in the news

Check out this nice article about Chicks with Sticks in Long Island:

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c41_a14970/News/Short_Takes.html

Groups of hat knitters are springing up all over the place. Some women in Leeds, England put together, on their own initiative, a wonderful Sunday morning knit-in. Here's a description that may inspire you to get together a group, too:

The coffee morning was a great success and we raised enough money to send you lots and lots of hats. In fact another parcel is about to be posted. What was lovely was the fact that we had over 20 of the knitters with us, the oldest a 90-year-old who brought 10 hats with her. We had a big blow up board of your letters and pictures of the soldiers wearing the hats. Some photos will follow. Every one who came wanted to DO SOMETHING and if they could not knit they wanted to buy wool or pay postage. Some had sons or grandsons in the army. There were a number of ladies who hadn’t knitted for years and there are now plans afoot to form a knitting circle. Look what you have started!!!

Even the famous Webs has a group! (And check out their wonderful Valley Yarns line. This stuff makes great hats.)

Also noteworthy: The knitters of Canada continue to be prolific and needles are clicking all across New Jersey, too. I'm especially touched by the packages that come all the way from Australia and New Zealand and wish I could do something about the high postage costs from there. Suggestions are welcome.

A special shout-out goes to all the schools who've taken up the cause, teaching kids to knit (yay! next generation!) and sending charmingly sweet drawings and letters for the soldiers.

You're all wonderful -- thank you!

p.s. Despite some recent wintery weather, Israel continues to suffer from a very serious water shortage. See my "poster boy" there in the snow? His parents own an organic farm in the Golan. They have a huge mango grove and only enough water now to keep the trees alive, but they don't think they'll be able to harvest this summer. I'm not sure how they'll manage. So, if you are one to pray, this'd be a good time to pray for lots of rain to fall here over the next month.