Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival

A few weekends ago, we fit in a quick trip down to Tunbridge for the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival.  I love these types of festivals, both as a knitter and as an admirer of adorable fuzzy animals. Navah and I walked around, watched a sheep shearing demonstration and a sheep herding demonstration, and ate some delicious food.  I limited myself to buying one giant skein of yarn - restraint that was worthy of a pat on the back.  I didn't leave with a single sheep!  Or goat!  And as you can see, there were plenty of precious contenders.  I was particularly smitten with a little black Angora goat that watched coyly while I took pictures.  

Somewhere down the road, perhaps we will orient our lives in such a way that sheep or goats or alpacas are a part of our days.  For now, we enjoy visiting them when we can.  

Getting to give a little head rub is just icing on the cake.

Adorable Fabric Alert

If you're a long-time reader, you know that I have a deep and abiding affection for alpacas. As I've mentioned before, I can't tell you where it came from since I've been around alpacas once in my life, and that was only after I'd decided that I loved them. But love them I do.


So when I saw this new design by Laurie Wisbrun, I was instantly smitten. Of course, her design is of llamas, not alpacas. I think alpacas are a little less known and less appreciated than llamas even though, in my humble opinion, alpacas are the cuter and friendlier of the two. I'm constantly having to explain to people that I adore alpacas, not llamas. Spitting gets you nowhere, guys.

From Aragon Alpacas

I prefer gentle and timid with soft, luxurious fleece to brave and heavy enough to crush me. Oooh, and tricks. My alpacas are definitely going to do tricks. 


But since I haven't seen an adorable alpaca fabric like this, llamas will have to do. You can bet I'll be grabbing some to make myself something special. And I hope no one will mind if I call them alpacas. 

Katie

Our One Day Dreams

I have this dream.  In fact, I have a lot of them - awake ones.  But there's one in particular.

It's me.  In a farmhouse.  Some land.  Navah.  A couple kids.  And alpacas.

The sweet fuzzy guys (and gals) have stolen my heart.

I can't even remember how the idea got into my head in the first place.  I must have read about an alpaca farm, about someone spinning their own yarn, making things out of the fiber from the animals they raised.  I love the idea of being part of the start-to-finish process.  The theme song from Little House on the Prairie starts to ring in my ears...

However it got there, I've nursed it through the years - sometimes quietly and sometimes boldly sharing it.  The first time I ever met Navah, I shared my dream.  It was to her benefit that she told me it was a beautiful one.

Together we had a delightful time yesterday at Pax River Alpacas - meeting the animals, watching some spinning, buying yarn, and asking a thousand questions of the incredibly friendly owners of this lovely alpaca farm.  I can't wait to make something out of the deliciously soft yarn that I bought.  Whatever I make, I'm sure I'll think of Asmara, the alpaca that grew all that gorgeous fiber for me, every time I wear it.  Maybe I'll even wear it next time I visit her!

For now, our home is the city, and our days are filled with city things.  But as we drove away, Navah and I agreed that one day, we'd love to live that dream.

Us.  A farmhouse.  Some land.  A couple kids.  Alpacas.

Katie