I want it all......and I want it Now....

Well, I'm coming out of my blues. My migrainis gone. I tried to do too much last week and it caught up with me. It truly was an amaZing weekend in many ways. Full of highs and lows. It seems that everything happens in October. There is so much here to choose from. I am like a child. I want to do it all. But alas and alack. I cannot bend the laws of physics and I just cannot be in two places at once. One must make choices or try to alternate. I still think that I am superwoman, though. I tried it and it didn't work. This past weekend there were two opportunities that were equally enticing. First there was the opportunity to participate in a small (I thought) wool show in NE Kentucky. The Kentucky Woolfest. Here was the perfect place and time to launch my fledgling fiber business. I had never done one before and Sara Dunham the coordinator made it all seem possible and was so encouraging. Then there was the FarmGirl Autumn Workshop at Miss Wilmas. In Knob Lick. At the same time. In the same weekend. If you know Miss Wilma you know that she is an amazing woman. When she organizes an event she goes all out. She draws you in. She envelops you with her kindness and generosity. You must go. There is no denying that it will be wonderful. There will be wonderful friends and wonderful crafts and an all around wonderful atmosphere. What to do.

But then, the break comes. The offer to share a booth with another fiber artist! She offers to split the time. The show is three grueling days 10-10. I can do BOTH! Happy day! Never mind that it is a three and half hour drive between the two locations. I am superwoman! I can do it. Woolfest, Friday and Sunday (Set up on Thursday) Then Saturday at Miss Wilmas. It's all set, all planned and coordinated. I'm all packed. I've built a great booth setup, I have my stuff all labeled and priced and organized, I've packed huge decorative FERN"S for pity's sake! I leave another bag to take to Wilmas set aside, ready. Wow! The universe is with me. So I thought. I am almost there. But maybe I overdid it. I get the booth all set up and ready so my partner doesn't have to do too much but I did such a great job (really, everyone said so!). She decided that she would be better off setting up by herself in another (newly available)location so she wouldn't mess up my display! But now she can't share the time with me. I am stuck. She is apologetic and all but it really was the best decision for both of us. As far as the wool fest. But now, there is no way that I can drive from Falmouth to Knob Lick and back. It just would not be fair to leave the booth for others to worry about. I put on my BIG GIRL PANTS , made the decision to stay and hope for the best. Hope that I would be forgiven and understood (yes I do worry about that...my wounded inner child...). There was no way to call and tell Wilma that I couldn't get there after all. No internet and no phone number for anyone that would be there. The show went great in many ways. My yarn and felting was well received and sold well. The other artisans were wonderful and I enjoyed their company and learning from them and the whole experience.

So why do I still feel so bad? Because I want it all. And I didn't get it. And I let someone down.

Getting Ready for the Kentucky Wool Fest

Wow what a day! I got all my wool weighed labeled and boxed up and ready. I put a coat of wax on the little cup pin keepers and felted the tops on two more. Did a littl more work on the crows and pumpkins. I also waxed the bowl, the vase and new spindles Glen made today. I have to tell you how much I love them and all the stuff he has been making. I showed him a picture of an ancient carved spindle and he just made in his shop for me. I waxed it all up to show the beautiful grain and it's drying over night. I can't wait to try the spindle tomorrow. I did a little test earlier and it spins beautifully. Tomorrow I'll try it with wool roving!

I still have more stuff to prepare but I'm feeling good about it. Tomorrow I will work on some more felting and running another fleece through the picker. I still have to bag up some special wool for dolly hair and pack up some felting needles into kits. This is going to be so much fun! Pictures hopefully tomorrow.

Kaving in Kentucky

One of the most amazing experiences that I've had since coming to Kentucky is learning how to explore caves. This is not something that I had ever given much thought to before. Once here I was introduced to the sport of caving by my neighbor who is a founder of the Ft. Knox Grotto, part of the National Speleological Foundation. The way he described it, it was an opportunity for adventure that I could not resist. I was ready for experience. My life had always pretty much been safe. But once i stepped onto the road less travelled, adventure and opportunity seemed to be everywhere. So I went underground, one cool autumn day last year. I was hooked. There is an entire new world underground. There is beauty that borders on the surreal. There is a gentle peaceful quiet that cannot be matched. Ocassionally there is the sound of sweetly lapping water if you chance upon an underground spring. There is the fresh coolness of the very breath of Mother Earth. There is the chance of discovering a place where human eyes have rarely if ever set upon.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to help The Ft Knox Grotto with the Annual Cave In. Nearly 400 cub scouts, boy scouts and explorers camp out for the weekend on donated lands. Members of the Grotto lead groups into the caves for first hand experience of one of natures most amazing wonders. For all, it is an adventure of a life time and experience that will hopefully create a consciousness of how alive the earth is.