Pretty Pictures

Lockdown taught me how to better appreciate a slower pace of living. I’ve also been trying to get in better shape by going on long walks. They say 10,000 steps a day is optimal. In August, it was way too hot to take ten steps let alone 10,000 but now that its a little cooler, I’m getting back into the swing of things.

I used to use shopping or eating out as a motivation for moving. Now I’m taking random photos as an excuse to wander. When you are not in a rush to get anywhere, you notice all kinds of interesting things.

Often times I also find free stuff on the sidewalk as well. Although I am trying to curtail the amount of things I bring into the house. I do like to take a peek into every little free box along the way just in case.

Our neighborhood is a bit of a time capsule, as this hand decorated knife sharpening truck illustrates. There are lots of shops and services that never got swept up in the non-stop, entrepreneurial culture of the last several decades. This truck makes me happy, even when I’m disappointed that the cling clang noise it makes isn’t ice cream.

I also like noting how the neighborhood has changed since the pandemic began. I like the outdoor dining spaces and how they make the Main Street feel more alive. It seems like more people are supporting local businesses rather than driving to the malls of suburbia. I know some folks don’t like them because they make driving and parking less convenient, but that’s kind of the point. In a pandemic you don’t really want people gallivanting around and spreading germs. I hope we don’t all slowly slip back into the old cycle of working too hard and then spending too much money on fast food and fashion out of convenience.