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I had to stop at the store this week and buy some cards…..and I didn’t realize until I began choosing, that I had never had to purchase such a combination before, and all at once: a new baby card, 2 wedding cards, and 1 sympathy/funeral card. 

I had a mix of emotions going on: sadness from losing a good spinning friend, happiness about an acquaintance’s new baby girl, my niece’s and coworker’s weddings - I guess the happiness created from all those new beginnings offset the loss - a bittersweet moment. 

And it feels like summer this weekend!  Whew!
My rhododendrons are out in full bloom and inspired me to get some yarn dyed.  I’ve been on a big RED kick lately - trying to chase away the winter grays, I guess?  Anyhow, take a look at some Pygora/Merino laceweight that I dyed today!  Goes well with my rhody, don’t they?

Here’s a close-up view - I just love this yarn and I love this red color!!  These skeins are for sale and will be posted to the website in a couple of days.

It’s been so danged hot, that I’ve been keeping a careful eye on everyone’s water supply.  The cats have their own fresh water in the garage, but Shadow seems to like to sneak drinks from the goat pen.  He’s gotten quite friendly with the goats - even pushy Alfalfa!

The flowers are blooming, the shrubs are blooming, and even some trees are blooming!  Ah, I love the bright spring greens and the colors that dot the yarn in a pretty show of color.

Even my lilacs are blooming!

We’re back home!  What a wonderful vacation - Maryland Sheep & Wool festival for me (with a tiny side trip to the Mannings - wow!), and Gettysburg for Gary.

Maryland was fun, but very crowded - here’s a photo of the sea of cars in part of the parking lot - it’s difficult to capture the magnitude in one photo….

They have boy scouts assist you in parking - when I got there, the lot was quite full….and I found I had to drive up a bit of a hill in the slippery grass.  If I’d had my trusty Jeep, no problem, but ah, I was nervous about the “Blue Bomber” making it.  Thankfully I was able to get up the hill with only a minor bit of slippage….and as promised, here’s a photo of  the Blue Bomber…

Yeah, I TOLD YOU it was the ugliest car on the lot.  I can hear my dear friend Kathryn laughing all the way from Prineville!  Stop it!  It wasn’t funny (ok, it was after we got home…) - it’s just so.not.us.  Needless to say, I had no trouble locating MY rental car that afternoon!!

  Did I mention Maryland is a CROWDED festival?  All those people, and well, I DID see someone I know!  I spied Judith MacKenzie standing in the Tshirt line.  So I stopped and talked Pygora goats with her.

Here’s a photo of the crowd - again, it’s difficult to capture the magnitude in one shot…

This was taken in late morning, before the food lines got so long that you couldn’t hardly make your way through here.
And forget the sheep barns!  I tried a few times, but it was too difficult!

I left Gary at the hotel on Saturday, but we briefly stopped again on Sunday.  He was floored there were so many people in one place to see a bunch of sheep!

The shopping was difficult (read: combat shopping) and there was far more yarn than I had expected.  Lots of spinning fiber, but definately a high percentage of yarn compared to BSG or OFFF.  Here’s a shot at one yarn booth:

What did I buy?  Oh, a couple bits of fiber (in the name of research, mind you!) and what I really wanted: a Golding spindle!  I had always admired the hand-carved celtic knot version and I did purchase one.  It is a bit heavier than I like for spinning laceweight or Pygora, so ahem, I had to buy a smaller/lighter one as well (and forgot to take a photo of the smaller one!).  They are a dream to spin and are gorgeous to boot!

That wraps up my MS&W report!  I must say, you’d better eat ALOT of Wheaties if you want to vend there!  whew!

I failed to pack my camera cord, so cannot download photos….will post them when I get home.
MS&W is big - hugely big!  The traffic was a bit much trying to just get to the fairgrounds…and the fields of automobiles was staggering…no wonder gals were worried about locating their rental cars at the end of the day.  Me?  Piece of cake!  I had arguably the ugliest rental car on the field Saturday - a PT Cruiser - an ELECTRIC BLUE PT Cruiser.  Just not me!

I packed comfy shoes and it’s a good thing I did as I was there from 10 am until about 4 pm.  I also took advice and got into the restroom line before I was desperate.  That, too, turned out to be a good plan.

1. The shopping?  Wow!  Numerous outdoor vendors, one giant exhibition hall, and several smaller buildings.  I would just guesstimate about 3X the amount of vendors at BSG.  There was yarn everywhere!  Oh, and much spinning fibers, too.  I was just surprised at the ratio of yarn to spinning fibers.  BSG has a higher ratio of spinning fibers.  Neither is good/bad, was just my observation.
2. My purchases?  Two Golding spindles (that booth was heavily picked over by the time I got there….), 4 oz of a local Romney fiber blended with silk, and a Loop batt.  I was a good girl (and knew how much suitcase room I had left!)

As of this afternoon - I am SO out of here!!!  DH and I always take a weeks vacation together in May.  Last year it was the San Juan Islands.  This year we are flying to the east coast.  Yep - DH wanted to visit Gettysburg - and - ahem - I asked him if the first week in May was ok.  He was happy with that.  Ha!  What he initially didn’t realize was that his wife (moi) totally scored on a visit to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival!  Tee hee hee - I am laughing myself silly.  Work has been a nightmare and I am so ready to cut loose!

I’m not sure what he’ll do all day Saturday…..it’s my day and I’m going to spend it fondling/drooling over fiber!  Ok, and maybe test driving a Golding spindle or two…..

I know that very few people read this silly blog, but if you do, and are going to be at the festival - look me up!
Yahooooooo!