Sheep Dog Trials

Did you know that there are sheepdog trials in America? No, neither did I. I forgot my camera that day and will kick myself forever for it but those memories will stay forever. This was one of the most beautiful settings I have ever seen and will serve as a backdrop in my mind for decades. The only thing I can compare it to is the movie 'Babe.' Even Bryn asked where Hogget the farmer was:)
We saw a flier for a wool and fiber show in our town, so of course I wanted to go. This had been the 109th year of the show. It was a beautiful spring Saturday morning and we pulled into a winding little road that lead us down to a parking area nestled in the woods and green grass. As soon as we got out of the car we were inundated by fresh scents that only spring can bring. There were sheepdogs running around and playing and two Oxen were getting ready to pull a cart of hay for kids to ride on. We wandered even further nearer to the barns and were absolutely taken back in place and tim. We were met by men and women of the earth. Truly of the earth. They were hearty and used looms and knitted sweaters, made soaps, raised sheep, grew herbs. They made me wonder what another kind of life could be like. The kind of life I had in no way thought about living before. These people lived on farms and took nature in everyday. Using every natural resource they could. After wandering through these barns and watching a sheep shaving we moseyed on over to the sheepdog trial field and found the most idyllic setting I have ever seen. Behind the fencing that was set up were the most gorgeous rolling hills in the early morning light, there was almost an ethereal dampness in the air that cast a heavenly light down on these sheepdogs that were chasing these sheep into their pens. I will never forget it. When we left we took with us two bars goatsmilk soap, a ball of alpaca yarn for a friend, and two books; One about farm keeping and one incredibly old book about beekeeping. I had to have something physical to remember the perfection of that day.