A Tweedy Morning

I know I would have slept a lot longer if given the opportunity this morning. It's crispy cool out there and oh, so lovely. I found a beautiful Harris Tweed blazer in the tractor shed, in one of the last remaining boxes I haven't been through in my recent search for old clothing. I have the jacket on over my nighty now as it's chilly in the apartment. I adore Harris Tweed and look for it in all the thrift shops. Harris Tweed comes from Scotland and is dyed lovely muted colors with vegetable dyes that come from lichen. The cloth is "waulked" or manipulated by the fingers of women who sit in a row facing each other with the cloth in between. Waulking makes the fabric soft and durable. Sadly Harris Tweed is not made any longer making the garments even more valuable. I shudder to think of all the Harris Tweed that's been cut up for rug hooking. I don't have anything against rug hooking, I love the primitive rugs, but please don't cut up the Harris Tweed! Whenever I find a $5 Harris Tweed jacket in a thrift shop I snatch it up. Even if they are too big they are great winter coats over sweaters. Years ago farmers wore their tweed jackets all the time on the farm and they wore like iron. No Carhartt work clothing in the old days. On deck for today - Friday at school is always a nice day as staff and students are happy about the weekend. Three more weeks and I am off for the summer. Thank you, public education. I believe in a year-round school year but not yet, please.