I’m just back from canvassing in Easton, PA. VERY sobering. I was canvassing in a community of cookie-cutter houses. A “development.” Made for the middle class. And it appeared to be a comfortable and diverse group of people. I had several substantial (socially distanced) conversations - in particular with a black man of 22 and a white woman of 82. Both of them were undecided. The first was sick and tired of “lies from both sides” and wasn’t sure why Trump was so bad. I urged him to read about Trump and the economy - which he thought was in good shape (because of Trump - something I heard OVER AND OVER again…) I implored him to join his Democratic-voting family. The woman was worried that Biden was a socialist who would turn our country into a communist state. I assured her that Joe Biden was as centrist and moderate as any candidate could be. And that he cared about the middle class.

I think the 22-year-old and the 82-year-old heard me. I hope. Not so the middle-aged men I encountered as I walked up and down the street looking for the particular house numbers that the “MINIVAN” app provides to canvassers (along with way more information than anyone wishes were available - name, age, party. sometimes voting history…) One ran me out of his driveway. The other told me that Trump was a great president and that he wants to proudly wave the flag. That he had been working since he was 13 and that the USA is a great country as long as you work hard. The canvassing organizers tell you not to engage. Still, as I left, I said to him that it is hard to bootstrap if you don’t have boots.

There are more stories but I won’t go on. I’m going back to Philly tomorrow to get out the vote for Tuesday. With great trepidation about election day. Just putting one foot in front of the other.

Why am I writing this here? I arrived home from PA exhausted and pretty depressed and went for a walk with the dog in the rain to the farmers market. And it really did cheer me up. There are people not too far from my little neighborhood who are farming. Raising beautiful vegetables. Organically. Twenty varieties of apples with names like Mutsu and Empire; red-streaked mustard that would make a beautiful “filler” in a floral arrangement; gorgeous radishes and tiny eggplants. DAHLIAS in delicious pale colors.

Life is going on. Flowers are still growing. People are playing ball in the park. Halloween decorations are everywhere. Funny/sad note - in these “developments”, just about EVERYONE has a “seasonal” wreath on their door. But most of them are made of plastic. :(

All to say if you are feeling anxious, you are NOT alone. Go for a walk. Smell the proverbial roses. Buy something from a local farmer or merchant. Arrange some flowers. Make a wreath out of real materials (I’m doing a dried flower class on November 11th and I will show you how.) Cook. It is a scary time but we will get through it. We have to. Here are some suggestions from the paper of record. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/31/at-home/election-stress.html