Lilac Time Again

 

It's just past the middle of May and the lilac bush in my front yard is full of fragrant blooms. Oh, how I so love the scent of lilacs! These are the traditional, glorious lavender-colored ones - simply gorgeous and they smell divine! (The bees are enjoying them, too.) I've managed to maintain this long-established bush - in the years that I've been here, clipping the nearest branches loaded with blooms to ensure that more appear next year and beyond. They don't last all that long on the bush or in a vase full of water, but they are wonderful for the fleeting days they are here. They're just heavenly!

 

The coronavirus response marches on and I'm happy to report we're making a major dent in its progress in New York State. Some areas of life are being "re-opened" gradually and very carefully. We have only ourselves to blame if the virus cases increase as we slowly revert to a semblance of life as we knew it. Some industries and businesses have had their restrictions eased and are returning to operation, while others are taking incremental steps to get there - slowly, but surely.

Other areas of life as we knew it will not be returning this year - it's too soon and larger crowds cannot be accommodated safely, so no larger concert venues with extensive seating, and no audiences or fans at larger sporting events, though I'm happy to report that horse racing will be returning to New York on June 3 at Belmont Park after a six-week delay. Efforts also are underway to allow training in Saratoga, hopefully by mid-June, and eventually racing there, as well, starting as originally planned in mid-July through Labor Day if all goes well. Only essential personnel will be permitted on site - not even horse owners - but there is discussion on ways that owners might be allowed to attend when they have horses running. It would seem to be only fair as there is no racing if owners don't supply the horses to trainers to race them. Who ever would have imagined this would be an issue and needed to be carefully planned for it to occur? Wild, but very glad to see horses be able to race again.

Saratoga is known as a racing town and over the past 20 years or so the city and surrounding towns have enjoy a real estate boom, with properties values well outpacing the greater region. The good news this year is that with no fans allowed, the cost of hotel rooms and rental properties is expected to be a bit less costly because of the lack of demand compared to a typical summer racing season. That should bode well for those who must travel here for the racing each summer as it shouldn't be quite as costly for them. Either way, I'm glad the horses will be returning even if we can only see them from afar and on TV or online. 

Hi ho!

View east from the Whitney Viewing Stand, built in 2013 at the homestretch of  Saratoga's "Oklahoma" training track

 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of horse racing in Saratoga Springs

The training track  and barn complex is located directly across Union Avenue from the renowed race course.

 

May Flowers

And here we are, a month since my last post imploring folks to stay safe and stay home. Since then, we've advanced to wearing face masks in public whenever we can't effectively be "social distanced" (6 feet away) from other people. Since most of us have to at least venture out occasionally for necessities, whether groceries or other items/tasks, the face mask is an important piece of attire.

People get so testy about their "personal" freedom being invaded, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Unnecessary exposure to a potentially deadly virus, and an early, unanticipated death is not on my agenda. I'll wear my mask. When I get inspired, I'll do some creative versions, but, for now, a simple white one will do the job.

Fortunately, a few essential businesses are open that provide groceries and other household supplies, so a picked up a few pots of pretty pansies, because they are always so cheerful after a long, cold winter. The first two pots I picked up were more pastel in tone, with pale yellow and lavender rather than the usual bold, dark purple and bright sunny yellow, but I found those at another location a week or so later, so now I have more of them to cheer me each day. They're currently still in their pots and in the photo below they were just sitting in my big green planter next to my garage door, waiting to be planted. 

Before I could plant them, the weather went wacky, so I haven't planted them in larger pots yet. It's still unusually cold here. It has been a bit erratic for spring weather, so I've brought all of the pots of pansies inside for a bit until the temps stop dipping into freezing. And yes, a few days ago, on May 9, we did get the dusting of snow that was predicted. We rarely get snow after March, but when we do  it doesn't last long. Still, we've only had a few really lovely warmer days in the high 60s to low 70s. Oh, how I miss those wonderful warm spring days! They're finally due to return later this week and, hopefully, that means they'll be lingering for the next month until summer appears.

While it's unlikely we will see a return to "normal" life or activities in my region this summer, with many events and activities cancelled, postponed or shifted to virtual, there is a gradual loosening of business restrictions in some areas of my state where the virus impact wasn't as significant and its spread was more easily contained. That's not the case in my region, though I expect we'll get there eventually. It's still a trying time, and I continue to keep myself busy as usual at home and donating to causes that are important to me that help others who are more severely than I am. It's the right thing to do and I'm glad to be able to do that. I will look forward to doing more of the things I enjoy when the situation allows.

As the pansies remind us each spring, life will go on...be well, be safe and stay home if you can.