Sunday, September 30, 2007

Alpaca Saturday

A bright, breezy day for going to visit some alpacas. I've forgotten the exact title but it was something like Alpaca Farm Day and surprisingly there is one not too far from me!
Chisholm Trail Alpacas is a family owned enterprise and they were all very friendly and knowledgeable. But the stars of course were the alpacas. There were pregnant mommas separated from the youngsters we got to know. No upsetting them in their "delicate condition". So they looked on and probably gossiped about all these goofy folks that had descended on their home.

There was also a guard llama (who happily didn't spit on any of us) and guard dogs who were extremely happy. I'm glad they didn't see me as a predator. You all probably know a lot more about alpacas than I do. I didn't realize there were two distinct types. I got to meet a suri whose fiber, when ready to be sheared will resemble dreads I'm told, and huacayas whose fiber is shorter, sooooo thick, sooo OMG it is wonderful. These little guys have really nice fiber and in fact, some was carded and entered in a contest and won a blue ribbon.



They were a bit skittish but, at the same time, quite curious. Here they are looking to see whose walking through their backyard.



A woman and her little girls, one still in arms and an older one arrived and it was so cute watching the older one interact. She was very good at being calm and patient and the alpacas were entranced by her. I sat down on the ground in hopes of getting some good shots of them and suddenly there was an alpaca bumping the back of my head with his nose. At that point, I forgot about taking pictures and was all about sitting still so we could get better acquainted.

I loved this little one. Named "Oklahoma Rising" after a song written for the Centennial and called Okie. I love the color of the fiber and the sweet expression.



Indeed, I fell in love with them. I don't have quite enough land here but that didn't stop me from buying my very own Okie!



Then after a quick stop at Hastings where I found one copy of Simply Knitting; it was time for a lunch stop at Long John Silver's where I got a 10 % discount AND a free ice cream cone! Ahhhhh life is good! And there were more adventures to come.

Which you will hear about after I get this house cleaned up a bit; groceries purchased and the laundry finished.

6 comments:

Sheri said...

That sounds like so much fun! My parents went to one yesterday, too. No such thing around here though, dang, I could use something to do. Love your little Okie.
Cleaning? Oh, I need to do that too, but not sure I remember how. Having too much fun with Ravelry. You there yet? Oh my!
Have a great weekend, what's left of it.
Sheri in GA

Sara said...

Oh, I can't believe you went to see the babies! They are all so adorable...

Are you reading my mind or something??? I have been craving a Long John Silver's dinner for ages! I'd love to have a fish place like that around here...

That little toy alpaca is just too cute!!!!

Susan said...

Sheri, nope I'm still way down on the list for Ravelry. It's too funny...I don't even know what it is but figured I'd go try and find out!

Haha Sara, apparently we both have rather common tastes at times. Some laugh at me because I think going to LJS is a treat. Who cares?!?! *G*

~France said...

OOOO ... adorable indeed! So tiny it is, and I bet you've already almost hugged all the fur off it! LOL

BTW, my inner child is SAD :o(

Anonymous said...

I have that same hand-sized baby alpaca. It's so hard to keep it away from Miss Lulu.

Susan said...

/laughs! Dave, the reason it was in my hand was to protect it from the calico, who was quite fascinated with it.

F, I do hope your inner child is feeling better today. The little alpaca is too tiny to hug. Would work nicely as a pocket pal though *G*