Now Norma Knits

Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival 2009

Because I am normally so prone to sugar-coating things, I'm really having trouble writing this post.  

Bwahahahahahhahaha.  

Sorry.  

I really crack myself up.  

Hm...

Where do I go from here with this, I wonder, because I love Vermont so much. Despite the fact that my very favorite bumper sticker in the whole wide world says

WELCOME TO VERMONT. NOW GO HOME.

...I don't really mean it. I want you to come and I don't want to speak ill of my state or what it has to offer in any way. And I want to support my local vendors as much as possible, as well as those poor out-of-state vendors who paid whatever it is they paid to set up their booths at the godforsaken Tunbridge Fairgrounds site and tried to offer up their wares (and especially the ones who have entered the 21st Century and accept credit cards, because there is no ATM machine on the Tunbridge Fairgrounds, gah). 

Granted, if the weather had been perfect, it might have been a charming and sweet little site for a fiber festival, assuming one had remembered one's checkbook or cash.  Alas, the weather was not perfect.

 

Here we have the poor people at the entrance booth and table, standing ankle-deep in cold water and mud, trying to sell VT S & W logo stuff.  The lady advised, "Get it now, while you can!  We are SELLING OUT!"  Um, well, maybe not so much.

And here I am, getting a cold shower under a leaky umbrella:

 

BAD HAIR DAY

This site is not suitable for inclement weather.  Full stop. We stood in line freezing our biscuits off in the pouring rain for 20 minutes in order to get a lamb burger, but when we were almost at the front of the line, we asked ourselves, "Where will we eat it?"  There are a handful of picnic tables on site, all out in the open.  There was no place to sit down to eat under cover.  We were sick of it all.  We left at that point and drove north for a fabulous lunch in Waterbury, and then home.

Luckily for me, this was not my first fiber festival (because if it had been, I would be put off from fiber festivals forever more), and especially not my first wet and cold fiber festival, because I was prepared.  This time, at least, I did not almost die of hypothermia.  I didn't therefore have to go in desperate search of already-made knitted woolen items to purchase, which are in curiously short supply at a sheep and wool festival.  Props to my Peace Fleece sweater, my Noro Silk Garden scarf, and my handspun fingerless mitts. The leaky umbrella had to go into the trash when I got home, though.  

I wore my favorite leather Ariat boots with the wool Trekking socks that Cari made me all those years ago, and they served me well.  But thermal duck boots or Wellies would have been a better choice, and I definitely would have preferred to not subject my favorite boots to all the wet and muck.  I love those boots to death, and they are many years old. That model is sadly no longer made, so I was really upset that I was putting them through this torture:

 

Mud and puddles (almost) everywhere, and no attempt made by the fairgrounds people to ameliorate the problem with hay or boards or wood chips or the like.  Very frustrating.

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It was great seeing a few of my local friends, and I saw the sweater I now know I want to knit with my Shaba green Peace Fleece:

 

Isn't she cute, even though her lips are blue?  She's meowkat in Ravelry. Her sweater is not knit in Peace Fleece, but I know it would be perfect in it, and I love it.  The pattern (Rav link) is in Vogue Knitting Holiday 2004, and I've already ordered it.  I have a mod or two in mind for mine.

Yay for Ball & Skein! and yay for Nightingale Fibers and yay for Dye Dreams and for Yarn and Fiber Co., and others. I did buy a few truly wonderful items from vendors that would accept credit cards and borrowed a check from Joansie to buy one thing as well. But oh man, at the end of the day I asked Joansie, "If you had not been with me today, and I had written all this in the blog, would you have believed that it really happened?"

Joansie: "No."

I'm tired.  You'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to hear the answer to this question, asked by a lovely stranger in the lamb burger line ahead of us who later tried to become my partner in crime:

"Do you cause trouble everywhere you go?"

 

Winner of the Red Needles

We had 36 reported donations to the Red Scarf Fund since I started the first phase of the fund drive, the raffle of the Signature Arts needles, last Thursday. For this part of the drive, the amount of your donation didn't matter -- just that you notified me you donated.  Each donor was assigned a number -- it was simply chronological based on the time of email you sent notifying me of your donation.  I plugged it into the Random Integer Generator, and this is the result:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

19

Timestamp: 2009-10-03 07:12:08 UTC

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And donor number 19 is....... drum roll, please.........

MARIANNE!

Congratulations!

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I'm pleased to report that we raised over $1,000 in this phase of the fund drive. Great work everyone; thank you for playing; and congratulations Marianne.  

Now I'm off to the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival for the day.  Joansie is driving, so I can knit on my blood orange scarf.  Should we have any fun at ALL (or even if we DON'T, hahahahahahahahahahaha) I'll be sure to let you know all about it.  Hoping I don't have camnesia.....

A Day In New Hampshire and Related Ramblings

Thank you for all the lovely compliments on my wilted-flower photos of me and the red sweater.  In case I was not clear yesterday (heh), I love the cardi, and I think it's much better in person, as these things always are.  We really should have taken the photos at the beginning of the day when we were all fresh, but we were too busy having fun and running into groups of people and talking and eating and catching up and hugging -- as you do -- and even doing a little bit of shopping.  I'm sure that last one comes as quite a surprise.

I washed the cardi yesterday, and damp-dried it in the dryer, and I wonder if it's possible to love it even more as of this morning, because it came out of the wash-and-dry process even more beautifully finished than before.  I've become an even bigger fan of Calmer.  I think I want all my sweaters (just kidding -- I'm still a wool devotee), and certainly all sweaters made for others, to be made in this yarn.  This is a yarn that the most picky non-wool-loving gift recipient would love.  And of course it carries the price tag to go along with it.

Here's a nice photo that Sandy took of me and Gale Zucker when we first got there and things were a wee bit more fresh:

Gale was sharing space with Woolybuns Chris, and that booth was our first stop.  I bought these sweet cards from Gale, and Paula got some of Gale's excellent beach glass buttons.

About the shopping, I personally didn't do too much.  Read my lips:  I.don't.need.anything.  Sandy, Paula and I, who mostly stuck together throughout the day, did not even get to all the barns and all the booths and tents.  New Hampshire's has always been, and still remains, my favorite of all the festivals.  It's low key and comfortable, it's countrified, it's got enough, but not too many, vendors, and the crowds are low.  We focused on friends instead of stuff, but of course that also means that we missed seeing some people, too.  I had festival-goer's remorse on Sunday morning when I realized lots of other good friends and vendors were there, but I missed seeing them because of taking this approach. 

I didn't buy much, but I did get a NH festival t-shirt.  As soon as I got home, I promptly modified it into the Flashdance version for gardening. The lady who sold it to me got a kick out of my telling Sandy that I was going to make it into a slut t-shirt.  I had to explain about the SL,UT.  She loved the story.  While I was shopping at the festival table, Sandy breezed through that building.  When she came back, I asked her, "Is there anything I need to see in here?"  She responded, "Meh. It's all spinning stuff and sock yarn."  "Alrighty, then," I said, "Not my things.  So we're done."  The lady behind the table, with a big giggle:  "You two are a pair."  

Yes.  That we are.

Paula bought a sweater's worth of Green Mt. Spinnery Mountain Mohair in a wonderful colorway called "Mesa."  After she had done the deed -- that is, this deed:

...she liked that yarn enough that she wanted to get some for her own sweater. 

So yes, there it is, looking like so much caramel-colored fusilli in that bowl.  That's the yarn that was formerly the sweater Marta.  I drove to NH, and Paula ripped.  When I pulled the car into the parking lot two and a half hours after we left home, she literally had one more row to rip.  And so it's done.  What's going to be made next with that yarn is still in flux.  I've washed the yarn to get the kink out, and I bought two more skeins to add to it, because I'm thinking of making a much longer sweater.  The dye lots are not the same and the difference is somewhat noticeable, but I don't at all mind alternating them while knitting, or using the different dyelot for collar and button bands or something, if need be.  I've been thinking about using it for this design [Ravelry link.  I can't find a direct link to it otherwise. I hope you are on Ravelry so you can see it, and I apologize to those who aren't, because it's really great.  BUT I would lengthen it, as Katiska did -- (scroll down).  Love her version of it. And of course I would not do a hood.][It is pattern DROPS 109-3.]

We ran into Grumperina Kathy and her hubby when we were trying to decide if I should buy the extra two skeins in the different dyelots, holding it out in the natural light, and they weighed in on the dyelots.  As Kathy (whose taste and instincts are impeccable, as we all know!) says, "As long as you go into it with intention and planning...."  Yes, indeed.  I'm actually going to swatch.  I know!  Crazy, huh?  But I really do think that sweater will look good in this yarn.  Only time will tell.  And I also believe that that garter yoke and sleeve will help to nicely blend the two dyelots of the yarn without any issues.

Speaking of lengthening, I am just sick to death of sweaters that are too short. Sick to death, I tell you!  I am a quite short person, so I've always assumed I needed short sweaters.  But after trying on all of Cheryl's sweaters, who is quite a bit taller than I am, and finding to both our surprise that they all fit perfectly -- I don't understand it, but apparently because of my body shape, I need more length in my sweaters even though I have a short torso.  *scratching head*

I guess it's to do with my wide shoulders and big arms -- and possibly the front porch.  I dunno, but these are the things that we learn through trial and error and through experience knitting, I guess. Claudia has made the comment that she is getting a kick out of seeing Now Norma Knits actually turning into a knit blog.  Heh.  Me, too. 

...Which segues into the comment I made when I ordered my friends to get in line for this photo:

 

That's Martha, Terry, Paula, Claudia, and Sandy (Who is looking off at left field again!  Snap out of it, Sandy!!!!) She was probably close to passing out from the heat, because she wore her beautiful Town & Country cardigan all day.  The things we knitters will do to show off our knits -- honestly!  And then on Sunday it was only 40-something degrees, but we weren't there.  That's New England, and that's New Hampshire Sheep & Wool, for you: Pack a halter top, a wetsuit, waders, sandals, a parka and mittens, because it could go either way.  And that's just before lunch.

But anyway, it was so great to see Laurie and Manise and Mamacate and her kids, and Cheryl and Dale and Carole, and Lucia and Ruth, and Jean and her whole family, and Kim, and Jo and her family, and Kris and Thea and Julia and Marcy and Alison (who saved me by showing up at just the right moment with French fries) and oh, dear.  When one starts these lists, one quickly starts to worry, "Who am I forgetting?" and one quickly starts to get link fatigue.  So I'll end with the usual disclaimer:  "And those are just the ones I REMEMBER!"  Or it more properly should read:  "I hope I haven't forgotten anyone, and if I have, I hope you will forgive me."

The comment I made when taking that photo above was something to the effect that I've decided to go back to my roots and try to be a more legitimate blogger; to stop forgetting the camera, and to do a better job of chronicling these things!  Well, that lasted all of three seconds.  That above was the only photo I really took. 

Illegitimate blogger, I guess that makes me. 

Sandy took this one of me before her camera battery died:

 

Moo.

295. New York Soap and Jam Festival

I do tend to march to the beat of my own drummer from time to time, but you would be forgiven for thinking I'm a bit "off" based on my purchases at the New York Sheep & Wool Festival.

Soap:

Scrumptious soap and a soap dish from Got Soap. Go here for YOUR free bar of soap! (just mention my blog at checkout)

And jam:

The jam came from My Father's Kitchen. They had such interesting varieties I couldn't pass them up.  Blueberry Sambucca, Scotch Marmalade (not Scotch as in "from Scotland," or "in the Scottish way," but Scotch likker), Apricot Comfort, Pinot Noir.  Etcetera. I stopped myself at four jars. 

And then there was a very special homemade Fig-Ginger jam from Anj that was left at the Spirit Trail booth for me, because we never were able to catch up with each other.  I'm enjoying it on an English muffin with a nice mug of coffee as we speak. 

DeLISHous, Anj!  This jam is not just any jam; it is a celebratory jam.  I was not able to make it to the wedding, but I'm toasting you now, Anj and Sue. Congratulations and thank you!   

Ruby also brought Sandy and I jars of Apple-Crab Jelly. (I usually see it called Crabapple Jelly, but I think there was a joke in there somewhere that went over my head. Or maybe in Hardwick the apples have crabs, or they say it backwards in Hardwick. Not gonna go there. No crabs were harmed in the making of the jam -- at least I don't think so.) So I guess it's the year of the jam.  Or the crab.  Either of which suit me just fine. 

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Oh HAI!  There was also a little bit of yarn purchased.  At a yarn festival; imagine that! Not a lot, but what I did get is special.

Lyra, from The Spirit Trail, 50% Alpaca / 30% Merino / 20% Silk, in an Eggplanty colorway that is not haggy at all. I bought one skein, together with Jennifer's cowl pattern. 

and Fox Sox (tm) from Foxfire Fiber & Designs, in the colors Sumac and Acorn.  That skein of sumac was the only one there, and I picked it up, put it back down, picked it up, put it back down.  I simply could not walk away from it.  It is a gorgeous color, and there was only one there.  Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I'll think of something.  Maybe just use it as a table decoration. 

293. Scat-ergories

Hi Honeys!  I'm HO-OME! 

What a day.  I fought sleep on the highway for much of the way back.  I stopped at a rest area about an hour into my journey home and took what I thought was a 10- or 15-minute power nap, and continued on.  But I was still fighting to stay awake.  So I pulled off in the Clifton Park, NY, rest area, got my pillow out of the trunk, and lay down in the back seat of my car with the doors locked for at least a half hour.  Then I got up and competed with 1.2 million Canadian Hasidic Jews for the toilets and the vending machines, felt more awake and alive after eating my bag of SmartFood popcorn and a bottle of water, and continued on my way.  I thought I'd never get home, but here I am.

It was a great time, and I had a full plate of wonderful experiences, though as has become the norm for these things, I missed seeing some people I wanted to see, and saw some others for far too short a time.  Sadly, it often went something like this:

"Hi!!!  Oh, it's so GREAT to see/meet you!" 

[hug]

The End. 

Oh, yes, many times it was accompanied with promises to see each other later, call each other later, or this is just left unspoken in the honest belief that those things will happen on their own, but despite best intentions it often doesn't happen.  It's great fun to see the faces if even for a minute, but it is rather sad that it has come to this. I'm home and feeling so sad and disappointed that I did not get photos of more people and inexplicably got separated from others with whom I was strolling about.  How does that happen? 

I know I promised modeled sweater photos, and hopefully some more will arrive soon, but in the meantime all I have is this one quick, sort of rumpled, over-exposed snapshot that my lovely Jean (who I was SO GLAD to see and to at least be able to exchange a few words with) took with my camera under the blazing noontime sun:

Now here's a funny story:

When Sandy went out to put stuff in her car from the hotel this morning, she came back in and said, "You're not going to believe it!  It seems like there is deer pee and poop RIGHT BY THE DOOR to Entrance C!!"  (our entrance and exit to the hotel)

Well, I'm not saying I didn't believe her, but I mean really!  It was a little far-fetched, wouldn't you say?  So I went down there.  And holy deer scat, Batman, get a load of this:

Exhibit A:

We had to JUMP over it and had to lift our rolling suitcases so we didn't have to pull them through it.  How in the HELL did that happen?! 

292. Roommates Blog The Festival

I'm too tired to blog.  Just plain too tired.  So I'm handing the computer around the room with this screen open and letting my roommates give me a hand with it.

From Cousin Jenn -

I came up yesterday, just for the day, you know? My Boy kept telling me, "You know you're staying overnight. Why are you even playing like you aren't?" I really did think I'd only be there for the day. But when Norma, Claudia and Sylvia invite you to dinner at the CIA, how can you say no? I did have to run to Target to get new clothes (the jeans and tennis shoes just don't fly at the CIA). But it was totally worth it. Hell, the mushroom soup by itself was worth it. The huge steak, pear-blue cheese salad and caramelized banana cream pie were just icing. And seeing Claudia molest the waiter was sprinkles. Sprinkles, I tell you!

Thanks, ladies for letting me stay the night. I'm going home now to light up the butane torch and caramelize some bananas. Yum.

String theory. (Jen, Ruby & Leigh)

From Leigh

Hi!  Here I am blogging again and it's not even my blog. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I do believe I forgot the password to get into my own blog.  But never mind that, let's talk about Rhinebeck. Hmm. After sitting here and thinking for a minute or so and not typing one thing, I think I can sum up the entire weekend, in a minimalist sort of way by saying it was gimmex and the black and white cookies at the Eveready Diner are quite good. 

Sandy here. Honestly, I have the most fun when I come here. You know how some people, no matter how much you love them , you can't LIVE with them? Well, that is so not the case with Norma and Leigh. We are so compatible as roomies and shopping mates it is quite gimmex.

Gimmex, by the way is THE new word. On Friday night, as we were dining at the Eveready and waiting for Leigh's arrival she texted me that she was almost there. I meant to text back to her "goody" but what my fingers had planned was GIMMEX which is funny especially when you realize that goody and gimmex don't even have the same amount of letters. And before I knew it the text actually got sent. And Leigh? Texts back "Me too, Gimmex" even though she did not know that it meant GOODY.

Yeah, so that is the word of the weekend. Please use it. Liberally but grammatically correct. 

gimmex: goody, awesome

We have to check out of the hotel now. See you on my blog, eh?

(Don't you just love Norma?)

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My name is Norma and I approve this message.

The fountain at the Culinary Institute of America.

291. Images From A Festival - Part 1

Rhinebeck 2008.  This place is MOBBED.

I've never seen it so mobbed.  It's a good thing I didn't feel the need to be a part of the Socks That Rock (or any other item) frenzy.  I could just then sit back and enjoy the show, see some friends, saunter around enjoying some good food, weather, company and atmosphere.   And oh, yes, I made a (very) few purchases, too. 

I took these lovely seasonal photos while sitting in traffic waiting to get onto the grounds:

 
This is Amy T. and her mom. She lives in Rhinebeck and went to Hamilton College with Abigail.  I heard, "Norma, do you remember me?"  Well, of course I do, Amy!  It was great chatting with you and your mom about the Red Scarf Project. 

  Cara & babe, with Sarah and Jo in the background.

Laurie got a scarf from Ruby.  How nicely it coordinates with her manicure!   

CIA pumpkin carving.

Oh, and speaking of the CIA, dinner was divine:  Wild mushroom soup, warm spinach salad with bacon dressing, Idaho trout with wild rice and cauliflower over watercress puree, a flight of white wines, bites of other people's desserts because sadly there was absolutely no room left for me to order my own, and a hot white Russian. 

Gustatory bliss. 

249. V is for Vermont Day Out

At the last minute, Sandy and I decided to get up early and go to the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival the lonnnnnnng way, via Waitsfield, followed by brunch at Libby's Diner.  To get the joke, perhaps a little visual will help:

Lemme tell ya, Waitsfield really knows how to do a farmer's market.  If you have the opportunity to go, this is no ordinary farmer's market, and I highly recommend it.  I did bring my camera, but it was raining, so I didn't take very many photos, but here is a hardly representative sampling:

There was so much more there.  I bought some luscious bulbs of garlic, and a delicious apple that I ate on site.  I also bought some fabulous blueberries and had a wonderful chat with the vendor who told me how to take care of my blueberry bushes (sawdust!).  I got the most wonderful seeded baguette and Sandy bought artisan cheeses that served nicely as the beginnings to dinner later, when paired with my garden tomatoes and basil.  The produce at the market was stunning, and many more fantastic artisan cheeses and artisan breads were on offer, as well as pies and sticky buns -- oh, I want to go back just for the sticky buns, which I sadly did not sample.  And donuts.  And honey, and jam, and flowers and plants and various artists' wares, including Woody Jackson's, and of course our own Ruby Charuby and her husband Ken, who took this shot of us:

Sandy and I now own a couple more of Ruby's scarves, modeled in the photo above.  We had so much fun there, even in the drizzle, and the day had only just begun!

We backtracked our way to Libby's Diner, where we joined Lee Ann and her family, Ann, and Paula, for a fabulous brunch.  Then we made our way to Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival for much fun schmoozing and klatsching.  We saw and gabbed like mad with Manise and Laurie and Chris and Joan and Gayle and Kathy and Dave and Judy and .... oy, I get nervous making these lists, because I'm always so afraid I will forget someone, but I don't mean to. 

Lee Ann, Jessie, and Sandy

Amazingly, I did not spend much money there.  I almost feel guilty for not enriching the festival economy more.  Sandy and Paula made me walk away from some stunningly beautiful alpaca jackets.  These grrls are nothing like the Utah ones when it comes to shopping, let me just say. I only bought a $3.50 jar of honey and gave $5.00 to a young man who was playing a violin slightly off-key and with a fairly bad sense of rhythm, with a basket set in front of him that said "College Book Money."  I said to him and his parents that I like his reason.  And even if it's not the truth (but I'm sure it is!), he gets A for effort and creativity.  We liked it so much that we had to go to the ATM machine and get some cash and buy something smaller (for me it was the jar of honey) to break the 20.  Sandy joined me and gave him a fiver also.  We both wished we'd given him 10. 

When we were done there, we drove up the road to see Jill and the clan at Kaleidoscope Yarns. I stimulated their economy a bit more than I did the festival one. 

Mongolian cashmere in the most delicious red.

132. New Hampshire Is My Favorite Festival

New Hampshire Sheep & Wool is my favorite festival.  It's not too big, it's not too small.....not too hot, not too cold (well, except for that Noah's Ark year), not too soft, not too hard.  Oops, I think I got caught in a fairy tale there for a second. But you get the idea:  It's juuuuuust right.

Yes, this will be one of those linkfest posts that are inevitable after going to a festival. I hope you will indulge me.

This year NH S&W was reduced to an afternoon for me, and I missed seeing some important folks, but I managed to pack in enough enjoyment to make it worth the drive.  Since I really don't need or want any more fiber or tools or toys, I spent my time socializing instead of shopping. I got a few photos -- not as many as I would have liked, but I did better with the camera than I have for the last several festivals and gatherings, so I feel it was a success. I'm disappointed that I left Julia F.C. and Kellee and her baby and husband out of the photo lineup.  I hadn't yet warmed up with the camera when I sat with them at a picnic table. I picked Laurie's brain on some questions about which she is an authority. (Thank you, Laurie!) And Mamacate (with one of her little sweeties) was one of the first persons I saw and hugged when I arrived. I can't believe we've been doing this long enough to have transformed from the double stroller to a big-little girl at the festival now.

I wish I'd taken a photo of the Tea Guy. A group of us bought fresh-brewed iced green tea with fresh mint leaves (DELICIOUS), and as we stood near his booth "clinking" our glasses of tea and wishing each other good health and good times, he said we'd just made his day.  I said we were therefore thrilled, because we live for making guys' days. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I think his wife raised an eyebrow at that. That's me.  Always getting us in trouble.  Later, I went back for a second cup, and I bought a bag of that most wonderful tea -- Dragon Well. (scroll down on that page a little for the first Dragon Well tea...that's the one)

I bought a purple Persephone Scarf Kit like this one from Judy of Ball & Skein.  The yarn is dyed by Judy and the scarf is designed by Mim. I thought buying something that was a joint effort of these two wonderful women was a good place to put my money.  I don't have anything purple, and Judy has such a wonderful way with color, she has added some brown in there with the purple, and I think this compliments my eyes.  I even cast it on yesterday.  Please don't tell anyone I'm knitting lace -- they'll never believe you. 

The only other thing I bought, besides food, was 12 raffle tickets on this gorgeous handspun, handknit blanket. 

The rest of the rather short afternoon was about the people, and although I did not see everyone I would have liked to see, and I did not photograph everyone I saw, here are a few I did, interspersed with some more festival eye candy:

Terry and Beth.  Terry's trying on fabulous BLUE (of course) and silver earrings (which she bought) and mugging silly for the camera. Beth's bag was strangely devoid of anything orange.  I did not check her forehead for a temperature, but I did quiz her. She said she was "all about the naturals" that day. OKfine. I bet she bought something orange before she left that place, though.  Otherwise, things just wouldn't seem right. 

Blogless Al and Blogless Sharon.   

(This seemed to be "Couples Festival Day."  Lots of people dragged along their significant others.  Blogless Sharon is Carole's friend who we all know and love as "Blogless Sharon."  She was with her husband Al, who I naturally dubbed Blogless Al. Just because.)

A fabulous Golding spindle.  I love Golding spindles.

A "Vermont Wheel."

Kathy and Manise.  Manise got her compost bin.  And we learned that a 1998 Camry has a significantly smaller trunk than a 2006, but we managed to fit the bin in Kathy's 1998 Camry (which looks brand new, by the way!).

But Sandy, we were wondering:  Should we tell Manise about the chin hairs?  Should we send her an anonymous pair of tweezers? 

Carole and Dale. Carole's shawl saved me from the blackflies.  I made the statement that they are attracted to black. I'm not sure where I ever picked up that kernel of info, but 'tis true.  I was wearing a black top and they were trying to eat me -- and me alone in the group -- alive.  Carole offered to let me test the theory by putting on her salmon-pink-and-yellow shawl, and whammo!  It was like magic.  No more flies. I tried to sneak off the grounds with that lovely shawl, but no go. Carole was onto me.

THIS is Maryse.  NOT Marcy, which is the name I called her when I saw her. I am dutifully embarrassed.  So in order to complete the circle, we made it our project to have me call Marcy Maryse when I saw her.  Yes, we are easily amused.

Ruth and the Wooly Babe

Dave and Kathy of the Merlin Tree

And Grumperina and Mr. Sweetness, the newlyweds.  Can you believe this was Grumperina's FIRST-EVER fiber festival?  I couldn't. I told you it was "Couples Day." Mr. Sweetness was bravely braving the wilds of New Hampshire. He was doing OK. Even though there was dirt.  And bugs.  And trees. And sheep.  Great job, Mr. Sweetness! Good Lourdes, I am glad they did not come in the year of the Great Flood. That would have totally put them off festivals for the rest of time.

I had a bunch more photos on my camera, but I was a dope and inadvertently deleted them. 

Ann (in Vermont), the coolest thing happened at the end of the day as I was about to walk off the grounds:  Someone approached me and said, "I recognized your earrings and I said, 'That's Norma!'"  It was Kelly, who I had met ever-so-briefly at Ann and Kay's book-signing table last fall in Rhinebeck.  She's an old college friend of Ann's, and there we were.  She had her entire family (and maybe a few extras) in tow.  Nice!  Such a small world, but can you really even believe the "I recognized your earrings" thing?  I can hardly believe it's true myself, and it happened to me.

I drove 65 or less all the way down (as Paula is my witness).  BUT I was not so virtuous on the drive home.  I was disappointed to return home to find that the hummingbirds are not yet back.  Maybe tomorrow?   

130. And May We Not Have Wet Underpants

I'm off to New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival.  The last time I went there, I nearly died of hypothermia. 

Instead of giving you a real post today, because, well, I'm on my way, I'll turn on the WayBack Machine so you can read about the last time I went, if you'd like. 

Here ya go.  <-------- click

This time, I'm taking no chances:  I'm packing every kind of clothing.  Wet-weather gear, lots of woolens, Gore-Tex, a ski parka.  And just in case, a halter top, sunscreen, and a bikini. One just never knows.