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May 15, 2006

New Hampshire Sheep & Wet

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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.

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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!
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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

Posted by Carole at May 15, 2006 7:00 AM

Comments

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?)

Posted by: Lucia at May 15, 2006 7:43 AM

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.

Posted by: Cheryl at May 15, 2006 7:54 AM

Damn, I'm not sure that looks like much fun but meeting up and the fiber would have made it worth while!

Posted by: margene at May 15, 2006 8:02 AM

What a good time. I would do it again, even with all the wet, in a heartbeat. Great to see you again.

Posted by: PumpkinMama at May 15, 2006 8:09 AM

Wow, sounds like so much fun! Despite the weather. :)

Posted by: Kathleen at May 15, 2006 8:30 AM

You are a shopping powerhouse! Nice to see the elements can't stop you.

Posted by: amanda at May 15, 2006 8:32 AM

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. ;-)

Posted by: Snowball at May 15, 2006 8:33 AM

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.)

Posted by: Kathy at May 15, 2006 9:04 AM

Looks like fun! Can't wait to see the fleece. Don't you just love those Grafton Fibers batts.

Posted by: Lisa at May 15, 2006 9:21 AM

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.

Posted by: Kelly at May 15, 2006 9:27 AM

Wait? It rained? Are you sure? I could hardly tell... ;)

Posted by: elisa at May 15, 2006 9:36 AM

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".

Posted by: Manise at May 15, 2006 10:07 AM

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!

Posted by: Karen at May 15, 2006 10:22 AM

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!

Posted by: Leah at May 15, 2006 10:30 AM

Sounds like fun - rain & all! I can't wait to see your fleece...and the other stuff you bought!

Posted by: Angelia at May 15, 2006 10:37 AM

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.

Posted by: susan at May 15, 2006 10:45 AM

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)

Posted by: Jess at May 15, 2006 11:07 AM

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.

Posted by: Vicki at May 15, 2006 11:20 AM

Wow, even a flood can't keep hardy knitters and spinners away from a fiber festival!

Hope it stops raining soon..................

Posted by: christine at May 15, 2006 11:41 AM

glad you hung in there. heather ,phil and I headed to Boston then home.

Posted by: blogless sharon at May 15, 2006 11:50 AM

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!

Posted by: pippi at May 15, 2006 12:18 PM

I was thinking of you this weekend when I heard about the Deluge! Sounds fun anyway.

Posted by: Chris at May 15, 2006 12:28 PM

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!!

Posted by: Dave Daniels at May 15, 2006 12:52 PM

Sounds like a really great time in spite of the crazy weather! Can't wait to see that fleece.

Posted by: Susan at May 15, 2006 2:06 PM

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.

Posted by: sean at May 15, 2006 2:16 PM

Great to see you again!

Posted by: Monica at May 15, 2006 3:06 PM

Glad you had such a good time despite the WET!

Posted by: Debi at May 15, 2006 3:15 PM

It was a lovely time. Glad to have been able to help, since I had just fallen in the crevasse myself.

Posted by: Laurie at May 15, 2006 4:09 PM

I am smooching you.
xo

Posted by: sandy at May 15, 2006 4:14 PM

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.

Posted by: Laurie at May 15, 2006 5:44 PM

Forgot a very important detail. The shrimp should be cooked shrimp...this isn't ceviche! LOL

Posted by: Sean Riley at May 15, 2006 7:27 PM

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!

Posted by: Diane E. at May 15, 2006 9:50 PM

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?

Posted by: jessie at May 16, 2006 6:11 AM

I am so glad the weather did not ruin the weekend, Carole!

Posted by: Lolly at May 16, 2006 11:07 AM

Eh. Wool is warmer when it's wet anyway.

Posted by: Emily at May 16, 2006 11:46 AM

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

Posted by: Kay at May 17, 2006 7:18 AM