Wild kingdom

Before heading back home, we took a side trip to a 180-acre safari park.

The llamas have sophisticated road blockade techniques. They don't get out of the way until they see the feed bucket motion toward one side of the car.

You're not supposed to roll up your window when the animals are there, so extricating oneself from the situation can sometimes be tricky.

This ostrich kept pecking at our car long after Andy had put the bucket away.

No kidding

This guy had clearly been enjoying some sort of mud bath.

This bactrian camel not only took my bucket; he chewed it up and swallowed it. 

The safari village was much calmer. Here is Lily petting a giraffe. 

Flamingoes!

Bella the Burmese python out for some afternoon sun

  

Camping au naturale

We took the girls camping at Jellystone park this weekend out near the Natural Bridge in Virginia. Amalia was very happy to see Ranger Smith. 

While not busy chastising Yogi for stealing picnic baskets, Ranger Smith took an interest in the girls' coloring. 

The morning Pledge of Allegiance with Ranger Smith and Boo Boo Bear. 

For my parents: old cars in the parking lot at the Natural Bridge.

Before we got to the bridge, we walked through a butterfly garden. 

A very friendly butterfly.

At last, the Natural Bridge. This picture doesn't do it justice. It's quite impressive.

Gorgeous.

We continued walking up the path to a circa1700 Monacan Indian village. Lily is keeping herself warm with a deerskin. 

Amalia's turn

Checking out my arch enemy, the raccoon.

Lily was all sunshine and rainbows during the trek up to the waterfalls.

She recovered pretty quickly once we got there (and Andy promised to let her ride on his shoulders on the way back). 

Amalia must have learned how to sit from Andy.

The other side of the bridge

George Washington carved his initials on the Natural Bridge when he was a surveyor.

 Checking out the nearby caverns--the deepest on the East Coast.

A steady 54 degrees.

Lily can even make a ratty old blanket look fashionable. 

Right after this is when the tour guide turned off the lights so we could see how dark it is inside the caverns. In case you're wondering, the answer is "very."

Walking back toward civilization (and warmth). 

If wishes were horses

A planner, Lily has started her Christmas wish list. So far, the highlights include "long hair," "a magic wand that actually works," and "everything a horse needs and a baby horse."

If she gets that magic wand, everything else shouldn't be a problem.

Navigating the web

Today we went to a birthday party for one of Amalia's friends. The park had a really cool spiderweb-like rope structure, which lured both girls like flies to a, well, web. 

Determination. 

Predictably, Amalia went straight to the top on her first attempt. 

The also party featured other diversions, including a train ride. 

A carousel. 

 And, of course fairy-themed cake.