NBC spent thousands of dollars putting together a show called “Boredom Busters” to help viewers get thru the shut-down imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic.  NBC spoke of activities and talked a lot about what you could do each day to prevent getting bored and depressed. – Yipes.  I am very fortunate to be at this stage of my life when the craziness of Coronavirus hit.  I’m retired, my job is not in jeopardy, I do not have the virus now, and other things are good for me.  I know these are tough times in the world and things could change for me over night.  So, I will write a little about right now:

We have wonderful technology. Gloria is creating a great new on-line circles of friends to replace her daily social art meetings, classes, galleries, and studios. Our families and friends host phone calls, face-time, and Zoom session to keep us in-touch. Sometimes we talk more remotely than we do when we are there.  I have my computer art and digital books.

We live in a wonderful part of the country. There is mostly bright sunshine each day.

Middle of the day is indoors – 90 degrees outside

Due to the mid-day heat between May and November, I go out in early morning and late evening – as do most people. But, not so many people out and about that social distancing is difficult.  Just enough people are out and about that you do not feel lonely.   After seeing them a few times, they become “Good Morning” or “Good Evening” friends.  That level of friendship is casual and not demanding.

The Great Outdoors RV and Golf Community is wonderful.  It is gated and safe, It has  miles of flat pave roads with mostly golf cart, bike, and walker traffic. It has a 21/2 mile nature trail for golf carts and bikes. It has unlimited miles of nature trails for walking along the St Johns river and associated swamp. It has birds, eagles, gators, armadillo, possum, bob cats, woodpeckers, osprey, owls, and more to watch and photograph.

We have to worry about hurricanes between June and October but so far in our twenty years here they have not been terrible. Our home is concrete block construction and on high enough ground that floods, so far, never reached us.  We just hunker down and deal with the clean up after. I will face the challenge of enjoying and maintaining Drummond Island in the summer due to travel and Coronavirus .

Given all that good stuff, like NBC said, we still should think about doing non-boring things.  I will tell you and show you of the three things I do most days.  It would be good if you focus on things that uniquely fit your interests.

There are more boxes behind these boxes.

First: With as many moves as we made over the last 50 years our garage got filled with boxes of stuff that never got opened.  Some came for my parents home in PA with stuff from late 1800’s, some from my home in Pittsburgh, to New York, to Rhode Island, to New Jersey, back to PA, to Texas, to Michigan, and now to our Florida garage.   Well, I have been spending part of each day emptying boxes.  Now I am organizing a Museum in the garage – Not sure that is an improvement over boxes but I am having fun seeing all that stuff – I will be showing you some of it in later blogs.

Second: I love to be out and about and exercise – I try to spend 3 hours a day on my  bikes, (had to replace two tires this month) do some photo taking, and do a little walking.  No golf, tennis, or pickle ball lately but it is a great option here in TGO in the future.

Third: I love to create art. So, I spend 3-4 hours a day on my computer playing with PhotoShop and writing this blog.

I found hundreds of photographs in the boxes – Each one really brought back memories. But you know me, i just had to screw around with Photoshop to make them “Modern”  – Yipes:

Was just messing around changing the sky – I love clouds as you know – then I saw a rabbit up on the bridge – in upper right had corner! Anyway I liked the whole thing well enough to show you.

Twisted this one around a little to highlight two cardinals kissing

I pencil sketched the barn back in 1960. I worked in this barn every day until I left home at 20. Loved every day of it. See the two cloud dogs howling at the moon – This week I added the clouds and moon with PhotoShop (look for red tongues to see two cloud dogs)

In Ohio, many years ago, I photographed this truck in front of me in a traffic jam

Now look at the truck, sky, and reflection on the road I did with PhotoShop

I could even make it weird

In 1966’s,  I pencil drew this of the barn and fields.   I grew up here – my first 20 years.

Now, I did this to it yesterday

Hey, I even found animal faces in the lower right tree?  I never expected to see them.

As you swing thru life – Think about fun activities that are uniquely yours – then do them if the Coronavirus lock-down gives you some free time