Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Sheep and Wool

I am so damn excited for sheep and wool.... as soon as the buds are on the trees and my allergies kick into high gear... I start thinking about SHEEP AND WOOL! Let me break the festival down for you all:
  • Free admission and parking ( no pets)
  • Tons and tons of livestock..... sheep, alpacas, some bunnies????? Maybe I was dreaming about that.
  • More wool and fiber than you can ever imagine.... barns and exhibition halls full of fiber and fiber related tools.... ahhhh......spindles, wheels, cards, roving, top, dyes....(eyes glaze over and drool drips from mouth....)
  • Craftsmen. Artisans...I bought D a handcrafted leather belt from Lanny Tewell... he makes pretty purses too.....
  • KETTLE CORN. yup.... that would be the cowboy's lunch/dinner when we go. He does not object.
  • Sheep dog competitions.... we will be reliving highlights from "the pig movie"
  • Sheep to shawl competition..... they sheer, clean, card, spin fiber and weave it into a shawl in 4 hours!!
Now there is the new addition.....

Come and party 'til the sheep come home!
Email me if you want to meet up! I would love to get a chance to meet you all!

Sunday, April 9, 2006

On Friendship and Knitting

Did I ever tell you that my grandmother taught me to knit?
My grandma, Irene, was this tiny little lady with the loudest voice and most colorful language that I have ever encountered (even to date). We lived with her when I was younger, and she and my great aunt Helen, became my babysitters by default. Anyway....grammy probably was fed up with a 6 year old running around and messing with her yarn... and she taught me to knit. She taught me by sitting across from me and having me mimic her hand movements. She was a left handed knitter and was an effective teaching tool.
I picked up knitting again as an adult and have discovered this amazing community of knitters in bloglandia.
I have gotten to know some of you like sisters... and really appreciate all of the kindness I come across in cyberspace. I wish I lived next door to some of you.... and have met folks that I actually live near that are becoming new friends. I am grateful for all of you and your support in this fiber spiral that I am in. It is a good ride friends..... Mama is so not complaining.
That makes start thinking about Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I know that a lot of you are coming to Columbia for MD Sheep and Wool. And wouldn't it be fun to meet up? I think so. Maybe dinner on Saturday night??? (My husband has been calling this the KNIT-BLOGGERS BALL)
If you are interested in meeting up... email me here. I really want to get together! Maybe MOUSE the button-goddess wants to make a "KNIT BLOGGERS BALL" button? hmmmm......

And ... speaking of kindness.... Mama got some KOIGU-Love from her friend Scout. If anyone has ever interacted with this lady you would quickly come to understand that she is a dynamic and kind woman that is so very passionate about fiber. So this is what she sent me:

Much love and gratitude to you mama!
Jill sent me a beautiful skein of orange Manos, a groovy MOM calendar and a pattern for felting flowers.... all for leaving a comment on her BLOG-VERSARY! Thanks Jill... I already felted the Manos into an Easter basket for the cowboy!
PuppyMomma bought me lunch on Friday... and now I have a new friend!!! How cool is this blogging thing?
So... back to Irene. See... I feel that my knitting and connecting with other knitters and the kindness of other knitters is all because of Irene. I feel like I am honoring one of the best parts of her with my knitting. Her willingness to be kind and be giving. She was no saint.... but she was a really great lady. So, Irene has a hand in this fiber-love of mine and I can hear her say" Dolly, your doing O.K."