by Kat | May 9, 2016 | General, In This Moment
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.
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!
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!
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!
The line at Miss Babs was legendary.
The 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!
We saw sheep. So. Many. Sheep!
Almost 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!
I 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!
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.
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.
There was even a bit of knitting time later on in the day. The perfect ending to a wonderful weekend!
by Kat | May 6, 2016 | General
The Salvia started blooming this week, those rich purple hues are so lovely.
The anticipation is mounting for Maryland Sheep and Wool tomorrow! I have my list, and my camera. I will share the photos and the spoils with you next week! Have a great weekend everyone – let’s hope there is a return of the sun for all of us!
But, it is Friday and I do have some mighty fine links before I head off to succumb to the wool fumes!
Anne Hanson has been very busy lately. Very busy!
I’m just mad about Saffron!
Are you fascinated with caterpillargreen yarns like I am?
Have a knitting problem? Bristol Ivy has the solution with Occam!
Shawl May-nia – free through the end of the month!
Crochet sometimes calls to me…
The New Central Park Hoodie, these cables are so beautiful!
I love gradients, and in a sweater no less!
Something here for everyone!
What to do with those left over bits of yarn!
Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
P.S. If you will be at Maryland on Saturday – I will be there too! I will be joining the Sheepspot gang in the grassy area outside the main building at noon! Hope to see you there! (We will be heading to the Fleece Barn after lunch and you are welcome to join us!)
by Kat | Apr 25, 2016 | General, In This Moment
The weekend went far too quickly as it zoomed by at practically warp speed! (Beam me back to Friday, Scotty!! That Manhattan was so tasty as were the Friday eats!)
It was a weekend with lots of some…
Some unknitting and some knitting – I had to unknit a few rows of my Pincha, I think I missed a wrap, which created a troublesome hole. No worries though, the unknitting of short rows is not overwhelming. I am back on track now and again breezing along.
Some spinning – I managed to spin quite a bit on my little drop spindle, it helped that the weather was nice for outdoor spinning!
Some gardening – After cleaning up the vegetable beds, I worked some compost in to the soil. I also got my potatoes started in the pots! And, the seeds I started last week are all sprouting.
And… some disappointment – Perhaps that has something to do with eagerly (anxiously even) awaiting the beginning of the farmer’s market only to be overwhelmed with sticker shock… serious sticker shock! And, thinking how ironic that everyone is charging exactly the same amount for things. Hello, I am not paying $5.00 a dozen for eggs!
We were not disappointed in our trip to Janoski’s though. Welcome back, Asparagus! You have been seriously missed!
Outside of that, it is a nose to the grindstone kind of Monday. I have a long list today and some extra caffeine to help me stay focused!
Tell me, how are you staying on track today?
by Kat | Apr 18, 2016 | General, In This Moment
I don’t know about you, but it seemed like the weekend sped past.
And, there was no carding completed.
I know.
But, there was so much other stuff that got done, I am almost not upset.
Almost.
There was also no laundry getting done over the weekend so this morning I was greeted by Mount Kilimanjaro – the laundry version.
But, there were days of Al Fresco dining, cocktails, and lots of yard work – even a little bit of sunburn was obtained!
I hope your weekend was wonderful and that your Monday is not harsh!
P.S. Rhubarb experts… do I cut the flower out now, or wait? Help!!
by Kat | Apr 11, 2016 | General, In This Moment
After a very cold, snowy, blowy weekend a milder Monday has arrived. Milder temperatures, softer breezes, and gentle rains greeted my morning.
It was so bitterly icy and cold on Sunday morning I am afraid I may have lost my poppy and yarrow, which were growing nicely and this morning look quite miserable. I could just cry!
But, there was some fun this weekend!!
There was a simple, but delicious Friday Cocktail Supper. A bit of hummus, salami, carrots, grapes, crackers, and Manhattans were perfect to usher in the weekend.
There were new herbs obtained. They smell so much like summer! I am itching to get in my garden, but these little beauties are a nice way to pacify that urge until the weather is more conducive to gardening!
There was some spinning. I think I did a fairly good job of replicating the singles in the Briar Rose Yarn, I won’t know until I have washed the yarn though. I hope to ply and finish the sample skein later today and maybe it will be dry enough to knit a sample with it tomorrow or Wednesday!
And there was an impromptu get away on Saturday night – a change of scenery can have a positive impact! And, confession time – I took knitting, but I did not knit one stitch! There was some discussion of Sheep and Wool in Maryland, and while I know Steve is not overly thrilled about the prospect, I think we figured out an option to satisfy (okay, maybe not satisfy exactly) err, make it work.
On our way home we stopped for lunch at Fathead’s – two words – Buffalo Cauliflower. The sandwiches and beers were fantastic (I mean, a Reuben with Kimchi?? YUM!!) but the Buffalo Cauliflower stole the show! The cauliflower was not at all over cooked, and it was not breaded! I think this might be a fairly healthy option if you are a fan of wings! There was much discussion of how we could replicate this for our Friday Night cocktail suppers. I think we might have figured it out, stay tuned to see.
I hope your Monday is like the weather here today – mild, soft, and gentle.
The 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!
Almost 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!
I 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!
There was even a bit of knitting time later on in the day. The perfect ending to a wonderful weekend!
