Tisa Watts is a horticulturist with 20 years of experience and an expert on backyard biodiversity. She founded the Columbus Garden School to educate others.
• For those who would like to add foraging to their skill sets, Columbus-based social-media star
Alexis Nikole Nelson (@blackforager on Instagram) will offer a Zoom meet and greet, a foraging session, and a cooking demonstration featuring vegan recipes that can be prepared with ingredients found in the wild in central Ohio. The virtual class will take place at 6 p.m. Friday and costs $25, or $20 for members, For more information or to register, call 614-715-8156 or visit fpconservatory.org.
• Pick up some plants at the
Gardens at Gantz, 2255 Home Road, Grove City, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers will be answering gardening questions and selling herbs, native perennials, rain-garden plants and more at this 28th annual event, which will take place rain or shine. Face covering and social distancing will be required. For more information, call 614-277-3058 or 614-871-6323, or visit grovecityohio.gov.
I retired in December 2019 after working full-time as a registered nurse for more than 44 years, and the future had so much promise.
There were travel plans to Florida, North Carolina and New York to visit family and friends. I was playing music weekly with a close friend, attended a home concert, went hiking, attended class at Columbus Garden School, enjoyed a Valentine’s Day concert Downtown, celebrated birthdays and attended church. There were road trips, dine-in dinners and lunch at restaurants, and mall shopping. I was at the gym five days a week.
But toward the end of February, a cloud began to loom over us. The coronavirus was spreading. Initially we all thought it was “just a flu,” so good hand washing and avoiding large crowds was in order. Little did we know what was ahead of us.