The Nevada Territory Wild West Fair AKA Nevada State Fair

They've changed the name, they've changed the look, they've changed a lot of things! But it seems to be shaping up to be just as entertaining, even more so if you believe the talk, as it has been in the past!

I have made this a yearly trip since 2005. I love the atmosphere, the festivities, the food (garlic fries and fresh squeezed lemonade!) and most of all the fellowship of the many talented and multifaceted people of Carson Sierra Spinners and Weavers guild. Throughout the year I look forward to their company for a whole three days, and always wish I had longer to enjoy them. These were the first spinners I had direct contact with after I had taught myself to spin a year and a half earlier. I was seriously deprived!

CSSW sets up a pavilion just inside the fair ground entrance off of Wells Avenue, and inside are arranged all the collective talent of the guild. There are several displays centered on one fiber art or another, and every year a particular sheep breed is chosen to be in the spotlight so that people can learn specific things about that breed. Last year they allowed me to have a couple of tunis lambs there for petting, along with a display of tunis wool; raw, processed, spun, woven, crocheted and knitted. Thinking back on it I think I could have put up a board or something telling about the breed, but I did have pamphlets that are put out by the registry. We reserve the center of the pavilion for the 'spinning circle', with a path around the circle for fair goers to wander through and see all the great displays!

The state has a huge hall devoted to entries from all over the state, from baked food to canned to quilts and home grown vegies, as you would see at most fairs, but CSSW has its own displays specific to fiber arts and all the entries are judged there in the pavilion totally separate from the other exhibits. We also have a fleece show, something I've enjoyed watching immensely every year, and I somehow went and put my foot in it; I'm to judge the fleece show this year... gulp.

The following picture is deliberately vague, as these are the things I have entered in the CSSW fiber show. But I will tell you this; there is something crocheted, something knitted, a single, a Navajo ply, and a two ply :)

More pictures next week when I get back! Have a great weekend everyone!

I love babies!

These are the last two Tunis lambs I have for the year, brother and sister, out of my favorite Tunis ewe ever, Honey. This is the first time she has thrown a lamb that looks so much like her. Aubrey was very close, but I think this guy has her beat. He even has the 'old style' back line, with Honey's length. He has retained his red coat so far while his sister has faded out.
They will be going to Moab to Mary Ann Cunningham, a very good friend and fellow red-head raiser.
I haven't named them because I knew I wouldn't be keeping them.

The ewe lamb has her fathers back line, long and straight.
To those who have not shown lambs in a formal setting, or not learned terminology that we learned showing in 4-H, the space between the vent and where the legs meet in the middle is called the depth of twist. The deeper the twist, the more meat you get in the leg roast; its as important to me as the length of the loin.
I have seen several lambs over the years who have this nice depth, but haven't yet seen it in both twins. In my flock, it is usually just one if it shows up. I was pleasantly surprised when I went to take these pictures and looked closely, that both these lambs have a very nice depth of twist and will make excellent breeding animals in my opinion.
They both have good coloring, but the ram is a bit darker. I think about the only thing I would change about them is the length of their ears, which is the only thing I've ever wanted to change about Honey.

And of course, the baby of the hour (well, pretty much ever hour), the joy of our house and of our hearts.
She has managed of course. to wrap us all up around her pretty little fingers and its hard to imagine a day without her.
And for those of you who ask why there are never pics of ME in my blog, here ya go. In my Black Sheep News Letter tee from Black Sheep Gathering, and look! You can see my tat! :)
Joy is becoming quite the personality, has started this fake temper tantrum thing when she thinks we aren't doing what we should be...
We look at her and can't help but laugh and then she does something like this... This was taken seconds after the last one.

...So I have a cat. He has adopted me, while I am now (still) reluctantly letting him.
Mitzy loves Joy's toys, thinks they should be hers and we have to watch her or she will have all of the small, puppy-portable toys out in the breakfast room under the dining table. Mitzy was deep black when we got her, and is now turning gray. I thought she was just dirty!
Shes laying on a lamb puppet I bought for Joy at BSG.... Another lamb lover :)

New (to me) Toy

Meant to get this up a couple days ago, but such is life, always behind :)

Here is my second swatch, all done and stretching out to dry. It is in Joy's toy box now, along with the first one, she likes them.

After the local paper ran a story about me and my desire to start a group of fiber enthusiasts here in town (I have a lot of great fiber friends, but they all live at least an hour away), a Baptist pastor called me saying he had a few wheels to sell and wondered if I'd help. His mother had recently passed and had been a collector. There is still an Ashford Traditional for sale if anyone is interested...
Among the treasures he showed me was an Inkle loom and this Kromski. I thought maybe I would see if I wanted a wheel, but after working with them a bit, I decided the only wheel I need is my Joy... but a small loom was another matter! He asked me to finish off the warp that is on this one and give it back to him as it was something his mother started.

Mitzy loves Joy's lamb hand puppet :)

Pictures of Joy in next post!