Book report: Garden of the Brave in War

I wouldn't really want to be a shepherdess in Iran either then or now, but my interest in sheep keeps leading me to provide more quotes from this book before it goes back to the owner

"Come," said Jahan Shah. "Let's go and see the animals---a relief from the whining humans.";  He put the sheepskin coat around my shoulders, and we went out into the muck of the farm courtyard. A little snow now whirled in the wind and we ducked quickly into the stables, dark and warm, smelling of hay--the sheep, at our entrance, thumping their hoofs and bleating. Jahan Shah leaned against a stall while the shepherd moved amount the sheep, pulling them around one by one to show the heavy flap of wool and fat that hands downs over the rumps of the local sheep. Sometimes Jahan Shah would lift a flap, as tough to gauge its weight. Then he moved over to the sheep that had lambed and, kneeling down, he picked up to of the lambs in his arms and began to rub his cheek against their fleece, whispering to them, tickling them, finally holding them out from himself and laughing at them" p. 118

Another instance O'Donnell is talking to Khalom,

After a time, Khanom appeared leading two sheep by long chains Only the oval of her face and her arm in its bright blue sweater sleeve caught the light that was left….I asked her to sit down for she loves to talk…It came out that she had sold the sheep. I knew that dealers had been around all day, prodding and poling at the sheep, and there had been much prolonged and scrappy bargaining. Iranian men do not like to bargain with Iranian women; the latter can be very difficult. In any event, she had sold them and at her price, and further she had known that she would, for she had dreamt the whole affair the night before. p. 127



So, in my internet research started in the last post for knitting in Iran, I found these lovelies from the Brooklyn Museum which has permitted sharing of the image (yay)

If you would like to see a stunning color image of these check this out

http://awalimofstormhold.wordpress.com/tag/knitting/

Back on the subject of socks, Priscilla Gibson-Robert's Ethnic Socks and Stockings might help one get a little closer to a pair of Iranian inspired socks

And there are some interesting comments on "jorabs" which are toe-up socks from central Asia knit in beautiful colors