Rhinebeck Report: Fun!

I hate to rush the Rhinebeck report, but then again I don't want to be days about it, so here we come! Tomorrow I start at the new/old job, tomorrow night I have a haircut, and then it's the first Bruins game that I get to watch live this season, so I doubt I'll fit blogging in there! Plus I may actually have something to say about the work change, etcetera. (I drove past the T stop tonight, and marveled that it isn't part of my commute anymore. Too good to be true!)

So: Rhinebeck. I, and we, had a great time. The worst of it was a bit of a letdown* at the Ravelry party, but even that wasn't a blight, just a disappointment. And the rest was all fun!

*In summary: they asked that everyone not get there early, so they'd have time to set up, so instead of arriving at 6:30, we pulled into the "park down the street at the school and take the shuttle up" parking lot at 7:30. We then waited in line, in the cold, for 45 minutes before the single bus had room for us to get on. (Last year they had at least two buses rotating.) They had run out of goody bags and cupcakes before we got there, and the food was mostly picked over. The tables were all full, so we ended up standing. (I spent most of the time with one of my companions out by the bonfire: that was cool. And now I can say that I've knit by bonfire light!) It wasn't awful, it was just less fun than it should have been, certainly less fun then last year. I'll think twice before going again, if they even do it next year.

I drove there Saturday morning with three friends from my stitch and bitch group, and found it very funny to be driving with everyone else in the car knitting! It was great to be able to share the driving, and not have to do it all. The weather Saturday was neither nice nor awful, but mostly cloudy, chilly, and breezy. It rained a bit on the drive, but happily was done before we arrived. The parking lot looked pretty full by noon! And we happily went in and started the experience.

I really liked the colors and the lacework in this piece:

While this puppet was simply adorable:

Life lesson on a yarn label:

"Avoid agitation." The more you think about it, the more that applies.

Pretty tree under cloudy skies.

I'm kind of afraid of this.

And then there's this hat, wow:

The guys really get into the punkin chuckin. Yup.

I enjoyed watching it, but kept being distracted by the pretty trees. And, on Sunday, blue skies!

Fun buttons!

I like the pin, too.

Carlos whumped Miri for getting too close to the woven catnip mouse I brought home for them.

But she got to it later.

And were there animals, you ask? Of course there were!

Cute, curly goats:

And who could resist this face?

Or this one:

Llama drama. I love that the relevant 4-H club in the area is the Spitters Club.

Doesn't this one look like he's having the best time?

We went to the Leapin' Llamas event, which actually featured llamas and alpacas (someday I will learn the difference, visually I mean). It was kind of fun, though the stands were tightly packed together, and to the woman sitting behind me, yes, that is my back you are resting your knee in. Did you notice?Apparently not.

Where else will you see something like this?

No, the cart did not "leap". All the others did, though, or tried to, or were encouraged to. Some beautiful animals.

Did you know sheep are eligible for the witness protection program?

Baa baa, black sheep ... I bet you hear that all the time.

Nice horns, dude!

Curled up together like cats.

Check out that horn texture.

It's a cow! No, wait...

Now, you may be asking yourself, that's all very well, ccr, but didn't you buy anything? Oh, yes, I did. I didn't spend it all, but I spent much of what I brought, and had a wonderful time. Here's the grand overview:

Bumper stickers:

I really wanted that one on a button, but they didn't have it (sold out, perhaps). I like these two, though.

Pretty, pretty earrings.

I was just reading about putting maple sugar on buttered toast recently, and look at what I found! Can't wait to try it.


Oh, did you mean yarn? I got some of that, too.

After loving the Socks That Rock mediumweight so much, I thought I should try the lightweight. The colors are more sedate, and I think I'm going to love the resulting socks!




I've heard good things about Fleece Artist yarn, but haven't played with it before.



It's so soft, as you might imagine.

Chocolate!

I don't quite know what these little guys are going to be, but they go together beautifully, and are So Soft.


Do you see the label? Alpaca and silk. Oooh.

This one is lush also. Good squish factor! It's all wool, Blue Face Leicester (that's BFL to you), but super-squishy-soft.


And despite the photos, this one is really reds, not at all pink.


I also bought a t-shirt, so let's start hoping now that next year's Rhinebeck is t-shirt weather. I love this one not just because of the look on the animal's face...

... although, seriously, look:

But because that was the front and this is the back.


It has him coming and going. I love it!

Now good lord, I have to get ready for bed. I'm going to work in the morning! Thus endeth the Rhinebeck 2010 report.