Beltaine 2020

Beltaine was weird this year. Because of, you know, the virus.

Beltaine these days is usually for setting up the outdoors, and I actually was able to do that.  The governor allowed outdoor nurseries to re-open, and the weather was lovely and kind, so I masked up and went for it.

Keeping my distance from everyone, I bought a carload of hanging baskets and transplant flowers.  These I hung around my front porch and placed on the stone altar in the back yard.  I also planted a set of flowers in the large planters on the back deck and watered everything with fertilized water.

Our lawn guy, who is very meticulous at his job, had already done the spring cleanup and mowed the lawn. Since I don't enjoy this kind of work, I was happy to let him do it.

I set up the stone altar, placing my Goddess statues and my God figures on and around it with candles and other decorations, including a metal reproduction of the triple-spiral stone that guards the entrance to Newgrange in Ireland. I noticed that I'd placed the stone in such a way that one of the three spirals is hidden by another stone, an accidental symbol for the Hidden Mysteries.

That evening, I performed a Beltaine ritual while the spring peepers and mourning doves called all around me.

The Plague Diaries: No Boredom Here

I get that lots of people are bored during stay-home orders. But I'm not one of them.

Every day, I spend considerable time with online teaching. I also run twice a day, write, and dip into social media.  I have a house to run, with cooking and cleaning and grocery shopping to do. I go outside at least twice a day.  I practice the harp.

On social media, I see people who say they're binging on this show, or they've worked through all the seasons of another, so what recommendations do people have now?

I have to say that when we went into lockdown, I figured I'd finally be one of the binge-watchers. I even got Disney+ so I could watch more stuff.  It hasn't happened.  If I watch an hour of TV, it's a big day.

I've been meaning to try my hand at this new dish or that new baking project.  That hasn't happened, either.  I just haven't had time.

And while I get restless, I'm never bored.