This blog post is about Poland, sort of, but you’ll have to read on to figure out why.
Right now, most all of us around the world are in the midst of dealing with the Covid-19 virus. I’m hoping some resolution appears soon … people who are sick will be treated and get well quickly … medical personnel will be safe and healthy … and no new major outbreaks will happen. I know that people all over the world are doing their best to stem this tide (ahhh, another boating reference, I guess I’m still a boater at heart).
This spring, I have been excited to have camping reservations in April and early May at three different campgrounds here in the State of Washington (one week at each campground). But a couple of weeks ago the Governor of Washington State shut down all state owned campgrounds and asked, among other things, that all privately owned campgrounds close as well.
So my camping days this spring have been canceled. I received very nice emails and refunds from each of the owners of those private campgrounds. My intention is to visit each of those campgrounds later this year.
But now I’m here at home, like most of you folks are. What I’ve chosen to do with my time remains the same … explore the world! And I challenge every one of you to do the same.
Get online. Pick a country. Or a year of history. Or a religion. Or a musical genre. Or a hobby such as painting or woodworking or quilting or sports. Learn to play a musical instrument (there are lots of online classes) … buy a musical instrument and have it shipped to you … or pick up where you left off with an instrument you already have. Pick something to learn more about that you are already familiar with in your own life and in your own country, but then go explore it online in other countries. Find an online forum or chat room that deals with a subject you love, or one that you’d like to learn about … and then participate in that online forum, be sociable. Or pick something you aren’t familiar with at all. Go! Learn! And appreciate people around the world.
Learn another language. Use your imagination and just go … dowiedz się!
And that reminds me of the title of this blog post … Poland (or Polska in their language). For my first online visit to another country and another group of people in the world whom I know almost nothing about, I picked Poland. Polska.
Within three minutes of getting online and googling “Poland”, I found a great video about Poland. It’s called “Poland : the Road of Revival”. I could give you the link, but maybe you’d like to do your own search. You might find other stuff online that’s equally good or better.
If what you want first is just to read about Poland, then check out this Wikipedia article … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland
My blog has had a number of people read along who live in Poland. If any of you folks would like to comment, whether in English or in Polish, please do so.
Ok, fine, 🙂 I can hear the grumbling about the fact that I didn’t give you the link to that Poland video I mentioned that was so good. Ok, ok, I’ll give you the link to that video “Poland : the Road of Revival” … here it is …
I have often thought about renting an RV for a summer in Europe. Poland is now on my list of places to explore by RV or otherwise.
What’s on your list? If you are staying home these days, what are you doing to exercise your body and your mind and your soul? We might all enjoy a few more tips and ideas.
Cieszyć się!
Excellent ideas. I’ve been painting little postcards and mailing one a day to people. And napping. And only watching an hour of TV a day. So far that’s been working out, but I could add more things, I know.
Wow, hand painting, that’s really nice. Ah, but I bet you do more than paint, nap, and watch TV … surely Katie drags you outside. Nice blog post today by the way Dawn … really terrific interaction with the woodpeckers! For those of you readers here who don’t know about Dawn’s blog, just click on her name above her comment. Great photos and great thoughts.
Poland! Doesn’t it look colourful. It sure does feel like an interesting country to explore.
All this craziness will end one day and it will feel exhilarating to get back to normal. How complacent I must have been to not appreciate our normal, everyday life.
To keep busy at home my husband is sorting out his vast collection of hand-tied fishing flies (and seeing what he can create from the supplies he has on hand: hooks in all shapes and sizes, feathers, copper wire, beads, and multitudes of coloured threads). And funny you should mention music, Ann. He serenades us with his guitar. And, truth be told, he sings too. We have become much better at stricter meal planning so we only have to go to the grocery store once a week at best – and then being creative and thrifty with what is on hand.
Yes, the news is sobering and of course we need to stay informed, but it is very daunting to watch it too much…..
Even in Vancouver BC where we live we can notice a visible difference in the clearer skies as there is so much less traffic.
I am a quilter and hand-knitter and of course I have some bins of supplies (we crafters call that our stash) and it has been fun to see what can be created and completed and used up with what is in those boxes and drawers. I am making a dent! My quilting friends show each other on Facebook our finished projects and we all cheer each other on. We have talked about having a Covid 19 Isolation Quilt Show when this is all over.
Take care to everyone who reads this blog, and Ann you stay healthy please!
I’ve read books about how people used to “make do” with what they had when they didn’t have cars or so many stores so close at hand. My parents had to “make do” during the depression. They lived, and they enjoyed their lives immensely. Your talking about the fishing things and the quilting things makes me think maybe we should get back to that old idea of enjoying the basics.
Thanks Robin. 🙂
Learning things on a computer when you used to spend time out about doing things is a great idea and we were doing that. But in the past two months my wife and I gained weight. So three weeks ago, we made a pac to get outdoors and do yardwork. We lost weight and we feel better and the yard is looking better than it has in years. We also look up stuff online too and that gives us two old married folk more things to talk about. So my best advice is to get outside and get some exercise, at leaset walk!
Oh yes, exercise indoors AND walk outdoors. Physical exercise is so important for the body and the soul. And human interaction is too. In fact, I got back in the house just now from an hour’s fairly fast walk down a back road that I’d never been on before. People waved from their porches and from inside garages. I do this almost every day. It feels great. Thanks Tim.
I’m part Polish but I’ve never explored that. Thanks Ann! Now I will. That video was a great first step for me.
That’s great Kinny. I hope you find out some fascinating information about the country and the people. Maybe some day you’ll go there!
We were in Poland about 15 years ago, it was gorgeous. That video has tons of good info about Poland and great views of cities and landscapes and people, but how fast the camera moved drove me nuts and made me dizzy especially in the latter half of the video. There’s a Rick Steves’ show about some parts of Poland especially two or three of the cities. It’s only about 1/2 hour but it’s very good.
We sure agree with you Ann, staying at home can be difficult since we’re used to heading out at the drop of a hat. We too had camping plans that got canceled. But in deed there are lots of ways to stay active (excercise!) and stay healthy mentally and emotionally. Maybe we’ll all learn that having and doing less in life is actually ok!
I thought the same thing about the video and that wacko fast camera movement, Marge. Drove me nuts too. But the info was really good and most of the video was just fine, really beautiful country and cities and people.
I looked up the Rick Steves’ show on Poland that you mention, here’s the link …
Dziękuję, Ann!
Proszę! Dziękuję, że tu jesteście.