how good it was to drive through the california countryside over hill and dale through sun dappled roads all the way to an alpaca farm.
alpacas don't look like alpacas so much as they look like stuffed animals.
teddy bears with furry rumps.
the one in the photo above with the brown puffball rump is a huacaya alpaca. and the white one on the left is a suri.
i prefer the ones who look like lambs.
but the truth is they are all Cute with a capital C. and some look like donkeys or kangaroos or rabbits or ostriches or camels. but mostly like stuffed animals. looking at alpacas is kind of like looking at clouds. you start to see all sorts of animals. that's the truth.
the name of the farm we went to is WINDY HILL. they take extra good care of their alpacas. lots of people board their alpacas and come visit them on weekends. we talked to some of the owners and they let us pet their alpacas!!! i pet their necks because they don't like having their faces touched. i don't either.
one thing i thought was very interesting is that they need other alpacas because they are herd animals. one of them sees something and the entire group stampedes across the field to go take a look. teamwork. it's unnatural for them to live in isolation from a herd.
i made a little slideshow slash video since i had so many photos.
so gentle and wildly curious. but also shy. and you know what else? they don't have top teeth!
and their fur is not called wool. it's FLEECE.
WINDY HILL has huge guardian anatolian shepards who watch over the herd. such sweet dogs!
i highly recommend a visit if you're local.
joyce and i went out for grub after our visit.
to a little mexican market where we were surrounded by pinatas.
good times.
You’re right! They look like all kinds of animals! Everyone I saw in your video looked like a different kind of an animal! Now I need one for my very own.
One of my husband’s coworkers has a farm, and among cows and a horse and chickens, he has a herd of alpacas. Last Christmas, he invited the office over for a barbecue. Did I want to see the critters? Well yes! Could I bring my dachshund? Why yes! So we brought her, and asked if we might go out in the pasture with them. Sure, said the owner! Now, I grew up around horses; I would NEVER let dogs loose to chase livestock, for the safety and happiness of all concerned. I assure you she remained on a flexi-leash and harness. But, I want you to visualize a once-fully paralyzed dachshund (she recovered due to spinal surgery), all 8 inches at the shoulders and 10 furry pounds of her, take off barking (she ran about 3 feet) at those alpacas. And all 19 of them took one look at this fierce red tiny hound, and they ran as a group! They only ran about five steps and then stopped and stared at this small creature…but still! Can you imagine the swelling of pride in her hound heart that she had vanquished these giant fur beasts? She might as well have taken down a herd of mighty aurochs, bison even! She walked tall the rest of the night. Then collapsed in a heap under my sweatshirt on my lap all the way home. Her ego remains enormous.
I took what nan wrote and copied it because it says it all for me. Thank you so much.
I love reading your blog but rarely comment, although I greatly enjoy my time spent meandering around your blog and journal pictures. Todays video of the llamas (with Johnny Cash telling it like it is) just cracked me up!! Your quirky sense of humor and delightful way of looking at things brightens my every day. Thank you so much for sharing your view of the world with us. YOU bring joy to this troubled world of ours. Many blessings to you for that!
How fun! My neighbors are alpacas. Very fun to watch my neighbors! But sometimes they scream at each other and fight. They don’t like my dog either. I have been invited to knit with my neighbors fleece yarn, I think I will have to try that! I’m glad you had a fun outing.
Alpacas are also known for rolling in the dust. It is their favorite pasttime. I have a few bags of Alpaca fleece both kinds(huacaya and suri) they are wonderful to spin into yarn. It is also a very warm fiber too. I usually spin it with a bit of wool because the alpaca fiber doesn’t have elasticity that wool has. I am also a knitter too.
Lovely day at an alpaca farm what could be better. Not to mention your awesome looking grub too.
Brushing is bad? Well, what do you know!? Oh course, I had to Google it – apparently brushing destroys the crimp in their fleece. There, now we’ve learned something new for today.
You made my day Mary Ann! I’m awing, chuckling, laughing out loud. What adorable faces! Thanks for a delightful day in the country.
Cynthia alpacas coats are ruined by brushing. Its not good for them. I know cause I asked. They run and play in the fields some of which are muddy.
They are so cute! I loved the video–so many different looks!! Do you want to draw them now???
Those faces!! This is a terribly hilarious piece of work! Llamas in Pajamas!
Love!
I waited for your post with anticipation – I knew you would do wonders with that camera of yours. And you DID!!!! They are soooooo cute. I want to scrunch them. Some people keep them in the UK too, so I have seen some in real life, but not as many as the farm you went to had. And such variety. It’s such a shame they are herd animals. One for my garden would be just perfect …… Ho hum, have to make do with squirrels and robins.
I’m jealous! I adore alpacas and llamas. I hope in my next life I have an alpaca farm. Think I could just watch and pet and cuddle them 24 hours a day. And … add a couple of Anatolians to the mix. Sounds pretty much like heaven to me! Thanks for all the joy you share!
They certainly are cute with a capital C, aren’t they? Were they soft to touch? Some of them look pretty dirty, I want to hose them down, scrub them up with shampoo and brush out their coats. How come some of them have names tags pinned to their ears? Thanks so much for sharing the photos and the video. My favourite is the rump shot, but I like the closeup of the brown alpaca’s teeth too. 🙂
MaryAnn~ I’m a faithful reader of your blog ( and classes) but rarely comment, although I greatly enjoy my time spent meandering around your blog and journal pictures. Todays video of the llamas (with Johnny Cash telling it like it is) just cracked me up!! Your quirky sense of humor and delightful way of looking at things brightens my every day. Thank you so much for sharing your view of the world with us. YOU bring joy to this troubled world of ours. Many blessings to you for that!
Nan Dodson
Love the rump shot! We have two alpaca herds up the street and around the corner from home. We had horses too but they replaced them with cows. That’s he crazy thing about Phoenix. We live smack, dab in the middle of the city but there’s still horse properties in the middle of everything. What a fun adventure!
Marissa
Did I live in a time warp over the weekend? Didn’t I read on an earlier posting that you were going to an art retreat with your sister? Am I living on another planet? Carol is showing knitted goodies on her blog, definitely not at an art retreat. Please set me straight.
I waited for a night time story and I just got the best kind, filled with love and furry live stuffed animals where all things are good and at peace with each other and life is sweetly splashed with just enough adventure to call it a very, splendid day. I kind of feel like I’ve been gently placed right in the middle of a winnie the pooh story. You are a good story teller Mary Ann. And what is a story without pictures. MOre LOVE. I am such a push over for animals, does not matter if it’s little or big; if it’s got fur I am drawn to it, my own ‘herd’ mentality I don’t think I would have been able to leave. I’m having a glass of wine and toasting you and your very fine day and bid you sweet dreams.
Just graded my comment and have to count off for not beginning a sentence with a capital letter. I am getting sloppy in my later years.
what a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon! Thanks for the video.
That’s one BIG alpaca farm! There’s a tiny one just spitting distance from my place in Fortuna, with 6 or 8 animals. Alpacas are great animals and you’re right, they look like a lot of other critters. I’m sure you know they’re camelids so that resemblance is obvious.
Have a wonderful week!
Oh my gosh!!! So freakin adorable!! I love the two brown ones in the top photos. The proportions of the top one are unreal, just like you said- a suffed animal! Wow. Just wow. Thanks for sharing!