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One gets tired of the perfectly formed, uniformly wound, standardized colors of yarn available in every LYS. But it goes a little deeper than that. During my recent visit with my parents, I read a book I haven't read in close to 40 years. I read The Long Winter (6th book in a series of 8 by Laura Ingalls Wilder) ~ hoping to feel better about my long hot summer. What struck me was how my personality was influenced by this writer. It's actually a rather sad story, but is filled with references to things that I find myself doing, and enjoying, in a different century. For example, I bake bread with a sourdough starter, I love to bake pies, I bake whole wheat bread during the winter, I knit mittens, socks, and hats. I enjoy knitting lace, embroidery, drinking tea and sitting around a cozy fire. All of these things are mentioned in the book. Come to think of it, I would have made a marvelous pioneer. Although I'm not sure about using an outhouse.