Items

• 
  2020-05-04

  Virus Hoax

  On my walk I noticed the words, "virus hoax" written across the bike trail and on utility boxes. I wonder if they really think that the virus is a hoax?
• 
  2020-05-16

  Covid Portraits

  My family hires a photographer once a year to take our family portraits. This year I could not find a photographer due to Covid. I dusted off my good camera and me and my family went to some lavender fields. We took turns taking photos of each-other. I joked that I would Photoshop my husband into one of them but I honestly don't know how to do that and make it look ok still. Our Christmas photo this year will have to be some sort of collage.
• 
  2020-06-04

  June 4th and the store is still low on supplies

  I was hopeful that the stores would recover quickly from the panic buying taking place in March. But here we are in June and the local Walmart, once restocked only stays that way for a day. For a while my neighbors were trading supplies, toilet paper for sugar, garbage bags for dish-soap. But at this point it is getting frustrating. I always had my favorite brands before all of this started. Now, I am lucky if I can even find a similar product. I left the store on June 4th just happy I was able to find cheese at all. Every recipe I cook tastes a little bit off because I had to replace one or two ingredients. I just don't understand all of this. I heard that farms are dumping milk and killing off their entire farm. Meanwhile we are being told there is going to be a meat and dairy shortage. Hopefully things start to look more normal now that they have re-opened California. We are supposed to be going to stage four soon.
• 
  2020-05-25

  The last normal day

  This is the last normal day I had as a teacher. We were talking about covid-19 earlier and I read the students the current numbers. One student asked me if I thought they would close our school. I told him it was a long way off and not to worry. I took this photo to sent to the principal because yet again my classroom was filled beyond capacity with students sharing chairs and students at my desk. This was the last photo I have on my phone of a normal day, an hour later it was announced that our district was closing schools. As the students left the teachers yelled after them to keep in touch, we would figure it all out, and we loved them. You can see the life of these students. So much energy and light. I miss them terribly.
• 
  05/18/2020

  A different world

  Grocery shopping has become an experience. At the grocery store floor guides direct the flow of traffic and spacing. Masks were required in this grocery store. Plexi-glass shields separate grocers from patrons. This is a photo of my feet, maintaining a six foot distance from the patrons in front of me.
• 
  05/15/2020

  Painting and Grief

  My 82 year old grandmother has been diagnosed with a giant aortic aneurysm that has grown. Originally, surgery was not an option because of her age. Due to the growth the surgery has been scheduled to be performed at Stanford Medical Center. The surgery could be fatal and family has worked arranged her funeral in advance. Covid-19 has made the process of saying goodbye difficult. I decided to shelter-in-place with her for a long weekend. We used the time to go over family photos, listen to stories, enjoy eachother. We spent Saturday painting together. She has been an artist her entire life, this is her love language. Occasionally grabbing the brush from my hand to guide a watercolor shadow or highlight, she makes it look effortless. We said goodbye knowing it may be the last time we see each-other. The hospital will not allow for family to accompany her for her surgery or recovery. Waiting is all that can be done. Her name is Janice Simone Simon. She is 83 years old and the matriarch of our family. She is loved. Covid-19 has changed the way we say goodbye.
• 
  2020-05-18

  Bring your kid to work day

  Teachers in Fairfield are required to clean out their classrooms with school closure for the remainder of the year. Daycare's are closed and many teachers are forced to bring their children with them to pack up their classroom. This U.S. History classroom is normally full of vibrant students. The distance requirements in the district mandate that educators pre-schedule pack-up times so a limited number of teachers are on campus at a time. Canyon Bell (Pictured) is helping mommy clean. The campus is empty.
• 
  05/18/2020

  Empty School like a time capsule

  Teachers in Fairfield were ordered to clean out their classrooms starting the week of May 18th. Entering the school looked like a time capsule with announcements for prom, spirit week, and senior field trips dating back to May 13th, the day before Sem Yeto continuation school was shut down.
• 
  05/21/2020

  Educator Zoom Meetings

  Educators are prohibited from entering schools in much of California. Distance meetings are numerous. Today, Teacher Dana Bell meets with educators at Sem Yeto continuation high-school are meeting to plan for next years WASC visit, a task that can not wait till school resumes. Working from home is a challenge many educators are facing. This meeting was disrupted several times by the participants children and pets. In this particular image, the isolation educators are experiencing is particularly felt. A contrast from the normal hustle of the classroom.