Covid Season

 Sun snuggling closer to earth,

Nights blanketing the day.

Another season passes

Leaves tumbling from the trees,

Hummingbirds  have packed their bags.

Another season passes

Wearing sweaters in the morning,

Needing another blanket at night.

Another season passes

Still isolating from the plague,

Missing family celebrations.

This season never passes.

Wanting to hug church friends,

Missing smiles on masked faces.

This season never passes.

Trips are cancelled,

Lunch with friends on Zoom.

This season never passes.

Leaders not leading,

Hospitals filling up again.

This season. . . . .please pass.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

A year passes

A Puzzler's Life

 

Usually, I choose a puzzle with a photo that makes me happy—maybe a memory, maybe a pretty place or maybe photos of something that gives me pleasure like books, or buttons or sea shells.  Finding the pieces to recreate that happiness is just one of the goals. 

First, it’s more fun doing a puzzle with a helper—it teaches families to work together on a common goal. An unfinished puzzle on a table invites others to find that elusive piece. Today, my cleaning lady paused in her dusting and found a piece or two.

I love the challenge. I have done puzzles bought at garage sales with no guarantee that all of the pieces are there.  I’ve done puzzles upside down with just the blank side.  I’ve done puzzles with out a box and no picture to guide me.  I’ve also done double sided puzzles.  They’re each a challenge to be conquered.

While puzzles require a lot of concentration, it’s a great activity when you have just a few minutes—waiting for someone to get dressed or waiting for an appointment.  I started doing them again when Dave was having chemo. Puzzling calms me.  It keeps my anxiety at bay.

Jigsaw puzzles have brought me a lot of satisfaction during my life but especially during the winter months and during Covid 19.  While some may point out that they teach delayed satisfaction, I see each piece as bringing me satisfaction. So much time searching. . . searching.  Then, like magic the piece appears.  A little like the lost lamb. . . . .