Tuesday, October 23, 2007

home again-briefly

We're just home for a couple of days before the next festival in Asheville! Here are a few photos to keep you smiling while I do laundry, repack, and try to catch up on my work. I have lots more about our trip to NY to show you, but it will have to wait a few days, perhaps.

The featured sheep breed at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival (aka Rhinebeck) was Blue Face Leicester. There were some absolutely lovely animals on display, and the professor caught several photos of this sheep taking a snooze. It was too delicious not to share!

The autumn leaves were stunning, and the crowds on Saturday were so deep as to be overwhelming. Shoppers sharpened their elbows and got serious. Just like at Maryland Sheep and Wool, the line for Blue Moon Sock Yarn was huge. Yes, the hand-dyed yarns are thrilling, but the shoppers were so determined, that, well, I was happy to go see other things. I don't need anything that badly...!

We visited with some goats in a quieter corner of the fairgrounds. Here's a shot the professor took of me while I was talking to (and shooting photos) of a friendly goat. It was fascinated by my engagement ring, which was fun until the goat started nibbling it! Goats will try to eat anything.

We had no cell phone service to speak of in the Hudson Valley. This was a little tough, because the professor's NYC relatives wanted to see us and drove up to the festival, but couldn't reach us to tell us they were there. Oddly, by a little after 2 on Saturday (we'd been in there since 9 AM) I decided we needed a brief break from the crowds. We headed out towards the rental car for a rest and....there was the professor's family! Pictured here from left to right: me, the professor's brother, our sister-in-law, the professor's father's sweetheart, and the professor's father. (The professor shot the photo.)

The star of the photo, in the front there, is Pickle, my brother and sister-in-laws' new dog. He's an older dog and had to have surgery for some cancerous bumps, which is why he looks like Frankendog in the photo. He's terribly sweet and loving, just a gentle sweetheart newly adopted from the pound but since his origins sound scary to some, we're calling him a Terrier. (American Staffordshire Terrier, if you know what I mean.)

More about our adventure soon. The short version? Sunday was quieter at the festival, and I came home with 3+ sweaters' worth of yarn, two fleeces, and perhaps 20 pounds of apples and pear. The fruit? A whole 'nother story....:)

6 Comments:

Blogger SueJ said...

Great sheepy photo! Sounds like a good time was had all round! Unfortunatly our local sheep show (Masham) was sheepless because of the recent problems in the south of england restricting animal movement. Glad you had no such problems.

October 23, 2007 at 4:09 PM  
Blogger annmarie said...

I love the picture of the sleeping sheep! :)

October 23, 2007 at 7:27 PM  
Blogger Deborah Robson said...

Lovely critters, biped and quadriped, especially that American Staffordshire. They can be such sweet dogs!

October 23, 2007 at 8:22 PM  
Blogger Peggy said...

Sounds like a great trip. My oldest, Aaron, just adopted a dog, 5 months old, from the Humane Society and he, the dog not the son, is the breed that you speak of. I hate to tell people because I always get the same response. He is a very sweet little boy. Well, not exactly little.

October 23, 2007 at 9:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sounds like Rhinebeck was a success in more ways than one! Have fun at SAFF. It is so much more laid back than MS&W.

October 24, 2007 at 5:32 AM  
Blogger Denise said...

I love the photo of the sheep, Joanne. s/he looks so happy, like 'mmm, I love the feel of wool'
(admittedly, I'm easily amused).

November 4, 2007 at 9:59 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home