Llamas in Lewisville

May 1, 2009 · Filed Under Points of Interest · 2 Comments to Read 
Rivermont Llamas on Yadkinville Highway in Lewisville, North Carolina is home to a number of llamas who spend their days grazing and basking in the sun. Deb Phillips, photographer.

Rivermont Llamas on Yadkinville Road in Lewisville, North Carolina is home to a number of llamas who spend their days grazing and basking in the sun.

Diverse Population

It’s not every community that can boast of an outstanding llama population — but Lewisville certainly can!

If you’re traveling west on Yadkinville Road from Winston-Salem, you’ll eventually drive by the home of some prestigious llamas on your right, just shortly before crossing the Yadkin River. Their home is actually Rivermont Llamas, which is located at the original home place of Sattsgate Farm.

Photo Sessions

As I mentioned in Lessons from a Llama, my first encounter with the llamas occurred one day in February when I spotted the llamas being backlit by a gorgeous sunset. I managed to click off a few good shots before the sun dipped out of sight. But to round out my photo coverage, I knew I’d need to come back again.

A few days later, I pulled off the road at Rivermont Llamas, where a few of the llamas were standing at the front fence basking in the morning light.

To my disappointment, as I approached the llamas, they scurried off to a distant shelter in the middle of the field. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a long enough lens to cover that distance, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to get any decent shots.

I decided to hang around for a bit, though, and began walking around the perimeter of the property. Every time I glanced at the llamas, they were all watching me intently. I just kept walking. Time passed, and the llamas remained huddled in the center of the field, still watching me.

Patience Required

Meanwhile, I happened to walk by some beautiful low-hanging tree blooms, so I spent some time photographing them, and ended up featuring those photos in the Springing Forth post.

When I finished photographing the tree blooms, I resumed my walk around the edge of the property. I was on the verge of calling it quits, when — all of a sudden — three of the llamas began making their way directly toward me. It was as if, after much deliberation, a consensus had been reached among the llamas, and they had finally decided I was “safe.” Here they came!

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Lessons from a Llama

April 29, 2009 · Filed Under Life Thoughts · 8 Comments to Read 
A llama in Lewisville, North Carolina (Forsyth County) appears to bask in the light of a brilliant sunset. Deb Phillips, photographer.

A llama in Lewisville, North Carolina appears to bask in the light of a brilliant sunset.

Stunning Discovery

I might never have shown you this photo had it not been for a conference I recently attended called “Shame Off You.” The conference, held at Reynolda Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, addressed the symptoms of and the path toward freedom from the effects of shame.

Led by Senior Pastor, Alan D. Wright, the conference was based on Pastor Wright’s book, Shame Off You. One of the “quizzes” we conference attendees took contained 24 statements that we were to mark as either “true” or “false.”

Once everyone had completed the questionnaire, Pastor Wright informed us that all of the statements were “false.” I was stunned because I had marked 20 of the 24 statements as “true.” Simply stated, those 20 statements represented false assumptions that I’ve built my life upon. One of those assumptions is:

“Perfect is always better than good.”

I’m slowly realizing that if I continue to measure my work, my goals, my relationships, and even myself against a self-constructed model of perfection, I’ll miss out on the “good” opportunities that will come my way. While I accept this concept in theory, in reality, it’s not easy to implement.

This “perfection” issue surfaced again this week when I considered whether to share the above photo with you.

CLICK for more on perfectionism and lessons from a llama

  • Photo Moments

    Memorial Day Service by American Legion Post 522 in Lewisville, NC (Forsyth County)Lewisville citizens pose at the Nissen Wagon at Shallowford Square in Lewisville, NC (Forsyth County).Held at Shallowford Square, the First Annual Best of Lewisville Festival was sponsored by Karate International of Lewisville and MediaFit.
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  • Photo Quote

    A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know. —Diane Arbus
  • More Photo Moments

    West Side Civic Theatre sponsored The Pirates of Penzance at Shallowford Square in Lewisville, NC.The Old Cemetery at Shiloh Lutheran Church in Lewisville, NC (Forsyth County). Photography by Deb Phillips.