Salmon berries and squirrels: How COVID-19 has changed my everyday life

Washington State (WA) is nestled in the upper left-hand corner of the United States. Bordered by Canada in the North, Idaho in the East, Oregon in the South, and the Pacific Ocean on the west coast. Nicknamed the Evergreen State thanks to its dense forest cover, WA covers an area of approximately 185,000 square km (about 4.5 times the size of Denmark), with a population of 7.6 million. Washington made international news at the end of February 2020 as the site of the first confirmed cases of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The state governor acted swiftly in instituting stay at home guidelines, closing all public institutions, along with businesses classified as “non-essential”. Initially the changes and uncertainty were met with panic and fear. People scrambled to stock up on groceries and cleaning supplies in anticipation of hunkering down for an indeterminate period. Once busy streets choked with traffic emptied. The frantic rush of everyday life came to a halt. In its place, a sense of quiet contemplation emerged. 

Fast-forward 3 months and the initial shock has thawed, settling into a new state of normal. Now, I head out to the backyard every morning with my binoculars and phone to record bird sightings. The Dark-eyed juncos, starlings, towhees, hummingbirds, and robins have become familiar faces. With each sighting, I feel as if I am greeting a friend. Douglas and gray squirrels merrily scamper about. Their brief visits provide some welcome entertainment and joy. Each day I take a walk in the woods near our home. The culmination of these repeated outings has allowed me to witness the progression of growth of salmon berries, starting from a green bud, then to magenta flower and culminating in a bright red-orange berry. To my delight today, they were ripe for the picking and I savored my first one of the season. 

When needing to head out into the greater world, my routine involves reaching not only for the keys, but for my mask and hand sanitizer. These items are just as essential now as brushing my teeth. While other states hit by the pandemic later than Washington already began opening back up weeks ago, our state remains largely closed. There is much uncertainty about how to move forward, yet one thing is clear, life persists. During these tumultuous times, I have found solace in the natural world. Looking out the window and seeing rabbits nibbling clover and birds fliting through the trees, I am reminded that all other species are carrying on, unaware of the tribulations occurring in human societies. While my ginger cat may have happily gotten used to me being around more often for belly rubs and snacks at his beck and call, the rest of life goes on. And so shall we, as this too shall pass.