An uneventful, but fairly productive week...

So how are things in your corner of the world?  It's been a rather uneventful week here, but yesterday morning got us out to see the Indiana National Guard 122 Fighter Wing, AKA The Blacksnakes do a flyover to honor health care and other front-line workers during this time of COVID. 

Everyone was told to "social distance", but other than a written word telling people to not travel to watch the event, there was no attempt to stop people from doing just that.  So on a beautiful Saturday morning, a fair number of the population of our sleepy little town made their way to places where the flyover could be best observed.  And those who did were treated to a somber, and moving flyover.  That's it.  It wasn't exactly exciting.  There were no stunts.  Just four fighter jets flew over as we watched in silence.  As we soaked in the sun and the breeze.  Except for the social distancing, we might have forgotten all about COVID for a few minutes.  And then we got into our vehicles and drove home - us glad we'd gone and feeling thankful for our health care workers and all who are working during this time to make our world continue to turn; and proud of the pilots who flew those planes.

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At home, I've used this uneventful week to finish a couple of projects. 

First, the piece I'm most pleased with - my cross stitched Marsh Wren:

The pattern is part of the Crossed Wing Collection, from the "To Wrent for a Song" set.

It's stitched in DMC thread on Confederate Gray 18-count Aida Cloth. 

And for my amusement (and possibly yours) here's an information page about Marsh Wrens.

Listening to the video that is featured at this link, I'm now sure I've heard this bird chirping around the pond at the local wetland area where I sometimes walk.  

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And secondly, I finished my Sacred Space:

At this size (made with worsted weight yarn) it measures 62 inches across.  A bit bigger than lap-sized for an adult.  Or a child could use it for a napping blanket, or a TV watching blanket...  It's tempting to entertain completing it to full size, but that would make this thing large enough to cover our queen sized bed, and that is just totally unnecessary.  So, I'm calling it a day.  And will be storing it until its purpose is revealed to me.

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And this afternoon is being spent making some more COVID masks.  😣    That's what I'm calling them.  I have a feeling once COVID is passed, or vaccinated out of existance, we'll not be sporting face masks anymore so yes...  I think referring to them as COVID masks is exactly correct.  Anyway... I was called upon to help procure some masks for some extended family members who still did not have any, and rather than spend my time searching out masks online that I can't tell whether or not they'll fit, because of who these are for I decided to just make some that I'm pretty sure will. 

I cut out the fabric yesterday, so hopefully that will make the task of sewing them up a little less tiring. Though after making just one, I took a break to post this.  Have I said before I dislike making masks?

I did decide this time to cut out more mask pieces than I think I'll sew together for now, and I will store them for the future. That doesn't mean I'll want to make them in the future.  It just means that part will be done if I feel compelled to again.  The word that I'm sending out with these is that my sewing room is closed, but time will tell if I can hold to that.

Please no advice to just say no.  I wasn't asked to make them this time. I offered because sometimes you just have to do a thing you don't want to do 'cuz you'll feel worse if you don't.  It's not guilt.  It was simply the right thing to do.  This time.

I'm honestly not sure why I dislike making these as much as I do.  I only know I do.  For my immediate family, I don't feel that way.  But beyond that, I pretty much despise the whole business.  I wish I didn't.  Hubs wishes I didn't (and that certainly doesn't help my disposition about it all).  But I do.  No sense pretending I feel differently.  And I figure if anyone reading this feels the same way, they'll appreciate my honesty. 'Nuff said.

And on that happy note, let me wish you a good week ahead, everyone.  Here it looks like we'll have days of sun and temps in the 60's all week.  Actually, those temps may last until the middle of May.  It's my perfect weather!  😊

What week of the lock-down is this?

It seems like it was a busy week last, but looking back I think it's just an illusion because we took the opportunity twice to leave our home and interacted with other human beings.  Oh, how this lock-down is affecting my perspective.

The first outing was to deliver some birthday gifts to oldest son on Tuesday.  He and his youngest brother share an apartment less than a half-hour away.  There was no hugging, or even much conversation - it was too cold and blustery to stand outside where we could keep a respectable distance.  Just a masked hand-off of a bag full of goodies  (including several masks I had made him and his brother).  And a picture snapped to commemorate the moment.

It felt very good to make in-person contact. 

And Thursday was the last time (at least for now) we'll be delivering meals to the COVID unit at our local hospital.  It has felt so good to do this and while I will miss doing it, I'm glad that so many others want to join in that the schedule is filled through most of May.  

I was also very glad this week to be able to talk with the head nurse - in person.  It had been a hard week in terms of patient illness and loss, but she had so much good to say about the staff.  And, to date, none of them have come down sick.  She was really happy about that, but her heavy heart was evident even through the mask she wore.   This delivering restaurant meals is such a small thing on an individual scale for any of us who are able to do it, but I hope it buoys the nurses and hospital staff in the COVID unit to know they're being thought of and prayed for.

And on a crafty note, with mask-making (for now) behind me, I cleaned up my craft room, packed away my mask-making supplies, and settled in to cross stitch on my Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.   And Saturday evening I finished it!  Yay!

Crossed Winged Collection has an amazing selection of beautiful bird designs.

Just for fun (and mostly for my future reference), here are some pictures of what Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers look like in real life.

And clicking on any of the files on this page gives an idea of what this little bird sounds like.  

Hopefully, this week I'll get started on a second cross stitch pattern from the same designers - this time, a little Marsh Wren.  

Picture source:  http://www.nebraskabirdlibrary.org/passeriformes/troglodytidae/marsh-wren/

And lastly... here's a pic of middle son wearing the hot pink mask I made him.    I knew he wouldn't disappoint 😉:

I'm pretty sure there's a handsome smile under there.

And that, dear reader, is all she wrote!