Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Sadly, some good things must end.
This includes crias nursing their mamas.
Between January and February I begin the process of weaning the crias. This year I’m trying a gradual weaning process. I’ll be having the moms and crias separated during the day for a week, reuniting them during the nights.
Then — separating them both day and night. Sigh. That’s going to be the hard part.
The boys and girls will be separated from both the big boys and the mamas.
Then I’ll introduce the boys read more...
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Wednesday, December 20, 2017
I’m alive! I’m really here. I’m making progress
(slowly) in recovering from my ATV accident. I’m going to do this!
Excuses for not keeping up my blog don’t really matter, but I promise I’ll do better in 2018.
New projects will include trying new yarn dying techniques and becoming more organized. I’m
#Porshe the Alpaca
also learning how to walk without a walker and a cane. That’s a big one.
Thank you for your support in words, prayers, good thoughts, meals, treats, flowers, plan read more...
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Thursday, September 28, 2017
Geoffrey is looking good!
On the “Things to Do” list is:
1. Wire the girls barn with lights and a few outlets;
2. Caulk the outside office;
3. Resolve what to do with a feisty male (Geoffrey) who bugs the crap out of others (Probee), and resolve what to do with Probee who bugs the crap out of others (Al Pacacino);
4. have Jasmin’s cria arrive here healthy, and keep her (?) warm; and
5. take pictures of and market my yarns and hats and alpacas.
It’s a start. I appreciate M so much in helping me with these goals. read more...
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Tuesday, September 26, 2017
It got down to 22 degrees last night, and there is a sheet of ice on the dog and alpaca water buckets. We are hoping for what is called an “Indian Summer” to hit us in October, as Jasmin’s cria is due on October 9th; even with a coat on a cria, that is still darned cold.
M is busy doing chores and keeping all well. The cats are keeping the mice away, the chickens are laying delicious eggs and are enjoying their new heated water dispenser, the dogs are keeping M company; I think M is enjoying read more...
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Monday, September 11, 2017
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Sunday, September 10, 2017
During our Open Ranch Day last Saturday, the girls and crias were a little full and decided to hide on their ‘poop hill.’ Who would want to try to feed them while there?
It didn’t stop me — I was wearing my outside shoes — and so I ‘scooted’ them off their hill and they started smiling and entertaining their guests.
I never would have guessed that they’d have their fill of pellets, but they did.
The boys were a different story — they were insatiable and didn’t turn down even one pellet read more...
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Thursday, August 31, 2017
Our yearly Open Ranch Day is SATURDAY, September 2nd.
We can’t wait to have you visit us, enjoy a glimpse of alpaca ranching life, and just enjoy your time among these fun animals.
I won’t be feeding my girls and boys their regular grain; you can feed them ($5 a bag/donation) and they will be friendly and hungry, for sure.
10am-4pm – Mile Marker 63 on Highway 24. Just 12 miles from Capitol Reef National Park.
Come and meet Harrison, Buck, Patch, Caramel Sundae and Hope.
I’ll do s read more...
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Monday, June 26, 2017
My heart was broken when I got up that Sunday morning and found Angela had passed.
Two years old, beautiful, healthy, lively, feisty, and pregnant with a full term, perfect, white female cria.
Heart broken.
Devastated.
In shock.
Inconsolable.
I knew I’d have to face “dead stock” eventually, but I thought it’d be in the future with one of our older gals. Not so.
This is still difficult for me to talk about (I’m writing this with tears) but I will say it’s a hard lesson.
read more...
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Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Officially, it’s been two years ago today that M and I bought our first five alpacas. Carol and Tom, from River Bed Ranch Alpacas, helped us choose the perfect girls and the perfect herdsires to “expose” them to.
Now, exactly two years to the date, we have our five girls PLUS four crias from these girls. They are amazingly wonderful, all nine of them, and we have a total of 22 alpacas.
Last night I was looking at tummies. I did a ‘spit’ check with Neshaki, and she sure spit on Geoffrey. Ma read more...
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Thursday, May 18, 2017
Good morning from Circle Cliff Ranch. It was 37 degrees this morning when I went out to do chores. M had been doing the chores, morning and night, while I was with Steph in Alabama. Today I went out and did it in my dress and Carhart coat! (M later asked if the dogs were impressed; they didn’t say one way or another.)
My mother has moved in with us, and the transition has been ok. We are still working out the ‘kinks’ and a friend, Johanna, brought me over a wonderful book (36 hours) which sho read more...
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