spinner's meeting and summer in ireland

yesterday the Connacht Textile Crafters had their may meeting - one week early, because the Museum of Country Life invited the group to demonstrate at the Feile na Tuaithe. this is an annual event, where people demonstrate all kinds of crafts, sell their goods, show animals of all kinds etc. it's always well received, esp. as there is no entry fee, which can be quite high, esp. for families with several kids. the one downside of this event is the lack of parking space, but as demonstrators we were allowed to park in the grounds - which was a good thing esp. for those, who brought a spinning wheel, a loom etc.

I got a lift from another member and we left pretty early to make sure to get a parking space. the sun was up, the birds were singing and it was nice to be outside - until about 11, when it became pretty hot (for ireland anyway, I know that other people would smile about our complaints at around 25 deg. C in the shade:)) but we're simply not used to this.... the picture above shows our area at 8.30 in the morning - pity that you can't hear the birds singing - and the cuckoo calling!

of course we didn't only demonstrate (all kinds of textile crafts: knitting, (irish) crochet, patchwork, weaving, embroidery, peg loom weaving, tapestry weaving, rug weaving, spinning, carding...) and show a few finished pieces - we also went out to browse the stalls. plenty to see! one marquee was full of food artisans, anything from homemade breads, jam, honey, organic meets, smoked fish etc. there were two plant suppliers - one of which I was hoping for to find some nice plants for the garden. frogswell nursery offers rarer plants and I bought four, mainly for shady areas.

one of our members, Suzie from Derryaun Crafts had her usual stall again - and I just had to raid it for some gooddies... you might know "fibre greed" - it tends to hit me when I see nice colours!

those bags in the background are filled with merino or corriedale. I just couldn't resist the gorgeous colours, though I haven't planned anything in particular for them - yet. but the project for the next Knitting & Stitching Shows is "Blue" - so I thought it might be a good idea to stock up on those (well, ok, there are others in the bags, too:)). not all of the fibres are from this stall though - Susan, who gave me the lift, went to Wonderwool Wales a short while ago and managed to find a few bags at the show: 400 g of Jacobs top "humbug", 100 g of RPB (recycled plastic bottles) - and 300 g honey coloured (not dyed!) mohair top. and one Schoppel Zauberball in blue... I also found two bracelet bases in metal, which can be decorated in all kinds of ways - I saw some examples that were covered with sari silk or narrow fabric strips. but it could be felt or bobbin lace as well....

I enjoyed the day, but was quite glad to be home again afterwards - it was very humid and warm, which I don't really like (did I mention this before?). I took it easy today, because it was even warmer, but from tomorrow onwards the very warm spell will be finished again. good thing too, I just can't face gardening work in this heat, esp. not in the veggie plot in the full sun! I know, I am a sun wimp:))

oh, I nearly forgot our new family member! they had a lovely pygmy goat on show, but unfortuntely I couldn't take it - might go haywire with our plantings! I did however take home another animal  - not named yet, any ideas? his perch looks rather precarious - but I like frogs and couldn't resist this one. Suzie makes glass beads and ornaments and offered very cute animals and figurines on wires - which can be put into pots or plant boxes as decoration.

I did go for a browse in the garden earlier this evening - plenty of columbines in all colours, the lilies-of-the-valley in full flower, the oriental poppies have fat buds already - and the clematis is doing its best to cover the old gate:

and this is another highlight, for me at least. it's a peony, which took 4 years to establish well enough to flower. last year it had 3 or 4 buds, but they didn't open. this year I stopped counting at around 14 or 15 of them - and all opened! they don't last very long - but I just love the colour. the trouble is - I will have to move it, when we're digging the pond - or maybe I'll manage to work around it, otherwise it will pout again and sit in the ground for years without flowers. primadonna in the garden:))