Sisters Quarantine Continues

Mount Washington, afternoon bike ride, Sisters, Oregon

Good Sunday morning from Sisters, Oregon. It's another stunning, but cool morning here. Low last night was at freezing. I had to run into town for coffee beans this morning and there was frost on the windshield. The high temp today should reach the low 70's with light cirrus clouds above us.

Depending on where you get your news regarding COVID-19 and quarantine, and maybe we can agree news, in some quarters, has been uneven at best lately, the country is beginning to open up for business again. If you're still watching the president's virus briefing each day and, if you're still of a mind to try and discern our president's messages and advice about the virus and/or treatments, bless your heart. 

I mentioned this in my last post, but frankly, our nation has to come to terms with the fact many of our citizens will never see 45's flaws and will continue to believe he's the answer to their prayers. Lacking discernible skills to weigh the evidence put before them, they are faithful to a fault and  are being played like a fine violin. I'm concerned, left to their own devises, they will attempt to kill us all. 

I see them out there at the market with no masks, walking around as though they're invulnerable. I suppose I should be thankful we're located in an area with few cases of COVID-19.

If you've ever wondered what you'd do should a pandemic strike, you're doing it now for sure. There's no shortage of advice from many angles and sources and we here in Sisters share it amongst ourselves in the evenings, sometimes over dinner. I'm both grateful and amazed at times at the ideas being put forth realizing most routine comfortable first-world existence has ceased to be recognizable.  

I'm certain there are many out there now who are coming to realize the downside of defining themselves mostly by work they've done for many years. Hobbies? What hobbies? Nobody's got time for that kind of trivial nonsense. Well, at least nobody had the time. I've often suspected one reason more people don't retire when they can comfortably do so is they lack imagination about how to fill their time if work isn't involved. 

I'm grateful for both the reasoned and often spiritual discussions we have around the dinner table with our hosts here in Sisters. While I don't subscribe to much that defines organized religion and faith, there's much solace to be said for the Christian notions of loving and caring for each other. Melanie and I are fortunate to be living with two loving and caring retired priests.

We don't know yet when we'll leave Sisters to begin again our travels. Progress in opening up and relaxing stay-at-home orders out west seems to be a bit more measured and, may I say thoughtful, than in some places in the east. Watch this space

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McKenzie Pass

Here's my first attempt at putting together a video with my D500 camera while out on a bike ride on April 29th. 
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A Bike Ride along a portion of the McKenzie Pass Scenic Highway