On Friday, we headed off early with the thought of stopping along the way to do a little sightseeing. It was not raining in Pittsburgh, however the closer we got to Maryland the darker and more ominous it got!

And, before we crossed the Pennsylvania state line, the rain started.

Hard rain.

Sheets of rain.

Yeah. Stopping along the way was not an option. However, the hotel was fantastic and we were glad to have a dry place to stay for the night.

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It did not rain on Saturday even though it looked like it could at any moment. However, the mud.

Oh, man, the mud! Neither one of us planned for the mud! This kept us out of some of the vending areas. Lesson learned, be prepared for anything!

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However, we got there bright and early to get in line for a Jenny the Potter mug! And we were successful – not one, but two mugs were obtained! And it was so nice to talk with Decibelle Doughnut and Janie Sparkles Dad, Stephen Houghton, we talked bread. My bread book list has grown by one and I am going to hopefully have some seedy rye guys in my future! Jenny the Potter’s booth was the best place to start the festival!

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We went from there to Amy King’s booth. A huge fan girl moment for me – having been a Spunky Club member, and having taken her Craftsy class on spinning. Can I just say that she is more lovely and generous in person!

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The line at Miss Babs was legendary.festival collageThe crowds were not at all daunted by the weather or the mud. It was so nice to be surrounded by people who love fiber, sheep, and wool!

However, I heard that there was a Flat Iron present and I really wanted to see it! It did not disappoint. Oh, man. Want! The footprint of the wheel is so manageable if you live with limited space! I am eagerly awaiting them to be on the market soon!

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We saw sheep. So. Many. Sheep!

sheep collageAlmost the best part of the trip was seeing so many different breeds. I even saw some of the Roclans Farms sheep – they won some nice awards with their fleeces at the festival this year and their sheep are really beautiful!

janelle collageI met up with the group from Sheepspot. Janelle even had freshly spun and plied Perendale yarn from the latest Breed Club shipment! Gorgeous yarn, Janelle!

We headed off to the Fleece Sale and I turned around and before my eyes was Clara Parkes. My mouth engaged before my brain and I said her name perhaps a bit loud. Her manners were far better than mine as she asked me if I was enjoying the festival. Clara, thank you for your being so gracious in light of my star-struck-stupidity! But, really. Clara Parkes, people!

I looked at a good number of fleeces but did not succumb to the temptation. I actually was fairly moderate in my purchases! Outside of the Jenny the Potter Mugs, I only left with a skein of Briar Rose Fiber’s Stella, a batt from ITW, and a very unique skein from Wool out of Wales!

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By late afternoon on Saturday Steve was ready to go, so we got in the car and headed back towards Pittsburgh. The drive home seemed to go much quicker than the drive there. I even managed to get a few pictures of the trees in various stages of new leaf growth – a beautiful tapestry of green covering the mountains around us.

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On Sunday, the sun was shining brilliantly here and while my Mother’s Day was quiet with all my kids scattered about the country! I did spend some time in the garden in the sun. The temperatures were moderate and the sun felt so wonderful. My herb garden is planted and I also got some eggplant in.

garden collageThere was even a bit of knitting time later on in the day. The perfect ending to a wonderful weekend!

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