You're Self-Isolating... Now What?
You may have heard that we're in the midst of a pandemic that has resulted in worldwide closures of businesses, mass working from home, and recommendations that we stay home when we can and stay six feet apart from other people if we must venture out.
All that isolation can make one stir crazy, so here are a few suggestions of things to do (and books to accompany) while you wait out this strange time in global history.
Gardening:
If you're lucky enough to have a yard, now is a great time to start thinking about getting the garden ready. Besides being a way to provide extra food for yourself and family, gardening is something that gets you outside, taking your mind off the current crisis.
Knitting:
Creative and easily done alone or in a (virtual) group, knitting is a great activity for self-isolation. Learn it from scratch or practice a skill you already have. Make it a social activity by tuning into a virtual knitting circle with your friends.
Shakespeare and the Great American Novel:
Take a gander online and you’ll probably see a meme about Shakespeare having written King Lear while in self-isolation. Now is a great time to catch up on Shakespeare’s works as well as the repertoire of great American literary works.
Cooking:
Pandemic or no pandemic, we’ve still got to eat. Now is a great time to try recipes you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t had quite enough time or motivation. Just make sure when you go to the grocery store you practice safe social distancing and that you sterilize grocery packaging when you go home.
Art:
Whether you want to learn more about art or take it up as a hobby, now is the time. Multiple museums and galleries have opened their virtual doors to visitors, meaning you can learn about art from the safety of your own home.
Learn a language:
The best way to learn a language is to speak it. In the absence of travel to new places and in-person language classes books, apps, and other methods will still help you on your way to learning another language.
Exploring Nature:
With working from home for a lot of people, and not working at all for a lot of other people, outdoor activities might be a viable idea for some. If this is the case, it’s still important to practice social distancing if you encounter other nature-lovers. But even from the safety of your own backyard you can do things like learn to identify different bird species, look for bugs, and generally just enjoy the nature all around you.
Quick: do you know the difference between hardpan and hardening-off? Between a native and a nativar? A cold frame and a cloche? Do you wish someone would write a book that explains in simple English what all those gardening terms mean - just give you the stuff you need to know, so you can be a knowledgeable gardener? Veteran horticulturists Maria Zampini and Pam Bennett have done just that.
Win the blue ribbon every time! Master Gardener Jodi Torpey offers all the information you need to grow champion vegetables — beans, beets, cabbages, cucumbers, eggplants, onions, peppers, pumpkins, squash, and tomatoes — covering everything from choosing the right varieties and scheduling planting dates to harvesting, preparing, and transporting your produce.
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These are not your grandmother's knitting projects Hip Knitting is the easy, fun way to learn to knit. From scarves and sweaters to hats and dolls, the author's simple and witty instructions make learning how to knit a cinch. You'll learn to knit as you work your way through 6 patterns. With your knitting knowledge, you can make warm woolly delights to wear and give as gifts.
William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, the incredible story about love, rebellion, and generosity, now presented by the Folger Shakespeare Library with valuable new tools for educators and dynamic new covers.
Readers and audiences have long greeted As You Like It with delight.
A true classic of twentieth-century literature—nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career.
*More than 1 million copies sold * New York Times bestseller * Winner of the James Beard Award and multiple IACP Cookbook Awards * Available as a Netflix series *
Transform how you prep, cook, and think about food with this visionary master class in cooking by Samin Nosrat that distills decades of professional experience into just four simple elements—from the woman
*THE JAMES BEARD MEDIA AWARD WINNER FOR BEST PHOTOGRAPHY*
"Evan Funke's respect for tradition and detail makes American Sfoglino the perfect introduction to the fresh egg pastas of Emilia Romagna.
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This new installment in the Art Essentials series is an indispensable guide for anyone fascinated by the pop art movement.
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A painting's technique, color, and perspective may all be excellent, yet the painting will fail unless its composition succeeds. Composition is the harmonious arranging of the component parts of a work of art into a unified whole. Henry Poore examines the works of old masters and moderns in this book and uses these examples to explain the principles of compositions in art.
A proven grammar-based approach that gets you communicating in Spanish with confidence, right away
Go Birding with Utah's Best-Selling Bird Guide