Sheffield Alpacas: Is it Trying to Tell Me Something?

Do you have a passion for making things entirely by hand or appreciate it in other people? In my teens and twenties, I got a thrill out of being my own mechanic on my old '75 Mustang. Yep, I've changed a few water pumps and brake pads. I have sewn every stitch of handmade rag dolls with a needle and thread (no machine stitching), and I prefer to cook from scratch. Isn't it much more rewarding to gather family and friends to put in fence posts, and raise barns? So naturally for me, prepping the fleece, learning to spin, and then making things from the alpacas' luscious fiber is my idea of happiness! -Kaylen

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Is it Trying to Tell Me Something?

Tawny Emperor Butterfly

We are working on our Backyard Wildlife Habitat certification. A fun summer project with the kids and very educational. Our first step is to document what we already have like nesting areas, native plants, water sources, and trees. While taking a photo of a bat house that is on the back of our barn this lovely butterfly landed on me.

I got a close-up view!

When I got back in the house I grabbed our Backyard Wildlife Habitat notebook and looked up the butterfly. Aha! It is a Tawny Emperor...attracted to rotting fruit and dung. I'm not sure what this says about me! I WAS in the area where we compost the alpaca manure.

It would not fly away. Here it is crawling on my arm.

I thought I was so special.

There are many links in mythology between butterflies and the human soul. Butterflies also represent love, long life, and marital bliss in other cultures. I think I'll spend time on that thought instead!

I did get a picture of the old bat house.

1 comment:

Lindy and Paul said...: Great pictures! And I think you smell just fine!; June 17, 2010 at 10:12 PM