Warmer weather, lots of blooming, and as a nation, we’re trending down in the number of new cases and hospitalizations. All good news. Sure, we still need to be wary. Responsible people wear face masks to protect each other. I know that even a mild case is nothing to sneeze at.

On a personal level, CoCo’s sense of smell is slowly returning, and most of her symptoms are subsiding. It’s been seven weeks of low-grade fever. She’s on her third streak of normal temperature, with one 24-hour period chalked up to recovery this time around. Fingers crossed and prayers said, that 7 (weeks) will be the lucky number for recovery.

So… stay vigilant.

Here’s some bits of good news I found this week.

Snakes make friends with each other

According the the Smithsonian, snakes like to hang out with the same group of friends.

“All animals—even snakes—need to interact with others,” ecologist Morgan Skinner tells Virginia Morell at National Geographic. “Like us, they seek out social contacts, and they’re choosy about whom they socialize with.”… Their behaviors and social connections “are in some ways surprisingly similar to those of mammals, including humans.” 

Smithsonian, May 2020

According to the experts, almost all animals can be separated into two personality traits: Bold and Shy. Bold snakes like to explore, see the sights and smell the smells. Shy snakes are happy staying in their shelters.

Scientists think there are benefits to having friends. Snakes may be able to stay warmer and avoid predators better with friends around. Snakes like to stay with the own little clique. That may be why, relocating one captured snake, is often unsuccessful. A lone snake tries its darnedest to get back to it’s friends.

I don’t think you need to be a scientist to know that good friends help us stay warm and safe.

Frog Bread dominates twitter

Wondering why the flour shelf is bare? People are making bread. Kneading bread is sorta meditative. Bread takes hours to make, with all that rising and punching, and rising again. The perfect activity for the Stay-at-home life.

Amongst all the sniping and trolling on Twitter, there’s always some fun. People all over the world are baking frog shaped bread.

Just search #frogbread on Twitter. I promise, the pics will make you smile.

A woman survives the Flu of 1918 and COVID-19

I saved the best for last.

Maria Branyas contracted COVID-19 shortly after her family visited her in March to celebrate her 113th birthday. Okay, that’s not such good news. No one wants that kind of after-party.

There’s been others in their 100s. So far, Maria is the oldest.

Maria says she now feels fine, but has “The same minor annoyances that anyone can have.”

Over the course of her long life, Maria lived through two world wars as well as the 1918 flu pandemic, which killed more than 50 million people around the world. That’s one tough cookie.

I’m not sure which is the best news: She survived it all; Or she’s bright as a tack and quite active.

Now that’s some really great news.

What’s on your good news radar this week? I love to hear more good news.