A breath of fresh air

Or do I mean a breath of spring air? That's what I am appreciating today, being officially sick of winter before it officially begins.

Outside it's all lumps of ice with a thin dusting of parched snow over it, cold dry air, and more emaciated flakes coming down. I like a big wet snow you can build with - that's the kind that brings warm (for winter) air along for the ride.

In New Zealand on the other hand, it's spring, or maybe early summer? which may explain why this hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn from my friend Sally is so very cheerful and happy even in the dim grey light of my yard:


It's Corriedale, which The Knitter's Book of Wool says is best for outerwear, but in Sally's hands it's soft enough for me to think about doing as a next-to-skin hat with a forehead. And given how cold it is outside right now, that might just be its destiny!