The Emperor Has No Clothes!

Last Sunday was shearing day at at Rock Garden Alpacas.     

What this means for the alpacas is they get all their fiber shaved off.  

This is fabulous news for all of us waiting to see what the new season of fiber will bring and bad for the alpacas as they loose their clothes.       

 Until their fiber starts to grow back they're basically naked.  

However, this is really good for them coming into the hot summer months. 

They're a lot cooler without those heavy coats on.    

And, by shearing them at this time of the year it allows plenty of time for their coats to grow back.

After the shearing the fiber gets sorted and organized in piles as to where it's going.     

The "blankets" may be sent to the shows or processed, the 2nd and 3rd groups may be processed into roving, or may be  shipped off to the fiber banks, or cleaned and then processed and dyed or turned into batts by my sister. 

From the pictures I have to say that the fiber looks really, really good.   

Maybe some of it in one form or another will end up at the post office for "big" sister.  Hint! Hint!   

They're Skinny Mini's

As Doris Marie came around the corner of the Dollie Storage Room she saw Patience pacing back and forth looking at a picture.  She was jumping from one bunny foot to the other.  Definitely not a good situation for such a timid, shy, worry wart of a bunny.  So, she decided to ask Patience what the matter was.

"Oh, Doris Marie I'm so happy you stopped to ask me.  Look at this picture of our alpaca cousins. Somethings happened to them.  Why they're almost naked and so skinny,"  Patience exclaimed. "Make that they are naked and are definitely skinny mini's.  What should we do, Doris Marie?  How can we help them?  Are Debbie and Karl not feeding them?  You don't think they're abusing them do you?"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Patience.  Don't be silly," Doris Marie replied.  "They're just been shorn."

"Shorn?" "What's that?" Patience asked.  "Is that the same as starving?"

"Absolutely not, Patience.  Let's just say they've had a really, really good haircut," Doris said. "And, don't worry.  Debbie and Karl feed them plenty of grass and hay.  They are far from starving."

"That's so good to know, Doris Marie.  But, you can see Roxy's ribs.  And, Sunflower has no top.  I really hope they don't get cold," Patience cried.

"Not to worry, Patience," Doris Marie responded.  "They're alpacas and are used to this."

"They don't shear bunnies do they Doris Marie," Patience wondered? "I certainly wouldn't want that to happen to me."

"Not to worry, Patience.  Linda has no plans to shear you," Doris Marie replied. "And, I know you get plenty of food."

"Oh, what a relief that is," Patience said. "That makes me feel so much better."

Two More Weeks

It's only two more weeks until my Artful Gathering Session I class starts and I can hardly wait.

This is my 3rd year taking online classes at Artful Gathering  and I have to say I have loved each and every class I've taken. The instructors are fantastic and I've had a blast in each class learning something new and, best of all, making wonderful new friends.

There were so many fabulous classes to choose from this year it was hard to decide. I really only have time for two and decided to take in Session 1 - Let's Go For A Ride - Julie Haymaker Thompson and in Session 2 - The Imaginarium: Anthologies of an Art Doll with Mary Jane Chadbourne.

I've got my kits already and I've ready to go.