Social Distancing/Pandemic #50

 Saturday, December 5, 2020

So, here we are in December. There are 2 more weeks of school in this semester, and it seems to be going so quickly. Take a deep breath!

We had a lovely, quiet, private Thanksgiving, I did the cooking, and we timed dinner so that we could eat together when Ron got home. I made 3 pies (yes, for 3 people), turkey with stuffing (because _I_ like it), mashed potatoes, and green beans. It wasn't a large turkey, but with only 3 of us, we have also had turkey corn chowder made by Ron, and turkey noodle soup, made by me. The pies were a hit, especially the cherry pie, which turned out particularly good, if I say so myself, but I didn't have to. It disappeared first.

The Christmas tree is up, and decorated. I would have loved to add the novelty lights I had collected over the years to the pre-lit tree this year, but last year, after years of not bothering to add them, we tested them to see if they still worked and ended up tossing the lot. Sadly. Particularly sadly because I would really have enjoyed them this year. Sigh. But the tree is lovely, as they are. We included the old decorations that I have kept from my parents, who are gone. It felt nice to put them on the tree this year.

Side view, lots of white and red this year.

I also uncovered a quilted wall hanging that my mom and I had worked on the blocks for. I think it was my first attempt at quilt block building, and today when I looked at it, I could tell. But it also reminded me of us working on it and planning it. We made one for me, one for her, and one for a cousin. It had been packed away for a while, with some Christmas fabrics that I had basically forgotten about, so it was definitely a win for me today. Now to figure out where and how to get the wall hanging up for the season.

Our idea for it was going through the snowy forest
to the Christmas house mine is sketchy on the snowy part.

I have to admit to enjoying a little nostalgia this year. Remembering the past, on the way to the future, really.

I got Christmas cards ready and in the mail during the Thanksgiving break. I also got a nightshirt/robe sewn up for Ron. It was our anniversary during that week: 20 years. Parts have flown by, and other parts, not so much, as I'm sure with most couples. For the most part, I believe we are happy with each other, and pretty well suited to the other.

Social Distance/Pandemic 49

 November 14, Saturday

The pandemic has been taking an upswing, and the governor of NM ordered Shelter in Place again, for the next 2 weeks. Mostly, I'm sure, to discourage large Thanksgiving gatherings. I get that. I really do. I know there are people who will ignore the guidelines, but the hospitals are getting to the point of being overwhelmed.  

We had planned a get-together. Damon is almost done with his kitchen remodel, and wanted to christen it with a Thanksgiving get together. I was looking forward to it, as were others in our smallish group. I think it is going to have to be a raincheck at this point, however. We can celebrate everyone being able to stay healthy.

I personally have plans for sewing. There are Christmas gifts I want to work on and get into the mail. I might even get my Christmas cards ready to send out. (WHAT? So early??) I made a quick trip to Joann's before the shelter in place to pick up supplies for Ron a flannel nightshirt/warm lounge-y layer. I was definitely masked appropriately and socially distant from other customers.

The trip through Albertson's was more crowded, but I wanted to get a few things before the shelves were picked over too badly. Picked up Brats and sauerkraut while I was there, and put them in the crockpot with a couple of old apples that I peeled & sliced, half an onion, potatoes and carrots. YUM.

As usual, I've been taking my walks around the neighborhood, and looking for nature. I walked past a roadrunner sitting on a fence. I stopped and took a picture, trying not to scare it off, but I was within 8-10 feet of it just sitting there, giving me looks. The homeowner drove up while I was taking pictures and said it had been hanging out for a few days. He wondered if it was after his pecans. I wonder if it was after something that was after his pecans...

When a roadrunner isn't running...

Social Distance 48

 November 1, 2020  Sunday

This has been a week. After all my talk of still feeling the summer, even though nature has been showing me the signs of fall, we got snow on Tuesday. The earliest recorded snow in Las Cruces. And it wasn't just a flurry that didn't stick. It was inches. about 4 in some places, more in some others. I think we got 3-4. It snowed most of the day, even though the snow was melting, too...

Snow falling at 5 AM

So, you may ask, why was I up at 5 to see the snow? Well, it was the first time our new heater ran, and it blew out all the coatings and stuff, and set off all the fire alarms in the house. Those footprints were Ron's. He was in the car, ready to leave and I waved him down and made him come back in. We made sure there was no fire, and he took down the alarms and we opened doors for a little fresh air and let it vent, then warm up the house. Of course I did the last part after he left for work. Not the best way to wake up, actually, but I did enjoy the snow. No snow day for students or teachers, though, although there were power outages around town off and on. 

Snow in October!

In true New Mexico fashion, it was gone by Wednesday. Still, no doubt, winter just made a little preview in the last week of October.

One of the other amazing things I got to see this week, was the full moon rising behind the Organ Mountains. I noticed a glow behind a couple of peaks, and it was so beautiful and amazing, that I took pictures even though I knew my phone camera couldn't do it justice. Still, I couldn't NOT take them.

The glow

coming up over the Organs

Beautiful

There was a couple coming down the street as I was walking up it, and I called out to them to look, and they even said thanks for telling them, because they thought it was beautiful, too.

Then there was Halloween, that wasn't much of a Halloween, really. I mean I walked around the neighborhood, as the sun was going down, when the little kids should have been out and about, but they weren't. Neither were the older ones. I sure hope that the parties were small, and all that, because the numbers are threatening to overwhelm our healthcare here. El Paso has run out of hospital beds, and has some tents set up, and a temporary hospital set up in the Civics Center, downtown. Hospitals in the surrounding area can no longer send patients who need more care to the bigger hospitals/cities because there is no where to put them.

Social Distancing 47

 Saturday October 24

I keep thinking I will write more. I keep letting the time slip past, although I have been gathering topics... and pictures.

I'm still walking through my neighborhood most evenings, and I still want it to be summer, but the evidence keeps amassing to the contrary. Oh, the warmth is here, although not the heat of summer. Most of the leaves on the trees are still green (the yellow ones get blown off the trees) but there are signs. Shorter days, for one. It gets dark by 7PM now. I love the long days of summer, and I miss them already.

Of course it is October, and even officially fall at this point, so I guess I must expect that. Here is some of the other evidence from around my neighborhood...

pecans weighing the branch down

cactus fruit - it makes good jelly...

even the lantana in the fall is pretty

The COVID numbers are up this month. We have been setting records for positive cases across the state, and here in Dona Ana county. Even so, El Paso has been having a higher daily number than all of New Mexico. It is worrisome because so many people from El Paso work here, and so many people from Cruces work, shop and visit in El Paso. 

Several schools have had staff and faculty become ill. Sometimes those people are working from home, but sometimes not, and the school has to close for cleaning. Now, if a business or school closes due to COVID, they will be closed for 14 days. Picacho Middle School opened for some Special Needs students on Monday, and on Wednesday had to close. We did do SAT testing across the district with seniors on the 14th, and although I was waiting with rather bated breath, I haven't heard of anyone turning up sick afterwards. LCPS is hoping to go hybrid in January, but I just don't see that being possible, or even wise.

I'm thinking more and more of retiring this year. The time and effort and weirdness have started taking their toll. It helps to go outside, and notice that the seasons are changing, and that there is simple beauty around, and neighbors walking as well, but it may be time for that step. It may be.

Social Distancing #46

 Sunday, October 4th

My intent is to write in this journal at least once a week. Some weeks I've been good about it, recently, not so much.

Here we are in October already. The school quarter ends on the 14th. Quickly followed by a short fall break, Halloween, election day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We have plans to camp in Silver City again, for New Years. The time, as usual at this time of year, is flying by. The days are getting shorter and it has cooled off some, though no sweaters required yet. We often don't feel the cool until Halloween.

This week President Trump announced that he had tested positive for COVID. So has his wife, and others in his circle as well. I don't wish him ill, however I am concerned that should he lose the election, things may get ugly in this country. He is - perhaps - just petulant and childish and spoiled enough not to want to hand over the White house to the next president. Then we face the choice of revolt and civil war, or becoming a different kind of country. One where a dictator can name himself leader for life. If he is fighting for his life over COVID, that may be a moot point. On the other hand, if anyone in this country is going to get the earliest, best, most up-to-date care for it that is known, it is the President. 

I also feel like it is just consequence for flouting the epidemic, and mocking those who take mask precautions, and - although he also has the right to - living like it doesn't exist.

What is the old curse? May you live in interesting days. Well, the times get more and more "interesting" as they go.

Social Distancing 45

 September 17, Thursday

Yesterday was Carl's birthday. We'll do an appropriately social distanced celebration on Saturday for him. Damon too, for that matter, who's birthday is next week. Ron's is coming up in October. It isn't that far away? What happened to this year? It seems to be going so fast, now that school has started. At least THAT hasn't changed...

We did a day trip out to see Phil and Cheryl. It was such a nice day. The rains we finally had last week have cooled us down some, and we sat outside and watched the hummingbirds come to the feeders they have set up. It was amazing. There were at times, up to ten of them flying around and of course since they get territorial, they chase each other away from the feeders. You can hear them buzz as they warn the others of their intent, Cheryl said they sound like light sabers when they start a battle (and they do, rather) and they will fly into each other to fight in the air. Other hummers watch for those to fly off in the chase, and move in for a sip or two while the coast is clear. I got a few pictures on my phone, but they don't do the hummingbirds justice...

busy, busy hummingbirds

They also have a covey of quail that show up expecting handouts... and of course they get them. I think one of the reasons they moved where they did was to get to see all the wildlife, and feel part of nature. It sure is calming.

I have to admit that I have enjoyed the limited nature in my life this year. I feel I've actually had a chance to see some of it, when there are times when I am so "everywhere else" that I don't.

School has been demanding a lot more of my time recently, so it was really a good thing to get away from it for a day. We are already half way through the 9 weeks, and doing parent/teacher conferences this week. Our little curriculum group is trying to put together the curriculum for the second 9 weeks as we go. The deadline is approaching, but now that we are teaching, that demands time first. Of course. I'm looking forward to a less stressful week or at least weekend, although I don't know how I'm going to surpass the destress level achieved last Saturday. I will say I hope to get some sewing done.

The sky is also clearing somewhat. There are fires burning throughout the west, and the air has been very smoky and it's worse in many places than it is here. We didn't have much of a monsoon season, so our recent rains were welcome. The grass in my front yard is still green and growing, but I'm not sure how much longer I'll be watering it this year... A few more weeks, I guess. I like it green and pretty. I've been working on it for a few years, and its finally looking good... at least in places, lol. But the season is changing. Slowly. But inexorably. It's been a long summer, seems like since March, and I have to admit to being sorry to see it go. 

Social Distancing Part 44

September 7, Labor Day 

Today, I mostly want to talk about meeting one of my creative goals for this weekend. Both my mother, and her mother were quilt makers. I received my "Grannie quilt" too many years ago to remember. I do know it graced my bed every winter, through many years, and even after I got married, but I finally had to admit that it was showing signs of wear, and I didn't really want it to fall apart. I still pull it out when I'm not feeling well, and need the comfort of a hug from my Grannie. 

Both Mom and Grannie were practical quilt makers. Practical makers in general, I think. They made stuff to get used. Mom made most of my school clothes, like I'm sure Grannie made most of hers. They both tended to make tied quilts, not the more time consuming hand quilted, or even machine quilted ones. The tops were made from cast-off clothing, mostly, or the bits and pieces left over from the clothes they made. Eventually, I started helping piece the tops together, although the ones I did were pretty straight forward strips of squares of wool fabrics. Those made some warm quilts. I know because I have one of them.

My brother Carl also had some "Mom quilts" and his were wearing out. At least the batting was showing through the flannel backing fabric. He and I discussed whether they were fixable, and I decided to try it out. I mean the worst was that they would not be fixable because they were too worn out.

It took me a while to be ready to face the challenge, but one day in the summer of 2019... or maybe the summer of 2018... I took one of those quilts out of the bag, and spread it out on a table, and started cutting the ties. Snip, snip, snip. The batting and the flannel fell away, and quickly stuffed into the trash can. The top seemed all in one piece! It needed to go through the wash, though. Cold water it is, and it survived the washer and drier without a problem. I was afraid some of the panels would start to ravel on the outer edge, so I serged around the freshly cleaned and dried quilt top. Then, I folded it up and set it aside again. Whew.

This year, I had planned on that quilt being a summer project that I could take to a big table at Cruces Creatives to work on, but then pandemic happened, and I haven't been there in months (although I did renew my membership!). I looked at batting, and wasn't thrilled with what I found. Not so much of the high loft my mom would use. So I picked up a king size piece of warm and natural, thinking I could at least double that if I wanted to. Then, I found a fun piece of flannel with sunflowers all over it, that I though would go well with the greens and browns that made up a lot of the quilt top. Carl liked it too.

Flowers that aren't too girly

I had talked to Carl about working on getting the layers of the quilt put together this weekend, and then reminded him - and myself about that - on Friday. We decided we would work on it today. Not only did we get the layers put together and pinned, we got the thing tied!

Yay! a tied quilt!

It still isn't finished, of course. I'll pull the flannel around to the top of the quilt and sew it to the edges of the top to create the binding, just like the original. Even though the loft on the batting wasn't what either of us would have had for our first pick, it has a satisfying heft to it with two layers. We did take the pins out after the photo was taken, and it is waiting on cooler days for the sewing to happen. I am really happy with our definitely amateur efforts! 

Another view of our success!

I really felt like we connected to some family history today. My mom passed away in 1996, and yet, she was with us today, tying that quilt. To be fair, I'm sure she and Grannie would both have both been a little critical of our methods, but I also think that they both would be happy that it meant more to both of us than just throwing it away. Celebrating practical crafting in a time when it isn't as common as it used to be. It definitely means that someday, the other quilt will also get the treatment. Today, I'm happy with what we accomplished.