Fiber Heaven...

My daughter Kate and i took a ride yesterday to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck NY, to attend the 36th Annual NYS Sheep and Wool Festival . What a beautiful day it was! The sun was shining and the sky was clear blue, and there was enough chill in the air to make you want to climb in under all that wool! This festival is HUGE so i had already decided that i wouldn't try to drag my daughter thru all the sheep, alpaca and llama barns. I'm like a little kid at a petting zoo when i go to these things. Anyway, we walked our legs off, met some really nice folks, bought some lovely yarn, and had a great time outdoors in the gorgeous Autumn color of the countryside. Here are a few pictures from our day....

Going over a huge bridge, i was so taken with the Fall colors i tried to take a picture out the window, but couldn't get my arm out the window high enough to get over that darn railing...oh well, you get the idea....(ps- i was NOT driving while i took this shot)

Once we got into the gates of the Fairgrounds, we were surrounded by a sea of humanity, so it was real hard to get space and stillness enough to take some good shots inside the vendor barns....
If you love yarn, color, texture, artistry, you would have been on sensory overload, just as i was. I wanted it ALL.... If only i could afford it......

There were knitters, crocheters, rug hookers, spinners, weavers, fiber artists, carvers, jewelry artists, designers, farmers, breeders, dog folks, color, smells, sounds, wine, cheese, honey, soaps, meats, jams, jellies, cakes, cookies, food vendors, musicians....baas, bleats, moos, barks..... i was in heaven...

A Peruvian Band entertaining by the food vendors

Gorgeous Autumn foliage and fresh fresh air

Lots of tents and demonstrations going on all day long

This woman (i didn't get her name) was showing us how to dye wool using grape juice! Fascinating!

I had to keep reminding myself to watch my step as i kept looking up into the trees.....

TONS of people everywhere... from everywhere!

Beauty all around us

And of course, many many sheep! These two were in a petting area near the children's rides

and little ones kept bringing them pellets and pulled grass to nibble on......

On the way home we stopped at this place to browse thru all the interesting "stuff" they had to offer....

It was located in the little town of Red Hook NY which is lovely...Very charming....

We also stopped at a local farm stand and picked up a bushel of Honeycrisp apples to share, and Katie got a huge pumpkin for her front porch and i bought "Indian corn" to hang on my doors, and some nice raw honey. I'm so glad to have these pictures to remember the day by but i am sure it is locked in my memory as one of my favorite days ever....