Sheep in the City

Today I played hooky from work this morning and headed down to midtown.  To see some sheep.

Normally there aren't any sheep in midtown, but the Campaign for Wool was having an event, so they shipped in some sheep from way upstate, along with some yarn art, displays about wool and how using wool is a much better environmental choice than say - plastic.

The entrances were flanked by these cute sculptures of sheep in dyed fleeces.  And since the whole thing was started by Prince Charles, they had some mannikins dressed up in English military outfits.  Made from wool, of course.

This little sheep was all about promoting the English roots of the wool event.  He even brought along his umbrella.  I had to laugh!

No wool event these days is complete without a "yarn bombing".  That's where they take an object and coat it in yarn.  They took it one step further in the fountain, though.  They made water out of yarn.

Well, actually it was roving - unspun fibers.  But I think it really gave the artist the ability to show a lot of movement in the wooly water.

I just loved the colors though.  I could definitely make a nice pair of mittens out of that mossy green, or a sweater out of the grey...  But I'm here to see the sheep!

They had 2 types of sheep - the Katahdins still have their fleece on.

They were all about eating the hay that the farmer put out for them.  Well, eating the hay and staying away from all of the people that were right up against the glass fencing.

I was sitting back, enjoying my coffee and knitting, of course.

This must have come from that guy over on the right.  The color sort of matches, don't you think?

The sheep came from a farm pretty close to where our bucolic manor is.  Just down the road aways.  I was happy that they didn't have to take the train down to the city.  That would have made for one smelly ride.  Bryant Park had their own guy acting as the shepherd - he was shepherding the people from leaning on the fence.  The sheep totally behaved themselves, though.

That is, until Dog-Z came by.  Dog-Z is a chow that lives in the area.  His owner had no idea that there were sheep in Bryant Park - until Dog-Z pulled him at a full run right up to the fence.  At that point, the owner lost the leash and Dog-Z was on his own.  Fortunately for the sheep, Dog-Z really had no idea what to make of them.  They stared at each other through the plexiglas - sizing each other up.  And then I noticed...

Look closely - that Katahdin is sticking it's tongue out at the chow!  That's one tough talking country sheep.

The 2nd type of sheep were the Southdowns.  Unfortunately for them, they had recently been sheared.  Alone, bald and ostracized by the Katahdins, they hung out around the outside of the pen.  The joke is on the Katahdins.  They're bred for meat - the Southdowns are bred for wool.

Overall it was a wonderful way to spend the morning.  I felt as if my two lives were colliding!  Sheep in Bryant Park, right!?

But all good things must come to and end - so off to the subway and back to the office.  I'll see the sheep again when I get home tonight.