"...and then you will understand everything better." -- Albert Einstein
Today is the first day of the quarterly Ultimate Blogging Challenge for August 2021. I have been participating in these challenges almost forever. Each time that I participate in a challenge, I like to have a theme for the month. Sometimes, I stick to it, and, other times, I get distracted by the nearest shiny thing. And there's always something that's shiny.
Anyway, back to the theme. I'm continuing the "In These Strange Times" theme, which I started in April 2020, when we were all in lockdown and the COVID pandemic was raging. Since then, we've come out of lockdown and, here, in Western New York, the COVID pandemic is no longer raging like it was last year. But it's not dead. Think about that campfire that dies back until there are just a few embers. Just a few embers don't look like much, but it's still fire. Drop a few twigs or some paper on it, and the flames will grow. It's the same thing with the COVID pandemic. The virus has mutated into something else. Hence, I am still documenting life during These Strange Times.
Much of life has returned to a semi-normal status. We can go out in public again and hug people and not fear that the most recent hug is the Hug of Death. It feels good, at least, for now. There's a lot of world to explore.
Last weekend (July 23rd to the 25th), I took my first out-of-town trip since 2018, to the annual master naturalist volunteer weekend, held in Casowasco, a summer camp and retreat center in Moravia, NY, which is near Cortland and not too far from Syracuse. It was exciting to have an adventure in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. The place where we stayed (approximately fifteen of us from various parts of New York State) was on the shores of Owasco Lake, one of eleven finger lakes.
The lake was beautiful and the atmosphere was peaceful. Having a weekend away, with people who like exploring nature as much as I do, was a true gift. It gave me the opportunity to do what Albert Einstein said: "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
In upcoming posts, I will delve more into what I found by looking deeper into nature.
8 comments:
The lake looks beautiful. It must have been a nice place to visit. I love being in nature there are so many things to enjoy.
Love your theme for the month and your exploration of nature. I also appreciate your comparison of current COVID conditions to a campfire that is dying but not quite dead. I look forward to following you adventures in the coming month.
Alice, what a great and appropriate theme for the month! And your images, as always, uplift and inspire me. (How many mp is your lens? At least 18?) Glad to be blogging with you again this month. Sorry you didn't get the job or even the interview! Sheesh.
That sounds like an ideal getaway weekend! And I love that you were able to connect with others who also are closely connected to nature. I prefer to connect with nature here, through the window. :)
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