Hi all, I’m finally resurfacing… to tell you all about my time at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival! It was great fun this year, as usual, but soggy. The rain has been going on for 8 days now and frankly it has me a little down. Hence the blog silence. I’m sorry! But I wanted to talk about the festival before the week was out. So, here goes!
I was all set to go on Saturday, but I wound up being sick during the night in a most unpleasant way, so could not go to the festival until Sunday. Of course, it was POURING rain the whole time. I guess I should consider myself lucky, as this was the first time in my five times going that we’ve had weather that bad. It was cold, wet, and muddy. Ick. I’m surprised I’m not sick! But the festival itself makes me happy and it was still worth it to go. But, I will say that now that I’ve done the festival once in the rain? Once was enough. I don’t think I need yarn that bad!!
The first stop was the Ravelry meetup in the Rabbit Building. I’m not sure I would call it a “building.” It’s more like a covered pavilion with a gravel and dirt floor. The mud getting into the place was horrendous, and if I had had any sense, I would never have gone, but since when have I had any sense? No way was I going to miss the Ravelry crowd. It was great to see everyone again, and this year they were all modeling designs by Ysolda Teague. Jess had on this amazing little purple shawl that was so lovely! She took it off and showed it to me. It was beautiful, and it even looks like something that I could do, even with my limited lace skills. There were pictures all around, and it was great to see everyone again.
Ysolda was also wearing her Coraline sweater, which she told me even comes in my size, and oooh did I get excited. It’s lovely and now I want to make one. She was also wearing a pair of long, lacy socks which might have been the Rapunzel Stockings. I hope she didn’t get them ruined in the mud!
Speaking of mud, the rain was so persistent and the ground so wet and boggy that boy oh boy, did I ever get stuck in the mud while trying to get out of the Rabbit Building. I can’t believe the size of the hole my wheelchair dug into. I was mucky and muddy for the whole rest of the day after that! But hey, it was fun! Except that I don’t think my wheelchair is a huge fan of water. I started having an electrical short early on during the day. So once again I am in my old, clunky chair that makes me generally grumpy. Sigh.
Here is a collection of images from around the festival that day:
Oh, and lots of cute sheep to pet:
And there was music! That’s one of my favorite things about the festival. The sounds of music filled the air from just about everywhere. Here was where Maggie Sansone usually performs, except that the one time I got close enough to film, she had actually stepped away. Maggie’s Celtic music is a real highlight of the festival. You can check her out on iTunes, among other places. But here is some of what I got to hear:
Of course, I bought lots of yummy fiber and yarn. More about that… but in another post. Right now it’s past my bedtime, and there’s a new episode of Lime and Violet calling my name. I’m glad I’ll be listening to a podcast while going off to sleep. It’s storming again. Ugh.
, and asked for more bottle caps in her Christmas stocking. They arrived a little late (Santa was backordered) but she did find them in her stocking on New Year’s Eve and has already made a whole pile of new bottle cap art objects. “What do you plan to do with them, Diana?” I ask. I got a shrug and a giggle for an answer. 
Ok, when is it too much? I do think I am addicted to