Re-Entry
A Chocolate Ram in a Blanket
I came home Sunday night thinking that I would look through my pictures and get a post together. Travelling to MS&W is such an energizing activity. I get to see a whole collection of wonderful people, from blogger land, I get to dive into a sea of color and texture, and for two days there is just nothing more important than soaking in the atmosphere created by thousands of people who share passions similar to mine. But after I got off the plane at O'hare and said good bye to my best buddy and excellent travelling companion, Julie, all the activity of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival caught up with me, and about all I was good for was dinner out with John and a bit of TV. Today, as I was looking through my meager collection of photos (someday I will get better at taking pictures at events) I decided that I would break things up a little bit. This post is all about the creatures that we saw.
There are lots and lots of creatures at MS&W. No surprise there, eh? A sheep festival that has sheepy participants. In fact, there are lots of other creatures there, too: llamas, alpacas, angora goats, and angora rabbits. But the sheep are really what get my attention. I like sheepy faces and sheepy voices. I think the chocolate-y colored gentleman in the picture above is a Corriedale, but I'm not completely sure. I'm still working on becoming a good identifier of sheep breeds. No matter, he had a regal bearing that drew me to want to take a picture of him home with me. I am very much drawn to rich and dark colored sheep.
Blue Faced Leicester Ewes
There are an incredible number of interesting breeds at the show. I learned more about Lincolns and Karakuls and Shetlands and Romneys. No pictures of course. This breed, however, should be one that most new spinners should recognize, at least by breed name: the Blue Faced Liecester. It's hard to see, but they do have a bit of a blue cast to their faces. They also have what is referred to as a "Roman" nose. Personally, I really loved their ears, which reminded me of llama and alpaca ears. The BFL seem almost aristocratic. And these were clearly enjoying a little rest in a barn that was blissfully cool due to both shade and a nice breeze.
A Collection of Kid Goats
I wish I knew for sure that these were angora goats. This little pen of creatures was just adorable. When I was much much younger, my aunt had goats on her small farm in Colorado. They were full size goats, and not for fiber (milk was their primary role, and I remember it being wonderful), but they had wonderful personalities. So I have a special place in my heart for goats.
I had been planning to take more pictures of sheep... really I was. But these three pictures (one of which is not sheep) were all the creature photos that came home with me. Too bad I can't share the vivid images in my head. Everywhere we went there was a fiber animal of some kind... sheep being shorn or trimmed, sheep being shown, sheep being taken for a walk, baby goats being carried back to a pen or a car, llamas looking on while people strolled by, the occasional border collie.
So many wonderful animals. How could one not be inspired to buy fiber? More on that (and some of the people I met) tomorrow.
Those are definitely angora goats. ;) My sister and I chitchatted with the folks for a while plus my family used to raise dairy (not angora) goats so we know the various breeds. :)
Great to meet you even if it was super brief! Glad you had a good time!
My name is Norma and I have a confession to make: I did not even get into the sheep barns this time!!! What the heck? I felt pulled in so many different directions that I didn't even think of it. Also, it might be different for a farm girl. Sheep? Cows? Okay. Meh. :)
I will try to remedy that in NH this weekend.
Heh, I think I almost spent more time in the sheepie barns than the vendor barns! That chocolate ram is GORGEOUS! How did I miss him?
I loved the critters too, but I'm plumb out of critter pix at this point. Thanks for the fix.
Great sheepy photos! But no alpacas? They're always so cute
Did you see the jacob lambs? They reduced me to the kind of noises I usually think I am too dignified for.
Lovely to meet you.
The ears on those Blue Faced Liecesters are too cute.
I loved the sheep too. My favorite was the one who did not Baaa but said MEH! And I still have to laugh about the people around repeating it back. MEH!
Juno confuses her dignity with her passion. They are not mutually exclusive. Mr. Jacob is a great shot. I didn't spend enough time watching the sheep be sheep.
Thanks for the pics - I am sooooo envious of those who were able to attend so I'm sucking up anything I can get vicariously.
Family Sock Challenge Update - Brother wants a scarf rather than socks for his b-day and frankly he wouldn't appreciate a nice pair of handknit socks so he's off the sock challenge docket- I'm planning to cast on for sister's socks next - I have the yarn - Schaeffer Anne- just picking the pattern.
Looking forward to more of your pics of the festival!
Great pictures!
I was so overwhelmed by my very first Fiber Festival of any kind that i...
a) Took no pictures myself, any pictures i have were taken by my partner, Deb.
b) Never made it to the barns with the sheepy creatures, but did see some in the Show Ring.
c) Never had a clue that bloggers were meeting.
d) Never made it into barns 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 !!!!
Gads!!!I need a better plan for next year!
~Suz~