OK. I admit it.  Lately I’ve thought of nothing but yarn…..to the point where I have acquired way too much yarn this past month.  It’s odd, though.  I rationalize part of it as supporting a cottage industry.  I buy  mostly hand-painted yarns from small independent dye studios  such as Tanis Fiber Arts.  I like supporting small business people and I like supporting artists–so the 2 blend together perfectly in my mind.  I’ve bought from dyers as far away as Australia (Skein)  and as close as Baltimore (Neighborhood Fiber Company)  There’s even a woman who dyes yarn in her bathtub in her Cleveland Park apartment in DC (Wandering Wool).   I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by several local yarn shops that specialize in hand-dyes.  Fibre Space in Alexandria is amazing!

I envy these people who have the self-discipline to work for themselves from home.  I always tell myself that I could do it too, but have discovered that, in order to get much done, I need a structure and deadlines that are not self-imposed…..I’m going to have to work on that over the next y ear–and we’ll see how it goes.  I’d love to run my own craft shop on Etsy–with handmade knitting supplies and hand-crafted journals.  We’ll see how it goes.  I have the ideas….but do I have the self-discipline?

I love shrimp–it’s one of the few seafoods that I will actually eat.  Tonight, however, I learned a lesson that I will not soon forget.  It will cost me a few dollars whenever I eat shrimp–but it will be well worth it.   Here’s the story.

There are many small felids in SouthEast Asia.  They live in marshes and Mangrove forests.  The forests get cut down, and the marshes get drained,  to build prawn ponds. he prawn pods, because they have no natural water refresh source, are only good for 5-6 years–they are then abandoned and  another part of the forest is cut down, another marsh is drained.  The abandoned ponds could be easily restored, but they aren’t.  Bottom line–diminishing habitat and another species on the endangered species list.  This time it’s the Fishing Cat.  (Prionailurus viverrinus).   So..bottom line…if the frozen bag of shrimp you’re buying say “farmed shrimp in Thailand)  or any other SE Asian country, put it down, put it back….and look for an alternate choice.  If you need one, check out the Safe Seafood  brochure..and scan their  website for complete information.  (and, of course, visit the Fishing Cats on Asia Trail at the National Zoo.