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The sun has been out the past couple of days bringing us some much-needed sunshine, warmth and optimism.  This has been a tough winter in many ways.  For me, it was especially difficult as we struggled with COVID and our recovery at home.  However, we were lucky and while we quarantined from one another as advised, that meant that as soon as I felt better, I had significant time alone to find things to do.  

Since it was holiday season, this was not a problem for me.  I began with making cookies… many different kinds, which I then froze to share with my friends and family later.  I made fancy striped sugar cookies, red and green sprinkled shortbread cookies, peppermint thumbprint cookies, and of course old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies for as my husband maintains, “these are the only real cookies”.  

One day I saw a project for making bows for Christmas presents out of newspaper in the New York Times (NYT).  So, while my cookies were baking, I found the DIY website for these bows and didn’t have to make or buy any ribbons for my gifts this year. 

I also spent a good deal of time resting, which is not my usual style but it did provide me with some time to get creative.  A favorite pastime of mine is knitting.  For all the knitters out there, you will understand this.  I have a treasure trove of yarn and love to knit small things, like baby booties, hats and other little gifts. So, when faced with a little down time I peruse my patterns and knitting websites for ideas and choose some yarn and go to work.   This winter, one of the first things I made was a little green and brown teddy bear, which I plan to make again.  The first one is a prototype and made from scrap yarn. 

Then I ran across the story in the NYT about the woman who made mittens from old sweaters and sent a pair to Bernie Sanders.  I found the pattern for these mittens and got started.  And the idea soon came to me that it would be fun to create mittens with the Art & Humanities Bainbridge colors.  Here is what I came up with! 

On another day, when I was feeling a bit better, following my morning yoga, I decided to organize my books.  We have a special place upstairs in our house that has become our library.  We both love to read, and have many books.  Mine are mostly fiction but there are lots of them!  So, I pulled them all off the shelves and sorted and re-shelved them alphabetically.  Now when I want to lend one to a friend, I can easily find it.  I may be a closet librarian or perhaps I was one in a former life.  

If you found some creative outlets for your energies during the holidays, we would love to hear from you.  Please share with us what you’ve been doing during the winter months while you’ve been home while self-isolating and social distancing.  

And now, on to Spring, sunshine and the vaccine.  

Be safe and well, 

Anne Smart
Executive Director