Are You Experienced?

If I said the word "Sewerfest" -- what would come to mind? The first time my friend told me about this I was like "what--are you kidding me?" That was 3 years ago, this year we made the journey....and OH MY GOODNESS!!! 
.....and how many have heard of Merlefest? Hillside Album Hour?


Okay...let me start with Sewerfest.  My childhood friend's husband's family used to own the land that the Wilkesboro Water Treatment plant is on right now, but for the past 20 years or so it's been transformed into a 4 day campground for the Merlefest "festivarians" (heard that this weekend and thought it was a fun term to use). I know your first question would be about smell...I promise you there is NO odor whatsoever...well, except for the various foods cooking in camp.

Similar to the campground at the Galax Fiddlers Convention, there is music throughout camp...







Getting to the Merlefest site was easy as pie...they run shuttles from Sewerfest ALL day long and into the night.  Saturday morning we took the first bus to the festival and began staking out our spots...a tip passed on to me from my friend...this is our spot at the Doc & Merle Watson Stage were we wanted to see several bands but the big finale Saturday night was The Tedeschi Trucks Band!!!
BTW....there are 12 stages on the Wilkes Community College Campus--trying to see all those is impossible in one day!


In the meantime we saw many great bands there--

This is Assembly of Dust -- they were AWESOME!!!

This is the spot we staked out on The Hillside....for the Hillside Album Hour performed by The Waybacks.
OH MY GOODNESS....where do I even begin.  Well, being that this was our first experience (note I keep using that word) let me give you a bit of background here.  The Waybacks have played there for several years but in the past 4 years (I think) they perform a particular "album"--hence the "album hour"--they keep it a secret...leaving the audience in great suspense and speculation as to what they are going to do.  In years past they've done Led Zepplin, The Beetles and last year they did The Allman Bros "Eat A Peach" which I will add is FANTASTIC (yeah, I had to buy it there) YOU HAVE TO HEAR IT TO BELIEVE IT....they invite many Special Guests to come on stage with them to help out.

So, this year there was a Facebook Guessing Contest as to what the Album Hour was going to be, the band gives clues and leaves readers to guess.  I read many, many guesses from The Eagles to the Grateful Dead to Fleetwood Mac....no one really knew.  They come out on stage--set up---and begin tuning and teasing the audience. 

(this pic is towards the end of the show but you can at least see ALL the band and Special Guests--Sam Bush, Jim Lauderdale Susan Tedeschi, Sarah Dugas and John Cowan)


OH...back to the teasing the audience...




The lead singer/guitarist for The Waybacks, James Nash kicks into Purple Haze --yes, THAT Jimi Hendrix tune!!  OH MY....the crowd, including me, goes nuts!!

Yes, they played the entire "Are You Experienced" album...and the Hillside Album Hour becomes 2 hours!!! 

I was so excited when Susan Tedeschi came out to sing with the other guests...

I didn't take my camera to the night concert but Hubby got some pics of the Tedeschi Trucks Band....they were FANTASTIC!!! Derek Trucks a phenom on the slide guitar!!!

There is so much to keep going on about but I think you get the picture...I'm still on Cloud Nine...and Yes, as for Sewerfest/Merlefest.....I AM EXPERIENCED!!! 

We are already making out plans for next year--and we are doing the entire 4 days next time!!!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!




Soooooo....

....where did I leave off?


On a beautiful Sunday in May, Mom, Hubby and I trekked off to a strawberry farm to pick some of the most beautiful and tasty berries. I made 6 pints of freezer jam, froze 2 gallons and had plenty of strawberries to just simply snack on.

We're looking forward to the upcoming blueberry & blackberry/raspberry picking!

Remember support your local farm, farmers market or CSA!







For Mother's Day I made my Mom a Clapotis from the Recycled Silk I purchased some time back...not quite sure how it would turn out I was quite pleased with the effect the color banding gave on the diagonal...yes it is a bit heavy but Mom says it will serve her well--keeping her shoulders warm and having no trouble being able to wear it with just about anything.




On our Memorial weekend camping trip we had some pretty bad storms during the night time hours that really upset Milo...Rudy slept through it all...but woke to the most beautiful mornings.


....and color inspiring sunsets!


Wouldn't this make some beautiful yarn?!


Yeah, work has been crazy....and I mean crazy! It's unbelievable how one place can totally suck the life out of you--I love running!

I've had a couple of comments (not posted) about me going on my "me trip" -- ALONE! Yes, is it so hard to believe? I guess for some people they don't have the comfort level that I do about venturing out alone. There are 2 places besides here at home that I feel so totally comfortable, because I'm so familiar with the areas that it feels like home...Myrtle Beach and the Great Smoky Mtns.
Back last October Hubby went on a "He Trip" to Kentucky....alone, while I had planned to go to the beach on my "me trip" ALONE but my part of the deal got nixed when the weather turned horrible for a beach trip. So when the winter weather finally broke I decided it was my turn!! With camera in tow I tripped around all the areas I am very familiar with. In fact, I awoke at 5 am one morning to head out into the Great Smoky Mtn parkway on a hunt...for the perfect sunrise. Let me tell you it was COLD...below freezing! I set up my tripod, kept the heat on in the truck and would jump out take a few shots then jump back in to warm up...as I didn't take a coat with me.
What do you think? Was the freezing worth it all??

...this would make some pretty yarn too!!

While I was there I did get to visit my friend Nancy at Smoky Mtn Spinnery, but since I'm still on my "yarn diet" I didn't buy anything...but I did fondle a lot of beautiful yarns and fibers!!! She has the best collection of fibers from all over the world! On my last visit to her she let me hold $300 work of vicuna fiber...exactly 1 oz--it felt like air!

I guess I'd better get on with the evening...

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Yoooooo-Hooooooooo....anybody still here? Just in case...

Holy CRAP....where does time go? Between general "life stuff", work, training/running, knitting and the "time suck" better known as Facebook...I seriously have no excuse.
Work is still "crazy" and can't help but feel the life being sucked from my body while there--hence, my running schedule being what it is. I feel so much better when I run!

Let me see if I can at least get you caught up a little bit~~warning, lots of photos to share.


Hmmmm, last post was at St. Patty's day...I ran the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon/Half-Marathon/8K in Virginia Beach to celebrate! The weather was perfect...a cool morning was followed by a BEAUTIFUL day.

Now, 10 days before race weekend I caught a horrible cold...thanks to a "considerate" co-worker, one who needs to attend kindergarten again to learn how to cover when she coughs and wash her hands when she spews into them...or better yet DON'T COME TO WORK WHEN YOU ARE SICK!!

Anyhoo...I was determined after training so hard to attempt the race. I had to stop at mile 2 for a short coughing spell, then I was back on to finish the 8K race. I finished 5 minutes slower than the goal I had set for myself but considering being sick I gave myself a pat on the back.
Then there was the after race party! You see, the motivation I had for this race was that each runner gets "FREE BEER"!!

THIS IS THE PARTY TENT!!! (the tent on the left...the one on the right was for VIP's--and that didn't include me) Believe me it was huge....

A view from inside...yep, we had a GOOD time!
Funny story~just how good a time we had, and how old I'm getting! The race started at 8am...I finished in 50 minutes, hit "The Tent" by 9am...got my first glass (of several) of free liquid carbs...listened to some good music, let the dogs play in the sand, when the band left we decided it was time to maybe get something to eat, so we headed back to the hotel...where we (Hubby, Chase, myself, Milo & Rudy) proceeded to pass out...we woke up 3 hours later wondering what the heck had happened...and we were STARVING--a diet of liquid carbs won't go very far...as we found out! Don't worry, we did have a good meal and ice tea to drink! ~wink~


Early April I went on a "Me Trip" to Gatlingburg, TN...I'm sure many of you know if you have little people, fur-babies or a spouse you have people dependent on you--I just needed a weekend to myself...to rejuevenate. Ahhhhh, it was refreshing...even if I did miss my guys a lot!



A few weeks later we went on our first camping trip to Claytor Lake, seems that this is our inaugural trip every year. We had rain but had a good time anyway. As you can see from the picture Rudy was the picture of relaxation!

Oh...and my Mom and I enrolled in golf lessons--Oh, Hubby and I play Par 3 at the beach every year but I've never had formal lessons, but my Mom is preparing for my Dad's retirement. Oh no...he doesn't play, she's just preparing to get out of the house while he's there!! We had a lot of fun, and have been playing quite a bit.

The last of April & May I've been hard at work getting my garden going...I've made a pact not to buy produce from the grocery store--and I haven't...well, except for banana's but I've yet to find a homegrown banana here in Virginia!


I've utilized my patio as additional garden space...

...of course, my assistant Rudy has to make sure everything is okay!


Whew....I think I've gotta break this up into a few posts. Hope someone is still out there to read my rambling!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

Dogs on Thursday

....and IT'S KNIT/SPIN NIGHT!!



Rudy loves camping...especially when it's with his best buddy, Milo!



They literally played themselves out in 3 days! When we got home Rudy slept for hours and hours!


Here he is spending a little quality time (and napping) with his big brother and nephew Milo!
We celebrated Hubby's birthday with a big surprise for him...we managed to arrange for his girls and their families to come camp with us and he didn't know anything at all about it! Happy Birthday Hunny!!


Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

Ahhh, the weekend...

See y'all on Monday!

Dogs on Thursday

I'm back...well, actually I've been back from vacation I just haven't taken the time to post. Again I seem to be finding it hard to find time to do everything. My little garden plot is growing...Rudy is in obedience school, so we spend lots of time on "homework"--yes, he has homework!...I've increased my running mileage...and simply decompressing after an agonizing day at work!


If I didn't post about it before we left for a camping trip last Wed-Sun...and boy did we ever need it. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. An added surprise was the chance to meet one of my "BlogBuddies"! Chan and I have been commenting on each others blog and emailing each other for a few years now, Hubby and I have often passed by Charlottesville and even been in town to visit Son#2 but never enough time to "get together". Well, it finally happened, she brought along her "furgirls" (as requested) and they were such a hoot! She is EXACTLY as she comes across on her blog, and in her emails...a true sweetheart of a gal!
Even brought gifts for me & Rudy! (Rudy says, "Thank you Auntie Chan"!) The "kids" had a great time playing, so much so that they all "passed out" upon leaving! Rudy found out exactly what a "calm" Bassett Hound is all about...I know when he saw those droopy ears he was thinking "oh, geez--oh, geez...it's gonna hurt!" But he found out that there IS a calm, ladylike Bassett out there, unlike his Aunt Ellie (aka Demon Girl). If you want the see the atypical picture of me with my mouth wide open check out her post of our meeting.


Rudy, of course, had a great time camping...even his buddy Milo came by for a visit.

















He pretended to be Rin-Tin-Tin Rudy!

This was in fact his favorite place to be, we sat sort of on a knoll so he was able to see all the "comings & goings" of everyone, including every pup that came by.



And enjoyed a nice campfire.



He met lots of new friends, many-many Shih Tzu's...Zoe, Roscoe, Reily, Chloe and Bandit. Oh...and though I didn't get a picture of him Tony Romo was camped across from us! He did have a cute little blond with him, but it wasn't Jessica!
Okay...so I'm pullin' your leg but his name was really Tony Romo...he was a 5 month old English Bulldog! Hilarious, he loved coming to visit Rudy and getting me to rub his belly.

I got lots of reading & spinning done but no knitting...yes, you heard me right I didn't knit one single stitch! But I did finish The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks in 2 days, a perfect read for Memorial Day weekend and finished spinning up my ScoutJ fiber from last year. Now I'm trying to decide which of my stash fibers to start spinning next.
Why did it take me so long to finish the spinning...one word--Rudy! When he came to live with us I hadn't pulled out my wheel at all. So I decided to see what his reaction would be before leaving for our trip.

whatchadoinmomma??


It was so funny, he smelled...watched and stuck his nose in the spokes as it was turning -- thump-thump-thump on the nose!



Okay, I think I've gone on long enough with this post...I'll show pics of Friday of my FO spinning!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Dogs on Thursday

Last weekend Rudy went on his very first camping trip, and in one word~

RUDYLOVESCAMPING!

He was the perfect gentleman and little angel...he met lots of friends and experienced things he'd never done before.



This is interesting...


I have my toy basket, my favorite bed...my own tent...



...and Momma & Daddy's camper. Oh yeah!



We checked out the docks I saw fishies in the water...I tried to go in but Momma wouldn't let me.



Then there was this HUGE playground called a "beach" --



Where Momma let me go swimming...



...and play in the sand. I must say it doesn't taste very good at all!


...everyday there was something to do, and I must say this pup was tired!



to the point of total exhaustion! I didn't like sleeping in my crate because I could hear things going on outside..so, I slept with momma & daddy. I think they liked it as much as I did.


When we got home I discovered something I don't like about camping...


...getting a bath!!

Momma...when can we go to this place called camping again?

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

The Weekend

...is finally here! The weather forecast sounds like it's going to be perfect so...







We're taking Rudy on his very first camping trip!! See y'all on Sunday, hope you have a good, relaxing weekend too!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!