Let's be safe for one another, wear a mask

 Let's be safe for one another. 

Little hikers not bothered by face masks

Yesterday I took my mother to Ivy Creek Natural area. She expected no one to be in the park and a mask to not be needed as it was getting late in the day. She was pleasantly surprised to see many hikers and families enjoying the untypical mid-November pleasant weather. The parking lot was overflowing and masks were being worn outdoors even with a fairly wide area surrounding each family group. The message that cases across our country are dangerously spiking has gotten through.

In general, safety among residents and businesses is taken seriously in the Charlottesville area. It's very much frowned upon to not respect one another and wear a mask and keep your distance. I intentionally shop at Trader Joes because they have taken the virus seriously since day one. I was not finding the same degree of mask wearing, and cleaning protocols in the larger stores. The way to keep stores open is to wear a mask and not cause an explosion of cases which leads to a lock down.

Weather so warm, bluebird explores his nest box

I was pretty amazed to see so many masks in an open park. I've heard some complaining as to how difficult it is to get a child to wear a mask. I saw no sign of this in the park and if the adults are doing something the children tend to want to do what they are doing. It's no wonder that the Thomas Jefferson Health District that includes Charlottesville and Albemarle county in Virginia has the lowest positivity rate in the state.

When I went to China in the 1980's some citizens were wearing masks. Pollution and close quarters have taught the Chinese the value of wearing a mask. It's no big deal for them, and it's becoming no big deal for us. Honestly I'm not sure I want to ever be in close proximity to strangers without wearing a mask. May be our cold and flu season won't be as severe because of the mask wearing.

~Rebecca

New York Manhattan Gardens

View atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art

A recent trip to Manhattan in New York City gave me the opportunity to see so many wonderful gardens.  My last trip to the city was in the 1980s and Manhattan seems to be cleaner, warmer, and a little greener.

Riverside Park volunteers keep the flower beds beautiful.

I stayed a few blocks from Riverside Park with a longtime friend that I'm selling items for in my Etsy shop.  We took a quick stroll my first night in the city to this lovely waterfront park.  It has a historic feel to it as many monuments and older apartment buildings dot one side of the park.  The other side is on the Hudson River which divides Manhattan and New Jersey.   Several large flower beds containing an array of colorful and often unusual species are maintained solely by local residents.

I had read online about the transformation of an elevated rail bed into glorious gardens. I couldn't wait to go check out the High Line.

It was wonderful.  We walked for probably 2 hours on a Saturday and it became more and more crowded as we strolled. This project, which was probably once looked upon as a little crazy, has shot life back into the historic Meat Packing district. There are housing and retail projects popping up all around this popular walking trail.

Battery Park Flowerbeds

Another green area that is in the process of being transformed is down on the southern most end of Manhattan.  Battery Park is experiencing a lot of construction but the parts that were open were beautifully landscaped and the park also offers a side view of Lady Liberty. I could have stayed in this park all day, sitting among the gardens with a view of the water.

Unitarian Church sweet Statue.

As we explored Manhattan, I found myself trying to discover little secret gardens.  There was a welcoming respite from the city traffic at the 1819 historic Unitarian Church of All Souls. I also enjoyed spotting the balcony gardens that I so wished I could see closeup. Beautiful entryways are often landscaped as were the small beds around trees on sidewalks.

Of course there is "the park" of Manhattan and that would be Central Park. I only had time to explore the section around the lake near Columbus Circle.  I encountered, of all things, a Heron!  I never expected to see that in Manhattan.  The Elderberry, wild Raspberry, Daylily, and Bottle Brush Buckeye were in full bloom.

I was so impressed with the few gardens I visited over 4 days.  I know there are many more.

I LOVE NY - the city of GREEN.

-Rebecca