Crazy Weather

Is this weather crazy, or what? It's the end of November! One day it will be nasty and cold, windy and raining. The next, it is absolutely beautiful and warm. Lilacs are budding. The crocuses I planted are sending up shoots. What are these things going to do next spring?


Yesterday it was so beautiful that my daughter suggested we ride down to the alpaca farm again. I wanted to buy something at their gift shop for my oldest daughter's birthday, which falls on December 30th. Who knows what kind of weather we may be having next month? So that's where we went. We were told the alpacas have been inside the barn for a few days in the past week. But on Sunday they were all grazing very happily in the meadows.


There was a slight chill in the air, and one of the babies (called crias) was wearing a warm jacket. This picture is my daughter's. The cria looks like a skinny little thing. No wonder she needed the warmth. I love her white face in contrast to the brown body.



Here's one of the males. They are kept in separate pastures - and in separate sections of the barn as well. The males are over-amorous, and the farm would be overrun with offspring if they were allowed to fraternize with the females.

I see this one has the white face too. Maybe he is the papa to that little one.

There were lots of visitors, and the gift shop was full when I got there. I knew what I wanted, and went straight for it. That is the kind of place in which I don't dare look around too much. I want everything in sight. The alpaca products are so beautifully made, I'm always tempted. And they have toys and Christmas ornaments as well as clothing.

We had a very enjoyable afternoon.

Alpaca Farm

I haven't been going out and about very much lately, and really wasn't feeling too well for a couple of days. But on Saturday, it started as such a pretty day, I really couldn't resist taking a ride. I headed out, intending to make the usual rounds of West Cape May and Cape May Point, but as I crossed the bridge I suddenly remembered the Alpaca Farm, so at the foot of the bridge on the West Cape May side, I turned down New England Road.


Lisa had told me about the farm quite a while ago. In fact, I believe she posted about it after her first visit. Her pictures were great. I had scouted it out to learn just where it is, but that was a week day, and it is only open to the public on weekends.


I wish I'd had this picture a week ago, when Carmi's subject for Thematic Photographic was "signs". Bet not many of you have seen this sign before. There's a long, lovely one-car-wide lane leading back from New England Road to the gorgeous house. I was a little hesitant to stop in front of it, thinking I might have made a mistake. This didn't look like any farmhouse I'd ever seen.


But a gentleman popped out of the front door. He had seen me coming, and waved me in. He explained that their store was around back. They sell fleece and yarn and items made of alpaca. He went on to say that I could cross the fields to the barn, off to the side. That's what I wanted to see.


The distance to the barn and pens was rather daunting for me and my cane. The rolling walker would have been useless on this terrain. But I took my time, and I made it just in time to see the alpacas prancing out of the barn into the morning sunshine. What a delight!


At first they seemed a bit shy, but as I stood there, I spoke to these sweet animals, and they began to come over to me.


I found this guy pretty comical. He stared at me for quite a while. I'm not sure what he expected of me, or if he just found me as fascinating as I found him.




I really enjoyed my brief visit, but soon became very tired, standing there. I had intended to take a look into the store, but it was not to be on this visit. I found my way back to the car, and headed home again. I will most certainly return when I can.


Thanks, Lisa, for telling me about the farm, and making me want to see it for myself after viewing your photos. Next time my grandson comes to see me, if it's good weather, that's where we're going first.