A day in the country with the Llamas

There’s just something about old barns when they’re restored and well kept. Isn’t this one pretty?    

Guess what the wreath is made of……llama hair…well, fiber or fleece is the preferred word.
Last Saturday was such a beautiful sunny day, so we decided to take a ride in the country to visit the llamas and alpacas.

What a beautiful serene place. The llamas were wonderful. I could have stayed there forever!  They were so cute and friendly and didn’t spit once.

What a cutie with his mop top, flirting with me and so tame, just hamming it up for the camera.
Warning, there are lots of pictures of llamas coming. I ♥ llamas and alpacas.

Because they’re surefooted and can carry heavy loads, they’ve been used as pack animals for thousands of years.   This one was suited up and  willing to be led around the field by anyone, even me.
Looks like they’re having a conversation…..another crazy human with a camera, will it ever end…….


I couldn’t tell which was a llama or an alpaca. They’re both related to camels but the llama is bigger.  Alpacas produce one of the most luxurious natural fibers that comes in more than 20 basic colors, more than any fiber producing animal. Yeah I learned that there and lots of other interesting facts!

You can  walk out in the field with them and get really close but look out for the llama beans! Get it ...llama beans...lol

This  soft, soft tapestry was made of alpaca fiber.
 

In the barn, perched beside an alpaca Santa, the resident barn cat was the official greeter and several vendors were selling products produced from the fiber and other various llama related items.
We left with this little basket of fiber, a gift from the llamas and alpacas.  It’s so soft and smells good too.


The owners of this farm were hosting an open house last weekend, but they allow visitors anytime for outings on the property and are always willing to share their knowledge and the farm with visitors.
Guess I’m a farm gal at heart, I could wear old jeans and muddy shoes and never dress up again, spending my days with the llamas. If you ever get a chance to meet one up close you won’t be disappointed. 

There is still time to enter the GiveAWay,   2 posts below. 

A Reader’s Before and After

It’s heart warming to think that something you did encouraged another to try something new and just go for it! After posting about my kitchen island makeover I received this from a reader, Cheryl. It makes blogging very rewarding. Thank you!
LOVE your blog!  You have so many wonderful ideas and your projects give me the confidence I need to DO some if it!  Thank you for that! 
My daughter lives in Phoenix and she's been wanting to redo her kitchen.  She has now completed the arduous task of painting her blah honey oak cabinets all white...and it looks marvelous.  I'm headed out in a week with knobs that we are going to spray Oil rubbed bronze so they'll be amazing.  Now...she has a center island that we are going to tackle when I'm there.  LOVE the red you did, but b/c her walls are a brick red color, she is going to do the island in black/beadboard.  We're also going to see if we can scrounge up a piece of either granite or silestone to put a new countertop on the island alone for now, but my question for you is:
Where did you find the "feet" that you put on your kitchen island?  I don't want to waste too much time looking for those out there, if perhaps I can find them locally in the Chicagoland area. 
Thank you so much for your inspiration.  You've done a great job! Cheryl
To answer her question, the feet for my island came from Lowe’s.
She even sent some after pictures with this slideshow.  I love that.   thought you might like to see what your inspiration did for us! My daut did this in Phoenix...and she did such a wonderful job! Thanks for sharing your blog...b/c it gave us the courage to tackle it! ~Cheryl

Bravo! Great job, you totally gave your kitchen new life. I don’t know if Cheryl has a blog, but her daughter, Amy just started her own blog, Pretty Frugal Pretties. If you get a chance stop on over and welcome her to blogland. As I new blogger I think she’ll appreciate it!

Don't forget about the giveaway in the post below. There's still time to enter.

A pearl of a Giveaway

THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED HERE TO BUNGALOW TOO.

So sorry for the inconvenience.


My pearl of wisdom, 
         Every woman need pearls...

A different kind of Metamorphosis

Aging.
I thought it would be fun and  interesting, to see some befores, as in 26 or 27 years ago and afters as in now.
BEFORE

You may remember this picture from a post I did in August about Lou’s charming cottage in Mt Gretna. From left to right it’s Roxanne, Lou, Carol, and me in the lobby of Hotel Hershey. 

AFTER
Until this summer, I hadn’t seen Lou in several years since she moved to FL and Carol we rarely, if ever see. Here we are now, me, Roxanne and Lou on the right.

After all the years, I think we look pretty good for a bunch of old ladies.Well, semi old ladies!

Roxanne is even brave enough to let her hair go gray since she’s tired of coloring it. It’s turning out to be a pretty shade of silver! 

So that’s a new spin  on Met Monday….. A little natural before and after.
Don’t forget about the Thanksgiving Linkup right here on Tuesday Nov. 17th. It’s all about Thanksgiving.
Memories, traditions, dishes gone wrong, please come by and share your stories and feel free to  grab the turkey button in the sidebar. 
                                                   
 

Blogland Goodies

A fabulously wonderful, exciting  jewelry Giveaway here at Centsational Girl.


Hooked on House is having a giveaway too.




 And next week a jewelry giveaway will be happening right here at the Bungalow! What a great way to get some special Christmas gifts!