Fall Outlook

It was great being home this summer, as I could do tons of things with the llamas whenever I wanted!  It won't be nearly as easy this fall now that I'm back in Michigan for school, but I'm going to do my best to keep going with llama shows and fiber events!

First on the calendar is LamaFest, which is this coming weekend!  It is held at the MSU Pavilion: Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday.  I won't be able to actually show a llama this year, but I'll be around Saturday to help with the fiber show and walking fiber.  It's a great show, if you're in the Lansing area you should check it out!

Annie and Ralph at the 2011 LamaFest show.

Next is the Shelby County Pioneer Fair back home in Shelbyville, IN.  It is being held at the fairgrounds in town, Sept. 15-16.  I'll be there (in costume!) spinning on a walking wheel and selling some of my handcrafted fiber items.  There will be lots of things to see and do (hand's on stuff for kids too!), so stop by and say hi!

A example of the handknit items that I will be selling at the Pioneer Fair.  I'll also have handspun yarn and handwoven rugs and scarves.

The next Saturday after that is the Meridian Township Heritage Festival in Okemos, MI.  It's actually a lot like the Pioneer Fair (not quite as cool, but at least they're trying!).  Once again I'll be there spinning (not in 1800s clothing though) and selling fiber items.  The farmer's market is also being held at the same time, so it's a great Saturday event!

My set-up at the Meridian Township Craft Marketplace last summer.

October 13 is the first of two llama shows for the fall (where I actually get to show llamas that is!).  A local 4-H club is putting on a double ILR-SD llama show (halter and performance) in Crawfordsville.  I'm planning on bringing the boys (Ralph and T), as well as debuting Kara in the show ring for the first time!  Hopefully I can find some time to work with her on the obstacle course and get her pack trained...she has a great performance personality!

Let's hope Kara poses this well in her halter class at the shows!

And last but not least is the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, KY, Nov. 2-4. This is one of my all-time favorite llama shows, and I'm so glad I get to go again this year!  It's been at least 6-7 years since I've shown there!  This one's a little more expensive, so I'm just taking Ralph and Kara.  Kara probably won't be as good of a showmanship partner as T would be, but I'd rather show Ralph in open alpaca performance!  Either way it will be a great show!

The last time I took a young cria to show at the NAILE.  This is Autumn Hill's Charity at just over 5 months of age, and she did quite well!  I hope Kara will do just as good!

So that's a bit of what's going on in my neck of the woods this fall...what are your plans?

I also have a lot of fiber projects in mind to work on this fall.  I have at least 3 knitting projects that I need to finish before Christmas, and I have 2 sweaters (one with handspun yarn that also needs to be spun!) that I want to knit!  Plus a big tapestry weaving project that also needs handspun yarn!  I'm going to be busy, but it should be fun!

Two of the "donors" of fur for my tapestry weaving project...it is all natural dog fur!