Market Day at Birka and Other Meanderings

Reminiscing along the way to Harrisville Designs...

Frost heaves... There are warning signs all over NH in the winter about FROST HEAVES! The most memorable sign is the one on the way to the Dartmouth Skiway. Kathy and I used to speculate wildly about them, in the days before the internet. What is a frost heave and why are they so dangerous? We decided that that frost heaves were little creatures that lived in the forest that looked vaguely gnome like except with hair like frost. They would LEAP out into oncoming traffic and scream HEAVE!!! Then scamper back into the woods, often causing accidents and other mishaps, which is why they need such large warning signs. Then we decided that people with over active imaginations probably shouldn't be allowed out without a keeper. Subsequently, in the internet age we have discovered that frost heaves can cause cracks in the pavement and other irregularities in the road so the signs are there simply to warn motorists to be aware of bumps in the road. How prosaic... It was so much more fun to think there were little frost imps staring at cars and giggling madly as they plotted their next surprise. hee hee.

So... What do you think FROST HEAVES are? Post a comment.

Yes... I actually pulled over to take pictures of the road sign. Completely ignoring the marvelous vista to my left. Hey! after four years in NH and nary a picture of a sign I felt it was time to rectify the situation on this visit.

The really picturesque town of Dublin. It's just shouts NEW ENGLAND! It's so cute. All the time Christina lived in Peterborough and I drove though thinking, next time I will stop for pictures. Well, Christina left NH, and I still didn't have a picture of the place. So I figured, it's now or never!

The town hall

The Yankee Publisher, the original publisher of the Farmer's Almanac

The library. I just love this building! I probably should've peeked inside, oh well.

The church, pretty

Route 101, the road that runs through Dublin. Pretty view off in the distance.

Harrisville Designs
It has a cute little yarn shop. I picked up their rose trellis sweater kit, which I need to start on. Maybe on the trip to Taiwan if I remember to wind up a couple of skeins. I checked out their looms. Interesting... Let's just put that on a wish list if I ever get decide I really really NEED to learn to weave.

Birka
Well it's a large SCA shopping event. Guess what I got? A spindle! from Spanish Peacock, big surprise. It's a bottom whorl with a bead whorl. It's spins really nicely, especially when used supported.
And an obscene number of books and pamphlets from Devra the Baker at Poison Pen Press. But I really wanted SHOES!!! WHERE were the SHOES????

We managed a little Sheep to Shawl team meeting and talked about fiber, fleece, spinning and weaving and figured out some organizational issues.

Then we went to dinner at JD's.

Robin, Tessa, and JoAnna.

There's John, isn't his garb so cool?

Judith and Corwyn

There was dancing afterwards. That's Stan getting ready.

There's Judith again!

More Judith and Stan! Yay!

Then, Tessa and I went back to the hotel to get an early start the next morning.

King Arthur Flour
This is NOT good. It's SNOWING!! Oh well, we get dressed and have breakfast. And head off for Norwich Vermont and King Arthur Flour!! Oh!!! Shiny! Guess who we see there? That's right! John and JoAnna! JoAnna is working on her SECOND shopping cart. I pick up various odds and ends as well as a SCALE for my fiber! Yay! Then we go back across the river to Hanover and I pick up a bumper sticker as a sweatshirt as well as CRULLERS from Lou's!! Yummy. HA!! I have to put at LEAST one bumper sticker on the car, after Grace has festooned it with Princeton stickers. I mean really!

Then we head back home.

Tired.... Must sleep....
Had a blast but it's good to be home with Tiggy the Psycho Cat.