A year ago, almost to the day, Silas and I took the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island. It was grey, chilly, the in between fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest. The decks were empty, windswept, with salt spray in the air.

Here in New Mexico, we’re back in lockdown. Covid is skyrocketing here, well everywhere really.

Here in the desert the sun is keeping us warm, unseasonably warm. Everything is dry, parched. No water in sight. Even Abiquiu Lake, an hour from here, is low.

The mountains have been a balm all summer and fall, but not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could jump right in, no matter how cold, and wake up with the brisk ocean waves.

So until we’re out of the woods and it’s safe to travel again, I’ll be dreaming about the oceans and crossing my fingers that next summer holds a beach day and a boat ride for me.

all photographs by me, Becca Grady, November 2019.