These last few days, my mother (who approaches 60) has decided to make her time useful and work on these handy works which are custom in my village (Roteni, Tirgu-Mures, Transylvania). They are part of our culture, of our little villager life - nothing fancy, nothing huge, but useful and pretty in the smaller details. These things have a feel of the homey old styled comforting way of life, when in a day, you had time to do all your tasks and still sit on a bench outside the house, go down to your neighbors, where the elderly gathered and chit chat about this and that and the good old days.
I find it comforting and sad at the same time to find my mother working on these. I find it comforting because it's her way of life, her ancestry, her legacy, it makes her happy to dream and hope of the day when she'll be finally able to lay these on the various parts of the furniture, cupboards and tables where these are meant to be and be in peace and happy. I find it sad, that, while it's comforting to her, it is mainly the only other thing that does actually give her a sense of pride, comfort and accomplishment. (The other being cooking enormous amounts of food and get her beautiful dishes out when my sister, her husband and daughter come around every 2nd or 3rd week ends). I find it somewhat sad, that she - by fate and life - had to change her comforting grounds, leave the village, the country, the people she knew, at the age of passed 40 to come establish herself with her husband and children in a new foreign country and finding it very difficult to adapt and be happy in the new environment.
She sits there, by the window, letting the sunlight gently warm her up, give her light in her work and count the little squares to respect the pattern, make sure it will fit and look as it should. She turns the television off, and if I am not around, she's in that perfect silence, working on her things, making me wonder about what she thinks - at her age, in her situation, about life, about what is now past and done, what is in the future and left to be done. I feel sad, at the loneliness I sense in her, in that position. I truly feel sad that she can't socialize with other women her age - because of the language barrier, though she tries hard and every day to, and the financial restraints and cultural too. She was raised a certain way and most of her life was lived in that fashion, it seems odd and impossible for her to change all that now. I wish I could change all that and give her true moments of happiness. Some day.
My mom, working on her handwork, sewing project
Example of the larger type, these usually serve for the bigger tops of furniture in the house.
Example of the smaller, thinner type, these usually go on tight spaces, smaller width places but always on furniture. ~
Time is like a river flowing away, especially in the spring time and this year we are blessed with an early spring, a beautiful early spring even ! I don't remember a winter/spring in Montreal where in March (!!) most of the snow has already melted away, where the grass is already starting to grow vigorous and green.
In the spring, small floodings can create the most fascinating perspective over life itself. I had the pleasure to witness and record that yesterday (March 8th 2010) when I randomly walked to Parc Jarry where I shot a few pictures, in the first tenth of the superficial of the park (from Jarry street entrance and not even reaching the skate rink !) because I had sport shoes on and the flood at some spots was just too big for me try to cross it.
Life reserves great winks of beauty if you only would look down to the ground ! The sun, like a lover finally reuniting with his lover was strong and gave water a most romantic and vibrant glow and appearance, like liquid crystal.
It may only be water flooding the grass, with bits of leaves from last fall, but where would you see such vibrancy ? Such nurturing waters in a metropolitan life such as Montreal city ? And when would such a flood be of good and welcomed omen ? 
Detail - close up of the water gently, caressingly flooding the grass and earth.
And than, at the glance towards the opposite, where the water seems to flow with more vigor and passion, life, chance, gives you an opportunity to capture something truly beautiful and unique, like this leaf, bathing in the spring waters. 
Or it shows you that after the long slumber of winter, life emerges, even the last year's dead tries to enjoy a last glimpse of the sun, a refreshing mouthful of water, letting life wash away the past, gently, while the sun gives a new promise of eternal life. 
And lastly, when you are about to turn around and go back home, your eye is caught by this gorgeous flowing movement of water, made liquid crystal in your own home town by the sun, it's flow mystical almost and simply gorgeous to look at. Especially when randomness of lives gives such a perfect subject in such a gorgeous setting. 
