It’s all we can talk about. COVID-19 has taken over our lives.

I wake up these days feeling like I am living in some kind of sci-fi movie only to find out this thing is real. It’s a challenge to stay upbeat when news reports sound dire.

But I know I cannot slip into a place of fear and panic, so I am working hard to find happy moments, one of which occurred this past weekend.

The weather was beautiful, so I did a little gardening.

Admittedly, this required me to do some shopping, which was before the shelter-in-place order was issued. Don’t worry, at the time I made sure to social distance.

This restrictive limitation, obviously, drove home the circumstances we find ourselves in, but thankfully when I got home all seemed normal.

Therefore, with a plethora of pretty plants, I began to map out my plan.

The annuals would, of course, go in my pots on the patio and the perennials would be set in the ground.

It didn’t take long with the sun out and the temperature hovering near 80 degrees that I began to work up a sweat.

It felt good and normal.

I was able to work in the yard for hours since daylight savings time had arrived. In fact, I worked outside long enough for those pesky little no-see-ums — the flies that are nearly invisible — to come out.

Although undetectable, you certainly can feel them when they bite, and let me just tell you, those little insects made a feast of me.

I would rather deal with a mosquito any day. This type of family of flies literally eats your skin off.

You should see my forehead. I look a sight.

Nevertheless, this did not keep me from going out again on Sunday, but you bet your bottom dollar, I went in before those flies came out.

Spending that time in my yard felt like heaven, especially with everything else going on.

Life is topsy turvy right now and finding a little bit of normalcy seems imperative, at least for me anyway.

So whether it’s working in the yard, going fishing or even cleaning the toilet, in these uncertain times it is amazing how just doing normal things can make you feel good.

Monday, when I woke up and came downstairs and looked out at my yard, I smiled.

Even in the midst of this coronavirus, we can find some happiness. It just may take some digging.

 

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. She can be reached at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.