Adventure to Maryland! part 2

Another terrific thing about Maryland is seafood. I can't express just how great the whole trip was without including crab cakes, mmm. 

Also enjoyed a flounder filet stuffed with crab and wee shrimp on top. shut the front door delicious. 

By FAR one of my favorite things to find at any event is a friend (: Stephanie of Lunabud Knits and A Tangled Yarn 

SWAG! I purchased a festival bag featuring the current logo which calls to mind daffodils in the spring, photo missing, but i will find it or take another. Other purchases include: Rare breed fiber of Hogs Head Island sheep (more on that in an upcoming post) from Fingerlakes Mill. Lilac Heather fiber from Bartlett Yarns in Maine (the oldest operating woolen spun mill in the USA). Print tray, silverware hooks & overdoors plus fat-quarters (for girlie) from Pleasant Memories. Cat & mouse felt ornament and flower pin from Candra Day who sells things made in Kyrgyzstan for an organization there - amazing rugs and large pieces, too - i wish they had a website. And of course, sweet gnomie which was a gift from our neighbor whose card i cannot find! But they are not the mill listed on the map on the website, alas, if i find it i will share. Gnomie was actually a gift, but that is a story for another post. (you may have to remind me).
Two skeins of rug yarn from Blue Acorn Woolens - a lovely spring green and tardisy blue.

Most surprising conversation: While talking with two ladies who live less than 60 minutes away (and have been knitters "for years") I mention helping with a couple much smaller events back home. Nice lady 1 says, "How much smaller?" I chuckle and say, "30 to 50 vendors, tops." Kind lady 2 says, "We thought they were all like this, but this is our first time here."

"this is our first time here"
Now i realize not everyone is an event type person, but when i replied, "Oh, this is the great grandaddy fiber festival - very few, worldwide, are even close to this size." Kind lady 2 says, "I wish we'd known about it years ago." 
yes, I WISH WE'D KNOWN ABOUT IT YEARS AGO ...
I would never, ever, compare our fantastic yet *much smaller* local events to the great and mighty Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, but there is something reassuring albeit unsettling about people living less than an hour from MDSW and involved with "that world" for "years" not knowing of the event. There was more to our conversation, though i admit i was reeling from all that had transpired thus far.

So here is your takeaway: If you know of a place, activity or event that you, your friends &/or your family enjoy/s SHARE information about said item. Not everything has the benefit of 140 years of history in the back pocket (;

Foodie Friday!

Since our arrival in the bluegrass state the sparkle girlie and i have found a lovely coffee nook. In fact, our first idea for a semi-regular Friday feature was "friday at a coffeehouse" and profile coffee shops around Louisville. We enjoyed Sister Bean's so much on our first and second visits we changed the whole scheme! So our new idea is to visit various places for lunch or share recipes we try at home and when we can we will end up at Sister Bean's. 
Due to their excellent location across from Iroquois Park Amphitheater along busy New Cut Road I was honestly afraid it would be too busy a spot for us to enjoy an afternoon of reading and hanging out. Happily, I was wrong. They do a good bit of drive-thru and walk in/out business so it usually isn't too full for a couple of gals to sit awhile. 
Even in the summer on a cool morning Girlie's favorite is hot chocolate ... 

with syrup and sprinkles on top of whipped cream, who can blame her? But, oddly on one of the coldest days of January (which is saying something, right?) she tried a strawberry-banana smoothie and loved it! (She asked i point out in the autumn she likes the hot cider, too.)

I admit i stick to my tried and true dark roast with cinnamon syrup, but the coffee is so good i am certain any specialty drink made with it is yummy! Comfy Cow ice cream and baked goods from Adrienne & Co. (which is funny as some of you may realize because our other home away from home, Grinny Possum, is down the street from Adrienne & Co. in Jeffersonville, IN) plus sandwiches at lunch time - great place for a meeting!

Today girlie created some art for their walls - it was a spur of the moment idea and as luck would have it, my colored pencils were in the other knitting bag! But we think the minimalist artistic look is cool (: 

 

Oh, and i was knitting a guinea pig while all this was going on. so, yeah ... 

I promise there is more knitting, spinning and other craftiness ahead as well as more foodie adventures (: 

First Foodie Friday!

follow the star & Sparkle Girl are not in the food business, but we enjoy food and sometimes inspired by it. Foodie Friday is going to become a semi-regular post that we'll share. We will visit coffee shops, diners and who knows what else! We are eager to find new places and share some of our favorites.
Today we ate lunch at El Tarasco on Fairfax Avenue in St. Matthews. 
SG: I like the outdoor awnings which are green, white and red. Inside the music was fantastico! I had a taco and enchilada with delicioso rice. Mom had a tamale and shared my rice. We both ate chips and salsa. If you like Mexican food, you should go here! :)
fts: Food was good plus friendly & speedy service, as always. I definitely agree - the music was particularly fun today (: We both ate lunch for less than $10 total.
finally our photo showed up! added 1/11/14