Last week, a dancer in Maria’s belly dancing class was tested positive for Covid-19. Maria had been dancing with her through much of the course.

We both canceled our appearances at the Mansion this week, and Maria used one of those testing kits to see if she had the virus. She was negative, and tomorrow, she’s returning to her class, which she loves dearly.

I need to be careful where I go around the pandemic; people at the Mansion and Bishop Maginn High School are vulnerable. But we are also all moving carefully towards normalcy.

I’ll be at the Mansion later in the week or early next week, and Maria will be in belly dancing class tomorrow.

My Amish neighbor Moise had asked me to drive him to the hospital for surgery this morning, but a neighbor said it was easier for her to go with him since the doctors had her number for the emergency number.

I hope he is well.

I didn’t miss getting up early this morning to drive to a nearby hospital. Tomorrow, I’ll stop by to check on Moise, it was a fairly routine procedure, and I’m sure he’s doing all right.

I had some strange feelings during my meditation or quiet hour. Some disturbing images frightened me, but I thought my way through them.

I also have this idea to surprise Maria with a one or two-day visit to a beautiful nature center a couple of hours from there.

They offer “tree walks,” where people can walk with naturalists and guides through a forest and talk about the trees and the plants they find.

I found a young man online who gave the tours and sounded friendly, sensitive and well trained.

She will call him tomorrow and see if she wants to go. If she goes and likes it, perhaps we can return together. In the Spring, when the ice and snow are gone, it will be easier for me to walk in the woods again.

Maria’s love of nature has become strong, powerful, and beautiful. I would be happy to give her this gift. Nature is an enormous element in her beautiful work.

In return, she wants to pay for me to go to Boston for a one-day Leica class and seminar.

She is calling Alex, the nature guide,  tomorrow.

The Leica gift would be lovely. She could come to Boston, and we could stay one night in Boston; she could hit some museums while I was in class. Sounds like some beautiful Spring trips.