A hush fell

It rained most of yesterday, although the sun did peek out a few times. And quite bright it was, when I took my walk around the deserted neighborhood.

We are under a stay at home order, which means essential trips only.  Outdoor exercise is still OK, with social distancing.  Smiles carry across those six feet, but they are few and far between. Some people you encounter cross the street, duck their heads and avoid eye contact.  I walked by a friend's house on the next block, and it was nice seeing her smiling face in the window.

Our dense, busy neighborhood is suddenly and eerily quiet. Like someone flipped a switch.  On top of the stay at home order, with the West Seattle Bridge closed, no one is coming over here to visit the popular parks and beaches. The fierce traffic on the side streets and arterials instantly dropped to almost nothing.

I'm at a loss for words describing how strange this is. It feels like going back in time to the sleepy, quiet West Seattle I remember from the 1980's.

The giant blooming magnolias I walked by yesterday remind me of that time. Some are over 100 years old, real treasures now, planted when the modest little houses were first built.  A lovely, cheerful sight, covered with raindrops in the sun.

We're going to the grocery store this morning to stock up on fruit and vegetables for the next week at home.