Here in Eugene, Oregon, The Black Sheep Gathering is more than just a fiber lover’s extravaganza. It is a place to meet new folks and make friends. Last weekend I walked through the barns and took in the warm and lovely smell of wool and lanolin, and of the fresh straw bedding.
Here is where you can make some fuzzy friends. Some can be shy, but others are inquisitive, ready to lick your camera lens. Maybe even eat it if they had the chance.
Lost in nostalgia, before you know it, you have fallen in love. You foolishly ask yourself if you could raise a goat or a small herd of sheep.
I decide that I will just appreciate the chance to be with these precious souls for one weekend in the year.
Friends come in all different shapes and sizes and colors here at The Gathering. And we always hate to say goodbye.
New friends, thanks for letting us pet you, and interrupt your nap times, and act like the paparazzi with our flash cameras. You were very gracious.
Thanks for checking out my little photo essay today ~ Karen
primitivespirit 
Thanks, Karen for letting us tag along with you to the Gathering. So many sheep, they are like people, each one a different personality.
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jean, you are so right, they are all full of personality and attitude!
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What a beautiful way to help me start my Monday. I never tire of looking at sheep and they are so much fun to photograph.
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tammy, yes i agree, they can be very photogenic!
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loved all your pictures of your lamb trip would love to cuddle with each of them. why do they have the covers on them? thanks for sharing.
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linda, the coats keep their fleeces clean and protected. otherwise they would be full of grass and other things that would be impossible to remove completely during fiber processing.
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What a good Monday Morning! I truly enjoyed your trip to the black sheep gathering. Their little faces were so precious. To think, they make it possible for us to Stash all that wool. Amazing. Thank you for sharing Karen. Gloria
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gloria, it almost seems like a miracle that those wooly animals are the “before” and the lacey shawls and the hooked rugs are the “after”! thanks for commenting.
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Love the black and white rendition. What a way to start off a Monday morning…….happy eyes, furry faces and a cute furry black butt! Just color me happy!
Pat in VA………we have POWER!!!!
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thanks for posting, pat, we are so thankful that you are safe and sound and have your power back!!!
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Thanks so much for sharing your fun at the sheep and goat festival….a great chance to pay tribute to the lads and lasses who make our art possible!
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yes, it is nice to meet the faces behind the fiber. they are peaceful, gentle, and seem happy!
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What adorable creatures! Quilting is big in my area, but rug hooking is not. I’m not sure why, but that needs to change! I actually have room for a few goats and am considering it! The sheep are my favorites, but I think they are much higher maintenance than goats! Love those faces! Thanks for sharing!
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i enjoyed your comment! yes, rug hooking is a lesser known craft in many places. and i hope you do change that! so you are considering goats? they are such characters! i love the pygmy goats!
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What a joy to start my week!! I loved seeing those sweet faces!! We too have said the same thing about getting some sheep but then decide quickly, to just enjoy looking at them!!! Thanks Karen for a neat post! Have a great week!!
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diane, i always wished to live near a farm, so that i could wander over and enjoy the animals and smells, but not have to be the caretaker! living near the fairgrounds is almost as nice. thanks for being a part of my week!
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Love the black and white photos.
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thank you. removing the distraction of color seemed to focus attention more on the cast of characters.
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I sometimes wonder, if in another life, I would like to raise sheep and goats, or maybe have just have a few for pets. I wouldn’t have dreamed of being so intrigued by these creatures 20 years ago. What really interested me then and now are the herding dogs. Every year at the area fair they have herding dog competitions where they blow whistles and the dogs herd sheep around the arena. It’s just fascinating the way the dogs are so intent on doing their job! And, the dogs are just gorgeous! Oh, I made it to St. Louis and the Skiff design factory…. Wow and Wow! I bought a sweater and a tunic. I really like the free form sort of knitting that the sweater is done in. It makes me reconsider how I put things together, and the possibility of creating my own knitting pattern for a possible sweater. They make it look so easy. Well…. that’s a project for when the weather cools down quite a bit!
Have a lovely 4th!
Dulcy
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