I spent the weekend outside of Baltimore, MD, at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  I had never heard of it before, and it was such a fun experience!  I went with my friend Pam, who had heard about it, got all the info for us, and made us hotel reservations.  The Festival is the first weekend in May every year, in West Friendship, MD, and it is huge!  LOTS of people!!  Who knew?

For this city girl, it was quite an experience!  Sheep, alpaca, lots of vendors, food, demonstrations, shopping.  On Saturday, Suzanne met us in the morning, and the three of us walked all around, saw as much as we could, and did some shopping.  It was hot and sunny - too hot and too sunny for my tastes, but at least it wasn't raining!!  We were advised to arrive EARLY, bring lunch to keep in a cooler in the car, and wear comfortable sneakers.  We did all of that, and it was great advice!  We got there early enough to get a good parking spot, easy to walk back and forth with purchases and to take a lunch break.  We stayed until around 2 PM, when we were too hot and tired to walk around one more minute.  Suzanne drove back to Leesburg, about an hour away, and Pam and I rested in our room for awhile, knitted, then went out for dinner and some mall shopping. 

Pam and I went back for part of Sunday.  I got lots of pictures!

Lots of sheep!  And some adorable alpaca!  Some being sheared, some being judged, some just hanging around!

We watched a demonstration of some border collies herding sheep.  It was fascinating!

When each dog was finished with his/her job, they went back to the place where they were to wait their turn again.  This one dog jumped right in the tub of water!  We think that was part of the show.

Here are some other things going on at the festival - music, spinning, beautiful spinning wheels for sale =

I thought this was an interesting vendor - I didn't know this museum existed, and it is close to Jim's parent's in PA -

Lots of vendors.  This is a photo of inside one of the buildings -

I have other pictures, which uploaded onto xanga, but have disappeared.  Maybe they will show up another time.  Here is a final shot of sheep, with Pam!

We had such a good time!  I am anxious to get back to my knitting now. . .

It's strawberry season in this part of Virginia!  A very popular local farm is open for pick-your-own-strawberries.  We have been going for years, to pick strawberries and then make jam.  We have done freezer jam and processed jam.  My daughter, Amanda, is really the one who continues to keep us doing this year after year.  And now that she has her own family, we need more jam than ever before!  We have decided that we like the taste and look of the freezer jam better, so that is what we are doing this year.

So, our plan has been, and still is, that next Friday, Suzanne is hoping to come home if her schedule allows, and she and Amanda take the older two kiddos to the farm, while I babysit for John.  John would just sit and EAT all the strawberries, we are sure of it.  And now we think he is allergic to them.  Sigh.  Not a good allergy to have when your family loves to pick, can, and eat strawberries.

But last night, I was over at their house for a little while because I needed Sam to look at my phone, which was having issues beyond my comprehension.  I asked Amanda if she was getting together with some friends today - something she often does on a Thursday morning, sort of a park day play time for all the kids.  She said no, that the other mothers were going to the strawberry farm, and she was going next week and didn't want to take all the kids this week.  But, I said that I would be happy to babysit for John if she wanted to go ahead and take Charlie and Megan, and meet her friends at the farm.  And Sam and the kids wanted more strawberries!  And if for some reason our plans for next week don't work out, they would have at least gone once.

So, this morning, she brought John over early.  I love to have the kids one at a time occasionally!  It gives me lots of time with them, and in John's case, he could play without being distracted by trying to keep up with his big brother and sister!  We had a great time!  Here he is, playing in the kitchen with "stuff" he pulled out of my drawers -

There was a lot more than those things all over the floor, trust me! 

We played, and signed songs and nursery rhymes, and had a great time.  Then Mommy and kiddos came back, and they brought - strawberries!!

And, they played some more in my kitchen!  They strung those shoe-lace-like strings, as they often do, from drawer to drawer to make a play area.  The strings aren't knotted onto the knobs, so, although it looks like it could be dangerous if one of them ran into it, especially John, it isn't, because they just fall off.

Tomorrow, we are making jam out of the strawberries they picked!  The kids were quick and helpful, and they picked 4 bucket-fulls!  And the strawberries are large and sweet and delicious!

Here are some more pictures from the wedding reception this past weekend.  The evening reception was held at a lovely country club.  The food was delicious, and I knew a few people there and was happy to chat with some people I hadn't met before.  And Betsy and Andrew were there, so that was the best part for me!

Here is one of Evelyn Banks, who is Rachel's mom, and my longtime friend.  Again, many of my facebook friends know this family, so they will be the most interested -

Here is Jim Banks, father of the bride -

Rebekah, Rachel's sister,  and her husband Gray now have a baby, Caedmon - he is an adorable little boy!

Ian and James, Rachel's brothers -

Betsy was telling Rachel a story here, signing a story, actually, about an extra gift she made for Rachel - a book she put together of their journals and memoirs from their many trips to the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Jamaica.  They went together many times, on short term missions trips and then as interns for several summers.

Stefan and Andrew watching the conversation -

Luna was there, and I got this cute picture of her putting her head on Betsy's lap -

Evelyn's sister, Jane, asked if she could pet Luna -

It was such a lovely wedding!  I am so glad I went!  Evelyn had asked if I could stay over on Sunday in St. Louis so that we would have a chance to visit!  You know how weddings are - you don't always get to chat with the mother of the bride!  So, on Sunday, I had lunch and dinner at the Banks' home with some of their extended family, and that was fun.  Then I left on Monday morning for home.  A 13-hour drive, and losing an hour for the time change, made for a long day.  I listened to murder mysteries on tape - one was a Mr. Monk book on tape, and the other a new mystery series to me by Joanne Fluke.  This was the Devil's Food Cake Mystery, which is actually the latest book of Ms. Fluke's.  I really enjoyed it! 

Now I have been home for several days, and I am still trying to get myself organized and catch up on some rest!  And I am back to reading Dickens!

Currently Dombey and Son By Charles Dickens see related