Here’s a testimonial to hand knit wool socks, in case you ever need one. For those unfamiliar with mud season, and the power of mud to say, suck the boots right off of one’s feet, here’s a cautionary tale. Don’t be lazy, tighten the laces on your boots.
I was out at the barn, walking in the nearly ankle deep combination of mud and manure in the pasture — not deep at all in mud season terms — when I took a step that left one of my boots behind. I’m not sure exactly what transpired, or what laws of motion and physics were at play. (It all happened so fast, doc.) There I was, ankle deep in mud and manure wearing only my hand knit wool socks, my boots several feet apart from one another, and several feet away from me. I must have shrieked, because some friends came running, then began shrieking themselves, falling on the ground, laughing. The horses were totally uninterested in my predicament. I stood for a few moments trying to choose a course of action. I decided the best thing to do was keep walking in my socks, grab the boots, then get in to the wash stall. I left the socks on, and hosed my feet off until the water ran clear. Put my boots back on, and had warm comfortable feet the rest of the afternoon. Of course, it was about 58 degrees, so hardly freezing, and the boots are insulated. Nevertheless, this wouldn’t have been as successful with cotton socks, I’m sure. Testimonials available to those skeptics who say when they see you knitting socks, “You know you can buy them for really cheap at Target.” And no, the boots do not stink now. The interior is nice and clean. Love that wool.
Although I may be a loser in the grace department, I am a still a winner! Look at the beautiful yarn I won from the fabulous Knititch’s contest.
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It’s organic laceweight singles, enough to make an enormous shawl, from Garthenor Organic Yarns in Wales. It came with the spinning oil still on it, and I was anxious to see how it felt, so I immediately washed and wound one of the balls. Gorgeous, and it still smells a bit of lanolin.
I’ve been burning the midnight oil at work. No, all government employees don’t disappear at 4:30. I have to tell everyone from the president to the janitor it seems, what we plan to do with the stimulus funds and no bonuses are involved, rest assured. Some work involved a trip to Washington DC where I bought this locally dyed yarn by Woolarina at Stitch DC. I’m thinking Lace Baby Cardigan or Overlap Sweater. Isn’t that a cute tag?
MLE
