Day 369

March 15, 2021. Sunset 7:17 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Clear and windy- Blowing towards the Equilux TOMORROW- equal day and equal night-- wait for it....
For now: 11:57:06 for the light side.
Day 369 since March 11, 2020

Day 368

March 14, 2021. Sunset 7:16. PM. San Francisco, CA.

Daylight Savings Time begins. Not one of my favorite days of the year. The one reliable, smooth transition in these times - is our ride around the sun. Seasons come and go, crossfading from one to the next. The sun rises and sets, daylight and darkness incrementally exchanging places with one another. If we were to single out any particular day from any year and compare the balance of daylight and darkness on that exact day in any other year in the history of time, it would be about the same. Yet, somehow, it seems we’ve come to equate Daylight Savings Time with the notion of Daylight Preservation Time. That somehow, by wrenching the clocks an hour forwards every Spring we will prolong the daylight. The daylight that is already increasing very nicely all on its own. And what about the morning? Oh, we’ve chopped off that hour of light and tacked it onto the end of the day instead. Ah- so let’s yank the time back an hour in the fall so we can shift that shrunken window of light to illuminate the start of our day now that it’s become too dark in the morning. It makes perfect sense to me to stop the sudden changes back and forth and to accept the gentle expansion and contraction of the day as if it were breathing light. However, the idea of remaining in Daylight Savings Time strikes me as a bit delusional, a futile attempt to keep the darkness from returning too soon at the end of the day. I would prefer to stay in Standard time for many reasons. Not the least of which is that it signals a willingness to be in sync with the rest of the world.
Day 368 since March 11, 2020

Day 367

March 13, 2021. Sunset 6:15 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Even as we emerge from sheltering in place and begin to "open up" to our shared public activities, we will continue to drag the bell out here every night for a while. It has become a valuable part of our local shared public experience and we enjoy ending the day with our neighbors and the occasional strangers who wander by.
DON'T FORGET – SPRING AHEAD! (it IS coming…)
11:52:12
Day 367 since we first started sheltering in place.

God Cloud!

March 13, 2021. Sunset 6:15 PM. San Francisco Bay

Traveling over the bridge 5:43 and 5:47 PM)
God cloud effect from Bay Bridge
-Elisabeth Beaird and Richard Marriott

Sea Isle, NJ

March 13, 2021. Sunset 6:04 PM

...from my friend Bob today at Sea isle, NJ...nice; right?
- Joe Pokrifka

Day 366

March 12, 2021. Sunset 6:14 PM. San Francisco, CA.

11:49:46. How does our garden grow? It actually hasn’t grown so much over this past year as much as been augmented by cuttings from Matt’s yard—Lots of them—Thanks Matt!
Day 366 Gathering at the end of the driveway- end of the day.

March 11, 2021. One year anniversary since the pandemic was officially declared here and when we were first asked to shelter in place. Each day for the past 13 years, I have been inviting others to witness every sunrise and sunset with me, ringing a bell as a way to mark and share that moment with ever more people. This activity has been my attempt to heighten a sense of awareness of our connection to one another through the regular engagement with a reliable and indisputable fact of common experience— i.e. the turning of the planet through the experience of sunrise and sunset. The pandemic has provided a horrible opportunity for us all to acknowledge this interconnection. It has also shown very clearly the many ways in which our ignorance (willful and otherwise) as well as the lack of identification with all other people has continued to endanger and exacerbate the inequalities and suffering in the lives of most people on the planet. As small, insignificant and ineffective as this daily practice of witnessing the sunrise and sunset may be in the face of such global upheaval and contentiousness, it was still necessary for me to commit to a loud, public and reliable marking of a truly universal experience and perspective during this time. Same time, same place, every day. So, for the past 365 days we have been gathering at the end of the driveway to ring a large, loud bell at sunset every evening. Last August I drove to the East Coast to spend time with my father for his last birthday and his expected final days on this earth. In my absence, my husband, Norman Tuck, continued to drag the bell out every night so that we could maintain the commitment to reliability of SOMETHING. ANYTHING. The tolling of the bell has signified many things at once – commemoration of those who have died as well as acknowledgment of the courage and sacrifice of the many others who made it possible for everyone else to keep going. It has afforded those within hearing range of the bell an opportunity to share the moment in the company of others- sometimes in person with masks and gongs and poetry. In the end, I hope this activity has served as a daily beacon and a source of comfort, signaling and sharing our presence at the end of the day.

ABOUT THESE PHOTOS (March1, 2020- March 11, 2021): Prior to the shelter in place directive in mid- March last year and continuing throughout the rest of the year, many people were actively engaged in the dailybell project. They have contributed photos, drawings and recordings of their sunrises and sunsets. Because of the daily proliferation of documentation from the sidewalk out front of my home, the variety of offerings from other people may be dwarfed. However, because these snippets are from other people in other places doing other things, their appearance shines through the repetitive daily sidewalk photos. Many thanks and much love to everyone for your commitment. It’s been an honor and blessing to be in your company. CONTRIBUTORS: Alex Wand, Alyce Santoro, Ana Léon, Andrea Aidells, Annie Coe, Barbara Held, Barbara Hertel, Brenda Reasoner, Caterina De Re, Connie Kieltyka and Bob Bielecki, Eric Ehn, Eric Kupers, Hannah and Ginger Hutchinson, Iris Alroy, Joe Pokrifka, Kathy Kennedy and Daniel Mace, Kathy Roman, Kattt Atchley, Linda and Lamar Allen, Lynne Piade, Maria Mykolenko, Mike Freer, Miriam Jacobs, Nancy Beckman, Rae Diamond, Sherri Wood, Sonia Megías, Sonya Verma, Thea Farhadian, Tom Bickley, Evangel King, Wendy Reid and lulu SIDEWALK CREW: Bernie Lubell, Mardith Louisell, Matt Garrett and family, Elisabeth Beaird, Richard Marriott, Beth Custer, Federico Cusigch, Steve Mobia, nearby neighbors and passersby.

Day 365 - ONE YEAR!

March 11, 2021. Sunset 6:13 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Looks about the same as many other days…
Day 365--- ONE YEAR SHELTER IN PLACE!!!!

Backyard Beauty

March 11, 2021. Sunset 6:12 PM. Walnut Creek, CA.

This sunset was out my parents’ back yard. At 6:25 PM.
- Lynne Piade

Day 364

March 10, 2021. Sunset 6:11 PM San Francisco, CA.

11:44:53
Day 364 Ringing it down.

Day 363

March 9, 2021. Sunset 6:11PM. San Francisco, CA.

11:42:26 "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night..."
Day 363 Gathering at the end of the day and the driveway.

Day 362

March 8, 2021. Sunset 6:10 PM. San Francisco, CA

11:40:00. 8 days, 19.5 minutes to go until equal day and night at this latitude.
Day 362 gathering at the end of the day- Hello Kiki!

Laguna Beach, CA

March 8, 2021. Sunset 5:53PM at Crescent Bay Park, Laguna Beach, CA.

- Elisabeth Beaird & Richard Marriott
Beautiful sunset down there-- but the day lasts a few minutes longer up north.

Day 361

March 7, 2021. Sunset 6:09 PM. San Francisco, CA.

11:37:34 Thinking of my friend Lynne and her family as they sit Shiva this evening for her father, Joe. May his memory be a blessing.
Day 361 sheltering in place.

Day 360

March 6, 2021. Sunset 6:08 PM. San Francisco, CA.

11:35:09. Big changes coming up:
5 days to sheltering in place 1 year anniversary
1 week until Daylight Savings Time
10 days until 12 hours of Daylight and 12 hours of Darkness
2 weeks until the Equinox
Day 360 sheltering in place.

Day 359

March 5, 2021. Sunset 6:07 PM. San Francisco, CA.

11:32:43
“Slowly (we) turn, inch by inch, step by step”- Moe Howard
Day 359 sheltering in place on a foggy Friday.

Day 358

March 4, 2021. Sunset 6:06 PM. San Francisco, CA.

11:30:18 not so far off the 12:00:00 tipping point…
Day 358 Sheltering in place for 51 weeks.

Day 357

March 3, 2021. Sunset 6:05 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Our only flower is starting to bloom. Think Spring. 11:27:54
Day 357 Sheltering in place.

Round the Corner...

March 2, 2021

Meanwhile, a few minutes later and just around the corner - from Bernie and Mardi

Day 356

Mar 2, 2021. Sunset 6:04 PM. San Francisco, CA.

The bell really is that LOUD! Knocked her right off her feet.
(or maybe she's jumping for joy)! 11:25:29
Day 356 sheltering in place with lively visitors

Mare Island

March 2, 2021. Sunset 6:03 PM. Mare Island, Vallejo

Sunset in 2 minutes! On Mare Island.
Elisabeth Beaird and Richard Marriott

Galicia, Spain

March 2, 2021. Sunset 7:15 PM. Galicia, Spain.

- Sonia Megías

Day 355

Mar 1, 2021. Sunset 6:03 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Another clear sky holding onto the light just a little bit longer.
11:23:05
Day 355 sheltering in place with Matt and Norm. Again. Still.

Day 354

Feb. 28, 2021. Sunset 6:02 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Riley was just a little puppy last time Emily brought her by for the sunset. We’ve been at this for a long time in dog years.
11:20:41 (daylight pouring in)
Day 354. Sheltering in place with the usual suspects plus special guests this evening.