Have Camera-Will Travel...to Farms?!

This past Wednesday turned out to be something totally unexpected. I promised my mom that I would take her to the hospital in the morning for day surgery (She's doing fine, thanks). Before leaving the house I grabbed my camera bag without much thought. I think I'm still wired or trained to bring my camera with me everyday (a lesson driven home from school). I dragged it through the hospital as I dropped her off and back in again as I picked her up. I soon discovered in her medicated state that she was not to drive for the next 24 hours. (The pre-op letter stated she wouldn't be able to drive home but hadn't said anything about 24 hours- a huge bone of contention with my mother as she needed to get back to the Lake.) So I offered to take her to the Lake and she then told me that she needed to make a stop at Esther's house. I've heard a lot about this lady who lives on a farm and has quite the green thumb and the most beautiful garden.

 Being from the city I must say this was quite the adventure. It was a farm! The most quaint farm! I remember when I was around 10 years old and we use to go to visit friends that lived on a dairy farm, we would drink fresh milk still warm from the cow and play with wild kittens up in the hay loft (till we got so scratched up we couldn't take it any more) and chase chickens around the yard. All those great memories came flooding back to me as I stepped out of the van! AND I HAD MY CAMERA!!! Esther was great about letting my snap off some photos. We even went to the back pen and visited with the cows, calves, donkeys, chickens, yes, and even a Lama. And then I was able to visit her amazingly huge garden full of blooming flowers. Here are some of the photos captured in about 1/2 hour time period.

 
Esther does some incredible crafts. She had these wheat bundles out on a picnic table drying. Below, washbasin's against the barn wall.

 

These two guys didn't know what to make of me and the Camera. I didn't get to close to them! The Lama, however, seen below, was quite inquisitive. He was checking me and my camera out and also what we were looking at or what I was taking pictures of.

This guy was so sweet! His mother kept urging him on to come see us. He eventually warmed up to us.

This calf was also a little curious.

Below are shots from the Garden. It was a very rustic vision of perennials in all colours, Irisis, Peonies, Violets, Pansies, etc. It was the kind of garden you need to spend time in to appreciate all it's little hidden treasures. I'll have to go back again!