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Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair
Jun. 25th, 2011 09:56 pmI wasn't going this year. The venue is very hard on my ears, the whole atmosphere doesn't much suit me. There seemed to be enough volunteers to cover it, and on Sunday it conflicts with the Petersen Farm historic recreation which I've done every year since it began.
However, Gary and Rob were invited to perform at Midwest on Saturday afternoon, and I abandoned my intention to stay home and work to go with them and help lug their stuff. (No, not giant stacks of speakers, just acoustic instruments and music.) Within 20 minutes of my arrival, I was also roped into demonstrating and minding the spinners' booth after all, because there was only one person there and she was signed up for a class. Consequently, I spent the afternoon at Midwest anyway. Much the same reaction as last year. The vendors didn't excite me except for one woman who did paintings, or rather painted cartoons, of sheep in ridiculous situations and usually with names built on puns. I like puns. These were funny. Fortunately for me, even the prints were well outside my budget, but she seemed to be selling them when many other booths were growing cobwebs. Lots of people looking, not many buying. It's the economy, I think, regardless of the lies coming out of Washington and the NY economists' mouths.
The building is a huge pole barn, and though it is air conditioned and acoustically padded, it has a constant pressure of white noise that makes my ears unhappy. When we left I felt much the way I used to feel after getting off an airplane. That is, ears depressurized and just on the point of pain, accompanied by a great relief at the sudden open air and reduction in background noise count. I absolutely hate airplanes. And now I absolutely hate that exhibit hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
And tomorrow is Petersen Farm from 10 am to 4 pm. Historic dress, check (linen pants, handwoven shirt, straw hat;) spinning tools and wool for demonstration, check; enthusiasm low. It starts to look as if I'll be the only one there for the spinners. Fortunately we are always next to the weavers who have a better turnout, and I'm a member of the weavers too. Weather looked unpromising as of this morning, I haven't checked again. My tools are probably still in the basket from Colonel Palmer or Potter or whoever it was back the first weekend of the month, but I need to check the spinning wheel and make sure I pack wool or cotton to spin on it.
My dog Simon is not doing well at all. He's 15 and a half years old, and we've known he has an untreatable cancer for two years now. Mostly he's been getting along all right, moving slower but still eager for attention and food. But he has been sleeping more and more hours of the day, and often so deeply that he is difficult to awaken. Then he is confused and disoriented. Today he is refusing food, which is never a good sign. I suspect that the mental confusion and heavy sleep are signs of kidney failure. The lack of appetite may well indicate intestinal obstruction or internal bleeding. If he remains unimproved by Monday, I'm afraid this is it. :(
However, Gary and Rob were invited to perform at Midwest on Saturday afternoon, and I abandoned my intention to stay home and work to go with them and help lug their stuff. (No, not giant stacks of speakers, just acoustic instruments and music.) Within 20 minutes of my arrival, I was also roped into demonstrating and minding the spinners' booth after all, because there was only one person there and she was signed up for a class. Consequently, I spent the afternoon at Midwest anyway. Much the same reaction as last year. The vendors didn't excite me except for one woman who did paintings, or rather painted cartoons, of sheep in ridiculous situations and usually with names built on puns. I like puns. These were funny. Fortunately for me, even the prints were well outside my budget, but she seemed to be selling them when many other booths were growing cobwebs. Lots of people looking, not many buying. It's the economy, I think, regardless of the lies coming out of Washington and the NY economists' mouths.
The building is a huge pole barn, and though it is air conditioned and acoustically padded, it has a constant pressure of white noise that makes my ears unhappy. When we left I felt much the way I used to feel after getting off an airplane. That is, ears depressurized and just on the point of pain, accompanied by a great relief at the sudden open air and reduction in background noise count. I absolutely hate airplanes. And now I absolutely hate that exhibit hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
And tomorrow is Petersen Farm from 10 am to 4 pm. Historic dress, check (linen pants, handwoven shirt, straw hat;) spinning tools and wool for demonstration, check; enthusiasm low. It starts to look as if I'll be the only one there for the spinners. Fortunately we are always next to the weavers who have a better turnout, and I'm a member of the weavers too. Weather looked unpromising as of this morning, I haven't checked again. My tools are probably still in the basket from Colonel Palmer or Potter or whoever it was back the first weekend of the month, but I need to check the spinning wheel and make sure I pack wool or cotton to spin on it.
My dog Simon is not doing well at all. He's 15 and a half years old, and we've known he has an untreatable cancer for two years now. Mostly he's been getting along all right, moving slower but still eager for attention and food. But he has been sleeping more and more hours of the day, and often so deeply that he is difficult to awaken. Then he is confused and disoriented. Today he is refusing food, which is never a good sign. I suspect that the mental confusion and heavy sleep are signs of kidney failure. The lack of appetite may well indicate intestinal obstruction or internal bleeding. If he remains unimproved by Monday, I'm afraid this is it. :(
