Alpacas at Windy Hill

Every year, right after shearing, we get a cold snap. Of course, it's not a cold snap like most of the country gets. It's a California Cold Snap. That means that temperatures might plummet to 45º F at night and stay in the 50's during the day. BBBbbbrrrrrrr.....! This year, it also rained for 3 days, so everybody got wet. Oh NO! A couple of the little guys shivered where we could see them, so they got coats. Everybody else seems completely unconcerned. It's not that they are pansy Calfornia alpacas-- it's that they are in the care of all of us California Weather Wimps who project our discomfort onto the alpacas. It's similar to your mother. Remember? You had to wear a sweater when she got cold. Alas. Our mothers live on! LOL The good news is the grass seed we planted before the rain started is coming up! Hurray for Farmer Don and his new orange rototiller. The next task is to rehab the sprinklers so that we can KEEP the grass after the rain stops. One of the prices we pay for living in Paradise, I guess. The yearling girls are anxious to talk to anyone who wants to stop by. Remember when you were 14? These girls are going to get bred this summer. I had hoped to show a couple of them, but the shows fell prey to the stay in place orders, so now they just get to meet the boys a little sooner, maybe. The little girls are just curious about everything! When I walk by with Klick and Kallie, they all rush to the fence to see what's going on. The dogs couldn't care less--after all, they don't look like gophers or squirrels. It's a fun time to shoot pictures of the girls, though. They look so cute on their tippy toes with their ears up. The blue sky is actually peeking through today after 4 days of rain. They said there would be snow last night down to 6000 feet in the surrounding mountains. I hope we get to see it before it melts. Being surrounded by mountain ranges and rolling hills is such a beautiful west coast benefit. We are doing an experiment this summer. We haven't left any juvenile suris in full fleece for 10 years, but this group is so pretty and didn't get to show, so we're going to try it. We can always belly-shear if it gets too hot for them. It turns out that our average temps here are generally lower than the Portland area, and we don't have the humidity that they do. Just like all of life...it'll be an experiment. We've got the hoses ready to squirt legs and bellies. Here is Ivan being curious about the dogs as I walked by. He has had such heavy bangs that it's a whole new world now that they are trimmed! Admiral and his 3 buddies seem to be under the impression that they look as majestic as they once did. I don't have the heart to tell them that they look like giant Easter Bunnies now. They're so cute, aren't they? Some of the yearling boys came up close for portraits. Thor even gave me a profile shot. They all got their bangs trimmed, so they can see each other better. Consequently, there is a little more neck wrestling and chasing going on because they can actually see each other! Danny Boy is posing almost all the time. Now that he can see, I guess he figures everyone wants to see HIM. He might be right. I reinforced that behavior by taking his picture. In another year or so, all the girls will probably want to see him too! Every day it gets closer to birthing and breeding season around here. June isn't very far away. It's time to start planning for births, and planning breedings. I can't wait to see crias from a couple of our new herd sires from last year! Happy Easter, everyone! We had chicks hatched today. Here is a card I drew for my granddaughters. (Yes, I did draw sheep this time instead of alpacas, but they are cute too.) Have a great weekend!