Celebrations
I’ve had several projects going and couldn’t attend to my Letter writing. But I continue to be so moved by human gestures of all kinds among the community of world-wide coronavirus shut-ins! My current favorite is the 99-year-old UK World War II veteran, Capt. Tom Moore, who set himself a goal to raise money for Britain’s underfunded National Health Service during the deadly Covid-19 outbreak. He set up a fundraising page and decided to walk the 82-foot length of his garden back and forth 100 times, using his walker for support.
As he crossed the finish line six days after his effort began, “balloons could be seen in the distance, and soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment formed a guard of honor and saluted him. Strained health-care workers thanked him across the country….The donations have not stopped. As of Friday morning, Moore had raised $23 million for Britain’s health-care system as workers risked their lives to save others.” If you would like to see that moment (along with two and a half million others who watched), here it is.
At the other end of the spectrum from Capt. Moore’s humble walk in his garden is the world-wide event featuring 100 of the best-known musical artists: One World: Together At Home, organized in part by Lady Gaga and hosted, in the TV version, by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert on all three major networks. It was dedicated to health workers and other people on the front line from food deliverers to mail workers, to scientists working around the clock on a vaccine, including scenes of them at work around the globe. Lang Lang, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and dozens of musicians and celebrities joined in expressions of gratitude in this 8-hour marathon, first on the web and then as a two-hour television special carried on all the networks in prime time. It raised $127,000,000 for local and international aid organizations. It was also, I thought, a rare celebration of our common humanity, as if something inside of us was just waiting to burst forth into this spontaneous generosity, creativity and gratitude that normal life seems to inhibit. You can tune in to bits of this full version, the two hour TV show or watch the finale here, with Lang Lang, Celine Dionne, Lady Gaga, Andre Bocelli and John Legend. Once again, it is the wonder of technology that makes possible this performance by artists in distant locations.
At the other end of the spectrum from Capt. Moore’s humble walk in his garden is the world-wide event featuring 100 of the best-known musical artists: One World: Together At Home, organized in part by Lady Gaga and hosted, in the TV version, by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert on all three major networks. It was dedicated to health workers and other people on the front line from food deliverers to mail workers, to scientists working around the clock on a vaccine, including scenes of them at work around the globe. Lang Lang, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and dozens of musicians and celebrities joined in expressions of gratitude in this 8-hour marathon, first on the web and then as a two-hour television special carried on all the networks in prime time. It raised $127,000,000 for local and international aid organizations. It was also, I thought, a rare celebration of our common humanity, as if something inside of us was just waiting to burst forth into this spontaneous generosity, creativity and gratitude that normal life seems to inhibit. You can tune in to bits of this full version, the two hour TV show or watch the finale here, with Lang Lang, Celine Dionne, Lady Gaga, Andre Bocelli and John Legend. Once again, it is the wonder of technology that makes possible this performance by artists in distant locations.
Living-room concerts continue to be shared virtually and I have also enjoyed the widespread camaraderie (and humor!) of art lovers worldwide! My friend Clara Igonda in Pasadena shared an invitation from the Getty Museum.
Here are some of their offerings!
You can see more entries or enter yourself on the Getty Twitter Site.
From Spain comes the spunk and humor of La Mare in RESISTIRÉ (versión cuarentena), "I Will Endure, (quarantine version)" sent to me by my Comadre in Mexico City. You don’t need to understand Spanish to appreciate this spoof on the efforts to survive “sheltering in place,” as she walks the dog so much the dog refuses to go out and she gets to the end of her recipe book with nothing new to cook. She washes her curtains, her sofa pillows. She studies new languages, new dances, and has group chats on zoom. It will definitely lift your spirits just to watch her recreating scenes that are all too familiar to us in ways that make us smile.
Easter in our town was not the usual Spring celebration. Here is the tree in the center of town. I found myself singing “O Easter Tree, O Easter Tree, how snowy are Thy branches.”
From Spain comes the spunk and humor of La Mare in RESISTIRÉ (versión cuarentena), "I Will Endure, (quarantine version)" sent to me by my Comadre in Mexico City. You don’t need to understand Spanish to appreciate this spoof on the efforts to survive “sheltering in place,” as she walks the dog so much the dog refuses to go out and she gets to the end of her recipe book with nothing new to cook. She washes her curtains, her sofa pillows. She studies new languages, new dances, and has group chats on zoom. It will definitely lift your spirits just to watch her recreating scenes that are all too familiar to us in ways that make us smile.
Easter in our town was not the usual Spring celebration. Here is the tree in the center of town. I found myself singing “O Easter Tree, O Easter Tree, how snowy are Thy branches.”
Being shut off from friends and family, without traditional church services, may have been the greatest hardship of all for many people. Most virtually attended online services but for Christians that meant the absence of communion. It was also Passover and traditionally families would gather for their Seder meal. This family proved that in the right spirit, it can be done: Together at a distance for Passover.
Never again in our lifetimes (we hope and pray) will we ever see St. Peter’s square in Rome on Easter nearly empty.
Never again in our lifetimes (we hope and pray) will we ever see St. Peter’s square in Rome on Easter nearly empty.
 On most Easter Sundays |  Easter 2020 during coronavirus |
Services were still performed and broadcast from an empty St. Peter's Basilica. In some places, outdoor services were performed and people attended in their cars.
The Stray Bullet Cafe is still making take-and-bake casseroles and Trixi's Antler Saloon is offering take-out pizzas for the weekends. Fred has kindly appeared on my porch with groceries. Howie is making up spray sanitizers and Peggy has been making masks.
I had a new bird at my feeder! One I never knew existed: A Hepburn's finch, also called grey-crowned rosy finch. A handsome bird and I am ever-so-happy to see it.
The Stray Bullet Cafe is still making take-and-bake casseroles and Trixi's Antler Saloon is offering take-out pizzas for the weekends. Fred has kindly appeared on my porch with groceries. Howie is making up spray sanitizers and Peggy has been making masks.
I had a new bird at my feeder! One I never knew existed: A Hepburn's finch, also called grey-crowned rosy finch. A handsome bird and I am ever-so-happy to see it.
Overhead, Venus continues to shine brightly in the west as the Evening Star and below to the left is the bright star, Aldebaran, in the horn of Taurus. Arcturus is the brightest star in the east in the evening, with bright Spica shining to the lower right.
I will close with the peacefulness and patience of nature, AND of nature photographers. This was sent to me by friends in New York, created in neighboring Pennsylvania.
Be well,
Sheri
Sheri
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