Enjoying nature & neighbours during lockdown

 

White lilac in garden

(J Elmes)

 

Community Orchard Harston 2020

(J Elmes)

 

Grandaughter Lucy enjoying garden during lockdown

(J Elmes)

 

VE day afternoon tea and cocktails with neighbours Alison & Russell Hunt, Janet & Richard Birchmore in The Limes

(Julie Elmes)

The year that Covid 19 shook our world

We will all remember 2020 as the year that Covid 19 shook our world.

Feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger and bewilderment as we entered into lockdown with no certainty of the future.

As a grandparent, hoping that our granddaughter Lucy would understand why we needed to be apart and giving thanks for being able to see and talk to her daily through the modern technology of my I Pad.

As a fairly recently retired nurse, my prayers were also with my colleagues and I shed tears and gave thanks for their selfless dedication caring for so many who died in a clinical setting being deprived of saying goodbye to their families.

I will also remember March 2020 as the most beautiful Spring, bringing warmth, sunshine deep blue skies and the peace and quiet to stop and enjoy our world. Our white lilac flowered for the first time in many years and Lucy enjoyed God’s gifts too!

It was during this time that my faith in God became much deeper and I replaced my anxieties with prayers and thanks in the knowledge that God is, and always will be our Saviour.

After the last 33 years my roots are firmly in Harston and it’s close community who swiftly moved into action to ensure that no one felt alone or forgotten in a time of social isolation.

“Zoom” meetings, daily walks, smiles from strangers, chats over the garden fence and meeting up with our neighbours to clap for our key workers took on a whole new meaning of what really matters in my life.

I feel I have learned so much from the experience of lockdown. A deeper faith, a new appreciation of the many things I once took for granted and a hope for a different and better world.

Appreciation of nature & neighbours

The photos show, how like everyone else I found the beautiful nature in and around our village to be such a joy during the period of lockdown.

I have included the white lilac in our garden which flowered for the first time in 32 years whilst our granddaughter Lucy was enjoying time in her garden too.

You will recognise the blossom in the Community Orchard which was stunning and provided visitors with so much pleasure.

You will instantly recognise Janet and Richard Birchmore and Alison and Russell Hunt our neighbours enjoying VE Day Lockdown cocktails in great company!