1. Spring. For us here in Colorado, the first day of spring meant a snow storm. The day before, however, was sunny and warm-ish, so I sat out on the patio soaking it in, knowing what was coming.

My shirt says “all this is temporary” — which is the good news and the bad.

2. Good food. Resources are limited at the store because people are still panic buying, but Eric made English Muffin Bread and I have jam my aunt sent me and I was thinking how lucky we are that we know how to cook our own food because I suspect there are a lot of people out there right now struggling because they don’t know how to cook.

3. If I have to be on lockdown, I’m sure glad it’s with this guy. Seriously, I know there are many people right now who are alone or stuck in a situation with a difficult person or complicated relationship, and I’m so lucky that the person I’m “stuck” with is the person I prefer spending all my time with anyway. He struggled a little yesterday trying to get a situation set up at home that would allow him to work the way he’s used to, but he figured it out.

Eric trying to use my laptop and not having much success. Ringo of course was in heaven.

4. Practice. Especially now, this has been the anchor I’ve needed. I posted on Instagram this morning that I was thinking I should apologize, for my stillness, for my quiet, for my distance. I’ll be helpful, have something to offer at some point, but right now I’m still trying to process my own shock, confusion, and fear. And yet, that IS an offering, isn’t it? Me, over here making my best effort to be sane, to cultivate wisdom and compassion, doing so out of love – for me, for you, for all of it.

5. My tiny family. The dogs love that we are both home more often now. They have, however, yet to work out how to get enough napping done during the day with us here as a distraction. I am super grateful that for now they are healthy and well, and I hope we can all stay that way for a bit longer.

Bonus joy: that even with a global pandemic we can still go outside and walk around in the world, living in a state that is taking this very seriously and taking appropriate precautions, the way the earth is showing us it can heal itself if we just slow down, my mom finally getting a smartphone (even though she hasn’t figured out how to text yet, she will, and then we’ll be texting!), texting with my brother and neighbor, the internet which allows me to watch TV and hang out with friends and stay informed and in general not feel so isolated, my health, seeing one of my yoga students yesterday even if it was from a distance and only for a moment, grocery store workers and everyone else responsible for us having access to food and toilet paper, all the healthcare workers and first responders risking their own health to care for us, good books, good podcasts, good TV, TV and movies on demand, a working fridge, clean water, reading in bed at night while Eric and the dogs sleep.

1. Morning walks. We went by the river and around the ponds this week, but because of the time change, it was too dark to take any pictures. I keep my headlamp on the whole time, and the sun is only just coming up as we are almost home. Sam is back up to being able to walk four miles in the morning and that makes me so happy.

2. Sam came to live with us 10 years ago this week. We had planned on going to Lifeline Puppy Rescue over the weekend to get a new dog, the same place we got Obi and Dexter, but I was home sick midweek and looking on Craigslist, where I saw a listing for Sam from the woman fostering him and his brother for another local rescue. I emailed Eric and we agreed I’d email the foster mom. As soon as she emailed back, I knew we’d found our new puppy, and Dexter agreed, so we brought him home. They guessed he was about 12 weeks old, but he was probably closer to 8 or 9 and looked like a baby bear.

3. Spring is coming. It seems appropriate that I took this picture of the first crocuses in the dark, using the light of my headlamp. Things are getting so weird, but the birds have returned and flowers are blooming. Life is like that — tender and terrible, beautiful and brutal. Wash your hands and keep your heart open.

4. Practice. More than ever, it’s helping to keep me strong, stable, and sane.

5. My tiny family. There’s no one I’d rather be “stuck at home” with, and I’m so thankful that dogs and seemingly children won’t be seriously impacted by COVID-19.

Bonus joy: a safe and comfortable home to hunker down in, the rational and reasonable approach Colorado is taking to this pandemic, the ability to stay home for long stretches of time, the resources that make staying home for long stretches of time workable, that if/when we do get sick there won’t be much I need to cancel, the internet, good books, good podcasts, good TV, limes, clementines, sweet potatoes, a big glass of cold clean water, getting all the laundry done before lunchtime, hanging out on Zoom with friends, all those working so hard to keep people safe and healthy.