knit nutt: Market Day

Mum and I enjoy each other's company so so very much, and have such a lovely time whenever we can spend the day together - I'm lucky enough to have this joy with both my parents - I'm such very good friends with them and love them so dearly!

So this weekend just passed Mum and I leapt at the opportunity to attend the markets together, held up in the fresh, crisp air and stunning surrounds of the hills nearby - bliss!

We had a glorious time strolling through the rows and rows of stalls, admiring various wares, sampling goods and chatting with the vendors.

This photo was taken from the vantage point at our tea-break venue in an upstairs cafe! After all that strolling about we certainly needed some nourishment!

We discovered all sorts of fabulous delights amongst the stalls;

wooden beads,

Hundertwasser meets Dr Suess style earrings and ring combo,

African tasty treats, hot wheat pack, British lollies, unprocessed bee pollen!!

And perhaps my personal favourite of the day... My awesome Mushies!!

I'd seen these fantastical colourful mushrooms when we were up at the markets some months ago, and when we headed up this weekend they were foremost in my mind as something I must seek out and perhaps take home with me! The lady who makes them moulds the tops from concrete, using electrical conduit for the 'shroom talks, and sprays the phenomenal colours on with a UV protector to ensure the 'shrooms stay perky and bright =D I. LOVE. THEM!! In the rainy weather they looks REAL with glistening raindrops sparkling from their glossy tops :) Makes me feel as though I'm living in a faery wonderland =)

When we passed by a stall selling alpaca fibre and knitted goodies made from handspun alpaca yarn, we got to chatting with the stall owners who are alpaca breeders! From our indepth discussion of the spinning and preparing of fleece, to the names, ages and gestation periods of the alpacas we got to talking of purchasing alpacas and keeping them on the seller's property on adjistment! HOW EXCITING! What a prospect!! When I told skoot of this exciting and promising possibility he was equally thrilled! Now we don't have to wait til we have our property - we can start building up a herd of 'pacas right now!! Well.. not right now.. but when funds are plentiful enough - and at least they don't have to be SUPER plentiful to buy and keep an alpaca on adjistment :) The major benefit of this scheme is also that we will learn so much from the alpaca station owners. Instead of jumping in the deep end with our own alpaca and property from scratch, we will learn the tricks of the trade under experienced mentorship - and you've gotta be happy with that!!

Of course I had to sample some of the yummy soft and fluffy fleece... didn't I? *grin* As you can see Chilli is a big fan of anything fleecey too! I have definite plans for these baggies of deliciousness! Mark my words!

Such ingenius and creative handicrafts are on display every way you look, I couldn't resist these teeny little wire insects - three little ants! So sweet! And a dragon fly for Mum :)