after two weeks in nyc, where everything operates on the high speed, a quiet retreat is just what i need!  while having your bff out of her usual city digs when you’re coming for an extended stay, might prove to be a bit inconvenient.  having her pursue her dream of home-ownership in one of the most special destinations i’ve ever experienced, is like hitting the lottery.

after just one day, i had already exhaled! started the morning with lots of giggles and then off for a walk to a small local farm to select some grub. i love this idea of fresh produce within walking distance.  interestingly, i had a similar convenience in nyc.  (there was a whole foods a few blocks away and fresh salad choices on almost every corner).  given my usual reality of having to jump in the car to do just about everything, i’m appreciating this ambulatory alternative.  i was totally charmed by this cute little farm.

after selecting  peaches and cherries for breakfast, we continue on our walk towards an alpaca farm.  now, let me just say, i am not the animal lover in my family.  i like an occasional trip to the zoo, but really do not enjoy a “petting” experience, so i wasn’t super excited about this venture.  but the prospect of seeing some cute alpaca babies was enough to make me go with it.  and i have to tell you, i’m so glad i did!

everything about this experience totally charmed me.  i took tons of photos trying to capture the essence, which was really impossible,  i’ll share them with you anyway.  first off, the landscape, which my friend and i got to enjoy initially alone, was incredibly serene.

upon our arrival, the young male alpacas were enjoying their breakfast outside.  i was immediately smitten by this amazing color palette: right up my sepia alley! the gorgeous cream to the the golden brown to the rich mahogany appealed to my design sensibility.this one totally seemed to be posing for me!  as all these photos were taken with my iphone and no zoom, you can tell that we were able to get very close, only separated by the wooden fence.  a sign along the initial path had explained that as long as they were approached slowly and quietly, the alpacas would enjoy our visit.  so, we exercised an almost extreme caution: virtually tiptoeing and whispering…silly girls (you’ll see why later)!

after visiting with the young males for a while we headed into the barn!  if you follow me on pinterest, you already know i have a barn thing. so these details weren’t lost on me.the alpacas seemed very peaceful and to have a strong sense of community.  they could often be seen having tender moments like this:i was struck by the duality of this one!
and of course, who could resist, a baby in the corner.after seeing the alpacas in the barn, we still had only seen one baby.  it was explained to us that the babies were outback, just beyond the gift shop.  smart marketing, right?!  most of the things in the gift shop were made from the alpaca fiber.  it was interesting to experience the vast variety of texture that can be produced from this material.i think this was a vintage loom.  for more information about the alpaca fiber and other alpaca factoids, check out island alpaca’s website.

then it was outside to finally see the babies…this cute one had blue eyes and a pink colloar.  her name was lotus.

this nursing baby was born the night before our visit.  the mother definitely had a protective nature about her.  i guess a momma is a momma no matter the species!

i loved this caramel colored canopy that protected the alpacas from the blazing sun:

so back to our whispering and tiptoeing.  see the farmhand in the photo below? he was the proof that we didn’t have to be so so quiet with the alpacas, and he seemed to go wherever we were.  he was drilling quite a bit and making so much noise.  while this definitely got their attention (you can see one looking), they didn’t run away or seem afraid.  i guess these particular alpacas are pretty used to a bit of raucous.  

we left the alpaca farm empty-handed, as tempting as their wares were.  i think my friend would’ve just wanted to take an actual alpaca, while i would’ve settled for these gorgeous socks.  they were a bit pricey at $169, but they did feel extremely luxurious and were my favorite color.  i couldn’t be all the way reeled in, as it was 90 degrees outside. but something tells me that on some cold, rainy day in december, i’ll wish i’d indulged in my alpaca socks!  ooh! maybe i could just go get the yarn and knit them myself… now that would really be a nod to country-living.  on second thought, maybe i should just go back and get them: a not-so-typical souvenir of the day i went from city girl to country girl…