Semi isolation

It might be time for me to accept that I am in a high risk group when it comes to Covid 19 (I'm on the flu jab list owing to a prolonged period of chemotherapy a few years ago). Up until now I have happily entered public places but probably need to be more cautious, not just for myself but also for my immediate family. A spot of self-isolation might be best, with an open-ended time scale. I still intend to get out birding (an isolated event normally anyway) but do not plan any visits to reserves or places where groups of birders congregate (not that this normally applies to my Uber-patch sites). Searching out for plants, checking the moth trap and other assorted natural history tasks will be welcome diversions in these times of uncertainty.

And, God forbid, I find myself having to actually stay inside 100% of the time, I have a pile of books that are demanding my attention - assuming, of course that I will be well enough to read them. There are also household tasks that could do with my inexpert attention and the garden is crying out for some TLC...

Stay safe, be sensible and refrain from panic buying. It could be that we are going through a painful lesson that will end in reminding us that possession is not everything, community is crucial to our social and mental well-being and that when we ask others if they are alright we open up a society (largely neglected since the 1980s) to become a better and warmer place.

I'll attempt to post a daily image that will hopefully bring a little bit of light relief to those of you who visit this blog. Today's offering is of a summer meadow, resplendent with a mass flowering, taken on Banstead Park Downs in 2015. Ragwort, Marjoram, Wild Parsnip and other species turned this field into a French Impressionist's dream.

Until tomorrow.

Comments

Skev said…
I'm intending to stockpile some paint; if I end up in self-isolation for 14 days I've got walls to paint as well as windows to lick. But, as I posted the other day and you've suggested, as far as I can see social distancing works just as well if you are on your Jack Jones in the middle of nowhere avec bins, camera, net, pots ....
17 March 2020 at 21:47
Stewart said…
Stay well Steve, to you and yours...
17 March 2020 at 23:55
Yossarian said…
A shimmering vision indeed, that meadow. All the best, lovely writing.
18 March 2020 at 00:37
Chris Janman said…
Keep the blog coming Steve, we need it more than ever, stay safe.
18 March 2020 at 16:50
Steve Gale said…
Thank you all for your comments and here’s to a stress-free few months, albeit a few months with plenty of challenges along the way.
18 March 2020 at 17:08
Stephen Root said…
Yes please keep the blog coming. We certainly live in interesting times! This just might change a lot of things before it is done. Keep safe, keep well and keep birding (even if it is from your garden).
18 March 2020 at 19:01
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