Little Lenten Lentil

Last week I was strolling across campus, but it was like some bizarre dream space. A brass band played a version of "Beat It" and a magician in a top hat was handing out flowers made from balloons. There was a reggae band in the hub, and the back up singers looked like cheerleaders. There was a psychic giving readings in the University Center, inside a giant striped circus tent. And there was a zydeco trio in the bookstore. And beads, lots and lots of beads. Aha! Mardi Gras! Two weeks late!

At least I'm not the only one who missed Mardi Gras the first time around this year, and it wasn't because I gave it up for Lent. In fact, I gave up NOTHING for Lent, since I wasn't paying enough attention to stop anything. My belated goal is to give up belatedness.

By pure coincidence, right around Lent (the real date, not the UCSB celebration), I was knitting a birthday gift for a friend who is a fabulous cook. For her, even the humble lentil blossoms into something exotic and delightful. So I knit her a lentil, with curly saffron hair. I tried to make one arm a spoon and one a fork, but the fork hand looks a lot like an alien claw (probably the reason one doesn't see much knit cutlery).

Happy Belated Lentil! Laissez les bons temps rouler!