My Window View [Covid]

Hi everyone! Thank you all so much , so many friends online have checked up on me and/or commented here, sent me well wishes. I am definitely on the mend, yesterday was an almost normal day, just a bit unfocused today. Again, so many thanks to you all. Every word and good wish made me feel so loved and cared about.

Hope is a rainbow...my window crystals delight me.

And so here I sit, waiting to the virus to be 100% gone. I can isolate for the suggested ten days post test and so that is what I am doing. The sun is bright, the air is cold. It is after all, still the depths of winter here.

[I could write and illustrate a children's book---not Brambly Hedge but The Ugly Locust Tree series]

One windless day the ugly locust tree had quite a busy bunch of goings on! First the arrival of a pair of mourning doves. I didn't know til now that they migrate---to Mexico; they mate for life and presumably have now returned to nest. They flirted and preened all day, mid-morning til dusk. I wondered if they'd sleep in the tree, so wind tossed and swaying by sunset, but they retired to the old scraggly juniper where they nest.

I've never  been a mourning dove fan---my kids were afraid of them, the pre-dawn cooing was so spooky, they'd cry.

That afternoon a second pair of the doves arrived---but were shooed away by couple #One.  I also saw the mockingbirds, a robin, the cardinal pair that nest here, some sparrow couples. And a grey squirrel who also enjoyed a couple sunny hours in the locust tree's biggest trunk notch, a wide space and branching area that was created many years ago during a storm that broke the branches. She lolled in the sun and seemed so happy, resting up before the babies arrive in April is my guess. Can you see her? She is well camouflaged.

This is an online pic of my beloved childhood bird guide.

My first nature book, a birthday gift when I turned six. I remember vividly unwrapping the little aqua book, white tissue, rose curly ribbon; the yellow gingham party dress I wore. When I looked for it just now it's not in its usual spot, cherished all these many years; I'll look for it when I feel better

I look at the book and think of my mom who was my nature muse, who encouraged my interests with books, hikes, projects. Night hikes to see snowy footprints and northern lights, summer full moons and constellations; froggies in the ''crick'', birds, wildflower walks, and fairies' dens in the mossy roots of the Johnny Appleseed orchard. My young dad had no interest in nature unless it was a fish to catch, but my mom---aged 27? 30? was either interested or was simply being an encouraging mom . Because yes, I was born a nature nerd. But my mom?---so young, so urban; she'd grown up in a midsized city in Ohio, her life's dream was to move to NYC after college, be a ''stewardess"/ flight attendant, enjoy NYC parties, clubs, bars, marry a pilot---and she did all that. She was beautiful and sexy--what changed her to my mom in jeans and Keds? I wish I'd asked.

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Books: besides constantly reading novels of all sorts, though mostly thrillers or crime, I usually have a non-fiction book I am reading on my phone's Kindle app. This intrigued me. The subtitle especially got me hooked.

The book has won literary prizes, is highly regarded. It resonated with me because the author has a similar form of arthritis / joint pain to the condition I have, though hers is her primary issue. BUT the book [so far] is not about beachcombing. It is about marine animals and organisms, wind, weather---quite detailed and scientific--but not a beach-found treasure to be had.

I then used part of my Christmas money to buy Lara Maiklem's new book about Thames, London, UK ''mudlarking''.

I loved her first two books; this one looks good too. [waiting for covid fog to pass, so I don't waste it.].

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Some knitting. A skein of hand dyed sock yarn. I am baffled by the way it's hanked and can't seem to get the ball going. Is this covid brain fog? Lol. I want to learn to make socks with two circular needles, tho I don't mind traditional double points. Bur maybe this is not the moment for a new skill.

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Quilting: as previously mentioned, I removed the vintage funky 9-Patch borders on BB1, damaging a beachballs border in doing so. Looking back those two or three weeks ago, I wonder if my frantic revulsion about the border was influenced by the onsetting Covid, as I had awakened two mornings in a row with the need to Have It Gone. Now I wonder--could it have been saved? Looks so fun in the pic.

Too late now. Yesterday, my first ok day, I removed and recut the damaged beachball border. I have an idea or two, prob simmered down into ''simplify, simplify''.

I did consider these Sunbonnet Sue blocks for the border, so fun! But on point they measure 17", adding an unwanted 34" all around , so no. [eBay]

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Browsing around for ideas, here are just some screenshots of fun inspiring quilts:

Confetti Ocean Waves-

"Now THAT is an Eyepopper" psychedelic Lone Star [all poly doubly knit, too bad.]

Beautiful Welsh wholecloth quilts at a shop in London, UK.

A darling strawberry pillow made from old quilt remnants. The maker even showed the damaged quilts she used. (Lots of gingham this spring, I notice!]

Color plan for the TQC Improv Summer Quilt. 

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Mo has just been the best boy while I am sick!

 Both my wonderful dogwalkers and awesome friends have come every day to walk Mo. One midday walk instead of morning and evening. Pugs usually hate routine changes but he has done well. And I am so grateful to my helpers who come faithfully every day.

One sunny afternoon, we considered a bit of deck time. I had chicken rings as a birthday treat for Mo, opened early. 

We bustled on out---yikes, gale a-blowing. In we came.

And final nature note: Word on FB is the oystercatchers have arrived back at the village beaches to my east. A week early! I have watched but have tnot seen them flying in. They usually arrive on Saint Patrick's Day, snow or no snow.

Doctor says Covid usually lasts two to three weeks; I do feel much better though. So many things planned for March have had to be cancelled: visit to the flower show, Mo's birthday party, other spring birthday doings and dinners---cake! A thrifting day, and a roadtrip for doll clothes supplies. Spring Home Goods, Trader Joe's for potted tulips. All not happening, so sad.  I'll get past it, but right now I feel like never going out of the house again. Was like every 2020 covid nightmare returned, who expected that.

Have a good week. Welcome Spring!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Indoor winter garden: the amies are so beautiful still. below, Baby Blue, 4 or 5 years old, first blooms. NOT blue but lovely.

Big Red's [below] secondary stem shoot has budded and bloomed. This one is at least 8 years old. It's the bulb I neglected under the bench. Bloomed valiantly anyway.