Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Here are some lovely ladies with big bellies taking a nap on the damp ground where we just ran the sprinklers.
No, June Gloom isn't the melancholia that falls on us when politics and viruses and riots in the streets happen. In Ventura County (and much of LA County as well) June Gloom is cause for CELEBRATION!
Just as summer starts to heat up at the end of May and we start to think we will all die of the heat, 3-4 weeks of overcast mornings and days in the high 70's arrive. June--a blessed state-- one to be savored. The alpacas especially love it.
We did have ONE cria already! We only have about read more...
Here I am giving him a little bottle of colostrum I milked from mom.
I love this little planter in the yard.
MacKenzie helping build the pig shelter
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Saturday, May 23, 2020
Chanel
BIG FAT BABY BELLIES ARE EVERYWHERE AT WINDY HILL!
This coming Monday, May 25, if our first set of DUE DATES at Windy Hill. Not that any crias will be born that day--our girls have their OWN ideas of when they will give birth. LOL
About a month before the first due date we move the first month's group into the OB Pasture-- the one closest to the barn-- so that we can put them under a visual "microscope". It's the first place anyone looks when they come out in the morning, and th read more...
Evangeline
Indi showing us a big fat baby belly, and Ilsa laughing.
Isla
Here is Indi from the front.
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Thursday, May 14, 2020
Here is a particularly beautiful vineyard we passed.
What a fun adventure we had! My friend Ellie took the Navigator seat, and off we went.
We left home with 10 alpacas and returned with 4 (none of the same ones we left with). The trip fit neatly into a week. We had 4 alpaca stops, and 2 relative stops. We ate junk food and didn't gain any weight (how did that happen??), and had a jolly time.
The first day we headed for Alpacas of El Dorado to drop off 3 girls for breeding. Laurie Findlay is a great lady and she has a beautiful ranch in read more...
Dare Me Wingman and Fyre Dancer
Mount Hood
Mount St Helens (see how the top isn't pointed anymore since it blew off?)
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Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Back on the Alpaca Trail.
Yes, they cancelled all but the 1st alpaca show this season (which I didn't get to go to), so it's been a spring devoid of hauling a big trailer around the country behind my dually.
But necessities are necessities, and with the first crias due at the end of this month, it was the last available moment to hit the road and take care of all the alpaca errands I would have done if the CABA Classic had been held this coming weekend. We sorely missed the California read more...
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Monday, May 4, 2020
Love is in the air at Windy Hill. Everything is green, the weather is warm (but not too warm), and the almost-2 year old girls cush at the slightest provocation. Walking any alpaca down the center pathway past the adult males is accompanied by wolf whistles and standing up on the fence. Anticipation is high!
But let me pause for a moment and show you that our safety protocol is in order. The twins who come to volunteer frequently had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. Of course, they cou read more...
Romantic Antic
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Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Spring has blessed us with jungles full of weeds! We've discovered that 30% vinegar applied to plants makes them wilt and die really quickly! Recommendations include cutting the weeds first, then spraying. And it really doesn't take much! A little spray and 2 hours later you begin to see the fruit of your labor! That beats Round Up all to death (pun intended).
So, let the weed whacking begin! Farmer Don has been out cutting down thistles and echinacea and fox tails for days! On one read more...
Christian Dior
Hot Diggity
Right On
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Thursday, April 23, 2020
Rescue llama and a friend
These are Unusual Times, have you noticed? Sometimes Unusual Times bring Unusual Opportunities....
My 1st Unusual Opportunity happened when a new friend called me this morning. She is a nurse on a week's break, and she wanted to add some adult male alpacas to her life so she has positive things at home to help her relax and take her mind off of the hospital. How many of you know that hanging out with alpacas can help lower your blood pressure? Many of us benefi read more...
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Monday, April 20, 2020
A ranch with 260 alpacas has a lot going on all the time. Sometimes every day feels like a week!
After shearing and dividing all the fleeces by owner, we put the ones that belonged to our boarders on shelves in the warm room in the barn. It’s the only place where we can close fairly secure doors and have it be safe from pesky creatures (like rats and sneaky dogs). By the way, if some of those fleeces are yours, please call about coming to get them. :-)
After shearing we washed all the read more...
Klick digging gopher mounds.
Klick digging more gopher mounds.
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Friday, April 10, 2020
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 Cal read more...
Yearling Girls
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Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Shearing Days 2020
Well, what do you know? Shearers are considered essential workers in agriculture!
And we are so glad!! We got to shear perfectly on time, thanks to BioSecure Alpaca Shearing. John's crew showed up on Thursday night and we dug in first thing Friday. We finished 242 alpacas in 2 1/2 days with the help of lights in the barn and a hard-working skeleton crew.
Some of us wore masks and gloves, some of us didn't, and most of us are still working the fiber dust out of read more...
Kindle waiting her turn
Shiny fleeces
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