Staying positive - celebrate - connect - grow

HI everyone. How are you all going? I hope you and your families are well and you are managing to stay positive in these uncertain worrying (Covid) times. 

I think we all recognise the importance of mental health, especially now when we are not able to go about our daily lives and feel isolated. For me, particularly whilst I am locked down by a moon boot, my on-line social connections are really keeping me going. 

I was feeling down in the couple of days leading up to Easter and it was difficult to pull myself out of the doldrums. But it was amazing how a short drive in the country improved how I felt. We also had a morning-tea social distancing meet up with our immediate family at their semi rural bush block - it was so lovely to sit under the trees and chat even though we made sure we stayed apart. Things could be a lot worse, and I have so much to be grateful for.

In the beautiful Ferguson Valley only about 15 minutes drive from our home the vintage has finished and the grape vines are starting to pull on their autumn coats. 

We also had a "zoom" meet up with our extended family on Easter Sunday for the occasion of our great niece's third birthday.  (wow "Zoom" is an amazing facility).  It was wonderful to connect with our family in other parts of our state, where we can't travel to due to the Western Australian Government's internal border controls.

As well as Western Australia being cut off from the rest of Australia we now have internal border closures preventing us travelling out of our home region except for essential services or compassionate reasons. 
Police have set up check points along major roads and they will turn you back if they deem your travel is not essential. 
Whilst tough, this is really keeping down our cases of Covid. We live in the little dark green corner in the south west corner of Western Australia. Whilst we can travel within our own zone they are encouraging us not to do so. 

It is so important to stay active and keep connected.  Here is a slide from the Mental Health Commission, Gov of WA

Interestingly, my bookmark I am using at the moment from The WA Association for Mental Health last year. It says:
Celebrate - the positive things in your life, as well as the strengths and values that have helped you through more challenging times.
Connect - with others by paying attention to your close relationships or by reaching out and making new friends
Grow - by expanding your horizons and trying something new that creates meaning and purpose for you. 

Reach out and help others
See the funny side of life
Learn something new
Be a friend
Have an early night
Organise your day
Go for a walk
Eat healthy
Take time out
Ask for some help 

 Even in times of social distancing we can still learn new skills and make new connections. I am learning more about eco-printing and photography. 

Here is the continuation of my 2020 a photo a day project

Monday - 6 April 2020 - front door to the world

 Tuesday - 7 April 2020 - zebra stipes on my patio - in black and white

 Wednesday - 8 April 2020 - the super-moon through the trees - in black and white

 Thursday - 9 April 2020 - we took our morning tea and drove out along the estuary - in black and white

Friday - 10 April 2020 - sitting on my patio reading, trying to pick myself up out of my doldrums. Things could be a lot worse, and I have much to be grateful for.

Saturday -  11 April 2020 - fresh picked lilly-pillys from our front garden (a native plant, the early settlers used them to make jam and preserves - I've made the jam several times - delicious! You can read more here on my blog - Lilly Pilly Jam 

Sunday - 12 April 2020 - looking up at the trees at my son's block

I wanted to upload a beautiful version of Bolero - performed by University of Western Australian students. But it only seems to appear on Facebook - go here to see it - Bolero - University of WA  Inspired by the beautiful music being performed from balconies across Italy their Conservatorium of Music students and staff took to the balconies New Fortune Theatre to perform Bolero.

 And if you like music and singing a few bitter-sweet sad but uplifting movies I recommend:
Military wives - 2020
As it is in Heaven - 2004 - Swedish with English subtitles
Paradise Road - World War 2 - 1997

For those of you who celebrate Easter, I hope it has been a joyful one of being thankful. 
Here is a pic from a few years ago of the little cousins divvying up the Easter eggs after an Easter Egg hunt when we went camping.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you are well. What have you being doing to occupy yourself in these times of social distancing. Perhaps you would like to share in your comments. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity.

The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Can you hear what I hear?

Hi everyone, how are you all going with your self-isolation and social distancing? 
It seems to be working well here in Western Australia, with most people complying, so our numbers of infections are only slowly rising. And those who are infected have mostly come from cruise ships. 

What have you been doing to keep active while social distancing? I showed you my sanctuary backyard patio garden a couple of weeks ago. I am still in plaster with my leg up so for me social distancing is easy. But I need to keep occupied too. So I have been reading, doing my photo-a-day project, doing some light arm exercises with light weights, practising castanets, doodling, keeping in touch with friends and groups through social media, and watching a movie in the afternoon with my son. 

Years ago when I went to a writing course for a few weeks we were asked to sit quietly and write down the sounds we heard. So I did this last Tuesday on my patio. Here is my list

light-shadow patterns on my patio

a car starting
a bird chirping
the crack of the roof expanding in the heat 
the washing machine
a truck on the highway
a shed door banging
a light aircraft flying overhead
numerous birds
traffic in the far distance on the highway
crows cawing
buzzing sounds (oops...no that is just my tinnitus) 
crack of the downpipes expanding in the heat
a motorbike revving
a dog barking
the beep of a truck reversing
someone chopping wood
our neighbours' voices
our neighbours' children playing totem tennis
children laughing next door
my husband talking to our son inside
a vacuum cleaner at the house of our back neighbour
our washing machine spinning out and then the beep to say it's finished
the preceding "ding-dong" of an announcement on the PA up at the school
the school siren for play time
a magpie call (I wish I could identify all the bird calls)
budgies chattering
palm leaves rustling in the light breeze
the sound of the washing trolley wheels on the back brick path
darts hitting the dart board
my husband yawning

I wonder what your list would look like? Perhaps you would like to give it a go. 

Here is my weekly collage for my photo-a-day project

Monday 30 March 2020 - remember those quinces growing on our tree? - here they are - delicious!
Cooked in the oven with brown sugar, lemon & orange juice and zest and a cinnamon stick. 

 Tuesday 31 March 2020 - there's a thing going around about putting teddy bears in your front window for kids to go on a teddy bear hunt in their cars. Here are mine - too small and far away from the road to be seen, but they are there. 

 Wednesday 1 April 2020 - my husband and elder son (only 2 people not from the same household allowed out together) went up to the bush to get firewood. My younger son helped unload it from the trailer into the wood shed when they got back. We will be warm this winter.

Thursday 2 April 2020 - Just a little decoration in my garden 

Friday 3 April 2020 - on Friday we bought a takeaway coffee from a friend's cafe and drove down to the beach - it was so lovely to get out
 

Saturday 4 April 2020 - just a little doodling with an ink pen over a not so good eco-print leaf print

 Sunday 5 April 2020 - a dried native seed pod 

So that is me for this week. How have you been going?  Perhaps you would like to tell us in your comments. Stay safe everyone, and have a good week. There are many positives from being still, shutting down the constant rush of life, getting back to basics and enjoying precious time with our families. 

Here is a little laugh from the MASH crew and social distancing

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Stay safe.


I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity.

The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.