Festivals, the Shop and Keeping Things Going

Rhododendron blooming at Greenberry House 

We've been having a typical mountain spring this year. Early in the season it was warm but we've had several cold and rainy days since. People have been getting out, though, after the long winter and it has been fun seeing everyone at the shop. This past week four of our local spinners brought beautiful yarn to add to the shop shelves; I'll be posting pictures as soon as I get a chance!

Greenberry House at Olde Liberty Fibre Faire

Knightley and I had a wonderful time at the festival back in April. Olde Liberty Fibre Faire has changed venues and it's a lovely location. A Goode View Alpaca Farm in Goode, Virginia, made for a wonderful setting for lots of delightful fibery goodness. The hosts and volunteers did a terrific job and made the day very special.

I didn't get pictures but this past weekend I attended Maryland Sheep and Wool, for the first time in several years. Knightley found the whole thing overwhelming on Saturday and when the sun came out we left to keep the boy and some rabbits transported by Chris from over at Woolybuns safe from overheating. We went back for a short time on Sunday before it got very crowded and Knightley handled the situation much better. As my hearing aid dog, he really needs to deal with lots of different situations and we have been tied down because of work and Dad too much lately. I need to make more effort with him. I did buy a beautiful Shetland fleece at the wool sale; more about it in future posts. Also more about the rabbits as well! I had a wonderful visit with Chris, and that was my main reason for the trip.

Goat girls waiting for babies

Back on the farm, we're anxiously waiting to see if the goat girls are going to have little ones. They both look very pregnant. Either that or I'm feeding them WAY too much. The little shed is all clean and ready for them, just in case, and I'm excited to think that there will be little ones. Rose, the one at the front, is really getting big.

Quill

All the traveling was fun, but it's nice to be home and get back into our routines. I've been busy with customers and the animals, plus putting books up on the Scraps of American History web site. I've been busy spinning some glorious angora that I sheared from the rabbits here and I occasionally have a few minutes to work on the Quill shawl. I'm about halfway through the final border and it has been a pleasure to knit. The pattern is well-written and I love that it's a traditional piece.

What I'm spinning: hand dyed angora for plying with merino
What I'm knitting: Quill shawl by Jared Flood
What I'm crocheting: Everything is hibernating
What I'm reading: The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
Current sounds and sights for spinning along: Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
How the diet is going: Let's not talk about it.