What a Day!

Yesterday I joined a group of folks from the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival  to represent our upcoming event at the Lexington Celtic Festival and St. Patrick's parade.   As soon as we were set up we were flooded with people, to see the sheep and watch us spin.  People are fascinated with spinning, and both adults and kids will ask all sorts of questions.  Well, the watching part didn't last long at all, because kids today aren't shy.  "Can I try it?"  I wasn't about to say no, because these are the spinners of the future!!!  I let one kid have my seat, showed them how it's done, then looked to my right, and there was a line of kids waiting to learn!!  Who's going to dampen that kind of enthusiasm, but the line never seemed to end, and after an hour or two, was I ever tired! 

Blessedly, the parade started, and I was able to take a break to watch it. 

people gathering to watch the parade

I had my camera, but I forgot to start taking pictures until the parade was well underway.   I missed the getting a shot of the Grand Marshall in full coaching attire atop a gorgeous coach pulled by two Hanoverian horses. 

It was fun, very small-town, (one of the things I like so much about living in Lexington, a big city with a small-town feel)  with dressed up kids on on bikes, antique cars,  some local businesses, the Knights of Columbus - it really took me back to parades in my own small hometown. 

I thought about taking one or two of my bunnies, but decided against it, and I'm glad I did.   Between the bagpipes, drum and pipe bands, many groups of Irish dancers, some 'Celtic Women' wannabes (who were actually very good) and a rockin' Irish band, it was very LOUD.

I taught spinning to some more kids after the parade, but not as many.  We had several Irish folk stop by.  One fella from County Down said he had "sheared lots o' sheep" but never knew "what they bloody did with the stuff."  We have lots of Irish people in the area.  Many come to work on the horse farms.   Once they finish their University degree, they come to do their internships here before going back to manage horse operations at home. 

It was easy to get caught up in the festivities.  At one point Sara took her biggest sheep  - Ewen McTeagle - across the street and straight in to McCarthy's bar.  Hysterical.  Masses of cell phones were whipped out to take pictures, but they didn't even get a free beer for it!   When hunger called me, I had some really good fish and chips (with malt vinegar, of course) washed down with a Guinness.   Those who know me will be surprised, because they know I really don't like beer - but this was different.

It was a long day, and though the party was still going strong, we loaded up after dark, and everyone was bushed - both people and animals.  We handed out lots and lots of advertisement cards for the Festival, and overall it was a good day. 

By the end of the day, eveyone was tired, including Miss Iris and Keebler