I had a lovely Facebook-inspired experience yesterday.
A week or so ago, I was looking at the “friends are going to these events” notices on FB and saw there was an alpaca and fleece festival/event happening at the Howard County Fairgrounds, about 20 minutes from my home. I RSVPed, added the event to my calendar and considered it an “I might go” activity. I mean, I do like my wool, I love alpaca and I prefer, when possible, to support local farmers, local artists and local ecosystems. This was a win-win event for me.
The day came, and I did, indeed, go to the “festival,” or perhaps “vending event” might be a better term for it. I found myself a pair of warm fuzzy alpaca wool socks, some alpaca wool fingerless gloves (one can never have too many of these) an alpaca fur scarf and an upcycled decorative (and functional) bowl wrapped beautifully in alpaca yarn.
All good, right?
As I was leaving, I saw someone at a distance. They were talking to another person, and I only saw their back from my position, but I felt drawn to them and started walking toward them. As I got closer I could see part of the face of who this person was talking to.
“Hey, that looks like Jill Craig,” my mind said. “Hey, that IS, Jill Craig … which means … that other person might be Randi Urbanski (the person whose FB post about the event put the festival on my radar).”
We chatted for a bit in the glorious high-60s, sunny weather. They were there with a third person, whom I also knew, and the three of us caught up, talked natural fibers and art, and delighted together in the warm November weather.
Standing in the sun, talking with friends, I was reminded, once again, the pleasures of life are so often found in small moments.
Well, and for me, in fuzzy warm accessories and clothes, too!
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FWIW, if you’ve yet to attend the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival held the first weekend of every May at the Howard County Fairgrounds, consider doing so. It’s the ultimate such event in the region, and some say the country.
