I know that I've mentioned many times before that my sister and her husband are the owners of Rock Garden Alpaca's. Well, last week I visited my sister and fell in love with my alpaca "nieces and nephews."
Twice a day my sister and I went down to tend the "kids." Each and every time "Ivy" would be waiting for us. She had a schedule, after all, and knew when we were late or early.
Usually in the afternoons we'd be greeted by the "kids." The "girls", shown in the picture above are from left to right Sunflower, Zinnia, and Ivy.
Sometimes when we were a little too early in the mornings we'd wake the kids up and they'd saunter out of the sheds with their eyes half opened. It was really funny to see - behaving just like tired children who were awoken too early. "Do we have to get up? Aw, Ma!"
Zinnia, who is Ivy's daughter, took a liking to me. I don't know if it was my smell or the fur around the hood of my coat, but she followed me around moving from one spot to another. She'd stand next to me and nuzzle the fur or try to push me. Then my sister would say, "Don't let her dominate you. Push her back."
So, I'd have to nudge her a little, if I could. Given she's as tall as me and probably weighs over 100 pounds that seemed easier said than done. But, I did it and she'd stop pushing - content to just let me stroke her long neck. She has such beautiful fur.
When she got comfortable she'd lay down right next to me and put her head between my feet or lay her head on the top of my shoes.
Shown above is how I saw Zinnia most of the time.
The "boys" Masquerade (picture on top) and Cosmo (picture on bottom) had their own shed and area separate from the "girls." You have to keep the males and females separate as the males have just one thing on their minds when it comes to the females. TYPICAL MALES! So, you keep them separate until you want them to breed.
Cosmo is the son of Sunflower (pictured above) and both have amazingly thick, beautiful white fur. I just love using their roving for my needle felted crafts. Fortunately for me I get a few bags for free. If you'd like to check out their roving my sister sells it at "Rock Garden Alpacas Fiber."
When it came to feeding them their grain both the "boys" and "girls" have their own "spot" and grain container and when my sister feeds them she points and says "You know where your spot is." Amazingly they go to their spot and wait. Sometimes they do misbehave and try to steal each other's grain. Then there's some fighting, biting, and sometimes spitting going on - which you don't want to be in the middle of.
I had told my sister that I wanted to get pictures of the "kids." She said, "You can try." I, of course thought it would be no big deal. They'd pose for me - right! Guess again. The "girls" had other things on their minds like grazing and feeding. And, Cosmo - well, he's a curious guy.
Cosmo just loved to smooze and kiss the camera. I didn't mind. How can you not LOVE a face like that?
And then there's beautiful Masquerade. I should probably tell him he's handsome. He is a male after all. He has the most beautiful face and eyes.
My sister named him Masquerade because he looks like he has a mask on his face with the white and dark colors. Every time I look at him I think of "The Phantom Of The Opera." Maybe it's because he's a little skid-dish. He wants to get close, but is always a little afraid. My sister says he thinks he's invisible - that if you look at him he's not there. Maybe he's hiding behind his mask.
But, Ivy did at least cooperate for two wonderful pictures. She's the smallest alpaca of the group. The guardian I think. Every time we were down there she'd be talking away - that is, in alpaca speech. I don't know what she was saying, but she'd talk the whole time we were down there.
Cosmo (pictured above) is such a smoozer and always whimpered a little when we were leaving. I think he loved the company.
He, too, would always nudge me and stick his nose in the fur on my hood. Given that he's a male - maybe he thought I'd be a good mate.
Hmmmm.... I hope not.
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