Alpacas

After a couple of long plane trips, I am back in Ocean City. It's springtime! And beautiful spring weather! Linda has been researching alpacas and has fallen in love with them! We were surprised to find out that there are quite a few alpaca farms near us on the Eastern Shore. We visited a couple and were invited back to watch on shearing day - just a few miles from our house. The animals are quite gentle but they do get a little agitated when dragged off to the shearer.

On warm days they enjoy getting their bellies cooled with a spray from the hose.

It's your turn... (the little dog is giving some encouragement)

First you have to tie their legs so you can pull them down and stretch them out.

Beautiful, soft fleece... (average 7-10 pounds per animal)

The long necks have lots of fleece.

The fleece from the back is bagged separately, because the
quality is different from different parts of the body.

Then she gets a "do".

Back to the paddock, but she isn't sure...

Well, it's cooler for the summer months. By the time next year's
shearing takes place they will have forgotten any inconvenience!

Green

Chinatown in Melbourne

There are many ethnic precincts in Melbourne. Chinatown is one of the more colourful, with its lanterns and decorations, narrow laneways, museum and many restaurants. This is a fun place to be during the Chinese New Year celebrations! Here are some views.

Yellow

Elsie

Footscray Park

We have a lovely park but it's a little too far for me to just pop over for a stroll of an afternoon (I don't have a car.) It's called the People's Park because in 1909, when developers wanted to sell the land for houses, the local residents got together and convinced the town to buy it and with volunteer labor and donated plants it became a beautiful spot for everyone. It's on a hill overlooking the Maribrynong River and the sports fields. Here are some pictures of the park.

That's Jenny

Orange

Visit to Yarraville

I went to the nearby suburb of Yarraville to see a movie at the beautiful Sun Theatre. The building was built in 1938 and after years of neglect was restored to its Art Deco glory in 1995. Instead of the original auditorium for 1050 now there are 6 theatres with really comfortable sofa/easy chair seats and little tables for your wine glass. Here are a few pictures I took and if you want to see more their website is www.suntheatre.com.au.

The city has put a pop-up park on the street in front of the theatre.
Just some grass carpet, tables and chairs and planters and with the umbrellas there is a nice place to sit.
It will be there for a couple of weeks and then they will put it somewhere else.

What a good idea! Paint a dumpster, plant a little tree and some
flowers in it - and you have a moveable planter.

Here are a few pictures taken on the streets of Yarraville.

This is a Heritage Listed bus stop, built in the 1940s