Ale and Alpacas!

We are presently in Hill Country Texas and I was unaware until we arrived in the area what a tradition of yarn production they have here.Since the late 1800's in fact, unfortunately like in the UK it is in decline. Merino sheep and Angora goats were once a huge business but today the flece are shipped away for spining and the herds are in decline due to the fact that imported yarn is so much cheaper. What a shame.... I had a long conversation with the propriator of the LYS and to show solidarity bought two hanks of merino wool from her own sheep (it is shipped away for spining and then returned to her to sell)  we decided there needs to be a revolution, both here and in the UK. It is madness that the product is not processed here, that the two wool warehouses lie idle apart from shearing time when they are sending the local produce to Russia, the middle east or Mexico to be sold back to us.

OK rant over!

Yarn store had loads of lovely colours, not so many hand spun/ dyed as I expected. The two hanks I purchased cost $30 plus tax so not cheap, they are to be stashed for use in my travel project.

I also discovered that the area has lots of alpaca farms, these creature look so cute and are supposedly very friendly, not sure if we might get to go to one of the farms for a look around, I would love to. They dont sell the yarn here though.... I find it very fraustrating!

After patiently accompanying me to the LYS we found the local micro brewerey for Dad to have a couple of pints of local ale ( I drank wine this time, I know how to hold that glass properly. It was Texas wine) I think this could be a good ploy but I realise that next time we should go to the brewery first .........