Back from the Dog Trials

We're back after the fun and the rain (laugh). What a action packed three days -busy too. We cheered not only the dogs on but the 4 sheep to shawl teams as well. We bid (unsucessfully) on the shawls -the highest one sold for $225 I believe. Kingston my hometown girls placed second!!! They had an amazing desing with green and dark natural fleece -very striking. All the teams seemed very happy to spend the GCs we had donated for prizes. Its always fun to have 25 spinners and weavers at your booth at one time :) Of couse Jared's dyed items were hotly contested and fought over.
The Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners also ran demos all weekend long -here's Mary teaching tow young men the joy of spinning. They were very enthusiastic to learn all about it! Drop spindle kits were a huge seller this weekend and I gave lessons to get them started all weekend long.

The trials themselves were won by Amanda Milliken (fom Kingston) and her incredible dog Ethel. it had to be a run worthy of a film. They have to gather 10 sheep run the course then gather 10 more to finish the fist part. They then have to seperate 5 sheep with collars and send the rest over the hill. You then finish by penning your 5 collared sheep. Well did we ever get a show!! Amanda and Ethel had sucessfully shed off 14 of the sheep needed with one rebel left. This sheep left the group and returned twice before they sent her off. We thought she was done but oh no down the hill she trucked -JUMPING over Ethel who rightly hit the ground. The sheep then attempted to kick her with a rodeo horse worth kick. Amanda yelled at Ethel who got up off the ground looked at the sheep and then at her as if to say "can you see what I am dealing with here." Amanda stopped yelled "sorry" and away they went again to get one of the few pens of the day! Ehtel is coming on 10 and I know without a doubt that girl could do the whole run herself but its still wonderful to see true partners on the field.

I love going to Grass Creek -its so wodnerful to be a part of it all -but its nice to come home too. Today I'm off to get three new French angoras -and I remembered to charge the camera so new pictures of them will be up shortly!