Where to Next? The Alpaca Farm!

We hadn't ever been to the alpaca farm, so we ventured over to pay them a visit. We learned quite a bit about alpacas! I think I want a couple!

We learned that alpacas are herding animals, that means they like to stay close together in herds. So you can't just have one, you have to have at least two if you want a pet. We also learned that they are a "fiber" animal; they are sheered once a year for their "fiber." The fibers are then spun into yarn and made into coats, teddy bears, and other soft materials.

These alpacas are shorn but their pelts are very soft, like a teddy bear right off the store shelf! I wanted to stay there and pet them all afternoon!

I worried they might bite if spooked, but was reassured by the owner that it's nearly impossible for them to bite as they haven't any top teeth! Gorgeous mouth, eh?! They don't like to be pet so much, so they don't make the cuddliest kind of pet as one might think. A couple things we liked about these guys are: they are great lawn mowers and they have a communal potty spot! Alpacas aren't hooved animals and have toenails like a dog, so their feet aren't hard on the turf, allowing the grass to grow and providing them with the perfect amount of feed! They also choose one spot for everyone to use for a potty making it an easy cleanup! I should have them train my dogs!!

The kids made a craft from yarn, Daniel proudly displays his handiwork. Cameron also got in on the face painting.

Next Stop: Hemlock Highlands Ranch

At this farm, we were greeted by a democrat! He was nice and surprisingly enough he didn't even open his mouth!

Well I thought this was a "beefalo" but its actually a Scottish breed of cow. This farm calls these cows, Highland cattle, though I'm sure they have a more specific name for their species. These cows were furry and so cute!

This guy wasn't too happy, maybe it was because the owners were giving out free Highland cattle meat samples! How horrible for this guy to be in the same room, its no wonder he was upset! He did like to pose for the camera though!

The bulls are required to have the rings put in their noses so they can be managed. Their noses are very sensitive, so this works great to lead them around and keep them in line! It's too bad the kids of today don't realize exactly what they're saying when they pierce their noses! And just a side note to this "soapbox", the ear piercings on guys/boys has historically been a means for identification of slaves and those in servitude!

Last stop, the Apple Orchard!

We ended our farm tour at an apple orchard and bought 7lbs of delicious apples and treated the boys to some carmel-dipped apples! Yummy!

The rain had come in and we were beginning to get soaked! We're so thankful that the Lord held off the big down pour until our tour was done! We came home for hot showers and warm soup! It was a great family day out!

Fishing in the Canadian Vedder River, she's 26lbs!

We were excited to have Grandma and Grandpa come for a visit. They came to go fishing, but the fish had already made their run through the river they were fishing in. We enjoyed their company and then met up with the rest of the family at Jason's Aunt JoElla's house in Seattle for a family BBQ.
McGuire Sisters, Linda (mom) and Aunt JoElla
Daniel and Cameron ran around the yard and house with cousin, Noah. They had fun with Noah, but we did miss Jacob too. The boys were sleuthing around the house for the cats, Vladamir and Dulche, but the cats were pretty good at hiding.

We all walked down to the Ballard Locks for a family fieldtrip! It was neat to see the boats come through the locks, the fish ladder, and the seal eatin lunch!

The bridge is open to allow the boats in and the locks are opening to allow the ships in. The workers wait to tie the boats to the sides of the docks before closing the locks to bring the water up to level with the other side of the locks. The workers are tethered to the dock so not to go overboard while tying up the boats!

Click on these pictures for a closer look at the seal, it was a really neat sight!

We were excited to see wildlife at it's best! We saw a seal dive for a salmon, fling it into the air, catch it, and then swing it from side to side as he began to eat it. The seagulls were also trying to get in on the action and were catching the pieces as they flew! It was amazing to watch, this was right in front of us, not on the discovery channel!

Pictured here are: (L-R) Jason's mom, Aunt JoElla, stepdad Mike, and cousins Eve and Kari.

We visited the fish ladder and drooled over the big fish swimming out into the ocean!



The boys look as though they're having the time of their lives!

The boys played on the anchors and rope ties on the pier of the locks, while the adults watched the boats pass through the open gates of the locks.


We looked through a magnifying glass at salmon eggs in their different stages of growth.

On a more solemn note, the boys pose by the statue. They had a good time goofing off together, as you can see. Boys will be boys!!!

Cameron poses with the Sarcophagus that guards the foyer. In school, he's learning about the Egyptians and their culture, so this was a treat for him to see. He had to see what was inside. . . . . . . . nothing! It's part bookshelf part wine cellar!

Here's Jason's daily fish report! He limited out at 2 20-pounders!

Here's our family's newest addition, her name is KEEKEE! She's a sweet kitty and she'll be a mommy soon! Cameron thought he'd give her some relaxing music to listen to. We also caught her "in the act", eating straight from the bag, why dirty a dish?

We set out to see the retired movie bears and wildlife at this wildlife farm preserve, but got off to a late start, so we made the best of the day anyway.

We took the ferry over to Port Townsend, the boys always enjoy riding the ferry. We got out of the car and toured the ferry, we'd been on larger ferries, so this one was "tiny" in comparison.

The ferry ride was very short. We could see land all around us, we were crossing the Puget Sound. Here's a picture of Port Townsend as we come into port.

We didn't get to go to the wildlife park since they had closed, so we spent the afternoon at this fort. Like Fort Casey, this fort was made in preparation for an enemy attack, but never fired their guns, as the enemy never came.


Here are some old barracks and housing, now rented out to vacationers. This fort is no longer a military base.














Ruins of the fort, too bad it's not being restored.

Cameron wasn't too keen on touring the inside of the fort, too dark for his liking. Here are some pics of what we saw, really not much to see. The boys had more fun climbing the stairs and playing on the beach below the fort.

After touring the fort and playing on the beach, we strolled downtown to see the sites of Port Townsend. We saw lots of old buildings still in use, and lots of street people, singing for money or selling their "art". I almost felt like I'd stepped back to San Francisco for a day! It was a town of yuppies, gypsies and hobo's!

We ended the day at the Pizza Factory and then got in line to wait for the ferry ride across Puget Sound. We got to see the sun set as we left. It started out to be a disappointing day, but we made the best of it and enjoyed our time out as a family!