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How are you doing in Coronaville? Hub and I have been self-isolating since February when he came down with what we know was a common cold. After long months hunkering inside, our state’s stay-at-home mandate lifts. We decide it's time to explore.
Escape with me on a photo walk around beautiful Symphony Lake, home of the North Carolina Symphony's summer concerts. Some people have a higher risk tolerance for venturing into a pandemic. Not me. I share five ways to stay safe as you enjoy outdoor public spaces during Covid. 
Photo: Kristen Annunziato
1. Know Before You Go
Keeping it 100 here: I am nervous heading beyond my home during a pandemic,
so I review recommended health precautions and scout nearby locations. 
Hub and I decide on the town park
with a greenway that wraps around Symphony Lake. It's just a 10-minute drive away. 
The park's 1.5-mi/2.4km greenway passes Covid-deserted office parks and the outdoor amphitheater where the North Carolina Symphony normally performs its outdoor summer concerts. But not this pandemic season. 
Hey,
how do you like my Covid Chic style <wink>? We prepare for our trek with ... water bottles masks hats comfy walking shoes a dab of sunscreen tissues 
Living in a metro area of 1.2-million stay-at-home-fatigued people,
we leave early on a weekday morning to avoid crowds and ensure 6 feet of separation. If the parking lot is jumping, we’ll head home.
Score!
No crowds. Just a few other walkers, moms with kids in strollers and a sole fisherman. 2. Get Lost in the Moments
It is beyond wonderful
to walk outside once more in warm sunshine on a beautiful summer day! 
Catch the sweet honeysuckle?
Or delicious scent
of those dainty white Silverberry (Elaeagnus) blooms?
The park's wildlife
miss seeing their humans. 
The Mallard family waddles over to say hello.
Mama turtle waves a flipper as she climbs on her loggy perch.
Even a shy heron lets us get close.
3. Delight in an Ordinary Day
Oops!
Watch your step! 
I hate goose poop,
but I don’t mind it today. Reminds me of when I yelped a few naughty words and hopped around droppings back in olden days BC - Before Corona.
4. Chill
We talk for awhile,
but my sweet introverted Hub needs some quiet time. I don't mind. 
I find my bliss ...
Stopping to capture moments of this glorious day with my phone. Tuning in to sights and sounds of the natural world. Yep, I still hear everything despite earbuds plugged into my John Grisham audiobook. Because I've missed being in nature during quarantine .. Everything is louder. Everything looks more vibrant. See (and hear) for yourself in my Symphony Stroll video
5. Repeat
Wow!
We finish the greenway loop! in no time. Tempted to stay longer, but we want to keep our visit short. Hop into the car and take off your gear. There's hand sani in the unlikely event we touched anything evil. Aren't you more energized? A wee bit lighter in your soul? Feeling like I can return to my writer's den and polish the final manuscript of my middle-grade tale in a heart-beat -:D. Thanks for your company. I'm ready to stroll again soon! 
Your Turn
I cannot wait for the day we can be in our fave outdoor places without fretting about Covid. Have you ventured out of your Coronaville boundaries? Where have you gone? What tips can you offer to make an adventure safe and fun? Please share in the comment section. 
16 Comments
I never imagined anything could be worse than living in a world gripped by a killer virus.
But I was wrong. These past weeks have been a continuous loop playing out of horrific killings of black men in violent take-downs. I am shaken to the core. How many times do we have to say Enough! I don’t want a world of hate and injustice. I am not proud of a nation where peaceful protesters are pummeled by tear gas and rubber bullets. And I struggle … Me. A middle-aged, white women from a middle-class family. Part of the #MeToo movement, so I know about harassment and abuse of power. But I have never been denied or threatened because of the color of my skin. How can I make a difference? What if I speak out and say something wrong? My super power since fourth grade has been writing. So, I write. Sending my words into cyberspace that express my frustration and wish for a better tomorrow. Sharing wisdom from one of my favorite American history teachers, my brother, Coach Steve. Praying our words are a first step for listening, understanding and joining with others to create a powerhouse for change. 
Photo by 30daysreplay (PR & Marketing) - Social Media Beratung on Unsplash
Looking Up
by Cat Michaels There is good in our world. There is hope in our world. There is kindness in our world. But there also must be justice and dignity for everyone in our world. Let's keep looking up to find that goodness. Together. Stamp out hatred. Together. Stop senseless violence against people whose eyes have different shapes, whose skin has darker hues. Together. No finger-pointing. No blame game. Work to change a nation. Together. Now, please. Together! Gotta be NOW!
The second in our three-generation family of educators, my brother “Nunz” teaches history in a culturally diverse high school in an urban Connecticut city. He has also coached sports during his 30 years in education, working with kids of all ages, races, and socio-economic backgrounds. I share his wisdom for these times, a good place to start.
Here For You
A White Person's Promise by Coach Steve 
Your Turn
What can you do in your circle of influence to start the change? Please share your positive thoughts for looking up in the comments.
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 Cat MichaelsBlogging about books, writing, family life, travel and more good stuff. Meet Cat Behind the pagesa newsletter for bibliophiles on writing, books and cool stuff readers love
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