Y: Yarn
I love a good yarn, defined as a 'long, often elaborate, narrative of real or fictional adventures,' as in this bit from Herman Melville's Typee: "Yet, notwithstanding the familiarity of sailors with all sorts of curious adventure, the incidents recorded in the following pages have often served, when 'spun as a yarn,' not only to relieve the weariness of many a night-watch at sea, but to excite the warmest sympathies of the author's shipmates." (Melville looks like a guy who could spin a good yarn...or spin some yarn outta that beard.)
And as an occasional knitter, I also love a good yarn in the literal sense of a 'continuous strand of twisted threads of natural or synthetic material, used in weaving or knitting.' The big craft stores of course have tons, but I'm lucky that there are many industrious folks in my area who raise alpacas, sheep, goats, and rabbits, and then, by some magical turn of events, spin yarn from their wool/hair to sell at local farmer's markets and craft shows. I don't think it's my imagination that these yarns are softer and feel nicer than any mass-produced yarn from a store.
(This photo comes from AlpacaKing of Fort Collins.)
Comments
One more letter to go!
betty
We do however have a problem with not repeating our fascinating stories over and over. One of my grandmothers, at Thankgiving with the family , when my grandfather got going on a favorite family story, would say loudly, "MAC!" from across the table and hold up two fingers, like the peace sign. But in this case it meant, "You have already told everyone this story at least twice!" Didn't matter--they were great stories.
As for real yarn...there is some kind of yarnfest in Oregon, right near where one of my best friends lives, and I would crawl through broken knitting needles to go there , sometime.
Oh well, we'll always have Paris.
love, jean !