Monday, April 16, 2012

The Geekend That Was, 4/15

Click now for JiffNotes

We had THE most gorgeous weather this weekend...warm but not too hot, clear and not too humid. We were pretty wiped out from the week...although I did get some relief at work on Thursday afternoon (I can now see a light at the end of the tunnel, although I will not rule out the possibility that it's a train). Anyway, we got a late start on Saturday, but we ran by the library to pick up some books and DVDs to prepare us for our upcoming Europe trip. Not having cable, I had never experienced Samantha Brown before. I gotta say, that although her perkiness might get to me eventually, her aversion to cold and affinity for cool, nice hotels would make us good travel partners. ;)

Before the library, however, we ran a few blogiversary-related errands. I haven't forgotten my giveaway!! I'll announce the winner tomorrow, I promise. I usually conscript the hubby into "drawing" service and it seems like we haven't had two free seconds lately...but maybe I'll let the SCOD decide this time! Anyway, our first stop was the Atlanta History Center, where I was looking for a very specific item (score!). Now I am the last person to wax enthusiastic about anything with "history" in its title, but we had a great time! We were only planning on hitting the gift store and the garden, but when we arrived, we found out there was a Sheep to Shawl festival going on!

I know at some of these events there are competitions where they actually do start with a sheep and end up with a knitted shawl, but this wasn't one of them.

However! I did get to see a sheep get shorn!
 
I couldn't BELIEVE how much wool came off this little sheepie!

Another animal whose fur I'm fond of knitting...
 
I don't know if you can see his sign, but it says "Dudley the alpaca. I do not spit!" LOL.

There were the sweetest curly-haired goats (so soft!), a burro, a miniature pony, a crazy-looking rooster and a giant rabbit, but I didn't want to make any parents nervous by photographing their children who were petting them. =) (You don't know what gymnastics I went through to get Dudley's picture!) But take a look at this sweet Highlands Cow!
 
And I thought Jersey cows were cute. I mean, they are...but look at Lily here!! The best part of the petting "zoo" was that it was on the grass, in the shade, with no fence around the animals (they were tethered or in open-top cages or wagons). They had brushes you could use on the animals and it was fairly uncrowded.

And now for something completely different:
 
Spinning! The lady in the hat is warning me she might break my camera (I asked if I could photograph them). I told her not to worry, her hat brim saved it, LOL!

After looking at all the kids' activities (dipping candles and story time were very popular), we wandered into the quarry gardens (situated, unsurprisingly, in an old quarry).
 

The rhododendrons were starting to bloom!!
 

If you ever do go to the History Center, do take the tour of the Swan House. It's totally worth it.
 
This view is only visible if you take the short walk through the woods, or book a really ritzy reception and get to come in the front drive. =)

The walk back was through the Asian garden. It features Asian plants and their Southern counterparts.
 

And more rhododendrons!
 

After the History Center, we went and got plants for the deck. Hopefully I can share pictures soon! It was pretty late by the time we got home; we only managed to watch half of Amadeus. =)

Sunday after church there were more blogiversary errands, an emergency power cord drop-off for DF Teresa who was in town for a class (LOVELY canvases I saw there!), and epic planting on the deck. I was so exhausted at the end of the day from walking around all over and planting that I could hardly move! So no stitching happened. =( Ah, well, you can't have everything!!

JiffNotes
This much pollen in one weekend is still not good for me.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

FUZZY ANIMALS! My day has been made.

Daffycat said...

That does look like a great weekend!

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Great post,Heather and your photos are brilliant. I wish I could visit Swan House too.

Chris said...

Sounds like a great weekend.

Shirlee said...

It looks like a very fun time! I love to visit places like that : )

Jean in Georgia said...

I was lucky enough to happen onto Sheep to Shawl one year. There was an extremely unhappy ram there... and they had to put sweaters on the ewes who had already been shorn because it was so chilly.

Sheep sweaters. Who'd a thunk?

McKenna C. said...

Oh I bet that was fun! The animals are so cute!

~McKenna

Anne said...

What a fun weekend! I love sheep! Poor little guys, I don't know why I always feel bad for them but I do! But then I love wool!!!

Crap, I missed your giveaway...sigh...was too busy with Easter to look at blogs! Good luck to everyone!

Carrie said...

Did the sheepie mind being sheered, er wait, shawl? I bet he's nice and cool with his new hair cut! And that little pony with the long bangs is the sweetest thing ever. I wonder if the rabbit was a Flemish Giant...

Looks like fun!

Melanie said...

Great pictures!!!!!!!!!! I bet that sheepie feels so much better (and cooler) now with his new hair cut.

Melissa said...

Your weekend looked awesome!! I have been to a sheep shearing in years, so your photos brought back great memories. :) I had a cousin who used to raise sheep so I had a direct connection to fleece for my Ashford spinning wheel. Sadly, that's one of the things I had to leave behind when I moved to California 15 years ago, so no more spinning for me. :(

Natalie said...

I wonder if you can feel my envy from over there...it looks like a perfect day.

Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches said...

looks like a wonderful day!

Delusional Knitter said...

Awesome stuff!!! That has got to be the cutest cow ever!

Old Geek-outs