What’s soaking in the sink, you asked?

Wool, of course!

We’ve been walking along through fields and along shrubberies, where small herds of sheep dotted the landscape. Lots of new lambs (maybe 1-2 months old?) The sheep generally move away from us as we near them. They seem used to visitors but also protective of their new offspring.

As we walk along, we occasionally see tufts of white gleaming in the grass or lengths of it hanging from bushes, trees and fences. The tufts are wool, left behind by sheep rolling or scratching or rubbing themselves against something. I picked some up the first afternoon I was here, when I went on my wander through the town of Chipping Campden. I was very excited by my first glimpse of sheep and my first wool tuft discovery.
Soon enough, I learned that there would be plenty of both as we walked along. I was picking up wool here and there. Then, my helpful co-travelers began finding and collecting tufts for me! Soon I had about a gallon-sized zip lock bag full of wool by the end of the day. I’ve been washing it in the sink at night. Co-traveler Cyndy picked up a couple combs for me at the pharmacy on a morning she couldn’t walk due to a sore knee. (she also picked up a pair of walking sticks or “points” for me, but that’s another story altogether.) Our second night in Broadway, I was able to sit at our evening knit session and comb out a bit of wool in preparation for spinning it into yarn. Now I’m sorry I didn’t bring my spindle. But who knew there’d be tufts of wool hanging from trees all along our walking route? Not me! I’ve never been near sheep unless they were on display at a state fair or fiber festival. Had absolutely no idea.

I’ve been looking left and right, far and near for signs of Cotswold sheep. Not sheep in the Cotswolds. Plenty of those. But I’ve been looking for the Cotswold breed of sheep. None to be found. And the ladies ask me what kind of sheep these are, that we’re walking right by. I have no idea. Have to do some research when I have time.

Anyway, planning to spin this up and include it in some sweater or hat or something. Perhaps a sheep motif?