Settling Into a New Routine

The Dartmouth Green -- Empty Photo by ERSwett

Welcome to
the first day of Spring.
We woke to a light dusting of
snow and are a bit disappointed by yet
another cloudy day. But it is, after all, March in
New Hampshire and we are experiencing 
a global pandemic. So the fact that
​The Green is empty and
stores are closed
is real.

J. Crew Closure, March 2020, Hanover, NH Photo by ERSwett

So too
​is compost.
The narcissus may
be done, but they are still
making lemon curd at Umpleby's
and we are still eating bananas. In the
midst of disappointed teenagers
at home, I return, as always,
to the colors, shapes &
textures of my
​compost
​pile.

Yellow Narcissus & Lemons, 2020 Photo by ERSwett

My gratitude
for this pile is deep.
Year after year it transforms
waste into nourishment for gardens
while at the same time inviting me to be
patient, get my hands dirty, and
remember that sometimes
life is really messy.

Coffee Filters, 2020 Photo by ERSwett

As if by
magic, though,
creativity emerges over
and over again out of the apparent
mess. It should be no surprise to you, then,
that I have more photographs of coffee filters. Who
knows how long the supply will last, but they
are such a simple way for me to connect
with my sister, Sarah Swett, who
keeps making things out of
​these funny pieces
of paper.

Finding Joy with Coffee Filters, March 2020 Photo by ERSwett

And in
the process,
I pay closer attention
to what was once just another
part of the waste I collected each week
from Umpleby's Bakery & Cafe
in Hanover, NH. Coffee
filters, it turns out
are beautiful.

Pile of Filters Photo by ERSwett

For me,
It's so much
more than textures
& subtle muted
tones.

Coffee Filters Smiling Photo by ERSwett

It's all
about how
these filters seemed
to talk to me earlier today,
and made me laugh as I folded
them & prepared to mail
them to my sister
in Idaho.

It all
seemed 
so funny, how
I packaged them up,
but am waiting two weeks
to send them, for fear I might have
The Virus and might unknowingly mail it to
my sister whose husband has cancer and definitely
can't get this thing. So once again my compost
and all its associated projects invite
patience and humor. This
really is all quite
messy...

Coffee Filters Folded and Ready to Ship Photo by ERSwett

...and
beautiful,
because even
though we may be
thousands of miles apart,
we are together, exploring these
funny pieces of paper and
wondering what will
emerge from it
all.

Our Daily Grapefruit Photo by ERSwett

So after
I finish this blog
post, I will go upstairs to
cut our daily grapefruit - one for
each member of the family every day for
as long as supplies last. During times of stress and
uncertainty, I like routines. I like this habit of culling & cleaning
coffee filters to send to my sister. I like making something healthy for our family
on a regular basis. And I like making sure ​we laugh about the fact it's a
Thursday & my kids are eating breakfast at 2 pm just when
I'm having my mid afternoon snack. It's all
part of a new routine and I'm
OK with all of that...

Kids at Home March 2020 Photo by ERSwett

...because 
it is March and
even though it seems dark
and gray and lonely to be stuck at
home, I know that the bulbs will emerge
from the frozen earth & spring will
come, because that's nature's
routine, and I'm good
with that.

Today's view in my studio. Photo by ERSwett

---

PS
It is still
Women's History
Month...so let's support 
each other as much as we can
from afar. For inspiration of all kinds,
check out my friend Jennifer Jewell's Podcast
Cultivating Place - - The January episodes were all
about the therapeutic and spiritual capacities
of our gardens - in all their forms. We
need that now, more
​than ever.