Kids, Alpacas, Birds and Bees Just Because

It is finally WARM! Today is gorgeous! I can get used to 60 degrees.  This morning I planned on doing the 10 on 10 link up, but I quickly started taking too many pictures. I just upgraded my camera gear! I bought a Canon EOS 60D body. No I can't afford it, but I couldn't live without it anymore. There was a used on at my local camera shop and it was in great condition so I finally decided to upgrade. Now I'll have to sell my other camera..... but before I find time to do that I took a gazillion pictures this morning.

 

Today was the first time in a very very very long time we could wait for the bus outside!

 

Seriously can this dog get any cuter. She carries a teddy bear around with her to use as a bed in her favorite sun spots throughout the day. 

Farm chores were a pleasure today. Look how green everything is getting!

In exciting news one of my pictures of CCNF Smoke Ring I took in the Fall is going to be on the cover of the 2014-2015 Alpaca Owners Guide! I am so honored and excited. My sister is also in the picture. We are all so excited. The picture is also going to be in the USA Today. AOA is using it as an ad. I told Smoke Ring, but he didn't seem to be as excited as the rest of us.

 

 

I need to get some fleece shots of the alpacas, but since I was by myself this morning. I couldn't really get a good one. Even though Smoke Ring stood perfectly still I needed two hands to keep his fleece open. So I settled for one hand on his fleece and one on the camera. I'll get better shots when I have help. His fleece is AMAZING!

Smoke Ring and Kigo eating some hay together.  The two studs of the farm.

 

Bing posing for the camera.

 

Blue!

 

Awan and Blue

Bees

 

Hello blue bird.

Okay now I really must get something productive done :)  I hope you enjoyed seeing my morning.

 

Oh I almost forgot here is a fun little video I took of Maggie. She bumped her teeth on the hood of my camera lens at the end. She is a funny girl.

 

 

Yarn Along

I feel like I haven't taken pictures of the alpacas lately. So today at the farm I brought my camera out of hibernation and took a few shots. Actually I took over 250 pictures :) So you can expect to see some upcoming posts staring the herd.  I picked just a few for this post.

 

 

 

 

 

Don't you just want to cuddle with them! I love those fuzzy faces.

 

As for knitting I have been working on my Postcard Cardigan. I have been making up the pattern as I go. I am not sure if I am going to be publishing the pattern. I think I am just going to wear it and enjoy it for myself. Unless enough people show interest in it (then it might be worth my time putting it all together on paper). I am making it out of Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn. I am in love with the loft yarn. But I think I might be allergic to it. I have been sneezing the entire time I've been working on it. I am so sad because I love this yarn so much.

 

I designed this cardigan to have two lace panels that run up the front and then down the back. I added shaping on the sides.  I also added shaping on the back that gives the look of a razor back. I like razor backs and thought it would be fun to try on a lace cardigan to give it some Jazz.

 

I think this pattern would work great as a vest or a cardigan, so I wanted to get some pictures of it without the second sleeve. I'm still trying to decide what pattern I am going to do for the cuff so I left the right one unfinished. 

 

So that is what I've been knitting. We are expecting some more bad weather. I am not sure if we are going to get a lot of snow or rain. Either way hopefully it will keep me home long enough to get this cardigan finished up. I can't wait to wear it. Even if I have to take allergy medicine when I have to wear it. I know it will be worth it :)

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

 

Today

 

When I got up it was dark.

 

I went to the gym.

 

Then it got lighter out.

 

Then I went to the farm (even though it was still kind of dark).

 

 

Then it was actually sunny, which made farm chores pleasurable.

 

 

 

 

I was done with farm chores by 8:30 am and as I was walking to our truck it started raining.

Then it started to thunder.

Thunder in January???

 

 

 

On the way home it was down pouring.

When I got home there was a rainbow.

 

 

 

Then it started to rain / sleet / snow. A wintery mix as the weather people like to call it.

 

Then I went to the grocery store.

 

It started to rain hard again.

 

Then it got sunny again.

Then it got dark and I watched the Priority Alpaca Auction on my computer while it was going on live in Las Vegas. I was glad to see my alpaca Blue's relatives sell for so much $$$.

Good bloodlines :)

 

Now it is really dark and cold and we have a fire going to warm up the house. I knitted a hat, ripped it out, knitting it again, and I think I'm going to rip it out again.

 

In other words it was a crazy, yet good day.  Nothing bad happened.

 

I was so jealous of my sister and cousin because they spent the day at Vogue Knitting Live in NY! I was on Instagram following her the whole day. I wish I was there. Maybe next year, or maybe next year I'll be in Vegas for the Priority Auction, but I'm pretty sure I'll be home taking care of the alpacas. That is something I can't complain about. I love those fuzzy faces.

 

 

 

 

 



Pumpkin Picking Shawl

 

I finished up my "Pumpkin Picking Shawl". The pattern is Samen by Stephen West. I decided to call it my Pumpkin Picking Shawl because while I was knitting it the Fall colors made me want to go pumpkin picking.  Blue thinks I did a good job :)

 

I really loved knitting this shawl. I did most of the knitting on the road. We have taken some day trips lately and I took it with me everywhere we went. It is a very easy travel knit.

The yarn I used was Shibui Cima. It is a 70% superbaby alpaca, 30% fine merino wool. The yarn is held doubled and the finished knit is so incredibly soft. I love it is so much and I know I'm going to get a ton of use out of it.  I got the yarn from Chelsea Yarns.  The colors I used were Poppy, Mineral, Clay, Field, & Caffeine. I used one skein of each, but I had to cut the last garter ridge short 2 rows or else I was going to run out of Poppy (bright orange). I also made a mistake on one of the wedges. I forgot to do an additional repeat. But I am calling it a happy mistake because I was very glad to stick to one skein of each color.

In alpaca news this little guy has a name. Meet "Arrow".

 

Melody on the left and Spicy in the middle are both due soon, so we are sticking close to the farm and hoping for some healthy little crias any day now.

 

 

 

Happy Knitting! I hope you have a great day.

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

SHEARING DAY!!!

 

Shearing Day at Arrow Acres Farm was a huge success!  It is a day that is much anticipated and brings with it a bundle of nerves, anxiety, excitement and exhaustion.  You never know what you might uncover under all that fleece.  But I have to say the herd looked great.

 

This is where we set up to shear. It is shed #1.  The girls were checking it out while we got set up.

 

I got up at 5:30 this morning so excited for today.  I tried to go back to bed, but I couldn't.  The boys woke up about ten minute after me so we stayed up. No snoozing today.  I got out of the house early and over to the farm to help clean and set up.  Thank you to my wonderful husband to taking care of the boys today so I could go do alpaca stuff.



 

Lily's fleece made the shear say WOW!  It is beautiful. I didn't have my camera handy at all times so I missed getting her sheared, but I'll be sure to snap a shot of it on the skirting table. It is fantastic.

Vauneese was so ready to have her hair cut.

Five day old Mr. Bates got his hair cut like a champ. He was so cooperative. I think my kids could take some lessons from him.



Some people who don't know the whole shearing process sometimes ask me: do they get hurt, why do you have to tie them down, they must suffer. No, No and No. If we don't shear them, they will get heat stroke and die. So it is in their best interest to shear.  We tie them down to make the process much faster. It only takes about 10 minutes per alpaca and they are so happy once their fleeces are off they will even come back into the room freely to check on who is getting sheared next.  Clearly they didn't suffer and are happy to watch.

Spicy's fleece!



 

Reno's neck. 

 

Reno is a show animal so he gets a fancy modified bobble.

 

Next up Blue!!! Oh I was so excited I can't even tell you. Here is a shot of his fleece from his side.

 

I have been dreaming about what I am going to use his fleece for.

The shearer was impressed with his fleece and recommended I show it. 

 I thought that was pretty awesome. Since our shearer knows what he is talking about I am going to put it in a fiber competition before I spin it. So rock on Blue!

 

Blue has gotten some blue ribbons before for his fleece.  He could be used for breeding. My parents have a high end breeding program and I am not sure if he is high end enough for the girls on the farm.  So either I have to buy a girl (Lily!) or he is just a fiber boy.  Maybe someday I'll have a little Blue running around. It is kind of hard to afford to get started in the alpaca business. But I'm going to figure something out for myself some day.

Look at Blue with his fancy new hair cut.

Look at how happy Kigo looks having his fleece off.

I can't tell you how excited I was to hear from the shearers that Blue's fleece looked great and that he didn't have any issues going on like skin stuff or lumps or bumps. Phew! It is like a good well visit at the docs office.  He deserves a lollipop.

 



 

Check out Bing before and after.

 

I was hoping to get more before and after shots, but that didn't work out. My parents had to go to help another alpaca farm shear their animals. I am so worn out I can't imagine how exhausted they are going to be. It is 8:35 pm and they are still shearing and we started at 8:30 this morning.  I can hardly walk.  I can't imagine how exhausted they are!

 

A huge thanks to Mariacher Shearing Services Jay Mariacher for the great shearing job today!

See you next year and best of luck for the rest of your shearing tour.