So, it's 2021. Wow. I can't help but think back to just one short year ago...
January 2020 was a VERY BIG DEAL FOR ME. I kicked off the year with a huge exhibit at the Bettendorf Library.
Remember my Art of Homemaking Exhibit?
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| Seven Day A Week Dishtowels |
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| Spooners and Toast Racks |
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| My three helpers...Jeanne, Rhonda and Linda P. |
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| We ironed, and pinned, and created displays. YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH WORK WE DID IN ONE SHORT DAY... |
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| My feet were killing me (thanks for the comfy socks, Nancy) |
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| People came from all over the world to see this fabulous exhibit (places like, for example, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.) |
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| Or -- from Wisconsin... |
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| I had a guest spot on the Paula Sands Show |
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| And a front page story in the Quad City Times! |
As I look back and remember January 2020 -- I am completely stunned by the changes from one January to the next.
The Coronavirus changed the world we live in...
Never, in my wildest dreams could I have imagined 300,000+ Americans would die of a virus...or that I would GET THE VIRUS..along with my sister, her husband, my nieces, nephews, neighbors,my cleaning lady, my hairdresser...ugh...
As I look back to one year ago -- I'm thinking about the massive changes that have taken place.
And I'm thinking about how resilient people are.
We have not only accepted having our world turned upside down...honestly -- I don't even hear a lot of belly-aching about this depressing "NewNormal".
We're not allowed to go to restaurants, or attend concerts or go to the movies or church on Sunday. We're wearing masks wherever we go...staying 6' away from other people when we're out in public.
We've accepted plexiglass barriers in every store...and not seeing our grandchildren for months at a time.
When I was looking at the pictures from that exhibit, I thought about those women who crafted all those household linens -- taking care of their families -- during some really hard, scary times. World Wars, the Depression, the Influenza epidemic And maybe their way of dealing with the horrible things they could not change was to embroider an apron...or make a quilt for a neighbor's baby.
As I'm setting up my Featherweight to make yet another flannel microwave bowl -- I'm thinking maybe this is how women cope. Maybe it's how we've always done it.
We assess...we accept...then we sew something...or we cook something...or we clean something...
We provide comfort for the people we love. We are Homemakers...
I think we are amazing.
Rita, I truly believe sewing sooths the soul and I have sewn so much this past year. Making things occupies our minds and lets us take care of people we love, which I think is a trait that most women share - that desire to provide care and comfort.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I wanted to recommend a book that I am currently reading. It is The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia Harman. I recommend it based on your recommendation of the Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek (which I loved).
YES... We are AMAZING ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Rita! I sewed masks. Lots. Then I decided to finish, clean up the mess and sew something else. That lasted about a week. Simple repetitive things are especially soothing for me.
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