Llama!

On Tuesday after work, it was sunny and beautiful out, with crystal blue skies. I finished my after-work errands in short order and decided to treat myself to a little drive around the backroads on my way home. My trip took me past the local llama farm, and - hooray! - the llamas were out in full force!

One of the llamas, this lovely cream one, strutted and preened and posed for me, like a glamorous model on a catwalk at a fashion show. Not to be outdone, the horses in the pasture next to the llamas also came by and offered themselves up for pictures. It almost seemed like a contest: llamas vs. horses, who's got more style? (I know, I know: the spring fashion shows can spark some pretty vicious competition, even way out here.)

I've blipped this llama farm twice before:

Wednesday 28 March 2012: Llama Surprise!

Friday 11 May 2012: Llamas, Party of Ten, Please

In fact, once I got home and looked at the pictures I'd taken, I wondered if the llama in this particular photo might be the same one as in last year's March 28 photo! I commented in that blip that I get a kick out of the llama farm's Web site, which says in part (and I quote):

"If you can't have a llama on your property, consider boarding llamas at our farm. Come by anytime to spend time with your llama, take him on walks, travel with him on your adventures. When you're done, bring your llama back to our farm."

Here is where I admit that I have threatened my husband with llamas. The property where we live is zoned for agricultural uses, and I have sometimes speculated about fencing the yard and obtaining llamas of our own. They could help keep the grass mowed, and even better, perhaps the Tabby could ride one around the yard! (If that ever happens, I'll blip it; I promise!)

You may have anticipated, with some level of dread, that the song to accompany this photo would be that awful "llama song" - 40 seconds of silliness followed by hours and hours of regret, as the earwurm plays over and over, drilling holes into your very brain. No, I'll spare you.

When I read (again) that bit on the llama farm Web site about taking your llama on adventures, I was reminded of a Schoolhouse Rock song from Saturday mornings during my childhood.

Cultural sidebar: starting in the early 1970s, Schoolhouse Rock songs were interspersed throughout the Saturday morning cartoons on TV, and they were designed to teach important educational messages about mathematics, science, grammar, history, etc. Only, its educational content was cleverly disguised - in plain sight, no less - to make us think that learning was actually fun! (You can find more info about Schoolhouse Rock here - and if you are interested in any of them, you can find many of the episodes on YouTube; I did! Or you can buy the whole set on DVD on amazon.com - you're welcome!)

Anyway, the Schoolhouse Rock episode it reminded me of is the song about Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla and his kangaroo. And his sister Rafaella Gabriella Sarsaparilla and her aardvark. And their friend Albert Andreas Armadillo and his rhinoceros. (The song actually contains an educational message about PRONOUNS. Go figure.)

Anyway, they all take their animals and - yes! - RIDE ON THE BUS!!!!! Lyrics from the song:

Sometimes when we take them all on the bus,
People really raise a fuss!
They start shouting out a lot of pronouns at us
Like WHO brought that rhinoceros on this bus!?
And WHAT made that horrible noise!?
And WHICH one of them's getting off first!?

So for today's blip: let's pretend this is MY llama. You can envision me packing it up (perhaps I'll dress all in cream, to match it: what a glamorous pair we'll make!) and taking it along on the bus with me. Woo-hoo! THAT should liven things up a bit. :-) And so . . . my llama and I are off to have a grand adventure!