Tuesday, March 17, we flew out of the San Francisco airport. We had been in California visiting our children and grandchildren for two weeks, watching as the streets grew emptier, the grocery lines longer and I had been constantly worrying we would not be able to get home. So grateful when we landed in Wilmington. We got our dog from the vet and hunkered down to self monitor and stay at home for two weeks. We joined the NPR wine club and learned a lot about online ordering.

Enormous gratitude for my friends.  One of them delivered supplies and equipment I needed to work from ACME and returned a few days later with a huge bag of fresh mustard greens. Two other friends brought my ceramics tools and partially finished work from Cape Fear Community College when the campus closed. I waved from the window. We ended the two weeks at home – with no symptoms – right as the NC stay at home order went into effect.

Try as I did, I just could not get work going – feeling scattered and distracted. And I could not take the constant news on the radio. I tried painting on the porch, working at a table by the window. Then another good friend and studio mate gave me a lifeline: painting to audio books from the library. Magic. I have been all over the world thanks to my headphones and the New Hanover County Library. And now I am back social distancing in my studio at ACME – even more appreciating the light, my good easel and having all of my stuff at hand.

Against all of these changes, I do not know if this is the most beautiful spring ever – or if I was just finally forced to stop and look. We sit on our back porch and marvel at the incredible spring weather, watch the hawks hunting, and look for the bats that come out each night.