I spend my time on the back porch gazing over at the Canada goose nesting on the edge of the island in the lake behind our house. She took her watch about the same time we quarantined, and I wonder who will be released first--her upon the eggs hatching, or me upon the passing of the plague. The goose has been more vigilant than I at social distancingâI have only seen her leave the nest once, briefly. She has remained on the nest through freezing temperatures, hail, rain, high winds--just kind of hunkered down and flattened out. We should all learn quarantine methods from her.
The male goose doesnât bother her, but plucks the grasses around the lake, waiting and watching for any invaders. If another goose arrives or hawk circles overhead, the male flies down to the water in a ruckus. The female lowers her body and watches his defense. For some reason, the male permits the ducks to visit, and the white egret popped in again this week for a day or two. I still have not seen Mr. Holiday, the eagle, but perhaps since it is Easter, he will make an appearance. I donât think the male goose would welcome him though.
We are about six weeks into this stay at home experience, and since West Virginia is supposedly at the peak of our curve (a month earlier than once predicted), I guesstimate we have about six weeks to go. Iâve found my quarantine routine, and my sleep schedule is almost back to normal â down by midnight and up by nine. I say I guesstimate we have six weeks to go, but in truth, I am mentally willing our little micro-climate to reopen by May 30. Thereâs a vibration in the center of my chest that thrums only for that purpose. I wonder if thatâs how long-distance runners endure to the finish line--a central concept of energy within that works to draw them forward.
When I do go to town, I have my plastic gloves and my makeshift mask created from a white bandana and two hair ties. A friend has promised to bring me a lovely hand-sewn mask with a wire inside the top to form tightly over the nose. That way my glasses wonât get foggy when I breathe.
This is the first Easter in many, many years that I haven't been sitting next to Mother on the pew in her Parkersburg church, her beaming with excitement over Christ's resurrection and with pride of her daughter at her side. In recent years prior, my aunt Sybil also sat with us. In not so recent years, we sat on that same pew with my father, grandmother, and grandfather. If we were in that church this morning, many of the Easter lilies along the altar would be donated in their memory.
Last year, Easter service was Mother's big return to church after many miserable weeks of recovery from back surgery. After the service, it was quite the to-do to get Mother (purse and Bible), her walker, and six Easter lilies out of the sanctuary, down the chair elevator, and out into her car. And then, of course, out of the car and back into the house. She wanted me to come this year, to drive from here (with zero confirmed cases), through Wirt (two confirmed cases), and Wood (recently noted as a cluster), into Washington County, Ohio (30+ cases). I shivered at the thought. Here, in my home, in our small rural towns, I am not very fearful. But the thought of traveling into an urban area brought back that childhood fear of the cooties. As internet comedian Heather Land would say, "I ain't doin' it."
Upshur's Strawberry Festival was canceled right after the state-of-emergency, and now Calhoun's Wood Festival has been canceled, as has Gilmer's Folk Festival. I've been told the last time the Folk Fest was canceled was during World War II. Since these festivals both have annual June dates, this troubles me about my May 30 goal⦠(Of course, you canât truly prepare for such large events while social distancing either.) I suppose I'll have to focus and pray harder for a Back-At-It June.
While all other events at Normantown Historical Community Center have been canceled at this time, the Food Pantry was still held for April. Volunteers from the Glenville Fire Department included: Billy Jenkins, Mae Bailey, Tina Frymer, Herb Frymer, Mike Hess, Debbie Hess, Bobby Moore. Volunteers from NHCC included Jennifer King, Patricia Stump, Anna Carpenter, Dianne Jenkins, Carolyn Keaton, Molly McLaughlin, Diane Goodrich, Chris Dean, Roxanne MacKatee. Thanks for all the great help.
HEY! If you have a cell phone with a 304 area code (and a cell signal) you can access Overdrive, Gilmer Public Libraryâs digital book collection, without a physical library card. Get your free digital library card instantly, and access thousands of online eBooks and audiobooks! Available at the top right of this web site  wvreads.overdrive.com
If you have any 25267 area news you would like to share, send an email to hayesminney@gmail.com. I also have a seasonal email newsletter that includes links to this column online. You can subscribe at
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Lisa Hayes-Minney is an author, teacher, librarian, and publisher. For more information about her workshops, services, and books visit www.lhayesminney.net
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