Welcome Fall

Today is the first day of fall. It's about time our weather cools down so that I can ride my bicycle to work after a summer of 52 days of at least 100 degree temperatures. Talk about being robbed of summer, bike rides, tops off of the Jeep and golf...it was just too hot to enjoy much of anything outdoors.

Campmates & Bluegrass

I now have campmates! Angelique drove in from New Mexico and picked up our LYS goddess, Shelly, and they set up camp beside me. To my delight, they brought a stove and "real" food to prepare along with cheese, crackers and wine. We have been living it up.

There are several stages set up on the fairgrounds. We laid out blankets on the hill by Stage 2 and knit the day away while huddled under umbrellas during periods of light rain. Later tonight we set under cover at the grandstand and saw The Wilders perform while down below a group of women danced around in can-can/tutu skirts, cowboy hats and boots while waving around bright glow sticks. It was somewhat magical and they looked liked dancing fairies. Tommy Emmanuel played a mean guitar and my favorite turned out to be Michael Martin Murphey and his cowboy songs. After he performed I got to go up and meet him and get some CD's signed. That was pretty awesome.

Fiber and Inspiration

I met up with Karen and her daughter, Jamie to shop at the arts fair. There were a couple yarn and fiber vendors. Jamie picked out a handspun yarn and Karen went straight to work knitting Jamie a hat. I was low on cash and only purchased some handmade soaps and an event mug. I did see this interesting 14" crocheted doily that a woman used to make a hat. She added feathers and other trinkets to the design and in this kind of hippie festival it looked right a home.

Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival

The Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival in Winfield starts tomorrow so I got my tent set up all by myself (GIRL POWER!) at the far west end of Pecan Grove, right beside the Walnut River and across from the 24 hour west entrance. This campground is where all the "action" takes place outside of the main grandstand where all the big name acts perform. In this area, smaller stages are built for the amateurs to perform as well as gather around and play in their own camp sites. Basically, music is going on all night throughout the area.

My friend Karen was set up in the same area and I got to hang out with her family and see her son, Dylan, perform on Stage 5 with his band, Sizzle Biscuit from McPherson, KS. It's such a good, hippie vibe here in Winfield, KS and I'm enjoying a night to myself in my own tent listening to the sounds of fiddles playing from the campsite next to me.

Small Town Finds

Work meetings had me in the small town of Burlingame today. I got there early so I drove through town (about two blocks) and stopped into the Chicken Coop Antiques shop where I found this precious ceramic spinning wheel night light and colorful southwestern wool blanket. Two great finds in a little small town.

Riverside Park

As we all remember 9/11 on this 10th anniversary, I was feeling a little melancholy. I had a lot of work to do around the house but instead decided to make time to take Molly on her first trip to the park. What better place than Riverside Park to socialize her with other people, children and dogs. She was hesitant around little kids but eventually warmed up to the cutest little boy. Both of them were adorable and made for a joyful way to spend the afternoon and give thanks for the freedoms we have.

Molly at 12 Weeks

So far Molly has a clean bill of health at 11 pounds and her cropped ears have just had the bandages removed this morning. The vet told us that next week we will need to bring her back to get her ears re-wrapped so this weekend she's loose and free.

I've started calling her my Little Gremlin especially when I turned my back for just a minute and found her tearing apart my latest knitting project. At that point I was calling her naughty and a few other choice words but it was salvageable.

12-Hour Jaunt

I had several errands to run in Kansas City so Mom and I headed out at 7 am and got home at 7 pm for a quick 12-hour jaunt for shopping and antiques. We enjoyed the 200 mile drive talking and singing along to the radio. We made a stop at Stuff in Brookside and I got a handmade pair of earrings for a friend and some yarn at The Studio by the Plaza. Then over to the west side of town for the monthly Bottoms Up Antique Market. There was no air conditioning and several of the floors of the old warehouses were almost too hot to think straight let along shop for long but I did find a crochet table runner and adorable gold and crystal night light chandelier just perfect for my sewing room. Dinner and margarita's at Manny's and then over to Cabelas. Going to Cabela's is always an "event" and the place just makes me happy. A very good day of shopping and spending time with my momma.