Mandala 2020 - Stages 1 through 4

I started this mandala afghan after a tragic death in our family in early February 2020. This is slow, rhythmic, methodical, meditative, creative work. As I grieve, be reaved of joy by the thieves of delayed sorrows of the past years, I run to it because I don't know where else to run. Into the stitches are woven the hopes, regrets, joys, sorrows; the loss and the lives, the corporeal and the spiritual. Each round, each thousand or ten thousand stitches documents the slow move into who and where I am, or will be, on the other side of the grief.

Both my grand Mothers, who also crocheted, sit with me in this endeavor. Their forte was doilies worked with needles so tiny as to seem without a hook and thread gossamer thin. I discovered Elizabeth's workbasket when we cleaned out dad's place last summer. A visceral shock of memories as it contained not only decades of childhood memories, but also the project she was working on when she died, a doily so finely crafted that I wonder how she could work it with fading eyesight and bent, arthritic hands.

Did my grand Mothers run to their crochet to work through their emotions, too, round after round, letting go, putting in, documenting who and where they were in their place and space and time? Will my mandala be a document to this place and space and time for me?

I am not so skilled in crochet to claim this pattern as my own. It is called Mandala Madness, copyright by Helen Shrimpton, 2015, www.crystalsandcrochet.com. She deserves all the credit for developing, writing and then sharing this pattern.

Coronavirus 1. Orkney Trip 0.

While hope springs eternal, a pandemic trumps even my optimism. Good bye 2020 trip to Orkney. We will try again in 2021.

Orkney 2020

I have heard Orkney described as "the place between the wind and the water". This archipelago of more than 50 islands may be just that.

Orkney is located off the northeast coast of Scotland, and was settled by the Northmen. This is different from the western islands we visited the last few years which were settled by the Gaels and Celts. Orkney's history and archaeological sites are different; the grave cairns are built differently, their stone circles predate Stonehenge in southern England by 500 years, and their language and folk tales bear a resemblance to their ancestors from the north.

We will spend most of our time on Mainland, the biggest island, with ferry trips planned to Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre and Eynhallow.

We have just 23 days until we head out.

In this time of the COVID-19 outbreak, however, we aren't certain we will actually make it to the UK. Already our Aer Lingus flight was cancelled and rescheduled; our Logan Air flight changed twice; and now Delta is "cutting back" flights. With so many connections to make both here and abroad, I wonder if we will be able to travel.

Ah, well. I am the eternal optimist, so I am acting like we will be fine and our trip is not in jeopardy.

Windmill Quilt

Like most of the quilts here I started this one many years ago, about the time my oldest left for college. The quilt top languished in a drawer for a decade. Last summer (2019) I painted the pink and tan bedroom upstairs and needed a new and fresh bed cover to match the cool grey and white decor.

Once again much of the material came from the boxes and suitcases of squares gifted to my oldest daughter so many years ago. If only I could recall the name of the lady who was so generous; as a quilter I imagine she would be delighted to see how her gift has expanded and takes pride of place in so many ways.

A simple dark blue border holds the twirling windmills in the frame. I backed the quilt with the tan material and pulled it from the back for  the binding. This quilt is simply tied with blue thread.

There aren't a lot of windmills here on the prairie, but the playful light and dark, blues, greens and spots of yellow in the quilt remind me of this place, this prairie I call home.

Reuse Recycle Quilt

I love the idea of making something new with items considered outdated, unwearable or otherwise without value. It takes a bit more time to cut out the shapes from cast off jeans or shirts, but the results speak for themselves.

My favorite thrift store donated a pile of jeans and old flannel shirts to create a quilt for our employee holiday party as a door prize. This is the result, and I think it is charming.

The denim shows its age with pilling and some stains. The flannel is stretched some at the elbows. The history of the of the material simply adds more depth and meaning to the finished product.

The quilt is a half square triangle pattern, tied with a very light batting to offset the weight of the denim.

I hope the winner of this quilt uses it in good health, takes it on remarkable adventures of picnics, beach outings and baseball games, and cuddles beneath it with loved ones.

Dumbarton

Our last day in Scotland was a trip to Dumbarton Castle situated on the Clyde River just west of Glasgow. Dumbarton is one of the three Royal Castles in Scotland with a royally appointed governor; the other two are Stirling and Edinborough Castles.

This Japanese Cherry tree was planted in the 1950s by Queen Elizabeth 2.

Situated on an ancient volcanic plug, Dumbarton is built on the two upthrusting rocks with some sweet paths and portcullis and stairs between the two. This gap was easily defendable.

The Scottish flag flying on the highest point. This looks out over the River Leven. Robert the Bruce died just up the way in his own castle.

The rivers here are tidal, and with the tide going out we saw several folks fishing in the receding waters of the tidal flats. Those two black specks ...

The stairs were steep and narrow!

Looking over the ramparts with the French Prison house in the back. Dumbarton housed prisoners from the Napoleonic wars.

The bluebells (wild hyacinth) are blooming everywhere in Scotland right now.

We are standing on one of the mounds and you can see the other across the way. Between the two is the roof of the prison. The structure on the right below the handrail is a fortified wall indicating the steepness.

From ground level. The large house is the Governor's Mansion. You can see the cherry tree to its left.

Art, Art, ART!

It was Kelvingrove Museum today - 6 hours of heart stopping, awe inspiring, beautiful artwork. This I miss in Idaho.

Some hanging heads.

A Matisse.

A Mary Cassat.

Eastre or Spring.

A whole airplane - Spitfire?

Titled "Lillies" and the lillies in the middle that the children are dancing around are like those in my garden.

A dinosaur, and at the end of the gallery, a pipe organ. We listened to the live concert from the first arch to the right of the organ.

Leonardo Da Vinci drawings - approx 12 were on display. Actually drawings on paper from the 1500s. A. maze. ing.

We were totally gobsmacked by the Glasgow Boys and the work they accomplished. This is called The Druids - full of symbolism, gold leaf, color. This painting is taller than Blue.

This is a photo of the museum today. It was built for the 1901 exposition.

This is a painting of the Kelvingrove during the original opening of the exposition.