It’s a big, beautiful world out there. Please enjoy it responsibly. It's a big, beautiful world, for sure, though we're all currently enjoying a smaller portion of it.It's Day Whateverty-seven of our COVID spring and I, like everyone else, am struggling with the idea that we may never get our old "normal" back, and what will our new normal be? When can I go see my family? When can I go and just...see...stuff...again? I'm planning elaborate month-long vacations to Indonesia, or three-week bicycling trips through Spain and the Basque country, a month-long retreat to a villa in France, because I miss seeing stuff I haven't seen yet. Yes, someday. Sure. Maybe. Who knows? When. At least I have a back yard to look at, and it's paid off handsomely. Last year I decided I wanted to turn my yard into a bird/butterfly/bee-friendly habitat. Pollinators welcome! We put up a bluebird box or two and hoped to get some winged jewels flitting about the yard because who doesn't want to see pretty blue gems flying around eating bugs? Imagine my surprise when the Eastern bluebirds actually showed up. The cynic in me thought, surely, these boxes would be taken over by some new version of flying giant mutant sea cucumber or something equally alarming and the back yard would become a winged, but slightly cartoony, version of Starship Troopers, which is already cartoony enough. But no...happily. The yard is alight with singing things with pretty wings, and bluebirds are leading the pack.If I'm going to be stuck at home, at least I have this. Stay safe, everyone! And stay sane. See you on the flip side. XOXO