tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53573205211994056112024-03-05T01:11:07.310-08:00Riverstone Peruvian Suri AlpacasAn interactive blog about life on an alpaca farm, with helpful tips on the care and enjoyment of alpacasRiverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-76613848720705474252013-01-08T11:20:00.003-08:002013-01-08T11:20:38.575-08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13pt;">I am wondering if any of you out there understand this "new math", because i think I am living it. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13pt;"> You
know that part of the daily routine on an alpaca farm is to scoop the poop in the barn. In
the winter this is a much bigger task because I also have straw down as bedding
to keep the alpacas warm. The addition of the straw with the poop fills my john deer gator to capacity every day in winter. My gator is my best friend, she is 15 years old, and perhaps gators are like dogs in that one
year is like 7, but what ever the equation, she is definitely on her last leg, I do hope to nurse her at least thru the winter. The
wheel barrow is NOT my best friend, especially in winter. he is lazy and makes me do most the work.<br />
The week before Christmas the Gator needed a rest. Her strut
had broken and her wheel was falling off, also her frame is rusted and bending
in the middle. (osteo issues I think, frame thinning disease due to age)
My very kind neighbor agreed to take her home and nurse her back to
health, two new shocks, and little welding of the frame, a few pins here and
there, good as it gets. I feel her pain.<br />
<br />
Now she was gone for 7 days so me and the wheel barrow (still not my friend but
helpful) cleaned the barn and dumped the daily load right behind the barn.
When my gator returned the weather took a dip and that pile behind the
barn was frozen solid. No matter, with the gator back in service, I am
back to hauling it to the back of the property. Today it is warm (above
freezing) with threats for a very warm week to come (read mud bath here) so I
decide its time to take that seven days worth of poo down to the big compost
pile. Now mind you this pile is only the stuff from the main barn, I made
a separate pile with the poo from the boy’s area, because opening the gate and
getting the wheel barrow thru without letting boys thru was just to
challenging. This is where the new math come in, I backed up to the
pile I filed the gator to capacity, I drove it to the big pile, I dumped,
and repeated 7 times..... I only got HALF the pile taken care of??
The question is, how does one load per day for seven days, minus the poo
from the boy’s area, become 14 loads when you try to move it? No wonder I
can't help the kids with math any more. Why doesn’t this math work in
other areas of my life? If I eat 14 brownies, it should only count as 7
brownies when it comes to weight gain right? or is that back wards, maybe
this math does work, 7 brownies are like 7 when you 10 years old, but after age 50
it’s like 14 brownies. <br /> One thing is for sure, I need some Motrin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-53106366284637482792012-09-27T10:36:00.000-07:002012-09-27T10:36:25.835-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCF_PzbhyLOX9dJYiYZl9v-lZJiOwB3rFIcqmjGxQV-OLBCXM5ezeiPCAB_7aPVRGrBj6UCcHCf9LsOwXAiunvdECCILumvwkT439QV_e8OcKq0b3sc2Q6K7b4a1UUIPgJcviKNqhdRw/s1600/alpacas+aug+11+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCF_PzbhyLOX9dJYiYZl9v-lZJiOwB3rFIcqmjGxQV-OLBCXM5ezeiPCAB_7aPVRGrBj6UCcHCf9LsOwXAiunvdECCILumvwkT439QV_e8OcKq0b3sc2Q6K7b4a1UUIPgJcviKNqhdRw/s320/alpacas+aug+11+012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This is why I ask my kids to
put their dishes in the dish washer right when they are finished…. <br />
There has been a rooster in the barn
with a piece of string wrapped around his leg for over a week, and I have not
been able to catch him to take it off.
Today I caught the rooster. First
I tried to pull the string off, but it was really tight, I looked for something
in the barn to cut it with but couldn’t find anything small enough so I had to
bring him up to the house to cut it off.
First I tried some scissors but the string was so I tight I couldn’t get
under it to cut it. Finnaly I used a
steak knife, I could get that little point under the string without cutting
him, they have scaly legs you know so this is harder than you know, to cut it
off. Poor rooster has been shackled for
over a week! Freedom!<br />
I took the Rooster back to the barn and
finished up my chores, the dog had a vet appointment, and I went to the grocery,
usual day. By the time I got home I was
very hungry so I popped a potato in the micro wave while I put away the groceries. Lucky for me there was a knife lying their on
the counter so I pierced the potato and popped it in. perfect just finished the
groceries, and lunch is ready. Ahhhh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Oh, crap, now I know why that
knife was laying there, I hope that
counts as my bird flu shot because I am sure I am building some immunity now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-88576966815223774462012-08-27T09:12:00.001-07:002012-08-27T09:16:05.999-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuQtMOtAugn0KRXXSqKVduimCn_EUt1YEHiIBd1PHAbsZEXiTpjuXyqz6JVJsSSOB82eHY7WPivgFxmOHw2CiyPps9aFz07Mt4Y9k5wVsMTm2p-8nfUJPgEyTSbAk6RHwidnNzBRWKvk/s1600/IMAG0946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuQtMOtAugn0KRXXSqKVduimCn_EUt1YEHiIBd1PHAbsZEXiTpjuXyqz6JVJsSSOB82eHY7WPivgFxmOHw2CiyPps9aFz07Mt4Y9k5wVsMTm2p-8nfUJPgEyTSbAk6RHwidnNzBRWKvk/s320/IMAG0946.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Busy Busy, something always going on down on the
farm, the house chickens, Hubert, Hobbles and the gang moved to the barn last
week.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">They were put in a dog crate for
protection, while they got used to the barn environment, but they were so small
they could just go out between the wires. </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DvDam1FEuHeduc9w1PIj0j4FUYBV7reYYgob-G4DRIBZHDh12GUsipG8-CLhi0hE4jPRDjp3qacMPYW0Vv2AHR9NR0tL8CVVAPqLNLBWQgackCmjnaxWi2rXhtiJ9Bwc3X7io_HHkbc/s1600/IMAG0925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DvDam1FEuHeduc9w1PIj0j4FUYBV7reYYgob-G4DRIBZHDh12GUsipG8-CLhi0hE4jPRDjp3qacMPYW0Vv2AHR9NR0tL8CVVAPqLNLBWQgackCmjnaxWi2rXhtiJ9Bwc3X7io_HHkbc/s320/IMAG0925.jpg" width="192" /></a><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><br /><br /><br /> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">My hope is that their little mustard seed
size brains are working over time they will run in there when a raccoon,</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">fox, cat or whom ever comes along to eat
them.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">So far so good!</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">We still have all the house chicks dispite being rendered homeless by none other than their own mother.</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="color: #20124d;">She has hatched a new batch of eggs and decided that cage was
ideal for her new chicks so she chased out Hobble’s gang and moved her family
in. Seven more chicks, ok, now we have
problems, we had about 5 free ranging chickens and rooster, and they keep the flies
down, and eat “stuff” out of the poo piles keeping alpacas healthy. However, they poop A LOT! Now we have population explosion, 14 new chicks! Time for some family planning (and white chicken chili). </span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> And after this cluster f*** I am thinking the alpacas could listen in on this one too! </span>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJogQwf6X4ibZXW3ZnsspqbBCetiyqFV2kv2wIjGFa11bIFQAVNXcbD0eflVqZ98d_MHYMx8q7GVr-p2QUr_KGQ8L3G7wjzNIh929anAP7_v21EtDwZuEdBNYbi4MH0L_rtQ1kBVFVBw/s1600/IMAG0910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJogQwf6X4ibZXW3ZnsspqbBCetiyqFV2kv2wIjGFa11bIFQAVNXcbD0eflVqZ98d_MHYMx8q7GVr-p2QUr_KGQ8L3G7wjzNIh929anAP7_v21EtDwZuEdBNYbi4MH0L_rtQ1kBVFVBw/s320/IMAG0910.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I am way behind on new cria announcements, Both Amie
and Camille have had their cria, and Amie had a boy and Camille an absolutely beautiful,
and very rare, silver grey little girl!</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Now the big debate is what to name them,</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Margaret who has been halter training these babies all summer has them
all names,</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">There is Lil Dude, (Lil Luster’s
black male cria) Beans, (Modella’s black female cria named after a neighbor
because it was born on her bday), </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Marvin, (Beyonce’s black male cria) Poison Ivy, Lulu, Timmy (Amie’s new cria) and Paige, Camille’s
female, (named because she was born on Paige’s birthday).</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOAzCDsGUKBV3kgWLKkLcVj1uXYn10OywDZ5S58GkrdR_5JIdmPtaM5KanyH-yvBBlbuamoPK0gjOy1uvb_1N86xWzL-mMTU95D3jPueHAN7B5EihsQVkxtRh8iL1cSQ7kSaqf9V-GLQ/s1600/IMAG0940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOAzCDsGUKBV3kgWLKkLcVj1uXYn10OywDZ5S58GkrdR_5JIdmPtaM5KanyH-yvBBlbuamoPK0gjOy1uvb_1N86xWzL-mMTU95D3jPueHAN7B5EihsQVkxtRh8iL1cSQ7kSaqf9V-GLQ/s320/IMAG0940.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Zach also has them named: Barack Obama, (aka Lil Dude) George w. Bush
(aka Timmy) Jimmy Carter (aka Marvin)
Condoleezza Rice (aka Lulu) Sarah Palin (aka Paige). He want's to go with the election year
theme. Must admit I like it, Last years
cria are all rappers, and rock stars. <br /> We shall see!</span></span></div>
Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-15300541791385417992012-07-27T10:20:00.000-07:002012-07-30T11:30:15.826-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwGd4hodcizff2G0Fry5mZMkGQ2pjGNOPFGIAmr5luZ6xIIkZtPvyJXlyURasSZ6UImVbI36GKt3JZSmgNX' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;">Already a week has gone by since my last
blog!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> Farm life can get busy, not to
mention four kids! But of course what
fun would one be with out the other. My
youngest daughter is very determined to get our cria (baby alpacas) trained right from the
start this summer. Everyday, usually
before her breakfast she heads to the barn to halter train and get the cria
comfortable with being touched. After
all, everyone wants to touch that wonderful fiber, but alpacas are not that crazy about being touched. Also, it’s much easier to hold the lead line of a bucking, jumping,
kicking, 30 pound cria than a 90 pound weanling</span><span style="background-color: white;">. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #003366;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">My favorite classes to watch at an alpaca
show are the performance classes; Jr, and sub. Jr obstacle classes, as well as
performance and P.R.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">What?</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">That means kids and even younger (sub Jr.)
kids walking their alpacas thru an obstacle course.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">Usually, jumps, limbo, steps, teeter totter,
backing up, and perhaps loading into a trailer.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">The obstacles get even harder in the performance class and then P.R. (public
relation) where you and your alpaca have to perform well with people touching
and sitting near by.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #003366; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyQeZCLVTweVIaxOz5n3u9YKUsxGFDd3vmrLgNt7cGNvPwDx6NJ5SBhgXHIp4JjYEmkz11Y5DjWasMWuyYEug' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> I have tried to video some of these
sessions, but of course the cria never do well when I have the camera out. Even though the shows are fun to see, what goes on before the show is even funnier!</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-31610218139186545372012-07-19T10:33:00.006-07:002012-07-19T10:33:47.254-07:00<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;">So
Hubert and Hobbles are doing very well with their new siblings,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;">even though Hubert is only slightly larger
than the new chicks, she tries to spread her tiny wings and huddle the others under
her.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;">Such a sweet gesture!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;">And she never had a mom! </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> I have been getting many questions about the residents here at Riverstone, hopefully this will help:</span></span></div>
<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbpacO4EnyQn0fLGqBRBVuvIGnjL1InUJUarCskzCqQXWuNRI7Ezj4yoTBHKQcko6-RlurTsFhmEpoOFakmypMrABj6sOgPkOZSOQcap4k5m1xbQuBvb__OK53drGfkf_s2nNPiTD1uc/s1600/IMAG0805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbpacO4EnyQn0fLGqBRBVuvIGnjL1InUJUarCskzCqQXWuNRI7Ezj4yoTBHKQcko6-RlurTsFhmEpoOFakmypMrABj6sOgPkOZSOQcap4k5m1xbQuBvb__OK53drGfkf_s2nNPiTD1uc/s200/IMAG0805.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;">How do chickens sleep? On their bellys</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmyj9oo7DMs3MKzmJ0twI3kGVygiEBsj__SkgrEY1AiQROSY4TOQb6t7ATVfh9XJmy7CHT8b5w5P6tRjLXq7f9_VLDROIb1gT_v06ADK1Ixh-7peuUllRZp05G46ucyDVeCW_eF_vYpM/s200/IMAG0806.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;">Who do they go to with questions? some one older and wise</span>r</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKwSR5pzhsU4z-VHkAwZuUt2WpUToMLyUBvvFpE76eve2dpPgZv8hn3otJJ6i-16Ng9jBU2T5mgMZbWQg9X-oP4acbProACD1YCZc4gjI6PVyr9iH4EDpQ3tQv2vGyIDZBuMHYAfFUVg/s1600/IMAG0816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKwSR5pzhsU4z-VHkAwZuUt2WpUToMLyUBvvFpE76eve2dpPgZv8hn3otJJ6i-16Ng9jBU2T5mgMZbWQg9X-oP4acbProACD1YCZc4gjI6PVyr9iH4EDpQ3tQv2vGyIDZBuMHYAfFUVg/s200/IMAG0816.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmyj9oo7DMs3MKzmJ0twI3kGVygiEBsj__SkgrEY1AiQROSY4TOQb6t7ATVfh9XJmy7CHT8b5w5P6tRjLXq7f9_VLDROIb1gT_v06ADK1Ixh-7peuUllRZp05G46ucyDVeCW_eF_vYpM/s1600/IMAG0806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: purple;">What do they do for fun? Bungee Jump! </span><br /><br /> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRPnLWc07b_ssRqPYbBZDhH0ThpIwEyrYonFVhB6t9SjHuOHev8gY_-t_9AL6U3FjmWZyE_xsTdNuHiIRLdbk2F4qMNN6zHhTsumzaCsHs60tiK6jaioAX_PU3WP17FihDb03-aZ_wPc/s1600/IMAG0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRPnLWc07b_ssRqPYbBZDhH0ThpIwEyrYonFVhB6t9SjHuOHev8gY_-t_9AL6U3FjmWZyE_xsTdNuHiIRLdbk2F4qMNN6zHhTsumzaCsHs60tiK6jaioAX_PU3WP17FihDb03-aZ_wPc/s200/IMAG0812.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;">What does a great hunter look like? this.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjuUGULplG50cBKz5XYTTwaqdux4Q4a-ousEPSA-HpC-LZVi8Wrn0j1DauLeDeLR0CVk-xZYTSElQl_NUvCzSCAS9ta7lcPkrD7Guu2cISxkNMtPOv_0FnPcXkiFxh6U3kOFerr7du5s/s1600/IMAG0814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjuUGULplG50cBKz5XYTTwaqdux4Q4a-ousEPSA-HpC-LZVi8Wrn0j1DauLeDeLR0CVk-xZYTSElQl_NUvCzSCAS9ta7lcPkrD7Guu2cISxkNMtPOv_0FnPcXkiFxh6U3kOFerr7du5s/s1600/IMAG0814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjuUGULplG50cBKz5XYTTwaqdux4Q4a-ousEPSA-HpC-LZVi8Wrn0j1DauLeDeLR0CVk-xZYTSElQl_NUvCzSCAS9ta7lcPkrD7Guu2cISxkNMtPOv_0FnPcXkiFxh6U3kOFerr7du5s/s200/IMAG0814.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;">What does fat cat do all day? not much</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCJNdJYOeGstwrD9HDljNBsesplQQwGTvrDkWhzBhYBX2iXc6Q0E27B8ti5Sb3hQY1nff16V7oLfv_fjmtAayy-RHX_lMlhxYWvv_y_7nxkAPSKKFaQEoUh2fMU9v_a_wpy5f__Gvdhk/s1600/IMAG0364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;">.</span></a><span style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCJNdJYOeGstwrD9HDljNBsesplQQwGTvrDkWhzBhYBX2iXc6Q0E27B8ti5Sb3hQY1nff16V7oLfv_fjmtAayy-RHX_lMlhxYWvv_y_7nxkAPSKKFaQEoUh2fMU9v_a_wpy5f__Gvdhk/s1600/IMAG0364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2XIm9AeN1Y3ypb19cj6fn_hVjAJVXpebkhKR8soqDgEMrZb_-1c1nia6gPniRszvSsFyEua2xcRB9tw1jB4lM38_4IGlF25CRcGv4vPUQjGirB4-v4I5Gl-rbt0syzGqekw1AVwWdiM/s1600/IMAG0808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2XIm9AeN1Y3ypb19cj6fn_hVjAJVXpebkhKR8soqDgEMrZb_-1c1nia6gPniRszvSsFyEua2xcRB9tw1jB4lM38_4IGlF25CRcGv4vPUQjGirB4-v4I5Gl-rbt0syzGqekw1AVwWdiM/s200/IMAG0808.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /> <span style="color: purple;">Where do herd dogs sleep? In leather chairs.</span>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-16557312262064386052012-07-16T17:20:00.000-07:002012-07-16T17:25:25.575-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyVY3YsXjTH8VA5hRl4rNc35MWwHzBikyv8HcHGYocXIn00oAdn8TbkkJmJWpl66ZnZrqEgvxkky8OQqLRAOdL2GUX-5zJS-Neg67wj6eAAAc2-5oOgtQ9DN8RrBS4Me92eiBcFwg57E/s1600/IMAG0801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyVY3YsXjTH8VA5hRl4rNc35MWwHzBikyv8HcHGYocXIn00oAdn8TbkkJmJWpl66ZnZrqEgvxkky8OQqLRAOdL2GUX-5zJS-Neg67wj6eAAAc2-5oOgtQ9DN8RrBS4Me92eiBcFwg57E/s200/IMAG0801.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I had some exciting news about Hubert and Hobbles,
but unfortunately it did not last. Sunday
morning as I was rushing to get chores done, so I could take our youngest off
to camp for the week, when I "herd" the tell tail chirps that Bucket Chicken’s eggs had
hatched. Bucket Chicken (not to be
confused with Bucket of Chicken) got her name because she lays her eggs in a
bucket hanging on the wall. B.C. had 8
eggs and 6 of them had hatched. <br />
Now, the chicken here at Riverstone are
free range, mostly just working to keep
the fly population at bay and keep the poo piles free of what ever might dwell
there. Some are friendlier than others,
some are down right mean, and Bucket Chicken falls in the later category. Mostly no one will go near her to check for
her eggs, but today was not the day to be shy.
Chicks that hatch in the barn don’t have a very good survival rate. Close to 0% in fact. So we try to bring a few in (like Hubert and Hobbles)
every now and again to get a few survivors.
Although, that’s story for another day, the house has not proven to
be much safer. <br />
I thought it might be nice to let Bucket
Chicken raise her brood in the safety of the house so she was moved in with
Hubert and Hobbles, with her 6 chicks.
First she was very nice and let Hubert and Hobbles move right in with
her clan, but by evening she had excommunicated
them and sent them off to a corner cowering.
Well this will never due, Hubert and Hobbles were here first, so, you
guessed it. Bucket Chicken was <u>put</u>
<u>out</u>. Still good news for Hubert and
Hobbles, they now have 6 siblings to cuddle and play with and the look very
happy. Safety in numbers; it’s so
comforting! Don't worry Bucket Chicken is back on fly controll.<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWU8bKdWspiQHWGzFzkzQantFcJx6EkzLHuRGzgGRbbePraKD8VUhF25nyuJ87Nlwpl9ZVRISRy-BzpAO6rsnLuQzHCVcwM5v5cIqnAlAgK801fIlvbL7b3TCyZS1ku63hqkmmx87ADDU/s1600/IMAG0803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWU8bKdWspiQHWGzFzkzQantFcJx6EkzLHuRGzgGRbbePraKD8VUhF25nyuJ87Nlwpl9ZVRISRy-BzpAO6rsnLuQzHCVcwM5v5cIqnAlAgK801fIlvbL7b3TCyZS1ku63hqkmmx87ADDU/s320/IMAG0803.jpg" width="192" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-H3_ShFwsnmc_meEo__g7JNHuzp7_9MHMXvocViuKdnzyI2mazLkRTEBeSHVuyLrgNtTLXDZLqtjS0a3IWkEaDC6AOYwB19vtXYQzaDKKcHIidEpRIiQqRGGoYD0Wnj_qYE0hPV2PIE/s1600/IMAG0798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-H3_ShFwsnmc_meEo__g7JNHuzp7_9MHMXvocViuKdnzyI2mazLkRTEBeSHVuyLrgNtTLXDZLqtjS0a3IWkEaDC6AOYwB19vtXYQzaDKKcHIidEpRIiQqRGGoYD0Wnj_qYE0hPV2PIE/s320/IMAG0798.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> In other
news, Rihanna had her cria Sunday while we were away checking in our camper. This tiny cria weighing, just 12 pounds, and slightly premature, was found in the poo pile, I guess I was not the only one a bit surprised. Her little legs are not very straight and
her ears don’t stand up on their own, but all things considered she is doing well and will spend her first few
days in a small pen so she doesn’t loose her mama or spend too much energy
following the herd. By Monday evening
she was jumping and playing in her pen so I gave her and mama a few hours in
the pasture, but she will be locked in again for the night. <br />A cria that small could be coyote, or even
fox food. <br />
<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKyQN0Yr4oKBgozGeTrguv4tW9vn8zAsMHDqf6Kd3YaTiisL6kttFYVhmAf1IExDKvn_sm-k3rhvgIJhFXhOcd-zNfv1IBfwDyZjQtqQxHrqmns4IAoOGPy2roQzJ0OMfaIPxnVjEXPlQ/s1600/IMAG0799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKyQN0Yr4oKBgozGeTrguv4tW9vn8zAsMHDqf6Kd3YaTiisL6kttFYVhmAf1IExDKvn_sm-k3rhvgIJhFXhOcd-zNfv1IBfwDyZjQtqQxHrqmns4IAoOGPy2roQzJ0OMfaIPxnVjEXPlQ/s200/IMAG0799.jpg" width="200" /></a> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Namaste the grey cat
had a chipmunk in the laundry room today, I hope he ate it and didn’t let it
go.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Fat cat displayed an entirely new
talent, he is an artist.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">He hacked up dragon
fly and made a perfect picture of a fish. Who knew? </span><br />
<br />
<br />Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-90096083772887138062012-07-11T11:25:00.000-07:002012-07-11T11:25:36.031-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg7gYCQSLJJkMdLD9Ark3YhTxC8FzKeDIGdEAQzZAuFAOF7kSVxRCxArYM5BdfGAJY7AAgl7IxAGjPFQZ6Hx3DRlnG3dQNdZgI1eatah67UIu9zGOFiGIzHZWe9qnB2LhJp6SWX30pjw/s1600/IMAG0780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg7gYCQSLJJkMdLD9Ark3YhTxC8FzKeDIGdEAQzZAuFAOF7kSVxRCxArYM5BdfGAJY7AAgl7IxAGjPFQZ6Hx3DRlnG3dQNdZgI1eatah67UIu9zGOFiGIzHZWe9qnB2LhJp6SWX30pjw/s320/IMAG0780.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">While I was busy blogging about chicks yesterday
morning, Amaryllis was busy having her cria. Lucky for me Margaret, my number
one farm hand had gone down to the barn early to check on Lil Dude, at just the
right time to help Amaryllis out. She
had a Black male alpaca, I think is name is Tuesday Marvin, for lack of imagination on
my part.<br /><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Today’s barn chores present a new challenge,
some one is sick. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 19px;">With 30 alpacas in the barn it is difficult to figure out whom</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;">So how do I know someone is sick?</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;">Well, alpacas, being such easy keepers all
poop in the same spot, so the biggest part of morning barn chores is to clean
all these communal piles. I throw the beans in the gator, bag a few up from my “Madam Manure poop sales” and dump the gator in the woods, where it becomes great
compost. Then fill the water buckets, feed and hay and I am done until evening.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;">However, today on almost ever pile I cleaned,
(one in the barn, one behind the barn, and one in the barn yard) some one had
left a very watery mess.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Many things go thru my mind, first and foremost,
who is it? I put grain in the feed bins,
lined up along the walls of the barn and then it’s real easy to go down the
line and lift each tail as they are busy with breakfast. I only
got kicked twice! So far so good. But no dirty butts, darn. All the babies
look fine… I have to get to the “bottom”
of this, what if it is something contagious?
What if a baby gets sick? They could
dehydrate very quickly. Collecting a
sample for my vet to check would be helpful, but this is like collecting dirty
water from the ground, not going to work.
So here you are reading a blog about diarrhea,(nothing better to do huh?) and here’s the really
hard part, I will have to go down and lie in my hammock in the shade in the
pasture until I catch the culprit. See
farming is really hard work! Spent
three days in the hammock last week waiting for babies, and then missed one, and
now this! <o:p></o:p></span></div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-51938194481823864112012-07-10T06:10:00.002-07:002012-07-10T06:10:44.897-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_KvjJJ844XFe3048zww0H_k0oQClOliB9oFhpL59dfIbUL4a0xwlXbXFAQAMsNgSi-pKWQ5Ap33NIh5tKh30iMx4lssHxc7GgB33FPcN-khboe2jH15em5Sml5LvK13-e_Jk7I7o_4Mk/s1600/IMAG0755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_KvjJJ844XFe3048zww0H_k0oQClOliB9oFhpL59dfIbUL4a0xwlXbXFAQAMsNgSi-pKWQ5Ap33NIh5tKh30iMx4lssHxc7GgB33FPcN-khboe2jH15em5Sml5LvK13-e_Jk7I7o_4Mk/s320/IMAG0755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">So with all the other excitement going on here
at the farm you’re probably all wondering how Hubert and Hobbles are getting
along.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">I am very happy to report that
Hobbles no longer needs his legs tied to stand on his own,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">and can even hop as fast as Hubert</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2-RYCO6BEVVaL7OrlEnChh0O1xyhn5ZcRNKefC3RQHA7gIgb_MHNV4kkQ2frobC3vmMbwP8UVzdnPTPLsjn9Db-hpFCDZKANc0eg-HspG0Xl5xjHj1dI2E9u6_pMbhtJzsYuhW4juJw/s1600/IMAG0603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2-RYCO6BEVVaL7OrlEnChh0O1xyhn5ZcRNKefC3RQHA7gIgb_MHNV4kkQ2frobC3vmMbwP8UVzdnPTPLsjn9Db-hpFCDZKANc0eg-HspG0Xl5xjHj1dI2E9u6_pMbhtJzsYuhW4juJw/s320/IMAG0603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">They
have officially entered the ugly chickling stages where the cute little fluffy
stuff is falling out and short little feathers are forming.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">This leaves the look of a permanent bad hair
day.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt;">Since our last house chickens
were tragically eaten at this stage by an intruder wearing a mask I am not sure
how long this awkward stage will last</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnyBNuWJbIMc9lXJy2Oo5dNKtNkBZwrtoBNesdF7e0CCmANRyfvylheJqLaT3GBh6xrWkDL1JYtCZpa2XqoL4rpql3vxgoZeECrgF4eoEYQQzKEpBOQBGPFhQ9AIlmNWPvXP6oUTxjps/s1600/racoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnyBNuWJbIMc9lXJy2Oo5dNKtNkBZwrtoBNesdF7e0CCmANRyfvylheJqLaT3GBh6xrWkDL1JYtCZpa2XqoL4rpql3vxgoZeECrgF4eoEYQQzKEpBOQBGPFhQ9AIlmNWPvXP6oUTxjps/s1600/racoon.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Fat cat sleeps on top of their cage witch I
thought was rather sweet but it seems to make them nervous. Hobbles has been discussing his troubled
childhood with a good listener, and Hubert is picking on him less now that he
can walk better. Its unbelievable how much these two tiny birds can eat!</span>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-62022505780133643192012-07-08T09:02:00.000-07:002012-07-08T09:02:13.360-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkTaWHPMhbDj4wXp215QxOLepX6W1SmnheQVFFnadnMnQlqtC4vDONcZ5QrmtK_B54jCQMWCIfQSYDILsV2vd_YeN6ZMMQHYX_P_eAKj8DHj5a_kbNY5gGYSDNd6rvJWKBGUBqpBo3dU/s1600/IMAG0711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkTaWHPMhbDj4wXp215QxOLepX6W1SmnheQVFFnadnMnQlqtC4vDONcZ5QrmtK_B54jCQMWCIfQSYDILsV2vd_YeN6ZMMQHYX_P_eAKj8DHj5a_kbNY5gGYSDNd6rvJWKBGUBqpBo3dU/s320/IMAG0711.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Yes the moment we have all been waiting for, (365
days waiting!) Lil Luster had her cria Friday about 1:00. It is
a black male, so far we are calling him Lil Dude, but I am hoping those of you
reading the blog can give us a better name.
It was over 100 degrees and very
humid. Poor girl. During early labor she cushed in the kiddy
pool, but once I saw the nose I had to get her out, the cria starts gasping for
air as soon as the nose emerges. So then
I stood with a hose keeping her cool, or holding a towel up over my head to
shade her. Thank less job this mid- wife
thing! no body worried about me during
all this! <br />
<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwI-yhfRnISEweaFZwCvYC2TXUNT_M2qYx3b5jpr1sxbpZ1GrIblhAXqg1H0vOPjXWNbncJztN_oecBLwL0QwlqyomyV6Pj5XQ73a3g8KSNkKeKizytM-0sxx281YF5XyiFr7dfbtt-mo/s1600/IMAG0714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwI-yhfRnISEweaFZwCvYC2TXUNT_M2qYx3b5jpr1sxbpZ1GrIblhAXqg1H0vOPjXWNbncJztN_oecBLwL0QwlqyomyV6Pj5XQ73a3g8KSNkKeKizytM-0sxx281YF5XyiFr7dfbtt-mo/s320/IMAG0714.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Proper birth should see a nose, then shortly after two feet, most the time the legs will come out up to
about the knee and then the head, after
the head comes out, some times you have
to wait a bit for anything else to happen,
because she needs to dilate a bit more to get the shoulders out. Once the shoulders are out pretty much the
whole cria just slides out head first on the ground. I like to catch them on a towel so they are
not all covered in dirt right off the bat,
but catching 20 pounds of wet slimy wiggly cria is no easy feat!.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitQXMLlUqqUm6DJ4wG-yAOc1I4J6LnK-GLTpwtD39wofo76zWN-g_0xFTxPulzLTgUHwVUnNYuQ2NVspPcJsCLhpSx8QU6O0ncQgytWzYyBoUOGP_3hPNbsdPlqJN8k80PplPYCbj2Sw/s1600/IMAG0732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitQXMLlUqqUm6DJ4wG-yAOc1I4J6LnK-GLTpwtD39wofo76zWN-g_0xFTxPulzLTgUHwVUnNYuQ2NVspPcJsCLhpSx8QU6O0ncQgytWzYyBoUOGP_3hPNbsdPlqJN8k80PplPYCbj2Sw/s320/IMAG0732.jpg" width="192" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwHScAxFpb5wkdKxrTM0hHNzZqLIUl8M1PJtfD2S9oQ73ECduv4k1OCQJ3bfh6mVw_XFzJHpi_3O47Qp92g5kM7JZLtxt0flswLr2I6wKstC_6MTUH9-GP07spNS9UbRDN7qOvJfxn0w/s1600/IMAG0746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwHScAxFpb5wkdKxrTM0hHNzZqLIUl8M1PJtfD2S9oQ73ECduv4k1OCQJ3bfh6mVw_XFzJHpi_3O47Qp92g5kM7JZLtxt0flswLr2I6wKstC_6MTUH9-GP07spNS9UbRDN7qOvJfxn0w/s320/IMAG0746.jpg" width="192" /></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Once out I first check to see if you have a boy
or a girl, and is it breathing? Next I stick your finger in its mouth to see if
there is suck reflex, and then make a quick assessment of over all heath. If
the weather is cooler I towel dry it, even blow dry if it’s cold, but with
Fridays heat, the towels were used to keep the sweat out of my eyes. There is a very thin kind of bag on the cria,
it dries quick and pretty much just falls off but you want to be sure it’s not wrapped
around the foot or nose. once dry it will shrink up and get very tight! <br />Chickens love
to eat this bag. Yum, string cheese! </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Now you pretty much stand
back and let mama bond and cria get to its feet. Mama still has to pass the
placenta, a big blue blob that fed the cria while he was growing. The hope is
the cria will be standing on his own and nursing in about an hour. <br />
A lot of people like to stay away from
the cria let it bond with mama, I like to touch the cria all over, ears, feet
mouth, and belly. We often put a halter
on it the day it is born. My 11 year
old daughter does all the training and it’s much easier to train a 20 pound
cria, who has no idea he’s suppose to be afraid of people than waiting until
they are six months and 80 pounds and not at all trusting of two legged
creatures.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-87323861886555801862012-07-05T09:49:00.000-07:002012-07-05T09:49:11.379-07:00<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLEkgyyn3J4uvyoJGhorXO76aJUYTkfsyeoBYY6btb9Ay6m36VIO8waD4sgnQKaMW8gHq5RGeTUIL7YweR4DPNaz1sjT0VM1JUPk5srKgANTqokRmMF4g1NTbuj24rkAK_SGKsYNS4Gg/s1600/IMAG0705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLEkgyyn3J4uvyoJGhorXO76aJUYTkfsyeoBYY6btb9Ay6m36VIO8waD4sgnQKaMW8gHq5RGeTUIL7YweR4DPNaz1sjT0VM1JUPk5srKgANTqokRmMF4g1NTbuj24rkAK_SGKsYNS4Gg/s320/IMAG0705.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pool party!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt;">Hot Hot
Hot! 100 degrees 4 out of 7 days this
week. Heat like this is dangerous both
to humans and animals. Imagine wearing a
fur coat in this weather. Alpaca fiber
is amazing; it is lighter than wool, but warmer, because it has a hollow shaft
that holds your body heat. Suri alpaca fiber is unique in that it is almost as
soft as silk because it has the lowest scale height of any natural fiber. (Except
silk witch has no scale).<br />
What is scale height? You have seen the shampoo commercials where
they say the shampoo will help damaged hair and they show the little scales
along the strand of hair claiming the shampoo will tame the frizzes. That’s scale.
If you measure how high this scale sticks up from the shaft this is
scale height. We call it prickle factor,
you know how itchy some things can be against you skin, it’s these scales. Suri alpaca has the lowest scale height, even
if the micron is lower (how big around the individual
hair is) in other fiber animals. Australian sheep breeders have gotten the micron down to as low as 10
or 11! Wow, that’s amazing, these bales
of wool are auctions off for big $$$ however there is nothing they can do
about scale height, scale height is the itch.<br />
So if you’re an alpaca with this
amazing fiber, how do you keep cool in this weather? It is much cooler in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Andes</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mountains</st1:placetype></st1:place>
where they come from. So here in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ohio</st1:place></st1:state> where it is HOT and
HUMID in summer, it is hard work to keep them cool. Heat stress could kill an animal; babies and
older animals are more at risk. I use
lots of fans, and swimming pools, my alpacas love being hosed off, and soaking
in the cool water, then they head straight for the fan… ahhhh <o:p></o:p></span></div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-3979514672588556002012-07-02T09:06:00.003-07:002012-07-02T09:13:48.170-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFJVUjFqkF3WAV8GvjcQnrey86oNI1K4AYUIBokAW-umZGZ1Rq8rL98_4QWMz64NtcDOJUKAMPZaCF1nTV1kw1PEcA6y4eP4Tu5OzafgsvBK5Cw2x2oJAfbE77XGAPxeTKOct2U1r8-Y/s1600/IMAG0703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFJVUjFqkF3WAV8GvjcQnrey86oNI1K4AYUIBokAW-umZGZ1Rq8rL98_4QWMz64NtcDOJUKAMPZaCF1nTV1kw1PEcA6y4eP4Tu5OzafgsvBK5Cw2x2oJAfbE77XGAPxeTKOct2U1r8-Y/s320/IMAG0703.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 16pt;">All most a
week since operation chick rescue and I am happy to report both Hubert and Hobbles
are doing well. Hubert is slightly
larger than Hobbles, and still picks on him, but Hobbles can now support his
weight with his own two legs. He still
looks like an Olympic speed skater when he walks, and usually at least one of
his legs is splayed straight out when he is at rest. (I’m sexy and I know
it). Why is it these little abnormalities
or weaknesses make us so much more enduring?
<br />
<br />
In other farm news, Namaste the cat has brought me two snakes and a mouse so
far this week, Fat cat Scotty has only managed to score a large moth. It’s hard to hunt when your belly drags the
ground. I have the cat food on top of
the dryer for two reasons, one, to keep
the dog out of it, two, because if Scotty
is to fat to jump up on the dryer, this is a perfect diet plan. But alas our house is full of enablers, my
daughter got him a step stool and my husband lifts him up when ever he cries. We love your big belly Scotty; I am just
concerned you will not be able to out run the fox.<br />
<br />
Down in the Barn I am still awaiting creation, alpaca babies are called cria,
thus the birth is called “cria” tion. Lil is past her due date and about as big as a
barn, it appears her milk is coming in.
She has been in a rather foul mood all week, spiting at anyone who gets
anywhere near her personal space, which has become very large even for alpaca
standards. Still the cria seem to find
pleasure in running up behind her and ramming into her behind. I think the object of this game is to avoid
being spit on. The cria are all green
this morning, I think Lil has won this round.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-67704665875484852242012-06-27T07:14:00.000-07:002012-06-27T07:14:59.916-07:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This morning when I got to the barn the alpacas were all
gathered around their hay pool ( I put hay in a baby swimming pool, alpacas are grazers, eating grass from the ground, so hay needs to be kept low so they are in
the natural feeding position and don’t choke).<br />
<br />
No one was eating, then I herd faint chirping coming from the
hay. And one of the chickens was
frantically running around the pool. Digging
around I found one little chick all fluffy and yellow with a brown strip down
his back and little black mask around his eyes. I rescued him, putting him in my pocket, but I hear more chirping
from the hay. A little more digging and
I find a broken shell and a very wet,
newly hatched chick struggling to right himself. I think the egg has rolled from the
rafters and fallen in the hay, I don’t
think it was time for Hobbles to hatch yet.<br />
<br />
Both chicks moved into the kitchen in
the hamster cage with a heat lamp,
Hubert, the first chick I found
is doing great, Hobbles, the second chick can not support his weight
with his legs, they just slid out from
under him like he is doing the splits.
I tried tying a piece of yarn around his legs to help him keep them
under himself but then he fell on his face.
This is called hobbling, and is
done with many shapes and sizes of live stock if they are weak at birth. Hubert knows he is weak and picks on him. The cats love to sit on top of the cage and
dream of chicken salad for lunch. Hubert
is very noisy, he does not like cracked
corn, he likes Doritos. Hobbles likes cheerios. <br />
More on Hubert and hobbles to come…. </div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-59388376568920964212012-06-27T06:56:00.000-07:002012-06-27T06:56:33.761-07:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I told my pen
pal in <st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place> about the alpacas and she tells
me she raises butterflies. She has to
get them little bales of hay, (milkweed?) or whatever it is the butterflies eat and make
sure they have water and their other needs are met. Just like alpacas. This leads me to a lot of questions;<br />
Do you selectively breed the
butterflies for better butterfly traits such as color, fiber, conformation,
reproductive abilities? Alpacas do.<br />
When the babies arrive do you have to
dip their belly button in novascan to prevent infection? Alpacas do<br />
Do they need assistance in the
birthing process? Alpacas usually don’t
but once in a while, usually its not to
hard.<br />
Do you have to strip the waxy plugs
from the mama butterflies teets for ease of milking? It helps with alpacas, but they can get it on their own too.<br />
How many teets do they have? Alpacas have four.<br />
How long do they remain with the
mama? Alpacas babies nurse for 6 to 8
months.<br />
What is the gestation period? Alpacas gestation is 11 ½ months<br />
<br />
Do you halter train them? I like to halter train my cria from the day
they are born, some people wait till
they are weening from their moms<br />
Do they have butterfly shows? Alpaca
shows are lots of fun and there are lots of them all over the country.<br />
Here is her response:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Georgia;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: Georgia;">problems of butterflies...do you have to pick up
lost babies? How do you feed them when you run of hay and there is none in
town? Must you bring a spot light outside so that they have enough warmth to
complete the spinning of their cacoon or trying to come out. Must you
build temporary shelters for the same purpose...(large canvas sheets for just
one caterpillar so she can pupate), do they destroy all the plants that you buy
for $25 each? Must you save them from the street as they wander aimlessly
searching for a good spot? Must you wait to prune your garden until they emerge
and fly away? Do the mothers stay around..or just drop their kids off and
expect you to raise them (the later)? Do you find that their bodies have been
replaced with wasps? Are they born handicapped and can't fly? Does the Dad ever
check in or drop by for lunch (no), ha ha...no contest...butterfly herds
are so simple...</span><br />
<br />
Would you rather raise butterflys or alpacas?</div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-79782426166891129582012-04-09T14:54:00.001-07:002012-04-09T14:54:11.247-07:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shearing day! It’s
what we wait for all year, harvesting all that fiber, my favorite part is
seeing the young ones shorn for the first time.
Sometimes their true colors don’t come out until they are shorn. You get to see how beautiful the fiber is
because its never dirty way down at the skin, so as it comes off you see clean
shinny (luster) fiber and you remember why alpacas are so special. Only the Gods could wear it in ancient Andean
tradition.<br />
Then again, I dread this day. Each alpaca is lead to the matt one at a
time, there are laid out on their side
and ropes tied to their feet, they get
stretched out tight so the shearer doesn’t cut them. Some of them spit thru the whole
process. For this we put a sock on their
mouth. They look like heffalumps. One of mine pees every time I do this, and
you certainly don’t want the fiber to get wet.
Uggh! They also get their
toenails cut, and get their vaccinations.
Not a lot of fun for the alpaca.
Fiber is flying! The blanket, or
prime fleece (the part around their middle) is put in one bag then their neck
and hip and shoulder in another. The leg
fiber I let blow into the wind for animals to use as nesting, but some people
save this too. Alpaca is so soft its all
useable<br />
Its very funny to watch as you release
them, some times their herd mates don’t
recognize them, some times babies don’t
recognize their mom, or vise versa. Get
away from me child, you’re not mine! Oh,
sorry I guess you are…. Bhaaaaa! Look
how skinny your little neck is! Didn’t recognize you with out clothes!<br />
By the time this is over I am exhausted,
every muscle is sore and I am blowing fiber boogies out of my nose and coughing
up fur balls. I have been kicked, spit
at and knock on my can more than once. I can not wait for a long long soak in the tub.<br />
And now the fiber! Which will go to shows? What shall I list on Etsy? What will I spin, or dye, or felt? Or sell or save….. Thanks alpacas. </div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-11352701373930984012012-02-26T13:18:00.001-08:002012-02-27T08:36:52.276-08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week I would like to talk about some of the other
important animals to the alpaca farm.
Like barn cats, barn cats have an important job of keeping the rodent population
down. Not all cats make good barn cats
and when you get a good one they are worth their weight in gold. I have Snickers, a beautiful tortoise cat who
hunts like a panther. She leaves me mice
daily, and I reward her with love and treat. <br />
Not all cats are cut out to be barn
cats, like Scotty, his belly is so big it nearly drags the
ground, he prefers to lie around in the
house than get dirty in the barn. He did
try his hand at hunting the other day.
He brought me his first mouse. I
had to congratulate him, despite the fact that the mouse he “caught” was
attached to a mouse trap. Oh well, nice
try Scotty.</div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-48597446770482339312012-01-19T11:01:00.000-08:002012-01-19T11:01:10.823-08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
“NEWS FROM DOWN ON
THE FARM, NW OHIO, SAD TO TELL YOU ALL,
THAT OUR ANIMAL FILLED CHRISTMAS IS A THING OF THE PAST..THIS YEAR, THE ANIMALS
WERE NOT ALLOWED TO PERFORM. I AM HAPPY
TO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND KNOW THAT YOU ALL LOVED THE
STORY TOO. ON TO THE NEW YEAR.. TODAY’S BLOG IS ALL ABOUT</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
THE TRUE MEANING OF A CRAPPY DAY </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Winter on the farm
usually means frozen toes, and frozen poop. It is never a problem to clean it
up, because you can’t clean it up if it’s frozen to the ground. But, this
winter has been horrible, nothing is frozen…we have had nothing but rain from
August thru December. We have flooded
pastures, mud, and have no way to get hay down the big hill to the barn. Did I
mention the mud? I am so sick of mud! It should be frozen in January. We should
be sledding down the hill with alpaca cria pronging behind.(Cria are what we
call baby alpacas, up to about six months when they become weenies, weaning from their moms, and then yearling)
Instead there is no snow yet this year and alpaca cria are all trying to get
their feet out of the MUD! <br />
Enough of my farm problems, last weekend I took the 4 kids up north
(Northern Michigan) for a break, 12 hours in the car, 18 hours of skiing, and
about 15 hours of sleep. We left
Thursday after school, and about 2 hours into the drive, we hit a snow storm.
There were cars sliding off the road everywhere, someone spun out right in
front of us...but we survived all the sliding cars, and got there safely, a
little later than anticipated, 7 hour, but safely. The next three days were dawn to dusk skiing,
cheesburgers and Subways. Happy and tired, we found the drive home much
easier..only 5 hours.<br />
You may wonder how could we leave all
of those animals? Well, farmers are a
generous lot. The farmer I buy my hay from was kind enough to stop over and
feed the animals. He fed them lots more hay than I give them, but then he’s the
one selling the hay! I am also lucky enough to have another neighbor that watched the 8 puppies for me, as well as mama dog, our herding dog Teddy, and two or three barn cats who seem to have wormed their way in the house. They are not easy to care for. They puppies are already 9 pounds each at just 4 weeks
old. They are not only growing quickly and getting big, but also, yes, you
guessed it lots of poop everywhere. So
if you think you are having a crappy day, then you should come visit me at the
farm, and learn the true meaning of that phrase. I can give you a whole new
meaning to a CRAPPY day! Got to go, the
cat box needs cleaned.</div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-57373822645593989972011-12-31T14:35:00.001-08:002011-12-31T14:35:36.144-08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi, welcome to my blog, I raise the world’s softest,
renewable luxury fiber, and organic garden enhancer, on my alpaca farm with my
four children. Winter days start to feel
a bit routine on an alpaca farm, no babies expected till spring, pastures
covered in snow and, all the alpacas huddled in the barn. Chores include scooping the beans, when their not frozen to the ground, fill the
water, lug around some hay bales. Get grain in the feed troughs with out
getting spit at. Blah blah blah, <br />
so we look forward to spring! I always know spring is hear when Tractor
supply advertises chick days! Yes my
dear friends this is the answer to that age old question, which came first the
chicken or the egg? the chicken of
course they come from tractor supply and then they lay the eggs. Yeah chick
days, those adorable little yellow fuzzy peeps (not the marshmallow ones). We always pick up a dozen, wouldn’t be spring
with out them. We raise them in the
basement under a heat lamp until they are big enough to move out side or they
smell too bad to stay inside. The kids
name them and can some how tell the difference between what appears to me all
exactly the same. Quite a few years ago
one of these adorable yellow peeps named Tiffany, grew up to be a very handsome
rooster. Tiffany has a bit of attitude<br />
One thing to remember about Tiffany is his height, about
8” he knows who you are by your boots,
in spring and summer I have an orange and yellow and green paisley rain
boot for chores, and in winter, a boring
brown extra warm boot. Tiffany and I
have a fairly stable relationship, I say
hello, and he checks out the boots and
leaves me alone. However, each season change when the boots change
Tiffany is most confused he know my voice,
but those are not the boot that go with that voice that feeds me, so… attack
or don’t attack. I have to keep
talking because I can see his confusion.
It’s a real good thing I don’t have close neighbors because they might
think I was completely crazy in my barn caring on with a rooster, so how was your day Tiffany, warm enough last night? Where are all the ladies? (Chickens) Your looking especially handsome today. Yep plum crazy down on the farm!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Guess what I got
for Christmas! New boots! I wonder if this is a conspiracy by my family?</div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-83436414516369042522011-12-23T17:18:00.000-08:002011-12-23T17:18:12.880-08:00Christmas Eve Services<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Welcome to my blog!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I raise Suri Alpacas whose luxury fiber is softer than cashmere. I have many other animals as well, and I hope to tell you about my life with them, and how wonderful they all are. Caring for a herd of Alpacas is a wonderful, calming life, but is not without hard work. There is always a story to tell..I think you will love and be entertained by my animal stories. This blog is for all the animal lovers and for those who live far away and have never seen an alpaca. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Christmas Pageant </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It’s almost Christmas so I expect to be hearing from FatherMurdock, at our Catholic Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He puts on the most popular children’s Christmas Eve service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first year this took place in the church. The show went well until Mary came down the aisle on the back of my neighbor’s pony and left some “apples” along the aisle. People took offense, so the service was moved to our l950’s movie theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still has only one screen, a big marquee out front, and large cushy seats,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>balcony, and a very large stage. It turned out to be the very best place for a Christmas pageant. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Father always invites every animal owner to participate and, children to round it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then tells the Christmas story using each animal’s real name, as they walk down the aisle. Mary enters on horseback, comes down the aisle and lays the baby in the manger. Then the Priest says, “Escada, the alpaca, offered her fiber to keep the baby warm.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each animal and child is then announced. There is Liam, the Shepherd boy, carrying Jack, a the baby sheep. Teddy, the dog, stands close by to protect the precious baby. Tiffany, my rooster, (he is a whole other blog) flew up to the rafters, hmm we guess, to catch a qlimpse of the new born king.( She is sensitive. We think he got stage fright, but we did get him down eventually). Then there was Candy, the Llama, curious to see the new born baby, but wanted to check out the stars first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was staring up at the balcony and would not walk down the aisle. We felt that Candy may have felt humbled to meet the Christ child…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>anyway, she<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>got only half way down the isle and would not move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Priest kept improvising, but she was holding up the show. Finally two men had to put their shoulder into Candy’s rump and push to get her down the aisle.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This service is truly a wonderful Christmas celebration. Our loved animals and children all become part of the Christmas story. But more than wonderful entertainment, our hearts are warmed and we all feel that we are having an authentic experience of Christmas (except for our cushy seats). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Merry Christmas everyone, and as you are sit in church on Christmas Eve just picture live animals walking down that aisle. </div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-55135730994523105532011-11-09T08:29:00.000-08:002011-12-05T11:58:04.125-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1risLxmTI4ouS9Nuy83EIsYVs2oy1e6Wp6uuN_s3EJqu73esx2b8ecnGDMTsY9alS9seOLuv0fSSPAImAL_6ZfB8uQhPa5zkWLQIRZVJssk-dwxCMR1kgiUN2sTJbD3-r6hNEsGEbDo/s1600/down+by+the+River.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1risLxmTI4ouS9Nuy83EIsYVs2oy1e6Wp6uuN_s3EJqu73esx2b8ecnGDMTsY9alS9seOLuv0fSSPAImAL_6ZfB8uQhPa5zkWLQIRZVJssk-dwxCMR1kgiUN2sTJbD3-r6hNEsGEbDo/s320/down+by+the+River.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I set up this blog and planed to post once a week and almost a month has flown by! Perhaps when things settle down for that long winters rest I will be better at it huh, Wait, has anyone actually ever had a long winters rest , unless of course your a bear?<br /> Late fall is generally uneventful on the farm. Thanksgiving day 13 wild turkeys walked through the pasture, pretty birds believe it or not, but alpacas are scared of them. hahaha! I caught a glimpse of our bald eagle, about the same time he spotted our 2 pound foster puppy's, so no time for bird watching, puppy's are looking like lunch unless I get them inside quick. Speaking of fosters, congratulation's to Thor, who spent over a month with us and found his forever home last weekend. Don't you love happy endings?<br /> On a wetter note, Pastures are flooded, being located on the river is so beautiful, but water rushing through the pasture bringing me enormous logs, and who knows what else in its wake makes things a bit more challenging than a typical farm. last spring we got a "no wake" sign, I thought it looked nice propped up in the pasture with cria running by, right now, it could mean boats!<br /> I have 150 green panels, 10ft long each, they lock together and make wonderful fencing and then come apart and get stored on high ground when ever floods are predicted. Sounds so efficient, but when the water is steadily rising and your trying to carry them up the slippery muddy hill, well. thoughts of a nice flat, farm on high ground creep into my mind. Not to mention how cold that water is in November. I know, stop wining right! Poor pacas, no pasture for awhile.<br /> Until next time....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5357320521199405611.post-15600573824116452542011-11-09T08:19:00.000-08:002011-11-09T08:19:29.488-08:00Hello!This is my first ever Blog, I have no idea what i am doing but hope to share with you a little bit about life on an alpaca farm. I welcome questions, construtive critisim, but please be nice, i am not a very technical person so, so far, this is really hard!<br />
Today is a rainy day on the farm, so a perfect day to learn how to blog!Riverstone Suri Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04173932845701477744noreply@blogger.com0