Please Don't Judge Me Because Of The Hay On My Floor.

It has been extremely windy here. This makes for a cubersome and sometimes frustrating event in getting the animals fed. Anyone who has been around hay knows that it can be an irritant. Anyone who knows me well enough can attest to that by observing the rash that appears on my inner arms duting the warm months- caused by hay. The rash is very itchy and it is difficult not to scratch. A long sleeved shirt rectifies this but when it's really hot, who needs to be warmer?

Well hauling hay into the wind results in hay in your hair face and clothing. Oh yes, you will find it everywhere. You can brush it off before coming inside but it possesses an inate capacity to cling to everything and then suddenly releases itself all over the floor.

I recently have been a victim of a conspiracy; a silent understanding that if one does not " work" outside the home, as in employed, that the home should be kept "clean"!! Gasp- I said it. I have been judged by how clean my house is kept all the while, what I do with my time is my business.

Meanwhile, my house is reasonably clean but not to the point of obsession. Enter the hay incident. Hay was released from pant cuffs, hair, pockets and brushed off other parts. The worst of it gone, there was still some inside my sweater, and also my bra. Hay in the bra is a sure fire way to get you squirming. So much so this time, I had to release the hostages in the powder room, shake it all out , capture and enclose the hostages once again and hope to heck it was all gone before returning to the outer realm of the kitchen without having to do a shimmy to release the stragglers- very reminiscent of a withdrawal episode.

Wearing knitted items on a cold day is wonderful sensuous delight but not if you are working with or going near hay.As you can see in the photo, these hitchhikers can be very uncomfortable and don't always wash out very well. I've seen many knitting patterns photographed in the farm setting, for instance Twist Collective Fall 2010 and Winter 2010. Truly inspiring but very impractical unless you are merely walking around the farm. Another is the Patons Classic Wool 500864 A-Line Swing Jacket- picture yourself strutting in your wellies and an egg basket and see how long you don't pick up a hitchhiker or worse yet: Burrs!!

I haven't even touched on how attractive buttons can be to some animals like goats...! Smelly rutting bucks ughh! They like to chew them and zippers- ask me how I know even if I don't own any?

Recently, I picked up New England Knits by Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa LaBarre. It was a long time coming and  I was pleased with something I read within, reaffirming what I just said p.55 fall on the farm ".....Although you may not want to wear these garments while doing actual farmwork, they are perfect for lighter outdoor chores." Amen.