leaf peepin'

...and campin', hikin' and rhinebeckin'.

Our weekend in the Catskills was amazing, the leaves were at their peak and indescribably beautiful! It was of course, FREEZING, but still very very fun. Emily, Pat, Lisa and Kane were brave enough to face the cold with us. We did all the typical car camping activities: eating, taking walks to the lake, eating, drinking, eating a little more and a LOT of keeping warm by the fire. Despite the cold, the location was idyllic, and Ollie was the consummate car camping chef, keeping our tummies very full!

We hiked the short, steep trail up to Kaaterskill Falls; apparently New York State's highest falls?! Having been to Niagara about one bazillion times, including a few times in January, I'da toldya that Niagara was definitely higher, but I think the sheer volume skews one's perspective. The firepole of a hike up Kaaterskill was pretty steep so I'll take New York's word for it.

Kane was pretty beat after our day of playing at the falls.

Sunday we split up and Ollie, Emily and I headed to Rhinebeck for some yarn shopping, punkin chuckin, and sheep dog trials. We had a great time, made some new friends, (hi danielle!) and even had a celebrity sighting. You know, US Weekly is right, celebrities are just like us!

They pump their own gas! They go to sheep and wool festivals!

I wasn't stealthy enough to capture this shot, but I found it on Flickr, and Alex was kind enough to let me share it with you all! Little Ramona looks just like Peter, and was the cutest thing EVAR!

I think our trip to MA Sheep and Wool and WEBS satiated my yarn needs for a while, because I only whipped out the wallet once, for this lovely worsted weight tweed from Oasis Farm Fiber Mill.

I'm thinking I'll use it for the Central Park Hoodie that's been in my queue forEVER now, and use the debbie bliss casharan to make myself a grown-ass woman sweater ala Flintknits! Oasis also had the most vibrantly colored fingering weight, I picked up a green skein. I was tempted by their beautiful angora sock kits, but held off as I thought of my overflowing sockyarn stash at home. Maybe next year I'll pick some up, because WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING BACK (freezing camping trip and all), it was so much fun.