Show Me the Sheep

September 14, 2013 / still a dreamer / 4 Comments

Each year in early September the weekend-long Annual Sheep and Fiber Show is held by the Garden State Sheep Breeder’s Association at my county’s fairgrounds. It brings sheep breeders from at least 4 surrounding states, but also a goodly amount of vendors selling wool spun from their own sheep, alpacas and llamas as well as products made from that wool. There are breed exhibits of the animals as well as show competition and judging, but the big favorites are the sheep shearing demonstrations and the sheep herding demonstrations, (my personal favorite.)

Here are just a few photos of the event and of the animals themselves. Missing are the sheep herding demonstration, (too far away), and the thousands of multi-colored skeins of yard at the many vendors’ stalls.

Handcrafted wooden knitting needles with delicious ornaments on top.

These crocheted skulls caught my eye – very cute!

These thick, gorgeous mittens were made from yak hair.

A Suffolk sheep

One of two llamas at the festival. Llamas provide a source of wool for spinning and crafts

Some sheep had coats. I didn’t ask but I suspect it was to keep them clean until they were done being shown

One of my small treats to myself is handmade soap when I come across it at a reasonable price. At one stall there was quite a variety and I picked up a few of these small-ish square bars in oatmeal-almond, (above), lemon pound cake, coffee and vanilla, and “Kiss the Cook”, a brownie-like aroma. Made of skin-soothing ingredients such as olive oil, and lanolin and sheep’s milk by some soap crafters, they were all heavenly. I’m now set for getting clean all winter long with a guaranteed happy smile. These soaps were made by Saratoga Suds `n’ Stuff in Saratoga Springs, NY.

My favorite photo of the day. Sheep are very sweet animals, and this one exemplified their gentle personalities.

Morning Walk

September 6, 2013 / still a dreamer / 4 Comments

The air was too crisp and the sunshine too bright to not go for a morning walk. And it was worth it … the Delaware was celebrating the day as well.

This humble bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey was originally constructed in 1842.

The Magic of the World Underwater

August 6, 2013 / still a dreamer / 2 Comments

Have 4 minutes 50 seconds? Then watch this absolutely beautiful video of the underwater world of Fiji and Tonga.

One of the true joys of the internet is that our friends and family send us links to videos such as these where we can be magically transported to a world we would otherwise never see. The photography is beyond spectacular, the accompanying music perfection. If you click on the “cc” button, you will be shown the species and location of the fish and other creatures you see.

What impressed me so is the clear intelligence in the eyes of the fish as they watch the diver filming them. This is a real treat.

The Walking Reward

July 29, 2013 / still a dreamer / 4 Comments

I am not ashamed to admit it. I do not like to exercise. (Although I do love to dance. That’s exercise, right?)

Over the course of my life I have at times been a jogger and a regular walker. Once I got out there, it was okay, but I could think of soooooo many things I’d rather be doing. The time has come that I need and want, (very abstractly), to get out there once again. My incentive? I’d bring my camera and hope that might help.

So I made use of it and took some shots of the beautiful garden flowers that so many of the folks in my town take the time to plant and tend.

Will it be enough inspiration for tomorrow? I guess we’ll see.

Dreams and Plans

June 4, 2013June 4, 2013 / still a dreamer / 4 Comments

We all have them, right? And then something occurs in our lives and we can watch them go up in smoke. Or at least for a while.

But what I’ve found is that the phoenix can rise again from the ashes, except this time, the dreams and plans have changed, perhaps evolved. Or maybe are new altogether. In any event, they have been colored by that event and now they look quite different. Can you relate?

I was often told as a child that I daydreamed too much. It was made out to be a bad thing. But how do you proceed in life without dreams … something to hitch our stars to? It seems to me that when we lose our dreams or when they get mired in the muck is when we get in trouble. I never minded being called a dreamer. I still am, and it’s just fine with me. When I have no dreams, I’ve lost my moorings.

Recent events caused my dream of being published in children’s books to be pushed into the background, to be, at least for a period of time, not that important in the grander scheme of things. That happens. But early, early this morning – certainly before I wished to be awake – the dream was stirring again, and as I thought about it, a next step came into view … a plan. As I lay there, a number of things fell into place, and I knew what I would soon do. A dream with a plan … that felt good!

Sometimes we just make plans that arise out of an event, in my case related to my health. OK – that happened, what will I do now? Up until this morning, I didn’t really know. Not exactly, anyway. However, it seems my unconscious has been quite busy when I wasn’t looking. A number of recent events – a conversation with someone I’d never really had a chance to talk to, a book that crossed my path, a wanting to know what I should do – click, click, click – it all fell into place, and suddenly I had a plan. Ideas that had been more on the line of `maybe someday’ or `that seems impossible,’ suddenly seemed real and do-able.

It’s amazing when we have a plan, how much lighter we feel. It’s as if a fog that has been swirling about us has burned off and we are standing in radiant sunshine, arms lifted in joy and anticipation. A plan, enlightened by a dream, is a wonderful thing. The path may have pebbles or rocks along the way, but it glows nonetheless.

That old Irish blessing comes to mind, and I wish a beautifully lit path of dreams and plans for you, too …

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.