(Note: I found an internet connection but it’s SO slow, I can’t upload all the pictures I’d like to load, so this post is going to be mostly text UNTIL I get home. I promise, on Tuesday, I’ll add pictures!)

So, where to start when trying to describe such a fantastic day?

Oh, of course. I know.

Susan and Patrick (seen here with his son, Logan) are just wonderful people. Mom, Chappy, and I walked in and Susan immediately excused herself to the person she was talking to and practically ran over to give both of us big hugs. (And a pet for Chappy, of course.) Then Patrick (who is something like 9 feet tall) came in and she said, “This is Deb, Joan, and Chappy” and his face lit up as he said, “I’m so glad you could make it!” You know, not in that polite kind of way that you welcome people, but in the truly sincere, “I really do know who you are and really mean this” kind of way. Mom and I both said that there are people you meet who are nice and likeable and just lovely people (which pretty much describes everybody we met today), and then there are people that you immediately want to be friends with. Susan and Patrick fall into that category. Would you believe, though, that of all the pictures we took today (216 of them between me and Mom), we didn’t get a single picture of the two of them together?

And then, the sheep and goats. Well, they’re just adorable—especially those babies that we’ve been reading so much about. So. Cute. It was particularly cute when we walked Chappy over. He was curious and stretched toward the goat closest to him, but when several more came over to take a look at Chappy? Well, he decided that they were all a lot bigger than he was, and you know, he was on vacation and didn’t want any trouble. They all decided that he was a potential threat, and so Chappy backed away from them, they backed away from him, and it was really pretty funny.

Throughout the rest of the day, I got some pretty good pictures because the group of them would all turn to face Chappy—presumably because he was (genetically, at least) a potential threat. Do you remember in the movie Babe, how the sheep call all dogs “wolves,” and don’t trust any of them? That’s pretty much the reaction Chappy was getting. The adults would close ranks around the babies, and at least some of them would stand guard. But, as I say, that made for some good photos.

And then, the fiber festival itself. It took place in the Ag Hall (that’s the Agricultural Hall, but nobody uses the full word when describing it). First, it’s a beautiful building. It was actually a barn in New Hampshire that they transported in pieces to MV and rebuilt it several years ago. This was my first time seeing it, and it’s just beautiful. Lots of warm, golden wood color, great structural elements in the beams and ceilings. Just lovely. And while the festival got a really nice turnout, the building was never so jam-packed that you couldn’t see the building.

There were musicians down at the far end playing some really nice, mellow music, and there were some booths from other island fiber places. One table had a display of skeins dyed with different natural dyes (onion skins, hibiscus flowers, comfrey, nettles, and so on) and set with different mordants so that the colors looked different from skein to skein.

It was fascinating watching the sheep and goats be sheared. They’re so patient about it—not that they really have a choice. The shearer, Jeff, did a great job. And, really, we all just stood around watching for huge chunks of time. Just really cool. Even Chappy was impressed. Mom got excited, too, because we saw Sally Taylor (Carly Simon’s daughter) there, too. That alone would have made her happy.

Susan and Patrick did proud by their shareholders, too. Not only did I get a tote bag and a t-shirt, just for being there, I got lunch, too! The entire festival took a lunch break. They set up tables and chairs in the entrance hall and we all sat together and ate. Including a whole bunch of Ravelrers. And, here’s the horrible part, I can’t remember all the names. (I’ll try to find them later, when I can get internet access again.) But one name I DO remember? Nora—one of the sweetest little 11-months old you’d want to meet. Her Mom drove to Falmouth this morning, took a shuttle bus to the ferry dock, rode the ferry to the island, and then caught a bus to the Ag Hall—all with an 11-month old and a stroller. And Nora was just a bright, sunshiny, little girl all day long. She wailed in protest at something a couple of times, but was back to being happy again within 60 seconds. All. Day.

Chappy was good, too. Despite not having a chance to nap all day long, he was sweet and charming almost the entire day. He barked a couple of times when he saw other dogs—not in a “go away” kind of way, but as anybody would when travelling in a strange land and see somebody who speaks the same language they do. And he and Fritz, an Island Sheltie not only hit it off, but played, too. His only real fall of grace was, a couple of times, when he had finally relaxed enough to let his guard down and then did a “Woo-woo-woo-woof!” bark at people who dared to walk past him. Including Patrick’s younger son, who went off and stood in the corner for a few minutes afterwards. Chappy kind of felt badly about that, but really, considering how tired he was by that point, he was so good!

At this point—I’m typing this at 8:30 on Saturday night—Chappy is just exhausted. Not only did he have a long, full day out in the sun, watching the sheep, occasionally barking at unsuspecting bystanders, but he didn’t get much sleep last night. I know this because he kept waking Mom and me up—jumping on the bed, off the bed, on the bed, off the bed. And, at one point, jumping INTO the bed, when the throw rug on the floor slippe as he launched himself, so that he hit chest-first into the side of the bed which, you know, is quite a shock in the dark! Oh, and then there was the extra awakening when the clock-radio alarm went off at midnight … let’s just say that none of the three of us exactly got a full night’s sleep. And we were up around 6:30/6:45 which, really, is ridiculous while on vacation. I’m not that worried about tonight though, Chappy is so zonked out on the bed at the moment, I really can’t imagine that he’s going to have trouble relaxing enough to sleep.

Oh, and yes, I DID buy some yarn, but restricted myself to two skeins. I did think about buying enough to make a sweater but decided that that would be too pricey. And besides, if I’m lucky, my spinner’s share of roving will be big enough to make a sweater, which will be even better, right? I AM coming home with two more skeins of yarn, though—I offered to make Susan a pair of socks, if she gave me the yarn to do it in. I know, it SOUNDS remarkably generous of me, but really, this way I get to try out more of the yarn and I didn’t even have to pay for it. How sneaky of me is THAT?

Really, it was a wonderful day. We got there about 9:50 and left about 4:40. That’s a full day and we weren’t bored even once. Every person we met was great. Susan’s mother and sister were so sweet and helpful … and tired. As were Patrick’s sons who are both really nice kids and helped out all day without complaining (that I heard). (And, again, Chappy says he’s sorry about the barking—he was just startled.) The Ravelrers were all great and interesting and funny, and it was also great at lunch when several of us pulled out our knitting. There’s just something so cozy about a group that can do that. The weather could NOT have been better. It was right about 70 degrees and sunny—a little warm in the sun at times, but never actually hot, and the Ag Hall was nice and cool for when we felt a little warm. It was a stunningly beautiful day. And did I mention that we weren’t bored once? And that we really liked Patrick and Susan a lot?

How much? Well, they’re planning on doing something similar for the Autumn shearing and, gosh, I do have vacation time in October … I wonder what weekend that will be? Because this CSA share was one of the best $100 investments I’ve ever made—and I haven’t even gotten my share of the wool yet. But for this much sheer (shear??) fun? Absolutely worth every penny—and do you know why?

Because Susan and Patrick made a point of making it so. They could have just taken the money and sent the wool in due course with maybe a note or something. But, no. Not only does Susan write her blog, filled with lots of pictures of her flock and updates so that the animals have real names and faces to make that wool extra special with that personal touch. But they make their shareholders feel really welcome and appreciated. We’re not just people who sent money. We’re like an extended family. Or at least, it certainly felt that way. So. Cool. All that great publicity (did you see the front page of the Wall Street Journal this morning??) couldn’t happen to nicer people.

Really. Perfect day. Even if Chappy couldn’t quite get his sheep imitation down . . . every time he tried to say “Baaaa,” he just couldn’t help turning it into a “Baaaaark!”

Tags: Chappy, Friends, Knitting/Spinning, Martha's Vineyard // 16 Comments »