A Blooming Slow Start To Spring

The days have been (mostly) beautiful this week.   Sunny and almost warm.   I had to laugh as I was taking my walk this evening -- there were people jogging in shorts and tank tops, while I had on my mid-winter coats, hands deep in my pockets for warmth, with a short neck gaiter and wishing I'd brought another to cover my ears!  I thought the joggers were crazy and no doubt they thought the same of me but in my defense, there IS a frost warning for tonight.

Still, despite the too-chilly weather, my grandkids' Youth Orchestra had their Spring concert last weekend,   I am so very proud of those kids; the orchestra is pretty amazing.

I drove north to visit my brother again this week, he is always so glad to see me, although he tires of it pretty quickly.   My sweet husband made him a shirt -- Jack sews everything, so far, out of fleece, and he saw this fabric covered with lake fish and thought of my brother, who has always been an avid fisherman.   These days my brother is always cold, so he appreciated the fleece and put it right on.  My brother is coming to the end of re-habbing yet another house, and he hopes to have this one done before he dies.   He has done the hard work -- even curing his own wood to reside it the same way as was done when it was originally built -- so now it's just finish work.   The carpet was being put in today but I probably won't get to see it until afterour Illinois trip.

We saw 3 houses today, none made us fall in love.   It is almost a game now, although not all that much fun.

In the sewing world, not a lot has gotten done, but I did finish another celtic heart -- I am hoping to make several of these for my sisters in law.    Lots to do, new things on my list all the time.   Taking one step at a time!

Needle and Thread and a Bandage

I finally did it, I sewed through my finger.   I have nipped myself a time or two over the years, but this time I did an actual through-and-through.   Thank goodness I didn't break the needle; thank goodness I didn't hit the bone.   When I saw the point of blood on the other side,  I wanted to take a photo for your enjoyment, but I was unexpectedly queasy for a bit.   It did hurt like billy-o, but not for long, and I am only somewhat sore now, two days later.

In the meantime, though, I sewed a little.  I have a couple of friends, I met them when our Search and Rescue group was looking for their missing father.  They were grateful for our support and have done a lot to support us in the three years since his body was recovered.   They love the legend that the sighting of a cardinal is a visit from the soul of a loved one, so I am working on cardinal towels to take them as a small gift.   

And I made this cute little fox pouch for my granddaughter, whose favorite animal (aside from a pangolin) is the fox.  Pangolin patterns are hard to find, but I thought this little fox was cute.

It is still cold, or at least too cold for me, but we continue to have hopeful little signs of spring.  Just a few more weeks and I should be able to complain about it being too hot again!

I talked to my oldest brother today.  I make up every dopey excuse I can think of to call him lately.   He talked about wrapping his mind around the concept of hospice, about the idea that they won't treat his infections or do anything to prolong his life.  That is not an easy pill to swallow, so he decided to focus on the silver linings of it all.   And he said that becoming so close to me is the silver-est lining of them all.   Tears in my eyes, that come so easily these days, all over again.