flowers

…how relatively empty the streets were in Chicago, as they have been in many cities and communities.

When we returned to the northwest, we saw the pandemic numbers rising again with the newer Delta variant emerging. Like most people, we wanted to put our masks away and return to the life we knew before the pandemic. We know the world has changed, changed in so many ways. We remain cautious and optimistic and know that we can’t just abandon all the effort we have put into being sensible, cautious, and responsible or let these efforts of the past year go to waste. We bought a new series of masks and continue to exercise caution and care when around others.

We spent the summer in the Pacific Northwest; unlike the previous eighteen months, we could be outside even more and visit with vaccinated friends indoors.

We began planning a return to Chicago for September where I have been writing and editing several photos in these posts. We’ve seen new shows in spaces awakening from the past year and the beginning of a new season. Visits to some galleries take more planning with advance appointments necessary. Major institutions are open except for refreshments.

I’m including another gallery of selected photos from the past 18 months; some may be familiar to you if you look at my Flickr or Instagram accounts. Some of the photos document the changes of season and others mark my experiences specific to the pandemic.  With my next post I’ll share some new Chicago photos and images from exhibitions we’re seeing.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our activities and thoughts about this past year. We are blessed to have close friends and family who care about each other, and about the common good. Stay safe and stay tuned.