Perspective

As we all have a greater opportunity to look back and think about the experiences we had and the way they have changed us, this spring is speaking to me very powerfully.  Although overall, Iowa did not have a bad winter, there were a few absolutely brutal weeks. The picture I included was one of those days. This is a picture of one of the streets on the way to my shop on a Saturday morning. Yes, in fact the day was as grey as shown, and yes, I was one of the first people on the street.

The interesting thing for me was where the experience took me. As I sat at the top of the hill, I went back to a time I sat in the snowplow with my grandfather, looking at a mile of country rock road, the only visible sign of where the road was being the fence posts on either side. I remember clutching the handle of the door, wondering if we were going to drive off into a ditch, or hit something unseen on the way to the other end. My grandpa, on the other hand, based on his age, time, and perspective, knew exactly what we were doing and what the outcome would be. He had done this dozens of times in his life. His perspective brought him comfort and confidence in a situation he had experienced before.

I don't know about you, but I find I am this way. With more time around a topic, I come to a better level of understanding and knowledge. The last year has been an exercise in this exact thing. As the pandemic descended on us, I found myself in a complete state of panic. Well, maybe panic is too big a word, but let's leave it there. As time has passed and i have more perspective on the situation we have found ourselves in, I am much better with it. I have come to understand the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, and other safeguards I take to help keep my family and friends safe. Yes, I miss going out to dinner and gathering with family/friends, but I have the ability to view these things through the lens regarding the future. I feel as though I have seen improvement in the overall situation, and I have faith I will see more.  This is a much healthier place for me to be.

The other thing I have realized is how often I touched my face.  Who knew?

I hope you are experiencing some of the same things. There is nothing about change that comes without discomfort. I think we have come through the largest part of the change around the world we live in. We have faced a worldwide pandemic and the results have been horrific. At this point we all probably know people the disease has had terrible effects on, or we have lost. But, we are still standing today and for me, I am more confident about the future of the country than I have been in a while.  Heck, I must be. We just finished putting a new roof on the house. This behavior is looking forward without question.

Things at the Toybox continue to move along briskly.  My daughter is keeping a couple of items on my list of projects to complete, and a few weeks ago we had a first at the Toybox. Andrew and Brian, a friend of Andrew's and now a member of my extended family, came to town to work on a project. Over one busy weekend, we completed a maple bedstead for Brian. Plus, we had a GREAT time in the shop and at home. Good food and camaraderie were watchwords for the weekend. I hope we will do it again sometime.

Finally, Sara and Megan did something cool this week. They put their first quilt out on Etsy. I am incredibly prejudiced, but I will put their work up against most others. Their attention to detail is quite good and they both have an eye for color and overall look.  I am including a link to the quilt on Etsy.  I hope you all like it.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/978378910/quilt-for-sale-55-34x-67-handmade