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Two men running on Menomonee River Parkway

Coping with COVID: When will it end?

June 4, 2020  |  Topics: Spotlight, Stories

By Eddee Daniel       

Frustration has been mounting for weeks. Fear and uncertainty have been the dominant emotions in many communities for months. It’s a combustible combination in any case. Add to that the fact that people of color have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. Is it any wonder that the tragic killing of George Floyd has sparked unrest and even violence? For the first time since March the pandemic has not dominated the headlines.

The news has been grim. Only a week ago the New York Times broke with tradition and devoted the entire front page of its Sunday edition to commemorating the milestone of 100,000 coronavirus deaths in the US. Now this.

We don’t know when the pandemic will end, but we do know how: A vaccine will become available; medical treatments will catch up to the virus. We can imagine that endpoint even in our impatience for the end of the crisis. Can we also imagine a world without racism?

Summer has arrived, with a vengeance. It was 92° today. Will that drive more people to the beaches—or to the streets? Possibly both.

* * * * *

Photo essay: This week in the parks

Trio fishing at Washington Park, Milwaukee.
Trio fishing at Washington Park, Milwaukee.
Pier fishing party, Elm Grove Park, Elm Grove
Pier fishing party at Elm Grove Park, Elm Grove
"Look at the enormous frog we caught!" Tessa, Nora and Kean at Elm Grove Park.
“Look at the enormous frog we caught!”
Siblings Tessa, Nora and Kean at Elm Grove Park.
The Fox River runs through it! Big Bend Village Park, Big Bend.
Country View Park, Hartford.
Country View Park, Hartford. There was no one else around, so I ended up with this selfie.
Jumping Coney Creek at Richfield Nature and Historical Park.
Jumping Coney Creek at Richfield Nature and Historical Park, Richfield.
Chelsea and Santiago at Tichigan Wildlife Area, Tichigan
Chelsea and Santiago at Tichigan Wildlife Area, Tichigan.
Kayaking the Oconomowoc River at Loew Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest
Kayaking the Oconomowoc River at Loew Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest.
Portage, Loew Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest.
No social distancing going on at this portage point. We had to skirt around the party.
Loew Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest.
An idyllic moment on the Oconomowoc River. Loew Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest.
An idyllic moment on the Oconomowoc River. Loew Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest.
The playgrounds are open again--and busy! Hoyt Park, Wauwatosa.
The playgrounds are open again–and busy! Hoyt Park, Wauwatosa.
Hoyt Park Pool is also open–and even busier! However, not as busy as it would be normally. Patrons must sign up in advance for a particular time slot and there is a limit of 225 people, which is one-fourth of capacity.
(Full disclosure: I am a member of the Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool.)
No problem keeping one’s distance in a kayak on the Menomonee River! Hoyt Park, Wauwatosa.

This is the twelfth installment in our “Coping with COVID” series. Here are the previous ones:

“Schools are closed, events cancelled, but parks are open!”

“Coping with COVID-19: People seek out nature!”

“Coping with COVID-19: People enjoying our parks!”

“Coping with COVID photo essay: All over the map!”

“Coping with COVID: Getting away from it all!”

“Coping with COVID: An Earth Day tribute!”

“Coping with COVID: The new normal?”

“Coping with COVID: Spring Beauties!”

“Coping with COVID: Meetings and distances.”

“Coping with COVID: Imagining a future…”

“Coping with COVID: Jane’s Walk goes virtual.”

Remember, our “Find-a-Park” map can help you locate a park or preserve. Please observe safe personal hygiene and social distancing guidelines when you head out for fresh air, exercise and a healthy dose of nature. And, as always, take only pictures and leave only footprints.

To see the complete set of chronological images from over 100 different places taken during the COVID-19 shutdown, go to Eddee’s Flickr album.

The featured image at the top is from Menomonee River Parkway in Wauwatosa. Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks and A Wealth of Nature Project Director. All images in today’s photo essay were shot in the past week.