NOTES,  15 MARCH 2021

It is Monday, March 15, 2021, and time to check in on the crises we have been following for a year now.

PANDEMIC. There are clear signs of improvement but they are uneven. According to our usual source, Worldometers, new cases in the world actually bumped up a bit last week, from 2.7m (Mar. 1-8) to 2.9m (Mar. 8-15). However, deaths were down, from 62,358 in the previous week to 59,631 last week. As of now, 2,666,464 people in the world have died of COVID-19. 

In the United States, numbers showed a dramatic improvement. New cases dropped from 441,707 (Mar. 1-8) to 384,555 (Mar. 8-15). Deaths dropped from 12,063 to 9,393. As of now, 547,234 Americans have died of the virus. The daily death toll continues to run over 1,000. 

As the nation, our local southeastern states are showing improvement. In South Carolina, new cases fell from 9,042 (Mar. 1-8) to 7,556 (Mar. 8-15). Even so, 533,421 South Carolinians have contracted the coronavirus. This is 10% of the population (about the national average). Deaths also dropped significantly, from 224 (Mar. 1-8) to 121 (Mar. 8-15). As of now, 8,875 residents of SC have died in the plague.

Charleston County is also showing mitigation. New cases declined from 590 the prior week to 520 last week. In all, 39,244 county residents have had the virus, app. 10% of the population. As for deaths, the county listed 6 last week, down from the 8 of the earlier week. The total death figure is now 466.

As SC, Alabama is also reporting dramatic decline in cases and deaths from COVID-19. Last week (Mar. 8-15), the state listed 3,854 new cases, down from the 6,567 of the previous week. In all, 503,673 Alabamians have had the virus, about 10% of the population. Deaths fell too, from 220 the previous week to 178 last week. AL's total dead in the plague is now 10,327.

Vaccinations are being administered in record numbers across America. In all, some 11% of the population has been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The vaccine does not prevent contracting the virus but will greatly lessen the effects of the coronavirus on the body. 

The president has said that he expects all Americans to have access to the vaccine by May 1. Experts are telling us, if all goes well and people cooperate, life should get back to what will pass for normality in the summer of this year. After a year of abnormality, to say the least, the idea of normality once again is most reassuring.

LITIGATION. Nothing new to report this week. My guess is that the next shoe to drop will be the Anglican Diocese of SC's reply to the Episcopal Diocese's reply of Mar. 4. Perhaps after that, the SC Supreme Court will proceed to a decision on the church case. After that, the federal appeals court will render its decision. These two should bring at least the beginning of closure to the eight and a half years of legal warfare. The Anglican side has deftly employed a deny and delay strategy for years but they are running out of options. The end of the road is near. 

POLITICAL CRISIS. I think we can move the political crisis in America to the back burner. The attempted coup d'état failed and many of the perpetrators are being rounded up. Problems still abound, but the new governing majority in Washington has brought in a stability and competence we have not had in years. The democratic revolution has greatly diminished the reactionary counter-revolution.  

Following a relatively mild winter, a warm and early spring has suddenly appeared, at least in my area of the south. It seems as if every plant in my garden has burst forth in new life with a vengeance. It is almost as if Mother Nature is trying to make amends for the beastly horror she visited on humankind last year. If so, she has a lot of makeup to do after more than two million people died from one of her cruelest creations, the coronavirus. At any rate, I have been working a great deal in my garden in the last few weeks, to mutual benefit. Here are some scenes of my garden in the last few days.

Windmill Palm (Trachyoarpus fortunei) is my favorite tree form of palm. I have several in my garden as accent pieces. This type of palm tree fits into the home yard/garden better than the larger, standard Sabal palmetto. Cold hardy and easy to grow. Stalks produce an abundance of seeds to the birds delight. This one is about 15 feet tall and may eventually reach 20 feet. The big green shrub on left if Chindo Viburnum. The white blooms on right are on the Paperbush.

While Bradford Pear trees should be avoided in the home yard/garden, other kinds of pear trees are suitable. This is Cleveland Select Pear tree (Pyrus calleryana 'Cleveland Select'). It grows upright and is covered with small white flowers in early spring.

Spring Bouquet Viburnum (Viburnum tinus 'Spring Bouquet') is an east to grow evergreen shrub for the home garden reaching about 6 feet. It is covered with aromatic blooms in early spring.

My favorite bush form of palm is Sabal minor, but this, Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), is also an excellent, care free, choice for the garden. It is the most cold hardy of all the palms. Although it is slow growing, to about 6 feet, it presents an elegant accent in the garden.

Looking down a walk path on the smaller part of the garden facing the central lawn. Loropetalum is the purplish shrub on left. Windmill palm is on right.

From the lawn, looking back to the walk path. Carolina jasmine and climbing rose occupy the trellis. Boxwoods stand at sides. The tall evergreens in distance are Japanese Cedars (Cryptomeria).

Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles). This one has a most unusual coral color.  

Another care free, easy to grow, early blooming shrub is Pearl Bush 'The Bride' (Exochorda x macrantha 'The Bride'). In early spring, it is covered with pure white flowers similar to azalea.

I sense that important times are ahead, and they may not be far off. First, the pandemic seems to be on the down slope with the hope of life returning to "normal" in a few months. Second, it is reasonable to expect the SC Supreme Court to rule soon on the church case. Whatever the outcome, this should bring at least the beginning of closure to the long, bitter, and exhausting litigation between the two sets of former friends. I expect the federal court to follow suit soon thereafter. Third, both the Episcopal and Anglican dioceses of SC are moving resolutely to choosing and installing new bishops. This will be a turning point for both dioceses and should set the course that each will take for some time to come. After eight and a half years of schism and the scandalous legal war, I am convinced the good church people of South Carolina caught in this schism only want resolution, peace and harmony. Gentle and mannerly people that they are, they want to get over the unpleasantness pressed on them and get on with their lives the best way they can. I suspect there is good reason to keep that hope alive. Whatever happens, we must remember we were all created for the living of this hour. This is the time that was allotted to us and with faith, strength, and courage we will see it through, together. Peace.