sunshine on a cloudy day

 I've been having a lazy day.

Once the chores were done and everyone fed, I pretty much stepped out of the traces and suspended any expectation of productivity.

In other words: slacking.

It's been gloomy and off-and-on rainy all weekend.

(The sunflower images were taken one afternoon two weeks ago.

Saved for a rainy day!)

Yesterday it looked like this in Tunbridge, Vermont:

I rented a car for the weekend - one of those Enterprise weekend deals - because it was important to me that I try to get to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival and Cashmere Goat Association show. I didn't want to try to travel with anyone else because it's never a sure thing that I'll be up to the trip on the given day. With a rental, even if I ended up unable to go to Vermont, I could do local errands and test the notion that, instead of continuing to search for an affordable small (and elusive) pickup truck, I could make do with a small car.

(It was a good experiment.

The answer is: no.

Let the pickup search continue.)

It was a good trip, because I got to say hello to a few cashmere people and see quite a few cashmere goats in the barn. They had an entry of about 50 goats; not bad! There were also a good many vendors of fibery goodness at the festival, which meant pleasant chats with the owner of a specialty spinning mill and a breeder of Gotland sheep (very interesting!) and a dyer and a felt artist and a woodworker and some knitters. And I bought two sets of sock needles and a packet of felting needles. And lunch!

Just noticed my rubber barn boots: glad it was cool and damp enough to wear them.
Disinfecting back at home is easy when I can just step into a basin of antiseptic.

I enjoyed a hot pork barbecue sandwich and homemade coleslaw on a bench across from a sheepdog demonstration, while another cashmere breeder told me about a recent conversation with her vet, who had asked about me by name. Kind of surprising since I haven't seen that vet in about 4 years. Possibly one of my naughty goats left a lasting impression?!

The rain held off until I was driving back home, which was perfect. And although the day was a marathon for me - over 5 hours of driving and 3 on my feet - evening chores were finished by dark. And after feeding Piper and Della and Moxie, I must have gotten right into bed and fallen asleep, because I don't remember anything after Piper's last treat. She will stand next to my bed and stare at me until that treat appears, and it seems unlikely she would ever allow me to fall asleep without producing it. Piper learned a long time ago that thumping the bed with her chin - repeatedly - is guaranteed to get a response.

So, that's my weekend! I hope yours has been good :)

I also hope you won't be too disappointed when you hear that Tsuga and Lily did not win the third level of the Chaffhaye competition. I was already in Vermont and not even aware of the voting until lovely Tanya of Bead and Needle sounded the alarm (thanks again, Tanya!). Then, since I couldn't access FB from my phone, I was unable to even vote for my own goats! But it wouldn't have mattered; there was a landslide victory for the picture of a cute goat wearing a Chaffhaye bag. So a sincere "thank you again" to everyone who supported Tsuga and Lily - very much appreciated. And don't worry; they don't seem at all concerned about maintaining their Amateur status in the Cute Department ;)

~~~~~

right now: goat vote round two

NB: Update at bottom of post

Well, it's the second level of voting for Pen 3.

Here's what the post looks like on FB:

If I understand the system, there are three levels of competition in each "Pen" before the winner of each Pen (there are 4 Pens, and each began with 20 goat pictures!) will go on to - I sincerely hope - the Final round.

So, if you'd like to vote for Tsuga and Lily - before 5 PM ET today - click here to go to the Chaffhaye FB page and leave a comment with the number 47.

Thanks again for all your support, both voting and sending good thoughts :)
~~~

9:10 PM update:

Well, Tsuga and Lily made it through Round Two...
 and will proceed to Round 3!
Thanks again for all your support.
Onward :)

~~~~~

heavy horses

Two members of Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale hitch, having a word.

I've always had a deep, deep fondness for heavy horses.

When I was a little girl, a favorite treat - and a rare one, since no one in my family shared my interest in horses - was to visit the huge retired work horses at the MSPCA Nevins Farm and share out a box of sugar cubes.

Decades later, one of my favorite adult lesson horses was a Percheron mare.

Lusitano stallions in Portugal and a Percheron mare in Vermont...

I was never much of a rider, but no one can say I lacked range.
~~~~~

quilts

I had the pleasure of viewing many, many quilts this week, at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, MA. Here are some snapshots I took to share with the needlefolk and sewing-persons and quilters among you.

And anyone who just enjoys color!

Sorry I couldn't get close to the quilts to photograph them,

but you'll get a taste, at least.

There were also lovely garments displayed on these nifty wooden silhouettes.
This simple design looks like something I could really use,
and might possibly even be able to make!

I like this tunic-y smock very much also, but it's harder to see the structure of the garment through the pattern of the fabric. (Making a note in my new Fabric Design sketchbook.)

Some of the stitchwork made me think of Sally at Crafts, Cavies and Cooking :)

I just realized I have no photographs of the hexi-shape quilts that are very popular right now. They must have been there. There was a huge variety of quilts - at least to my eye. Some of the simple repeating patterns made with lots of tiny pieces remind me of the quilts I grew up with.

Oh, and this last one is not a quilt. It's a hooked rug.

This really caught my eye, as it is a view I have experienced hundreds of times in my life, and which has never failed to provide a warm thrill of anticipation.

Can't you smell that salt air?

I couldn't determine if the rug-maker, Robin Salmaggi,  is also the designer.

Here's a closer look, so you can see the color detail:

And now I'm going to sign off before evening chores, which are starting earlier. It's no fun carrying buckets across a paddock in the dark - my paddocks have a lot of micro-topography - and I've done it several times in the past week.

There has been stumbling and cursing.

It's possible the goats learned a new word or two.

Guess it's time to admit the days are not just "getting" shorter here in the northern hemisphere...they are shorter.

Onward!

~~~~~

heads-up right now contest alert

NB: Update at bottom of post

Remember the Chaffhaye feed contest that began a month ago?

It's FINALLY Tsuga and Lily's turn for the first round voting!

If their picture gets more votes in this one-on-one round,

they will progress to the next level of voting.

Here's the Facebook page link. A comment with #47 is a vote. 

Voting ends at 5PM ET today.

Here's what the voting post looks like.

Thanks to everyone who has asked me about this since I first posted; otherwise I would have been reluctant to bring it up again on the blog. It seems very me-me-me, but it's really feed for them-them-them! And Chaffhaye clearly wants everyone to ask all their friends to come and vote, so...

(looking down, shuffling feet, twisting toe of barn boot in the mud)

Thanks :)

p.s. If my link to the voting page doesn't work, just look for Chaffhaye on Facebook. There are only a couple of pairs being voted for each day - which is why this contest is going on soooooo looooong - so it shouldn't take long to find the picture.

~~~
9 PM Update:
the voting was close, but Tsuga and Lily will "proceed to the next level."
So far, so good!
Thanks to everyone who voted and/or sent good wishes :)

~~~~~