Step lively!

Another pair of socks, these made from "Step" by Austermann. Fingeringweight yarn - 459 yards per 100 g. skein. The yarn contains jojoba oil and aloe vera to help soothe dry skin -- allegedly it lasts through 40 washes, although that seems a bit optimistic, given the strength of the detergents most of us use today. We'll see.

I didn't notice much softening of dry/rough hands while working with it, but perhaps the secret is in the wearing -- although really, unless you wear a pair everyday ...well, how much softening could you really expect?

And no, they weren't knit on the sock knitting machine. Still working on getting that going -- it's sold with the caveat that there is "a steep learning curve", however in my case it's more a Mt. Everest learning curve. I'm nothing if not stubborn though, so one day...

And in an abrupt change of subject: any serious birders out there? Apparently this little fellow thought our bird feeder was an all-you-can-eat buffet, as I noticed him chowing down on one of our regulars.

Fuzzy photo taken through the kitchen window and screen. He's about mourning dove sized, medium grey head and back with rust/cream striping on the chest and red eyes. My guess is a sharp-shinned hawk, but I'm open to other suggestions. I'm sorry I missed the actual capture, although I do feel sorry for the little one expecting to get a meal who instead became a meal. Ah well, eat or be eaten, I suppose.