Final project - Anna Hovey - Quarantine in Kensington

Kids in my neighborhood in Kensington, Maryland have taken to writing uplifting messages and COVID safety reminders around St. Paul Park down the street from my house. This one reminds park-goers to keep their distance when sitting on the park benches.

My mom Lisa and I have been rapidly completing puzzles to fill our seemingly endless and empty free time in quarantine. Here's our 6th or 7th with a whopping 500 pieces.

People in my town are careful about using PPE, but not so careful about where they discard of it. I frequently see customers leaving my local CVS and just throwing their gloves and masks in the general direction of the trashcan. Unfortunately, it isn't safe for me to pick up other peoples' trash anymore.

Our cat, Athena, has become even more comforting to us during this pandemic. Here she is with my dad, Dan. He's one of her favorite people because he gives her endless treats.

My dad hangs his mask from his car's rear-facing mirror for easy access. I don't think it's technically supposed to be reused, but due to the mask shortage, he has to wash it after use then put it back in its spot.

St. Paul park was beautiful but relatively empty during early April's cherry blossom season as a result of social distancing rules. A distant sign mandates that everyone using the park stays a minimum of 6 feet away from non-relatives.

Post-work, my mom shares a tender moment on my bed with Athena. As the marketing director of an insurance agency, my mom is still considered an essential worker and goes into the office about four times a week.

My dad makes sure his mask is secure before a trip to the grocery store. This zany mask was lovingly made by a friend of my grandmother's. 

Athena lounges on the carpet during a rare sunny April day. She has mastered the art of relaxation during quarantine better than anything else in the family.

An empty chair with a fittingly floral pillow on my grandma Marcia's back porch. We recently visited her at her condo from six feet apart in full PPE— she's almost 92 and therefore especially susceptible to the virus. We stayed outside to further avoid risk of infection.

Me in my mask and gloves after a trip to my favorite gourmet supermarket, Rodman's, in Rockville, Maryland. Besides the occasional walk or sit on our back patio, the supermarket is pretty much the only place I go.

I captured a photo of a bird just before it landed on the bird feeder on my grandma's back patio. Birdwatching has always been a hobby of hers, but it's a bigger part of her life now more than ever due to stay-at-home laws in our area.

My mom and dad have started playing a few games of chess per day in quarantine. It seems extremely dull and incredibly frustrating. I refuse to play.

I was working on a French assignment a couple of weeks ago when, just before midnight, I heard shouting from outside. I went to see what it was and was met with the sight of an enormous fire billowing up from behind my neighbor's house. Everyone got out safely, but their house is now unliveable and sustained over $1 million in damages. It's heartbreaking enough to see your long-time home go up in flames— I can't imagine how helpless I would feel if it happened during a global pandemic. House fires are, unsurprisingly, on the rise. 

I spotted this cryptic sign in my neighbor's yard during a walk the other day. I went to the provided link when I got home and saw that it was for a local church hosting virtual sermons on Sundays. It's nice to know that people looking for guidance, religious or otherwise, can still find it in quarantine.

I usually have a hard time finding parking at this shopping center near my house, but now it's a ghost town. Most of the businesses are still open, save for the Hair Cuttery and Laundromat, but with limited hours. I used to come here regularly to grab a coffee or pick up a prescription from the pharmacy, but now making the trip over is a rare treat.

My mom, the master of cards, professionally shuffling the deck. We're playing a lot of Uno these days. My dad would rather play chess— I wouldn't. 

My dad, a professional guitarist, plays a couple of tunes for my grandma during our visit. The gig economy was one of the first to slip at the start of the pandemic, so he's been writing new music and doing live streams from home to keep himself busy. He even let me teach him how to use Facebook.

I walked down to picturesque Old Town Kensington on a bright sunny day earlier this week. I expected it to be empty, but there were a few others out as well. The MARC train stopped here a couple of minutes after I shot this. I hadn't realized it was still running.

The playground at St. Paul Park is not technically closed, but it's been fairly empty of children lately, which is for the best. Children climbing in close quarters is disease spread waiting to happen during a pandemic. A sign displaying a social distancing notice and the shortened park hours is located at the jungle gym's forefront.