Final answer:
The author suggests that Grandmother is feeling uneasy or anxious about something, and the situation may be different from what it appears.
Step-by-step explanation:
In this passage from "Ribbons," the author describes Grandmother sitting in the big recliner in the living room, looking out the window uneasily, as if she were gazing at a Martian desert instead of the green lawn. This suggests that Grandmother is feeling uneasy or anxious about something, and that the situation may be quite different from what it appears on the surface.