We found this cow in a front yard as well as the one below. We were in a town named "North East". That is maybe as bad as my naming our Great Pyrennes "Left" and "Right?"
We did see some more normal looking animals the next day. Howard County Maryland had their Alpaca and Fleece Show while we were there. Most of what I saw was traditional/commercial items produced by Peruvian Connection. I guess most breeders don't have time or have not learned how to process their own fibers. I think that it might have been alpaca fiber only. Too bad they have not diversified into other fibers and blends. It would have been more interesting. I hope to make it to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival one of these years.
There was a rabbit show in one of the barns - they had some cute English angoras. I have to admit that I was not tempted!
This is the back of the bolero that I sold in Sacramento. It is a little too big for me, so I am glad that it found a lovely new owner.
Susan Corl is going to be watching the ranch and teaching some classes while I am flying off to Maryland to check out where Marc spends part of his time working. 
The Sacramento Festival of the Arts was supposed to be a working show, but it became an opportunity for my sisters and I to get together. My sister, Nadia (on the left), flew in from Boston and is modeling my Layered Collar. Paula, on the right, lives in the area and is modeling my Southwestern Shawl. I am wearing the Freeform Bolero that I finished last night. Fortunately, Nadia and and another vendor took pictures of the Bolero because it sold half hour later!
My sister says that dragonflies are in. This one of two skeins based on this colorway. This one has the dragonflies. Lots of texture, beads and other novelties. 
This skein is the same as the one above, shown from the opposite side, so you can see the color variation.
The Wool Festival was a blast this year. Besides there being a lot more people, I was really happy to see that more children came this year. Thanksgiving (the alpaca) was on her best behavior. She is pushy and a spitter. I was amazed to see her cush and let kids pet and rest on her. One of the visitors used my camera to catch scenes from the festival. There were several good shots with visitors. If anyone sees himself in a photo and wants it removed, please let me know. I did want to share.
This is Mr. Right with an unshorn doe. I have added Great Pyrenees to the herd to protect against coyote attacks. His sister, Miss Left, is pictured later. They are three month old puppies and won't be real work dogs for at least a year. They have settled in with the kid goats. The doe is in a post below minus hair.
The young Merino ram is still friendly this year. I hope he will be next year, when he is older and the real testosterone has kicked in!
I end every tour talking about angora rabbits. They are the least expensive fiber animal to buy, but their fiber is the most valuable per ounce.
Carole Beakey was one of the new vendors this year. She makes lovely ceramic yarn bowls. She came to me for lessons and found that her true passion is pottery.
Jaculine Harrier Coss is an interior designer and includes pillows among her products. These are all embellished with wool and kid mohair. Each one is superbly planned and unique. Stunning!
These are the older does. I took the photo this morning after the last batch of goats were sheared. 18 of them went to the Arizona State Fair. The doe on the left front won Grand Champion. Her mother, Sweet, is to her right. Sweet is also the mother of the kid who won Reserve Champion. He was beat out by a yearling buck. My buck that won Grand Champion at Del Mar died shortly after his return from a rattlesnake bite, so I did not have a yearling buck to show. 
The doe above is pitiful looking with out her fleece, but a lot happier.
This is Miss Left. She was worn out this morning after playing in the water. I have had to use smaller buckets for the drinking water since the Great Pyrenees play in the larger water containers. None of the animals want to drink from that!
My State Fair ribbons. Not as impressive as the Del Mar ones, but still worth keeping!
