Today's the Big Day!

Today's a big day for the Alpaca Farm. It's the beginning of National Alpaca Farm Days! We expect many people to come visit our alpacas this weekend. We have 3 other local alpaca farms joining us for the event for the first time. Thanks to Humming Star Alpacas, Gulf Breeze Alpacas, and Ed! With the Artist gone, I couldn't have done this without you! The weather is supposed to be lovely. Will post pictures tonight.

Today is also a huge day for the Artist! His monument will be dedicated today on the beach at Normandy, in France. The Utah Beach Museum actually has a webcam so you can watch the dedication, and see the monument. At the moment, it is covered with a big white sheet that is blowing mightily, telling us how windy it is there. An except from the Artist in his last email,"This place has been crazy. I have been coming in to the museum at 8am every day and working all day helping with preparations for todays dedication. The French have been as wonderful as their countyside is beautiful. The Navy Seabees have been building the stages and color gaurds have been rehearsing. The speech I am supposed to give has been swirling around in my head every night while I try to sleep...." So exciting!

Sometimes you hear that the French don't like Americans. The Artist reports that in Normandy, the French love Americans. They are grateful to us, and fly American flags. (At other times of the year too, not just when the monument is being installed) The French have worked diligently to have this monument installed. An American film company is doing a documentary on the making of the monument. I will keep you updated when you can see that on the History channel.

Don't forget to comment to win FREE chocolate croissants!

Alpaca Farmer Makes A Splash Abroad

Alpaca Farmgirl's husband is an Artist. Yep, with a capital "A". In 2000, we BOTH quit our jobs and moved to the country to follow our dreams. (I do not recommend that two people in the same couple do this at the same time.) My dream was to be an alpaca farmer and stay at home mom. My husband's dream was to be a sculptor full-time. Can I just say that there is no overnight success. The term "paying your dues" could be the title of the Artist's life for the past 10 years. (He actually quit his very lucrative job as a computer engineer in 1998.)

Pictured at right is the Artist with his D-Day monument, "Operation Neptune". That's him, in France! He is there to install this monument on Utah Beach at Normandy. The work commemorates the U.S. Navy's role in the D-Day invasion. The Navy was the only branch of the service that did not have a monument at Normandy, until now. This is a really big bronze, as you can see. The Artist has been worried about it getting there in one piece. It was cast in Colorado, and was a foot too large to fit in an airplane. After the long trip across the pond, it has finally found its home, atop a German bunker. For more information about the monument visit the Utah Beach Museum. They have a fabulous website! You can see more about the Artist on his website.

To celebrate this HUGE feat, which has involved several years of loving support from the Artist's darling family, I am doing a giveaway! Don't you just love croissants? Alpaca Farmgirl is giving away fifteen chocolate croissants from William Sonoma. These are the BEST! We always have them for breakfast on Christmas and Valentine's mornings.

To participate in the giveaway, just answer one of the following questions in the comments section: Do you know anyone who was at the D-Day Invasion? Please tell us your D-Day stories! What is your favorite thing about France? I will leave the contest open until September 30. The winner will be chosen at random and prize will ship directly from William Sonoma.

Footnote: Thanks to the alpacas for supporting us while we got to this point!