Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Bignami children’s project to spread hope & love, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Bignami children’s project to spread hope & love, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
At Home, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Spring 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Community Gardens at Larz Anderson, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Summer 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Larz Anderson Park Community Garden, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Pine Manor College, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Patio, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
At Home, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Muddy River, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Muddy River, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
At Home, Brookline
Quarantine, Fall 2020
Brookline
Watching the news was heartbreaking. Long lines in front of the hospitals in major cities like NYC, and the critical need of hospital beds and ventilator machines. The number of sick people rose every day by the thousands. There were over 2,000 deaths a day by April 6. People were out of work, with a disproportionate adverse impact on low-income jobs in retail, transportation, and hospitality.
On May 25, 2020 we watched the shocking video by Darnella Frazier, a teen who used her mobile phone to film George Floyd’s murder by Derek Chauvin, a white policeman who knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. As he was dying, he said, “I can’t breathe” – and these words became a rallying cry at subsequent protests. Even with the fear of the Corona virus and the need to limit social interactions and quarantine, many people went to demonstrate and took part in ‘Black Lives Matter”.
To find refuge, I placed a bird-feeder on the fence of the patio, and soon enough beautiful birds came to eat and sing, and they were joined by squirrels and chipmunks. While working, I paused to take photos of nature around me, a genre that I never explored before. In addition to the patio location, my husband and I often visit a community garden plot in Larz Anderson park, Brookline. During these days of limited social interactions, I discovered a new world as a photographer in those two locations. Backyard photography became very popular amongst people during the COVID-19 pandemic and I was no different. My love for bird watching started during this time of quarantine – for the first time, I took the time to look closely at birds from close proximity and saw all the details and colors and carefully watched their behavior.
I was also inspired during this time of sadness and fear by the kindness that people had for each other even with social limitations. In many cities neighbors applauded the medical workers that fighting the Corona virus when they came out of their long shifts in the hospitals. One of my favorite projects, here in Brookline, was the Bignami children’s project to spread hope & love. They made their yard fence a place where people left cheerful heart shaped notes for everyone to see. Every evening, while walking my dog, I enjoyed passing by their house to read these massages. It sure helped me – Thank you the Bignami family!