So the thing with SPA is, other than whatever fiber craft you choose to pursue,…
New Hampshire Sheep & Wet
As you may have read by now, it rained at the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool festival this weekend. Rain of epic proportions, frankly. But rain doesn’t stop a fiber enthusiast!
I bumped into Norma and Sandy in the doorway of the first building I entered and the day progressed wonderfully from that point! I saw good friends like Maggie, Monica, Chris, Cheryl & PumpkinMama and made new ones (Hi Dave! Hi Sean! Hi Dharia! Hi Manise!), I shopped and slogged my way from building to building, and I had a blast. I’m pretty sure Dale did, too!
With advice from Laurie and Kellee along with a nod of approval from Cate, I purchased my first fleece. Five and one half pounds of a dark grey coopworth named Starlet. Sadly, I didn’t snap a picture of the glorious locks before I left her to be processed. I’ll show you in 3-4 months when she comes home to me!
I also proceeded to snag more Grafton Fiber batts, a pound of Icelandic roving, eight ounces of Shetland roving and four ounces of Polworth. I may have been wet but it didn’t slow me done. Much.
Despite the weather we pulled off our picnic. It was cold and wet but we managed to eat and laugh in spite of it all. As Kathy said to Julia, we could be facing Armageddon but we’re bloggers so we’ll have a potluck.
And as I stood there stuffing my face with Sean’s fantastic pickled shrimp, I kept thinking what a difference a year makes. Last year, I headed to New Hampshire because I wanted to meet Stephanie. I didn’t know any other bloggers and I didn’t spin. This year I not only have truly great friends in the blogging community but I am also a spinner. The combination of those two things makes all the difference in going to a fiber event!
Tune in tomorrow for more details of our weekend away, including dinner with all my Boston Buddies. And, in the meantime, sing with me
Rain, rain go away
Come again another day
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Comments (36)
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Sounds like a great time all the way around, the meeting, the eating, the shopping. Ruth and I really wanted to be there, but events and weather conspired against us. See you in Rhinebeck. (Windsor?)
I was thinking the same thing the other day, waht a difference between last year and this. Last year I didn’t know a single other blogger and I’d never spun, I didn’t even want to! This year I bought more fiber than you can shake a stick at and not a single skein of yarn. And spending time with everryone was really the highlight.
Damn, I’m not sure that looks like much fun but meeting up and the fiber would have made it worth while!
What a good time. I would do it again, even with all the wet, in a heartbeat. Great to see you again.
Wow, sounds like so much fun! Despite the weather. 🙂
You are a shopping powerhouse! Nice to see the elements can’t stop you.
I’d be willing to wager that we won’t encounter more than a brief thunderstorm when you’re here for the Estes Park Wool Market, but that’s OK. We’ll have fun even without the soaking rain and a damned fine excuse to wear wool hats. 😉
I love your fleece — great, great purchase! It was a blast, despite the weather. Really, what a difference a year makes. (I think I look like the Morton’s Fisherman in those pictures.)
Looks like fun! Can’t wait to see the fleece. Don’t you just love those Grafton Fibers batts.
It sounds that you had a good time even though it rained. Congrats on your first fleece. I bought my first one at the Ct sheep and wool and can’t wait to get it back.
Wait? It rained? Are you sure? I could hardly tell… 😉
It was wonderful to finally meet you in person. Thank you so much for including me in all the fun and it was a blast shopping with you and the gang. Meeting all you bloggers was a treat. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye- my feet were rather wet, cold and several numb toes were starting to hurt. I did see Dale as I walked out – what a nice guy! Managed to find a beautiful Bosworth spindle and a dyed corriedale batt from Grafton Fibers (per Cate’s suggestion) along with a swift and ball winder and Mountain Colors “Twizzle”.
I had no doubt that a little/lot of rain would stop you! heh Can’t wait to see your goodies and glad you had fun!
Aaahhhhhh! I want to come play!
I spin! And I would so buy a fleece!
Seriously, despite the rain, it looks like a ton of fun!
Sounds like fun – rain & all! I can’t wait to see your fleece…and the other stuff you bought!
You grrls sure know how to have a good time.
And, according to Julia, you have an boat tote large enough to fit an entire fleece!? Let’s see this tote.
I’m sorry to have missed all the fun (and seeing you again, Carole) – but not sorry to have missed the drive. I’m pretty sure it would have been white knuckles all the way home…
Hopefully I’ll see a few knitbloggers at Mass S&W ;o)
As of today, I’ve put a week of rain & clouds behind me and I’m looking at another. And I’m not happy.
Potlucks are the BEST! I’m glad y’all had fun in the rain.
Wow, even a flood can’t keep hardy knitters and spinners away from a fiber festival!
Hope it stops raining soon………………
glad you hung in there. heather ,phil and I headed to Boston then home.
it was a wonderful time! (and i’ve renamed it soggy & wet, too. lol)
i’m regretting not doing more than a very quick stop at the pot luck! i would have like to have said hello!
I was thinking of you this weekend when I heard about the Deluge! Sounds fun anyway.
Woohoo! Pics of the picnic. (I’m wanting more of that shrimp, too.) It was a really great time, and you know that was just the first of MANY more to follow.MANY MANY MORE!!
Sounds like a really great time in spite of the crazy weather! Can’t wait to see that fleece.
Thanks for the shout out, sunshine…
Here’s the recipe.
2 lbs shrimp
—
marinade
1 cup veg oil
3/4 cup cider vinegar
2 large-ish onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted, chopped black olives (optional)
2 Tbs Worstershire Sauce
Juice from one lemon
1/2 tsp powdered garlic (can use a clove or two of fresh, minced)
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
Tbs or two of sugar (to taste)
1/2 bottle of capers with the juice
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together and pour over shrimp (zip lock bags work great for this) Chill in a refrigerator over night and serve with sliced baguette. YUM.
Great to see you again!
Glad you had such a good time despite the WET!
It was a lovely time. Glad to have been able to help, since I had just fallen in the crevasse myself.
I am smooching you.
xo
Looks like you had a great, soggy time!
I’m imagining the scent of soggy sheep. ha-ha Hope it’s dry when it comes home to you.
Forgot a very important detail. The shrimp should be cooked shrimp…this isn’t ceviche! LOL
It was at this fair last year that I discovered Rowan Birch and bloggers. Glad you had a good time. I was sorry to miss NH this year, but I didn’t miss the rainy weather. It was just a bit too far for me in this weather. There’s always Cummington!
There is no way I could have gone this year, but I hate the idea that all these bloggers were in a neighboring state and I missed out. I’m actually contemplating a blogger weekend AT MY HOUSE this fall, in Vermont. Is that crazy?
I am so glad the weather did not ruin the weekend, Carole!
Eh. Wool is warmer when it’s wet anyway.
LOL at the Armageddon potluck. Everyone looks so cute in their rain gear.
(Don’t take a bleach pen to the Debbie Bliss Denim Aran without trying it on a swatch! It’s a different denim and I don’t know how it will do.) xox Kay