the beach Saturday for my birthday, and to clean out the pantry and retrieve some toilet paper (who is it that HAS all the toilet paper I wonder?). In spite of the “do not travel” order, the roads were FULL of traffic…(people from the cities bringing virus to this small coastal community in 2 weeks or so…) and lots were young and thinking “spring break” I guess…
But our few days were pretty sedate…
In my contemplative moments I thought things like “What if this is the last time we can come to our beach house?” You know that mental path that leads nowhere…given that we cannot yet foresee the future. So I went around taking pictures of some of my favorite things…
I like plates. Here’s my thumb print on a plate by Julie Green…
and a favorite old transfer ware plate…which I have drawn and painted many times…(I love these plates because they essentially ARE drawings, no?)
blue willow, always a fave
fish plates of course…
But then there are the souvenir plates I used to collect until every space was filled and I stopped…
By Sunday the governor had ordered everyone to stay in and all state parks were closed
but we peeked at the bay anyway…
checked Tory’s new raised beds about to receive the peas…
and admired the Zeek’s apple tree…
A house on our street just sold and when I looked at the real estate site I found this wonderful drone photo of our street and the bay…
As the news got worse and worse we agreed that we would only go into the public realm for food. We had no wipes or gloves or bleach on hand but my terrific neighbors came to the rescue…Tim brought us some wipes and Tory brought gloves and bleach and some more wipes easing our situation considerably.
I made a mask though…just in case…
We CAN still walk around our own yard after lunch…
(here’s the graveyard for cool broken plates…)
but it was time to head home where birthday cards were waiting…
from Claudia (she has a practice of cutting up old paintings and sending them out as cards)…
and Jon…
and some presents including these Andy Warhol socks which R thinks look like me (hopefully not with the big red nose…)
As this situation goes on I love certain stories like this one of Cyndy’s in Texas where she found this in one of the little libraries…
and R’s ZOOM exercise leader Erin
described how her husband took the kids out to their motor home while Erin was teaching class by telling them it was their “Clubhouse”.
Meanwhile friend Howard did a little grocery shopping for us (XXOO Howard)
and I got out the “Bits and Pieces” bin…look at these cool vintage squares…
and though here’s where we all are…ALL of us…in reality…
it’s more fun to put ourselves elsewhere, so here’s me.
Keep in touch friends.
On The Way 
Oh Bonnie I love this post. Stay well and keep posting.
Many thanks to you Tory for easing our minds…best love.
You give us a solemn portrayal of life at this moment and a little trip to the beach. Thank you and Happy Birthday, a very memorable one.
I just bought a monochrome (blue and white) version of that Crater Lake plate! One of my pandemic projects is to hang my collection of about 20 Oregon themed plates.
Oooh, I love those vintage squares. I heard the crowds at Rockaway Beach were also so large, they finally closed down the little ocean front Wayside Park to encourage social distancing. There are a lot of vulnerable people in those little coastal towns.
Oh Bonnie, aged Bonnie, how I love the photos of the coast and long for a trip there! It looks like a super celebration of aging. Carry on, savor those plates, empty or full! Ginny
Thanks for the trip to the coast and such a lovely time was had there, here at my computer with you. You and Roger are boon companions.
….sigh. Your loveliness comes through. Thank you for sharing your inner beauty in both words and photos. Enjoyed everyone. For my bit of fun, i have been going over to my secret hideaway in the HOOD. And wondering if each time may be my last? It is necessary n’est pas??? For so many reasons. I covet the Claudia card.
Your posts are absolutely lovely!
always feel happy and mellow after I read your posts – and absolutely love the images.
This is the perfect thing to read before bed. Thank you and good night!
Wonderful post Bonnie! The blocks,flowers and the water were delightful to see,but the rabbit in bed with the lady was a lovely dream.❤️
No kidding on that Rabbit…birthday card from sister-in-law!
Happy birthday Bonnie. You’ve escaped to the beach, how nice. Im just hopefully getting over being sick. No test so ive been locked in at home. Nursing myself. drinking lots of ginger root and horehound from the back yard. Was too sick to make art all my energy has gone to soups. thankful for freinds and neighbors leaving grocery on the pouch. Hopefully my lung can take some oil paint next week as energy permitts. jj
Jackie! Don’t hurt yourself. We also thankful for food deliveries…xoxo to you.