The Sheepiest Day(s) of the Year

This was the first full weekend in May which means it was MARYLAND SHEEP AND WOOL FESTIVAL, sponsored as always by the Maryland Sheep Breeders' Association.

This year brought the most glorious possible weather; sunny and pleasantly cool.

So I started the day with a 5:30 AM alarm.  Got up, ran to Krispy Kreme for mini donuts, came home for breakfast, headed out the door with the donuts and two cups of coffee plus two friends for the drive up to the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, right up Rte 97 from our house.  The coffee and donuts weren't from me, they Tom Coughlin.  Susan and Tom own the wonderful Coughlin's Homespun Yarns company and more than that they were doing me a huge favor; Susan had agreed to meet up on my behalf with some women who were driving an antique spinning wheel I had bought from upstate New York to the festival, but who weren't arriving until too late Friday for me to comfortably meet them.  Not only that, but then despite the chaos and business of MDSW vending, Susan and Tom held the wheel in their van until we arrived at 7:45.

It followed me home.  It's not livestock, so I am keeping it.

If you're wondering why I brought 2 cups of coffee and a box of donuts for Tom and not Susan, it's only because Susan doesn't drink coffee or eat donuts :)

So we picked up my wheel (thankfully I did have two friends with me already), took it back to the car (even more thankfully, we got an incredible parking space at the beginning of the first row, facing out!), headed back in finding another friend (Hi, Mary!) on the way in, and started looking and shopping.

And here's how I made out shopping wise.  First, Cotswold roving, yak from Wild Fibers, Fiber Optic purples Shetland top, Valkyrie 3 pitch Super Fine combs from Carolina Homespun, Poseidon sock kit from the Tsarina of Tsocks, MDSW cap, wool blend for spinning, Jacob fleece from Shiloh Manor, Border Leicester fleece, white alpaca, and two jars of honey from The Bee People (cranberry and hot pepper flower)!

And then (from top left, clockwise) a Spanish Peacock diz/wpi tool; some drive bands for double drive; some peppermint soap, and the best magnet ever:

 

And then there was the skein and garment show.  My alpaca/wool vest took a blue ribbon and a special award for best alpaca garment

My Forest Path stole won a second place red ribbon and a special award for best hand spun article

and two skeins won third place awards.  Two of my skeins which did NOT win awards received 95 and 92 points respectively, but I guess they were in incredibly hot categories to not win a ribbon but have such high scores.  I'm fine with that!

Overall, a great time and a mild sunburn was had by all I think.  I'm already counting the months to next year.