baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?

The Gore Place Annual Peesh-shearing Festival


so much to do!!!


the fest-goers


a shearer's gear: rubber boot, jug of hazy water, wooden box of stuff
(there was an electric shearing booth too, but I was impressed with the manual old-school shearer)

next up! (notice the little lambie-pie leaping out of the way in front! "not me!")

shearing can be awkward.

a white sheep is under that winter gray! The black sheep get dirty and bleached out so they look auburn until sheared. The shearer was extra careful around the eyes.

free at last.

this is the kilt-maker. There was a whole booth where you could look up your clan's colors and order kilts and any other scottish things you need.

one period woman (not pictured here) was dissimulating talking on her cell phone by holding it in a handkerchief and walking to a secluded place under the trees.

dancers with jingle bells tied to their shins

the brigade volley. we were eating our lunch and the first one caught us by surprise.

these sheepdogs were young and some were rather inexperienced, so there was room for improvement, but it was still fun to watch. There were about 5 dogs. They lie on the grass when it's not their turn or when they need to be less intimidating to the sheep. It reminded me of Babe. what a nice young pig.

"That'll do." That's when the sheepdogs know they are done working. They play as hard as they work! I don't think the sheep and goats ever get to rest. They looked pretty nervous whether the dogs were "turned on or turned off" (on or off duty).


What a great festival!! I highly recommend it to anyone around Waltham in the spring. After the fest, we went over to our friend Cheryl's and played Just Dance on the wii. What a great game! If I play it more, I will be such a hip dancer. It was the best Saturday ever! What great times with great friends!!