March 25

We went out yesterday to pay our rent. We could pay it electronically because our bank would cut the check and send it out without anyone coming into contact with us or us with them. But we like to chat with our landlords. We might have waited until Monday or Tuesday but our governor imposed a "stay at home" order effective today. I think the staff at the leasing office decided to take some measures early. We were met at the door, handed over our check, said hi and asked after everyone, and left. We certainly couldn't have a leisurely chat.

We decided to drive the long way back just to see what was happening. Traffic was very light. Most parking lots were very sparsely occupied. The two drugstores, Target, Walmart, and Menards (home improvement/construction) had the most cars. The Target and Walmart have extensive grocery sections and pharmacies so they are exempt from the business shut down that was announced a week ago. Last Saturday we talked to the people at the local dairy we patronize and they will stay open as along as they are allowed. Several other stores we shop at are offering a "curb-side" service: call in your order, they will call when it is ready, and deliver it to your car when you call and tell them you are at the curb.

I noted in my last post the old saying about the word "assume." Has anyone else noticed how much our federal government is assuming about the pandemic? The Idiot-In-Chief assumes the emergency will magically disappear soon enough to allow a "wonderful" Easter which he says is an important holiday for him. NONSENSE!! He assumes that we will all run out and assuage our urge to spend heroically driven by our "pent up demand." NONSENSE!! I don't know how many of us will really benefit from the "stimulus" bill but I would bet that most will simply be spent to keep our noses above water. A stimulus it isn't.

Ah, well--time to go to on to more positive things. I may not have to replace two plants in the gardens. I found green shoots from the yarrow and bee balm. I hope they survive the rest of the cold weather. Although the the equinox has passed and it is astronomically spring, winter isn't yet out the door. We had snow Sunday which has largely melted but they temps are still mostly very cool. And we have had heavy snows well into April. So far several of the seeds I started inside have sprouted. Hopefully the calendula, madder, dyers chamomile, indigo, and woad will continue to do well. Tomorrow I plan to fill another half dozen small pots for another set of seeds.