Weekend Reflections

It's the Monday after Fiber Festival of New England.  Recovery from events is a combination of exhilaration and exhaustion.  On the one hand being exposed to so much fiber and creativity for two full days is inspiring.  I want nothing more than to sit, knit and start six new projects.  On the other hand I'm completely exhausted from the weekend.  Setting up and running the booth only to tear it all down again is tiring.  Not to mention the rest of life I came home to - dirty dishes (really, they couldn't run the dishwasher once while I was away?), piles of dirty laundry and an overflowing inbox.


It will all get sorted out in the next couple of days and life will return to normal.  But on this raw, wet and windy morning I'd rather settle in with coffee and knitting than deal with any of the other things.


Here's a recap of Fiber Festival of New England.

All set up. Ready and waiting.


A new yarn.

Alpaca Blend.


I had a wonderful neighbor.

Ken from Dorchester Farms.  Ken has rabbits and uses their fiber in his yarn.  It's always helpful to exchange ideas and information with other vendors.


My time to wander the market was extremely limited.  These caught my eye.

Sock monkeys with hair and tutus.  


I spotted these at Hope Spinnery.

Needle felted lady bug magnets.


And for the holidays . . . 

. . . one-of-a-kind ornaments.  Hope Spinnery had a beautiful display.  I wish I had taken more pictures.


This booth was closed when I made my early morning walk through the market.

I love buttons and thought this name was clever.  I didn't have time to visit Button Pie when they were open, but I hope to see them at another event.


Also for the upcoming season.

Felted snow people from Maple View Farm.

Such charming details.


And of course there were animals.

Bunnies to cuddle.


The alpacas and llamas were all on the move.

This one stood still just long enough for me to get a shot.


There were sheep.

Light colored ones.


And dark colored ones.

These eight month old Shetland sheep are from Cobblerock Ridge.  


And finally, herding with a twist.

Yes, this dog was herding ducks.  The indoor space was too small for a sheep herding demonstration so the shepherd used ducks instead. Highly entertaining.


The weekend was a wonderful opportunity for socializing - seeing old friends and making new ones.  Thanks to everyone who came out for this event.  Several customers commented that even after all the other fiber events of this fall, they appreciate the wealth of vendors this region has to offer.  They don't take it for granted and came out to show their support.  


On a cloudy day the sun broke through just long enough for me to capture this shot of downtown Springfield.

Reflections.