Historic Smithville welcomes the May Fest each year. It is a two day affair often referred to as a select craft show. This year a dear friend invited me to accompany her and her sister. Although the sky was overcast, dry weather did prevail on Saturday, but rain on Sunday did not make it an outdoor day. I limited my purchases to a Jersey Devil mug and a Jersey Devil refrigerator magnet. Sadly the shoppe where I made my purchases had all merchandise fifty percent off since it is going out of business. In the last few years Smithville has regained popularity for its restaurants, shoppes and pleasant atmosphere. It is rather sad to see such a shoppe with unique merchandise no longer be available.
The sign is located along Route 9 and it is indication of a well maintained business.
A well carved bear was for sale and he was very appropriate greeting many people to the show. As we exited the area we saw he had been sold for $175.00.
I wonder if these little characters found a home, perhaps with the welcoming arms of a grateful child.
Brushes were definitely in motion as two face painters did an excellent job creating whatever art you wanted to become. This was not just for the young as many adults displayed the art too.
The watermelon dishware was bright and colorful. Perhaps at another time I would have had difficulty passing by.
It certainly took a lot of time and patience to create these colorful items. The creator was working on her projects as we observed.
The twisting and twining of nature's branches and twigs makes a delightful display.
Round and round we go! How hard it is to make the right choice, should it be the rabbit, horse, ostrich, or perhaps the lion. Whatever the choice the waving of hands, and bright smiles make it a fun adventure.
The dealer was asking $1200.00 for the license plate craft. She indicated it was made by her father a number of years ago.
Cloe was being held by gentle hands. She was a rescue dog who gets a lot of attention.
Johnnie attracted attention where ever he was. He enjoyed a petting hand and a treat from his owner.
This fellow has done an excellent job in teaching his owner to use his favorite wagon when traveling.
When you are counting calories you must learn to say " NO" to such a tempting dish. I was very proud because this time I said, "No!"
It was not just another day at Smithville because there is always something of interest such as the sand castle welcoming visitors to the restaurant. Always something tasty to choose from. They also serve a wonderful brunch on Sundays.
Thank you for letting me share my day with you.
The date was April 18, 2013 and the meteorologists had predicted a very unsettled day, but that did not deter our decision to visit the Zoo. The Zoo is located on Route 9 North, Cape May Court House, N.J. It features more than 550 inhabitants occupying over 200 acres of beautiful natural wooded areas and open space. A visitor will find winding trails, well crafted wooden walkways and well maintained grounds. The pristine park and zoo is a delightful place to visit any time of the year.
Our two hour journey starts with an attractive welcoming sign to the Zoo.
This big guy greeted us, we were very thankful we did not hear a big roar.
As you walk the pathways occasionally you will come upon boxes decorated like the one in the photo. The park is free, parking is free and a great day is free. Donations of course are a means to keep the park open to the public--FREE.
The pot-bellied pigs were entertaining, although the ones in the background were somewhat unsettled.
When there is a chill in the air this is what a smart bird does, uses a heat lamp.
Wonderful spring, this handsome fellow was "strutting his stuff."
The World of Birds building had many species of colorful tropical birds.
No peace and quiet around these birds, they were beautiful but very very noisy.
The graceful swan was very relaxed in the water, on land he wanted treats and wanted to show he was the dominate one.
Entering the Pathway to Diversity over the wooden bridge led us into the area of buffaloes, giraffes, deer, and different terrain.
Our next and last stop was the Reptile House. Snakes, crocs. turtles and many other reptiles were on exhibit. Children were fascinated as they viewed the various inhabitants.
This turtle was doing a great job swimming even with a handicap.
The spring has been quite cool in NJ and many trees and flowers had a late start to show their beauty, but what was blooming added to the loveliness of the park.
It was a beautiful place to visit and it became a memorable day. The next person says Cape May County Zoo, well they can count on me.
Located in Millville, NJ is the historic Wheaton Arts Center. The Center is located at 1100 Village Drive. Since, it is located in a wooded area and is advertised as family friendly people come visit the active glass-making factory where you can watch glass-blowing demonstrations. To walk around the area is free, but it is recommended to spend the 10 dollars fee to see the glass blowing and the museum. The shops are not plentiful but each has its own uniqueness.
The Sweet Shop welcomes you to the Center. Here you order at a window and chose selections (s) from a menu written on a chalkboard.
The General Store captures a little nostalgia. Years ago my father had a sweet shop called "Sailor Jack's Sweet Shoppe" in a community nearby. It was a time when ten cents bought a child's dream of a full bag of chocolate and lots of other goodies. Let's take a look at some of the fascinating things inside the General Store.
Thank you for visiting the General Store with me. One of the memorable attractions was the playing piano. My friend put a quarter in to start the piano's operation and holiday music filled the room.
Our next stop was a shop filled with decorated Christmas trees, beautiful ornaments, and treasures to last a lifetime. The ladies who operated the shop were pleasant and enjoyable to talk to.
.Hand crafted scarves and other handmade items were for sale.
The beautiful works of art featuring, metal, stone, and fabulous glass objects was overwhelming. Every item was for sale, but some works of glass had prices in the thousands of dollars.
The wood carving looked somewhat tired, perhaps like us.
Before we left we had to take one more look in the window of the General Store. Look carefully and you will see my friend's refelection.
