A Big Week Ahead

It is Masters Week in Augusta this week. Unless you live here or religiously follow the game of golf or make the annual trek to the hallowed grounds of The Augusta National Golf Club, it is hard to imagine what this week is like around here. One of our local columnists for The Augusta Chronicle, Bill Kirby, wrote an excellent column in the paper this morning describing what this week is like for Augustans. This week has all the holidays rolled into one week. Groundhog Day - we focus on the weather and in this one week we can experience the temperatures of summer and winter and outbreaks of tornadoes. Memorial Day - we honor and remember the legends of golf - Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, etc.. July 4th - we celebrate freedom. Especially the children who all have the week off from school. Halloween - people dress up in crazy costumes (golf attire). Thanksgiving - this week brings families together - even if they have left town for the week and are together at some vacation spot. Christmas - like this special holiday, Masters Week involves travel, guests, parties, rituals, traditions, surprises, and spending lots of money. The airports are busy, the roads are clogged with traffic, and the stores are crowded. And then, of course, there is all the activity at the golf course and the famous back nine on Sunday afternoon. Whew! It's exhausting - but fun at the same time!

My thoughts this week go back 29 years to when my son, Andrew, was born on April 2nd.  What a blessing he is in my life! He's the best son a mother could ask for! Not only the best son, but my best friend! Happy Birthday, Andrew!

This week I finished up the M pear on the Christmas Banner just in time for the arrival of the last kit for this Home Study. Wow - where have the last five months gone? It doesn't seem possible that I have been stitching this piece for what is now going on six months. I won't be stitching Amy's next home study project but will look forward to finishing up the Christmas Banner and working on some other needlepoint projects. There are too many projects to name but you will certainly be seeing whatever I choose. Don't forget I am going to Amy's in May and will be working on another Christmas project while there.

I wanted to share with you a fun Easter/Spring wreath I put together this week. I found a really cute, quirky tubular mesh "ribbon" at one of my favorite stores and couldn't wait to find a way to use it. So I bought another flat mesh ribbon which I wrapped around a straw wreath form and made a big bow out of the tubular ribbons. A quick, fun wreath for the back door!  I hope there is a red and green version of this ribbon at Christmas - how much fun would that be?

I wrote about the Masters traditions that are such a part of this week for so many. A tradition that I have begun for myself is to collect small Russian Easter Egg charms to wear on a necklace. A local jeweler, Windsor Jewelers, brings in these small, handcrafted Russian eggs each year in the early Spring. I started my collection a few years ago and added another egg this week.

The center egg is my new addition to the collection. All of these pieces are individually handcrafted by Russian artisans now living in the US. The Russian gentleman who brings these to Augusta each year gave me the most interesting lesson on the different types of enameling that are used on these eggs. You can hear the pride in his voice as he describes the meticulous detail and craftsmanship that goes in to each piece. He has such a beautiful collection of eggs and it is so difficult to choose just the right one for my collection. I think I made a good choice this year!

I'm looking forward to lots of golf this week, Andrew and Anna arriving for Easter/birthday weekend, a family Easter dinner on Saturday night, and maybe an appearance by the Easter Bunny on Sunday morning. Hope you all have a wonderful Easter week and find a surprise awaiting you from the Easter Bunny on Easter morning!