BSG is at least a two-post event. Here is the first. On Saturday I took a class. I sell the Clemes & Clemes blending board but had never watched the expert work with it. Gwen Powell is the person who worked with Henry and Roy Clemes to design and refine their blending board and she taught an all-day class. This was a full class. Everyone brought their wheels in order to spin samples during any down time. Here is one set of rolags made from two boards-full. This is another in which Wensleydale locks are blended into another wool and can be spun with the locks hanging out but well secured.Here are all the rolags I created. A lot of fun spinning coming up! Later that afternoon two friends practiced leading the ram lambs in preparation for the Spinner's Lead contest that evening. This is Cindy and Beth with Nash and Marvin after the competition. They are wearing their handspun, handknit Jacob garments. Here was a huge crowd pleaser. This is Terri Mendenhall with her spotted ram. Take a look at his mane and tail! He carried Merino samples for all in his saddle bags.Thanks to Dona for the two photos above. On Sunday I had free time.

I talked to Terri about sheep coats and came home with a few. I'll experiment with sizes and get a few more. The purpose of these coats is to keep the fleeces clean from vegetable matter and dirt. To coat sheep all year you need at least three sizes so that you can change the coat as the wool grows. I don't know if I'll coat all year or mostly the last half of the year when the grasses get taller and have more impact on the fleeces.

I browsed the Fiber Arts competition.

This is a gorgeous felt in 3-D made by my friend Shannon of Kenleigh Acres. She takes orders for her felt pups but has about a year waiting list.

Here is another felt piece I admired.

This one too. Of course it's not just about felting and there were plenty of knitted pieces as well. I just didn't get any photos.

The Fiber Arts competition is in the vendor hall. It's not hard to find Dona and Mary where there is shopping. That's Kathleen too, talking to Sally Fox in her booth. Other Farm Club members who were at BSG this year were Peggy, Gynna (working at the Clemes & Clemes booth, but took time to help me show), Tina (FC emeritus, now living in Portland), Stephanie (on a post job-quitting tour of the northwest), and Chris (who isn't FC but a friend anyway and my roommate for the week).

This is me with Nash outside the barn. Thanks, Shannon, for the photo.The sheep are released at 4 p.m. on Sunday and my goal is to get on the road as quickly as possible and get out of the mountains before dark. I left the fairgrounds at 4:17. At one of my stops I took a look in the back and thought that maybe I should have bought a coat for Nash. Not looking good. 1599 Bea Here is bide a wee Bea, who just happened to get in the truck with the other sheep when I left. Mavin stayed behind to take her place at the bide a wee farm.It's always good to come around the last mountain in Oregon and see Mt. Shasta. However, the lack of snow on this 14,000+ foot mountain is very discouraging. But that's a thought for another time. It was nice to be with my friends and other sheep enthusiasts and forget the rest of the world's problems for a few days.

Black Sheep Gathering in Oregon is an annual event but I usually get there every other year. When I go I take sheep. Estelle ready for her first road trip. When we get there everyone is ready to get out of the truck. Farm Club members and other friends also drove to BSG. They were always ready to help with the sheep.After the truck ride the sheep need some touching up. They don't get a full bath but we scrub the feet and legs.

The Jacob sheep show was Friday morning. It was a relatively small show this year with three farms represented.Nevertheless, I was pleased to win Champion Jacob ram with my ram lamb, Meridian Nash and... ...Reserve Champion Jacob ewe with my yearling ewe, Meridian Jean.

Black Sheep Gathering is a great place to see a variety of breeds of sheep.My friends tried to talk me into bringing one of these BFL lambs home.

I don't think that this yearling ram would have even fit in my truck.

There are great shopping opportunities in the vendor hall and in the barn. Dona shared her fabulous photos of wares for sale at BSG and the Eugene Farmers' Market in the Meridian Jacobs Ravelry group here. I saw these in the vendor area: By the way, I'm planning my second annual estate sale for sometime in August!Seen in the parking lot.