Yep, I'm bad again. I've been at the ranch twice since my last post. I'm preparing to move my office and life has been crazy! O.K., here goes:
My daughter, Shelby and I, spent Thanksgiving with Rick, Pati and 14 of their closest family and friends. We had planned to pick up our dear friends, Bob and Jackie, but Jackie had surgery the week prior and wasn't feeling very well. We really missed their company. Good news...Jackie is feeling better now. Everyone brought different dishes that were YUMMY! Rick's smoked turkey and Pati's Au Gratin potatoes (with REAL cheese from Switzerland) were the icing on the cake!
Great company, conversation, food, libations and......Peaches & Cream added a new cria for our entertainment :) Yep, she delivered a darling little girl just before everyone arrived. She's a brown and fawn pattern that looks like gravy atop mashed potatoes. Rick thought her name should be Taters N Gravy. Nah! What's so amazing is Peach's little girl last year looks just like this, with a different dad.
I decided to halter up Felix and show him off to everyone. Most of the people were in the house, as it was pretty cold outside. Rick opened the door, and in we walked. The only problem, though....they have tile floors. Felix lost his footing and played slip and slide and was having a hard time getting up. With Pati's help, he made it back up on all 4's and we headed back outside.
Felix was a sweetheart and let people rub his neck and top knot.
Thank you, Rick & Pati, for a great Thanksgiving Day.
Since I was there on Thanksgiving, I decided I wouldn't go Saturday as I had to clean my garage. After 2 days of cleaning, I finally finished Saturday afternoon. I was having Alpaca withdrawals and knew I couldn't wait a whole week to see them again. So, I went Sunday.
Fred had a date with a girl Saturday (drive-by breeding) and she slimed him, big time! I guess that's a no. So, Sunday, her humans brought another girl over. She really liked Fred :)
Since breeding has been suspended until December 12 for the girls that live at All American Alpacas, I took off for the fields to take pictures and spend some time with the herd. Pati Cake is very independent and doesn't spend much time with mom. Princess seems to be O.K. with that. Pati Cake likes to hang out with the boys. She, especially, seems to like Christopher and Majik. I have high hopes for her and Majik when they grow up :) There are so many new crias running around, in every color imaginable (and some colors you wouldn't imagine). I could sit on the ground and watch them all day. Check out the picture I took of Tonto :)
Rick, Pati and I took Felix, Alpha and Aerosmith for a walk. Pati was looking at Alpha's fiber and noticed, when you part it, there are patches of silver strands running through it. For awhile, we had detected some silver spots on him, but they seemed to have disappeared. Obviously, with the fiber growth, they were hidden. So, now we are back to wondering what color he is going to be. Right now he is considered light brown, but MAY turn rose gray. Holy smokes! Would that be cool, or what? I, kiddingly, said I didn't want ANOTHER rose gray. Yeah, right! His fiber is fantastic, so I think we may have a chance at some nice ribbons in 2008. After his walk, I held him while Rick trimmed his toenails.
I noticed that Star and Meg Ryan weren't joined at the hip today. They are, usually, inseparable. Maybe one, or both, of them are really pregnant. It's been a challenge for both of them (not to mention for me). They spent most of the day in separate fields. Hormones? I sure hope so.
Finished up the day helping with treats, which is one of my favorite things. I'm their best friend when I walk in the field with the blue bucket :)
Rick is leaving tomorrow for a 5000 mile transport, stopping in Northern California, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. He'll be back in about a week with Show Me The Money (Mo). My girl, Vanilla Sundae, will have her very first date with Mo in mid-December. She's ready. I'll be out at the ranch Saturday to help Pati trim teeth and toenails. I can't wait!
Wow, I almost forgot! On November 12th, we weighed Felix and Alpha. Felix: 102.5 pounds (1 year, 3 months old), Alpha: 80.7 pounds (1 year, 1 week old)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Pedicure Day
I know, I'm bad. I didn't write last week. Somehow, the time just got away from me. Actually, last week we didn't do much but watch rear ends (hoping a cria would pop out of Windy, Peach or Katarine). Nope. Same happened yesterday. Peach really looked like yesterday was the day. Nope. She'll probably deliver today. Maybe one of the other girls will deliver on Thanksgiving. Shelby and I, as well as our dear friends, Jackie and Bob, will be spending Thanksgiving with Rick, Pati, friends, family and the herd. Rick cooks the turkey and it is YUMMY. Plus, can't wait for Pati's Au Gratin potatoes. Double Yummy!
Yesterday was a beautiful day and the Alpacas were loving it. Pati had an appointment, so Rick let me help him trim toesnails. First up, Vivace. He's such a big boy, it was hard to hold him while Rick trimmed. So, he went in the chute. In no time, he had a pedicure, complete with a little nail polish to surprise Pati. Yep, real men wear pink :) After he was done, it was on to the girls. Breeze, Moony and Vanilla Sundae were pretty cooperative with me holding them. Well, somewhat anyway. Rick has a transport the first part of December. Pati told me while he is gone, we are going to trim more toenails and teeth. So far, I've been the holder. Maybe I'll get up enough nerve to be the trimmer.
I spent some time with the little boys, and had every intention of walking Felix and Alpha. But, while I was sitting on the ground in the nursery taking pictures, I tweaked my ankle and it hurt really bad, so no walks. I'll make it up to them on Thanksgiving.
Pati Cake is looking like a star. Her favorite buddy seems to be Christopher, who is just as white as she is black. The two of them, together, is quite a contrast. She's very independent, and has no problem being out of mom's sight. Princess seems to let her do her thing. Vanilla Sundae is quite the beautiful young lady. She has grown so much, and her fiber is dense and thick and poofy. I got some really good photos of her. I'm real excited about her first "date" next month with "Show Me The Money" (Mo). The way she's been acting when breeding is going on, I'm sure she's excited too. The cria they produce should be magnificent, as they both have impressive lineage. Star looks pregnant to me. I don't know if it's just how much her fiber as grown out, wishful thinking,or if she really has a baby in that tummy. Rick says she's been acting different, so maybe....Meg Ryan is acting a little different too, so hopefully she's pregnant. Time will tell.
Yesterday was a beautiful day and the Alpacas were loving it. Pati had an appointment, so Rick let me help him trim toesnails. First up, Vivace. He's such a big boy, it was hard to hold him while Rick trimmed. So, he went in the chute. In no time, he had a pedicure, complete with a little nail polish to surprise Pati. Yep, real men wear pink :) After he was done, it was on to the girls. Breeze, Moony and Vanilla Sundae were pretty cooperative with me holding them. Well, somewhat anyway. Rick has a transport the first part of December. Pati told me while he is gone, we are going to trim more toenails and teeth. So far, I've been the holder. Maybe I'll get up enough nerve to be the trimmer.
I spent some time with the little boys, and had every intention of walking Felix and Alpha. But, while I was sitting on the ground in the nursery taking pictures, I tweaked my ankle and it hurt really bad, so no walks. I'll make it up to them on Thanksgiving.
Pati Cake is looking like a star. Her favorite buddy seems to be Christopher, who is just as white as she is black. The two of them, together, is quite a contrast. She's very independent, and has no problem being out of mom's sight. Princess seems to let her do her thing. Vanilla Sundae is quite the beautiful young lady. She has grown so much, and her fiber is dense and thick and poofy. I got some really good photos of her. I'm real excited about her first "date" next month with "Show Me The Money" (Mo). The way she's been acting when breeding is going on, I'm sure she's excited too. The cria they produce should be magnificent, as they both have impressive lineage. Star looks pregnant to me. I don't know if it's just how much her fiber as grown out, wishful thinking,or if she really has a baby in that tummy. Rick says she's been acting different, so maybe....Meg Ryan is acting a little different too, so hopefully she's pregnant. Time will tell.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Happy 1st Birthday, ALPHA!
Yep, today is my first cria's first birthday. Wow, it's so hard to believe it's been a whole year since ALPHA was born. I'll never forget that day. Princess delivered right before my very eyes! I wanted to weigh him when I was at the ranch yesterday, but ended up not doing so. I'll weigh him next weekend.
Time flew at the ranch. When I arrived, Rick & Pati were cleaning the fields. I grabbed a rake and helped them finish up. We also moved some girls around between fields. Some of the little girls that had been weaned from their moms many months ago went back in the same field with mom. Some tried to nurse (and yes, my Vanilla Sundae was one of them!), but the moms weren't going for it. They all have new crias now. Carmel Sunday and Vanilla got a good neck wrestle going. Mom won when she pinned Vanilla's head on the ground. :) Overall, everyone seemed to be happy in their new surroundings and had adjusted by day's end.
It is so cool to sit and watch the main field. There are so many new crias in a variety of colors. They each seem to have their own little group of friends. Little Pati Cake hangs out with Sonny, Cher, Christopher and Kona. I'm sure Soleil (Whitney's little girl now has a name) will join them, as they are all so close in age. Wow, is she a knock-out.
After the chores were done, we celebrated 3 birthdays with almond champagne (yummy). November 3rd was Zsa Zsa and Eva's birthday, and November 4, ALPHA's. Rick, Pati and I also discussed our vision of an Alpaca "co-op", of sorts. We are talking about sharing a big piece of land with 4 families of Alpaca breeders. There are so many benefits from this type of arrangement. I am very excited about it. We're looking probably about 3 years from now. There is alot of planning that goes into such a venture and it will be fun doing the planning.
Felix got a special gift from his Aunt Jackie and Uncle Bob. A new, personalized, halter. This boy now has a wardrobe! I've posted a photo. He looks so handsome. Speaking of handsome, there is also a new photo of ALPHA that Rick took yesterday. That's my junior herdsire :)
AND, a new photo of Pati Cake at 2 weeks old. This little girl is pretty independent and wanders off from mom often. That's O.K., because she responds when mom calls. I know I'm partial because she's mine, but Pati Cake is stunning!!!! She is JET BLACK, with great conformation and long legs. I am so thrilled with her and am so proud of what Princess has produced in the last year. Let's see, she was bred to Snowmass Jericho's Conquistador (Fred) with ALPHA, again with Pati Cake. Should I breed her to him again? ABSOLUTELY! They are a match made in heaven. She'll be bred again in December.
I helped with treats, which is always the highlight of the day for me. Princess ate from my hand, as did Manda Smith.
The young boys now have new roommates. Zion and Avalanche have been moved in with Felix, ALPHA, Harrison, Aerosmith, Nicholas and Luther. I think Duke may have moved there today.
Everyone seems to be getting along well.
Next weekend I plan to go to Alpacafest West although we won't be showing any Alpacas. The "snots" are still going around and it's not worth taking the chance. Rick is volunteering and will be promoting his farm. I will be promoting the First Annual PACAribbean cruise. It will be nice to see other farm's Alpacas and maybe meet some new people. My office will be closed on Veteran's Day, so maybe I can go to the ranch and see my "kids" that day.
Time flew at the ranch. When I arrived, Rick & Pati were cleaning the fields. I grabbed a rake and helped them finish up. We also moved some girls around between fields. Some of the little girls that had been weaned from their moms many months ago went back in the same field with mom. Some tried to nurse (and yes, my Vanilla Sundae was one of them!), but the moms weren't going for it. They all have new crias now. Carmel Sunday and Vanilla got a good neck wrestle going. Mom won when she pinned Vanilla's head on the ground. :) Overall, everyone seemed to be happy in their new surroundings and had adjusted by day's end.
It is so cool to sit and watch the main field. There are so many new crias in a variety of colors. They each seem to have their own little group of friends. Little Pati Cake hangs out with Sonny, Cher, Christopher and Kona. I'm sure Soleil (Whitney's little girl now has a name) will join them, as they are all so close in age. Wow, is she a knock-out.
After the chores were done, we celebrated 3 birthdays with almond champagne (yummy). November 3rd was Zsa Zsa and Eva's birthday, and November 4, ALPHA's. Rick, Pati and I also discussed our vision of an Alpaca "co-op", of sorts. We are talking about sharing a big piece of land with 4 families of Alpaca breeders. There are so many benefits from this type of arrangement. I am very excited about it. We're looking probably about 3 years from now. There is alot of planning that goes into such a venture and it will be fun doing the planning.
Felix got a special gift from his Aunt Jackie and Uncle Bob. A new, personalized, halter. This boy now has a wardrobe! I've posted a photo. He looks so handsome. Speaking of handsome, there is also a new photo of ALPHA that Rick took yesterday. That's my junior herdsire :)
AND, a new photo of Pati Cake at 2 weeks old. This little girl is pretty independent and wanders off from mom often. That's O.K., because she responds when mom calls. I know I'm partial because she's mine, but Pati Cake is stunning!!!! She is JET BLACK, with great conformation and long legs. I am so thrilled with her and am so proud of what Princess has produced in the last year. Let's see, she was bred to Snowmass Jericho's Conquistador (Fred) with ALPHA, again with Pati Cake. Should I breed her to him again? ABSOLUTELY! They are a match made in heaven. She'll be bred again in December.
I helped with treats, which is always the highlight of the day for me. Princess ate from my hand, as did Manda Smith.
The young boys now have new roommates. Zion and Avalanche have been moved in with Felix, ALPHA, Harrison, Aerosmith, Nicholas and Luther. I think Duke may have moved there today.
Everyone seems to be getting along well.
Next weekend I plan to go to Alpacafest West although we won't be showing any Alpacas. The "snots" are still going around and it's not worth taking the chance. Rick is volunteering and will be promoting his farm. I will be promoting the First Annual PACAribbean cruise. It will be nice to see other farm's Alpacas and maybe meet some new people. My office will be closed on Veteran's Day, so maybe I can go to the ranch and see my "kids" that day.
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