Daddy is actually taking a week's vacation from work this week (gasp! shock! surprise!) so he will be joining us on some (if not all) of our adventures. It has only been Day 1 of having him home and I know that both the LP and I couldn't be happier. Spending time together during the week is a luxury.
Today Daddy and I decided to take the LP to Puddicombe Estate Farm & Winery. This is a very old family-run farm/winery not too far from us. They have seasonal fruits, home-baked desserts, foods and treats, and a kids' centre, complete with animals, a play area and a train that drives around the grounds. We took LP1 there last summer and again in the fall to pick our pumpkins for Hallowe'en. We thought it would be worth a visit today.
The big barn. They have this old-school train car you can stay in for a night & they give you fresh food in the morning so you can cook your own breakfast, surrounded by the vineyards, a pond and with a view of the escarpment. If it wasn't so close, I would totally stay there.
Today was another melt-the-soles-of-your-shoes kind of day. We didn't realize it was 35 degrees Celsius (without the humidex factored in) until later on, when we were headed home. In retrospect, perhaps it was too hot to go traipsing about, looking at animals. The things they don't teach you in How To Parent 101...
As we were there on a very hot Monday afternoon, there were very few people there. In fact, there was nobody in the animal area. We strolled over to meet the emu. It clawed the ground with scary prehensile toes and looked as if it was trying to decide which LP to eat first. Then it dropped an enormous poop on the ground. Charming.
Next up were the pigs. They seemed very happy to see us and came running over to the edge of the fence, noses (snouts?) poking out. As Daddy reached down to pet the pigs, LP2 began to cry the cry of the very upset. It seems that LP2 is not a fan of pigs. As we walked away, one of the pigs leaned forward and began to pee. Do you know how long a pig can pee for? A very long time. Wonderful.
We went to say hello to the peacocks. Peacocks have the most annoying screech ever. Daddy is really good at imitating them. As the peacocks strutted about, dragging their tails behind them, LP1 announced that SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE PEACOCKS so we got away from them before we had the opportunity to observe any peacock bodily functions. How unfortunate.
For some unknown reason, the goats, a few chickens and a sheep were all together. The goats had these walkways and gangplanks to trippity-trop up and down. Most of them were sitting and resting. I can't blame them. Both LP liked the goats.
This goat looks very pleased with himself. I shall call him Mister Smuggles.
After watching the goats long enough to determine that they weren't going to suddenly break into song or dance, we moved on to the ducks. There were roughly eighty four billion of them and they all rushed to the edge of the fence. I think you were supposed to offer them food. We had nothing to offer other than the observation that they looked like our other duck friend, Peepers.
It was at this point that the LP grew weary of seeing animals. We checked out the play area for a little while. LP1 had fun swinging, climbing and playing on the various toys. LP2 enjoyed swinging in a baby swing and hanging from the monkey bars (with a little help from Daddy). After a difference of opinion with LP1 over leaving the play area that made me glad nobody else was there to witness "Angry Two Year Old: A Screaming Symphony", we compromised but soon left. We were all too hot, too thirsty and too ready to get back in the car.
I think the LP enjoyed their New Thing today. LP1 was discussing all the different animals she saw today throughout dinner. I know they are still very young but I am looking forward to making Puddicombe Farms a regular part of their childhood. I have visions of picking cherries and peaches together, train and wagon rides, and pumpkin-choosing expeditions each fall. Hey, family traditions have to start somewhere, right?
I guess the water in the duck pool starts out clean but then the ducks track in mud and soon the pool is dirty. Someone should get them a mat for their wee webbed feet.
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