So this is when it all began. The year that my friend Kami Noyes of Ranching Tradition Fiber and I rode the crazy train down the tracks to our first fiber festival in Whitehall Montana.
From my seat tonight, reflecting back four years ago, I remember it was a hot weekend and it was a horrible fire season summer. I felt so awed by not only all the Montana based fiber artists that signed up to be vendors, teachers and students but the number of out of state vendors and students too. I had just started to venture out of state for shows myself and knew the cost and challenge of traveling, reservations, taking time off work, etc. But we had people from Minnesota and Iowa coming, plus Canada. It blew my mind!
In these years following, Kami and I continue to ride this crazy train and are slowly working our way up to the conductors car. Sometimes I think we hold our family hostage on the train too, maybe hidden away in the caboose, but they continue to love and support us in this endeavor.
Here is a short picture tribute of that first year that seems so long ago.