When I got to school this morning I found crepe paper streamers spider webbed across my door, a gift bag on the floor in front of it and congratulatory balloons bouncing in the air above the door knob. Reaching through the tangle of green streamers I unlocked the door and pushed it inward only to see more balloons floating across the floor of my classroom. What a wonderful way for my colleagues to wish me a happy retirement!

This was my last day as a seventh grade teacher. Wow! Now that I actually write it down the reality of it is beginning to sink in. No tears yet. All day long, each period I celebrated with games and junk food in every one of my classes. The kids had been given an unusual homework assignment to bring a drink of their choosing to class; an unusual departure from my insistence on plain water and healthy snacks only. Many of the kids baked cupcakes, cookies and brownies or brought chips. And we formed teams and played our version of a clue drawing game on the board. Loud and rowdy, exhausting and fun.

I received so many cards and handwritten notes from current and former students that I haven't had the time to sit down and read them all yet. I am sure that when I do the tears will flow freely because I have had so many wonderful students in the past several years and we have created so many wonderful memories together that I will carry with me into this new phase of my life.

Kids from current and past classes stopped by all day long to say good bye. It was especially great to see the young adults who have moved on to the high school and to know that they remember their experiences in my classroom and want to stop by to wish me well. I want them all to know that I have learned as much from teaching them as they have from being in my class. I love 'em all.

Together Again

We got a some bad news the other day when the vet came out to do an ultra sound on Took and Firenze. Rich and I had concerns that Firenza didn't seem to be filling out enough for a seven month pregnant animal. Took seemed ok but we had her tested anyway. We were hoping to see some fetal development on each of the girls. Unfortunately, what we saw dismayed us quite a bit. It seems that both had somehhow lost or absorbed their fetuses in the past months. So there will be no crias romping in the pasture this fall. It's a setback and we will try again later.

Since no one is pregnant there is no longer any need to keep Took and Mango separated. Took's mammary glands are no longer producing according to the vet so Mango won't be able to nurse. We released the older girls into the pasture with the younger ones and though none of them seemed distressed at the separation they all do seem to be happier together.

On a happier note, I went to the Great Lakes Fiber Festival in Wooster yesterday. Why didn't I ever go there before? It was like paradise for a fiber artist; especially one who loves yarn as much as I do. My friend, Liz, was supposed to go along with me but she was wracked with a nasty cough and had to bow out at the last minute. I tried a former student of mine who loves knitting as much as I do but she had other commitments. So, I drove the hour and half alone and walked through a wonderland of spinners and knitters by myself. I was so thoroughly engrossed with the beautiful colors and textures and happily passed two hours just browsing and talking to the fellow spinners and knitters. I did not intend to purchase anything but came home with some beautiful turquoise Brown Sheep Lanaloft and some grapey Brown Sheep Naturespun, a new pattern for a "Braided Glory" shoulder shawl by Deby Lake of Knitiot Designs and a couple of extra spindles for my wheel. I also picked up a little sheepy gift for Liz since she couldn't go. I will be going back next year with more cash!

The Power of Sweet Feed

Last evening, Rich and I went out to the pasture together to feed the girls. Rich had decided that Firenze and Took could use a little sweet feed with their regular evening alfalfa pellets because both are gestating and Firenze looks a bit thin. (The lack of fleece makes this a lot easier to determine!) This time I remembered to take along the camera and it's a good thing. Those girls seem to know when we have sweet feed in the buckets and not just their regular meal because they always come running to greet us at the gate. They met Rich as he entered the gate and I stayed on the oher side of the divide with Leezza and Mango, the younger girls. I had the camera at the ready as they approached Rich. When he didn't immediately hold the buckets up for them to sample, Firenze gave him such a look!

April Showers

Yesterday was the most beautiful spring day. It was 70 degrees, sunny and only the smallest of breezes. Rich mowed the lawn and worked out in the yard. It looks so greenly lush and beautiful at this time of  year. The daffodils are in full bloom and it stayed warm enough, long enough for the weeping cherry tree to burst into full bloom this year. The alpaca girls enjoyed the day as much as we did. They lolled and grazed in the pasture, enjoying the sunny day.

Firenze and Took sunbathing!

 

Rich and I decided to take Leezza and Mango for a little walk around the yard and ended up snapping pictures in front of the beautifully flowering weeping cherry tree merely for posterity's sake.

 

Rich held the girls while I snapped the picture.

 

Mango and Leezza look sooo skinny since they lost their winter fleece. On the evening after their shearing, Rich went out to check them and lock up the barn for the evening and all four of the girls were shivering. They weren't used to the cold nights without their fleece so he stacked up some straw in their barns for them to snuggle down in for the evening. The next morning there was clear evidence that they had burrowed into the straw the night before.

 

Today, typical of April in Ohio, it rained steadily all day. It was one of those gentle spring rains and overcast days that makes the green of the grass and wheat fields, and the pastels of the spring flowers really pop. It is also a prime day for snapping pictures so I took Callie outside a short while ago to snap a picture of her by the tree.

 

 

 

The rest of the week it's supposed to be more normal for April. Seventy degrees and partly sunny with only a slight chance of rain. But then again, Wednesday is the first of May. It's finally spring.







Earth Day/Shearing Day

Remember these beautiful, fluffy girls?

And these young ladies?

Well, today was shearing day. Rich and I loaded the girls into the used horse trailer that we purchased a couple of months ago. (that was another confidence building milestone for us) We hauled them up to Amy J's Homestead where we purchased them so that they could be shorn along with the 80 or so animals at their place. The process was pretty impressive and ran like clockwork.

There were four young men who travel across the USA in the spring shearing for a living. They clearly know their business.

Shearer, Jonathan Love, with Leezza. Waiting her turn.

They tip each animal on its side and quickly "hog tie" all four legs, stretching the animal pretty much straight out horizontally and begin working. First they shear the "blanket" or fleece that runs from the side across the back to the other side. With the help of Randi or Jana, we laid out the blanket onto a plastic painter's tarp as it came off the animal, slid it out of the way and "noodled" it. (more about this another time) Then the shearers proceeded to shear the legs, neck and underbelly and give them a trim on their topknots. All of this is considered "seconds" and went into a bag.

Leezza having her blanket fleece removed.

Took and Mango screeched loudly during the entire shearing process. Firenze gave her high pitched whine that lets us know that she is not pleased with whatever is going on at the time. Leezza was a real trouper. She calmly accepted the entire process without a peep. In fact she gazed trustfully into Jonathan's eyes as he held her head. When flipped on her side, I was cooing to her and she gave me the same trusting look. 

This is how they look now!

Took, Firenze, Mango and Leezza

Rich and I tried to take an active part in the process. He led animals in and helped me noodle a fleece. I noodled our fleeces and helped sweep and gather up the seconds for ours and other animals. When I changed this evening I had bruises on my knees and arms that I didn't even feel when they occurred! Needless to say, we are both exhausted and will sleep well tonight. Another learning experience for us.

Computer problems and April weather

It's been a few weeks since my last post and I do apologize to anyone who actually checks in on a regular basis. My laptop started acting weirdly and I tried every fix that I knew of, which admittedly isn't exactly high tech. Then I called a good friend in Florida and asked him what to do. Following his directions I didn't get any results. After this I took the stupid laptop in to school and asked our computer teacher to check it out. He found that it worked just fine after removing and reinserting the battery. I brought it home and...the problems were back! Luckily my old friend, John, from Florida was up here this week and he stopped out and made a few adjustments and today this darn thing is working fine as long as I keep it plugged in. From this, I deduced that the message that popped up last month about the battery being at the end of its life might be the real problem so I ordered a new battery. We'll see what happens when the battery arrives.

Weekly practice walking on the lead. 

We have been practicing walking the girls each weekend. Once we get them harnessed up, Mango and Leezza really enjoy walking around the yard. Leezza is such a diva and really loves posing for pictures. Mango never balks at walking on the lead and trots happily along where ever we lead her. 

Took and Firenze in their little condo.

Took and Firenze have adjusted so well to condo living. So well that Firenze's little digestive problem has cleared up completely. Both mamas seem to be filling out very well and their pregnancies have been very healthy so far. Occasionally they will lay near the fence and the younger girls will lay close by on the other side but most often the mamas are laying near their little home.

Leezza basking in the sun.

We have had more cloudy, rainy, windy  days lately than sunny days. When a sunny day comes along you can find the girls lounging around in the pasture just enjoying life. On the rainier days they stay inside their homes looking outside longingly. The grass is finally starting to green up and the girls really prefer fresh grass over the hay.

Pressley will be over later today to work with the girls so I will do another post later this evening. When I have more pictures to post.

Loading the Girls for a Ride

We separated mama Took and her baby, Mango, six days ago and fully expected to hear screeching on Took's part and wailing from Mango because she couldn't nurse occasionally. Took was isolated on the shed side with Firenze;  and Mango and Leezza were on the barn side to provide a little more room for running and pronking. Now that the weather is getting nicer the young ones romp in the pasture every evening. Rich and I have been visiting the pasture frequently and observing from the windows and the girls have adjusted remarkably well. Took even seemed relieved not to have to look after Mango any more. Most of the time when Mango is standing by the fence gazing at her mama, Took is laying serenely in the shed or pasture chewing contentedly. Mango hasn't been pacing along the fence or showing any obsessive behavior that might be associated with stress from forced weaning. I think we got lucky and the separation was timed perfectly.

Checking out mama across the fence.

Took in her new condo!

This afternoon my "saintly" brother-in-law, Danny, came over to lend a hand in our first attempt at loading the girls into the trailer in preparation for shearing time. We plan on taking them over to

Amy J's Homestead Alpacas where we purchased them to be shorn along with their herd on April 22. Rich wanted to be sure that we could load them into the trailer. The plan was to halter them all first and put them on leads and Danny and I would hold them while Rich would backed up the truck to the gate and opened it into the pasture. It went like clockwork. Rich loaded "Queen" Firenze into the trailer first; our reasoning being that since she is the leader the others would willingly follow. They did follow but with some coaxing. Took was next and seemed reluctant to enter. I hopped up into the trailer and gave a tug and she followed. Danny brought Leezza along and she leaped up - no problem! Mango was a bit more reluctant so I gave Rich the lead and got out and gave her a pat on the rump and she jumped in. 

We returned Firenze and Took to their side of the pasture and both settled down to nibbling the stubby grass. Rich and Danny took Leezza and Mango on a "show ring lap" around the yard and outbuildings for practice just like we saw at the alpaca show in Columbus a few weeks ago. Then when they were returned to their pasture they romped around enjoying their freedom. (Of course, I didn't have the camera!)

The whole practice exercise was a terrific confidence builder for all three humans involved!