Page 6 May 11-17 Galahads Hair Cut |
| This is what I do to try to cool off. Some times I just go all the way in and lay down in the water where it's nice and cool. My fur...or "fiber" as they call it...is 5 times warmer than sheeps wool! So you can imagine how hot I feel right about now! That's why Alpacas and LLamas need to get their hair cut! It happens every year about this time. Jane saves it and has it spun into yarn. Then she knits sweaters with it. Dottie just stuffs it in a bag to pass out to kids for show and tell! |  |
No...I don't want to go! You guys will have to lift me up and carry me to that big, blue, tarp! |  |
| I had to open my big mouth! And Dottie wonders why I get scared when she goes to put my halter on me. The only time I have to wear it is either for the vet (my shots), the ferrier (my feet trimmed), or the shearer dudes (my hair cut)! |  |
| When he holds me like this...believe it or not...I'm really relaxed! I don't move around...I just kinda hang there! Wierd! |  |
| Weeeeeee! It looks like he thumped me down, hunh? He didn't! What he did was roll me over while he lowered us both to the tarp. Then the other shearer dude cradled my head and held it down. He was very gentle. But these guys move quick! I'll tell you! They know what they're doing! |  |
| There's Terry helping him hog tie my back legs to the fence. Then they stretch me out so that I can't squirm, so I just kind of lay there. It's not like I can go anywhere, anyway. Janes in the corner waiting for the fur to fly! She'll stuf it in a bag as they shear it, to keep it clean. |  |
| Now the dude in the front hog ties my front legs while holding my head down. If I can't lift my head....I can't try to get up! That's why they tie us...it's safer for us. (And them!) We have to get this fur (fiber) off us before it get's any hotter outside. It's like wearing thick furry feet pajamas! And when our fur get's wet, it's even hotter because it holds the heat in. |  |
| Here I'm getting my nails clipped. It's like having your fingernails cut. It doesn't hurt. I can't feel my legs anyway! It's good to get all these things done at once. Oh no...here comes the vet with my wormer shot. What was I thinking! |  |
| I can hear the clippers going. He adds a few drops of oil to make it work better. Dottie's telling him she wants me to have a mohawk, like a horses mane. And to keep my tail. Oh...thank God! I love my tail! It's a good fly swisher. He said he never did a cut like this before...but there's always a first. Oh great...just what I needed to hear! |  |
| Here we go...it's loud and it tickles. And I can't move. He's trimming the fur on my legs so that Dottie can do sensitivity training with me. I don't like to have my legs and feet touched... Now every day Dottie will be rubbing my legs down to get me use to it. After awhile, I won't even notice! She says that's where we need to be. |  |
| Now he's going right up my neck. It's giving me goose bumps. He's tring to figure out how wide to make my mohawk. Punk me up! |  |
| When he holds my head like this, he blocks my ears so I don't hear the loud buzzing in my ears. This is a scarey part...my neck...but trust me...I don't want to move! I'll just keep my eyes closed, and put myself in a happy place. It's really nice to feel the cool breeze blow across my skin. I almost forgot what it feels like! Each time it feels new again. This is the eighth haircut for me. One each year since I was a baby! You'd figure I'd be use to it by now! |  |
| He's working down from my face and neck, to my chest. Then he'll make sure he's happy that he got it all. Once we're done with this side, they'll flip me over, and do the other side. |  |
| He starts at my belly, where there isn't any fur, then he'll keep shearing going right up my back. All this "fiber" will come off in one piece. Jane calls this my "blanket". That's the most valuable fiber on an alpaca. My leg and neck fiber is called seconds. They save it all! |  |
| And here I am getting the finishing touches! |  |
| I'm getting my face shaved so when Dottie puts the halter on me, my fur won't get stuck in the buckle. |  |
| So what do you think? I feel like a unicorn with out a horn...ooops.....don't give Dottie any ideas! |  |
| We think you look pretty sharp there, Galahad! Even the shearer dudes said they really liked the "look"! Jane was saying she'd like to try it on some of us next year! I guess I'm stuck with this poof ball for another year. |  |
| What a great guy he is! He cuts us fresh field grass every other day! When we mow the yard, the grass is so short that we really have to work at it! |  |
| Talk about room service! This stuff is so fresh...it turns my lips green! And I get this pile all to myself! How good is that! |  |
| I can't talk right now....my mouth is full! Oh this stuff is so good!!! |  |
| That's not fair that she feeds me in my pen. I can't eat their stuff. And this stuff is really, really good. |  |
| Well, Hello! I'm Purrrincess, or Momma cat, as I'm fondly called! Zeek kitty is my Son from my first litter. I'm the hunter for the family. I catch all the mice to keep them from getting into the critter food. I love to be outdoors. Ah...the trees, the sun....and the birds....mmmmmmmm! |  |
| Come on Solly....you wanna go for a walk? I'll take you for a walk! |  |
| I'm Zeek Kitty. Purrrincess is my Mom. I'm Joe's cat. Momma kitty is always off hunting. Spooky kitty's a "don't touch me" cat. But not me....I love snuggling up to Joe when he watches TV. And the way he carries me around, well, maybe I'm just a little spoiled! |  |
| I'm Wrex Puppy! I'm not really a puppy, I'm more like an old dog who has no problem learning new tricks! I keep an eye out for trouble, and bark if something might need tending too....like the boys playing rough, or someone coming into my yard. That's my job. My favorate spot to rest is inside on the rug. Dottie says I do a good job of holding the rug down! |  |
| Hey Prarie Chicken...over here....nice little morsel of bread. When I find something really special...I usually call one of the chicks over so they can have it. Dottie thinks that's real gentlemanly of me. So she took pictures to show you that I have no problem sharing my food. I'm not like some on this farm....right Solly! |  |
| Here ya go, sweetie...help yourself! This was a good find! |  |
| Bread? Are you tossing bread? Well toss some this way, will ya? |  |
| Ha! When Dottie get's down to my level...she's fair game for a back scratch! Gutta hurry up before she get's up! |  |
| Let me introduce you to my new hatchling. She's 4 days old now! She's a little shy and stays right by my side. If she gets cold or scared...I fluff out my feathers...and she snuggles in under me. She is a peeper! Can't wait to introduce her to the family...just waiting for her to get a little older. |  |
| Sit still while I wash your face. |  |
| When Dottie brings in a bunch of fresh stuff...I follow her from the gate to where she's gonna drop it. I usually don't wait for that...I sneak bite fulls as she's walking! This really is a special treat! |  |
Maybe if I close my eyes and open them again...I'll be back on the farm with all those girl alpacas. |  |
| Here's Joe working on one of their out houses! They have been busy trying to get them ready for The Stiles Tractor Party in two weeks! Mike wants to sell some there because everyone who sees his thinks it's a great idea! |  |
| Why does he need to use a plane to shave the fuzzys off? I'll help them out and do it for him! I love when they work with pine wood! It's my favorate! And I love the little curly fuzzies! Not only do they taste good...but they're fun to eat! |  |
| We had a guest come for a quick visit to meet us. He was trying to pat my head, and I was trying to sniff his sneakers. We went around in circles for a while. Betchya he has a dog. |  |
| Ah! End of a busy day! Supper is my best time of day. Nothing like a fresh pile of hay served to you, after eating all day mowing the yard! It doesn't get any better than this...unless she brings out the carrots! |  |
| Nothing better than hot dogs cooked over an open fire...unless it's samores' for desert! |  |
| And here I thought that I give the best hugs! Was I wrong! This lady sure knows how to give lovings! I could just stand here forever! |  |
| Joe's still busy working. Just think...all that wood behind him will someday be beautiful outhouses, adorning gardens and backyards all over! They have to deliver one to Maine, and one to Mass. Each one they do is so different! |  |
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