Off to the Last Shepherd's Market

That's right, I said "Last."  There was a sign on the door announcing the 21st Annual (and Last) Door County Shepherd's Market.  *sigh*  I'll admit that I haven't gone every year but I like the idea that the vendors live within about an hour's drive of my house and me buying something makes a difference in their lives.  I went there to meet Judy who raises mohair goats looking for more of the same color locks I bought from her a couple years ago for a shawl I have OTN because I'm determined to clean up my UFOs and I wasn't sure I had enough.  I'd kept her card in the bag with the yarn and locks and called her on Friday to discover she's no longer vending but she said she'd be up there selling raffle tickets yesterday and she'd bring the locks she had left and was willing to sell.  We talked about the color I was looking for and I told Durwood I was driving away for an afternoon in Door County.  I got there just after noon and it wasn't very busy--far fewer cars and fewer vendors--but the wares were just as appealing and irresistible.

My first stop was at the desk where Judy was selling raffle tickets, she had locks that matched well enough so we struck a deal.  Well, I paid what she asked, so that worked.  Then I wandered around "just to look" because it's polite to look around when people are selling stuff they'd made.  I found more things to buy.  Of course, I did.  After swearing that I don't like dyed locks, I bought a 3 oz. bag of them for nine bucks.  They're a little matted together but I have an idea about how to use them in a project.  Then on a bottom shelf of a rack in the same booth was this huge skein (495 yards) of fingering weight undyed wool for less than $22 from a variety of sheep called Jacob ( I thought the sheep's name was Jacob but it's a kind of sheep) and right next to it was this 150 yard skein of DK Romney for under ten bucks.  I had to buy them.  I'm thinking I'll put all three of those items together to make something interesting for next year's Design-A-Thon, and maybe I'll even get on it right now so that I'm not scrambling around like a crazed weasel right before the due date.

In other news my ankle is feeling a lot better much faster than I thought it would and I owe it all to Durwood's brilliant Ace bandage wrapping skills.  My advice?  Marry an Eagle Scout.  He can save your bacon a bazillion times over the years, and even cook it too.  And he's so darned cute.  It's a win-win.  I recommend it.

May 17--Ron Sanford & Mike Agliolo, Flat Maps and Globes.  "I miss maps," Therese said fiddling on the touch screen of her phone.  "I was sure I programmed in the route last night."  She frowned at the screen, then swiped her finger across it to start again.  "Does that phone have Siri?" Len asked.  She shook her head.  "Nope.  This is a Windows phone, it has someone called Cortana and I'm not at all sure how she works."  She looked out the window at the desolate landscape.  "Can't we just stop somewhere to ask directions?"  "Sure we can," he said waving at the windshield, "any one of these rocks or trees should be able to help."  She went back to poking at her phone's screen.  It was going to be a long day.

I'm excited.  DS is taking me to lunch today as my Mother's Day gift and we're going to Kroll's.  That may or may not be the best idea since the PA of the Cellcom Marathon kickoff at Lambeau Field woke me at 6:30 this morning and Kroll's is right across the road from where the race starts and ends.  We might have to change venues but maybe most of the people will have run and gone home by then.  Maybe.  Or maybe we can just creep up on the restaurant from the back.  It pays to know your town and be well-versed in avoiding Packer game traffic.  I'll report.  There may be a photo of a Kroll's burger tomorrow.
--Barbara