That Catchy Song

I'm spinning yarn for a friend's order for baby booties and  I caught myself singing a song absentmindedly. Ack...you know the ones that stick in your head and you can't get rid of them.  Maybe it was the last song you heard, or one that's hung around for years.  

I think it is interesting to listen to what others are whistling or humming...they usually give up some secret feeling they are having.  Like when I'm running around from school to school and store to bank, I tend to belt out "I am Woman Hear Me Roar!"  When I'm cleaning the house or grocery shopping out pops "Stand By Your Man!"  It makes me laugh when I realize what I'm singing standing in the cereal aisle.  I hum "Moon River" a lot and recently discovered it had been the one my Granddad sang throughout his life so that one feels like a little gift.  

The alpacas hum to soothe themselves or comfort each other, or to call their babies.  Sometimes it has more of an anxious tone.  You know I'm leading up to the alpaca ringtone I made recently. :)  Here is the link for your personal use or to just listen to what they sound like: Alpaca Ringtone.

My favorite tune of all time is "Greensleeves".  I can thank my mom for that one. Here is a link to a beautiful version on the Lute: Greensleeves with Luca Pianca .  I bet we could make a ringtone out of that one, too!  

One last note...songs can be used for sibling torture.  My son LOVES to irritate his sister with that Justin Bieber song.  He just has to sing the first few words (Baby, baby, baby, oh) and she is running from the room.

A Feeding Time Story

I'll give you a hint.  This is how it ends.

I went out to feed the alpacas yesterday and took my camera along.  Alpacas and llamas mostly eat grass and hay, but we give them supplements in the form of grain to give them some additional nutrients.  

Smoke made it to the fence first.  He is the guard llama currently in charge of the girls' pasture.  He is curious about something.  See how alert he is?

It's Lucy.  She always follows me out and snags the tidbits that make it through the fence.  Smoke and Sabrina are making sure she stays on her side.

I have to tell you Smoke has a bit of a personal problem.  You can count on him to pass gas when he moves too quickly.  Of course this always gets a giggle from any bystanders. Out of the other end comes grassy, green spit.  Here he is about to tag one of the girls who is intruding on his feeding space.  I think he has given fair warning to get out of the way, don't you?

Due to recent storms it is very, very muddy here.  Our property is hilly, too, so it is a bit tricky getting around right now.  (Aha!  You can see where this is going can't you?)  With shearing time coming soon we moved the boys to higher ground hoping to keep them drier and cleaner.

After navigating a sea of squishy sludge I made it to the far side.  Ringo is standing tall and proud today in spite of his dirty self.  He does not have the same gas problem as his brother but he is the class clown.  Remember the nose-to-nose picture I captured when Missy was born and when he took my sun hat right off my head?  I don't know if all llamas are like this, but Ringo and Smoke are big goofs!

 

Everyone was wet and sloppy so no cute fuzzy pics today....but here's Teddy fussing over his space, too.

This is when I decided to head back to the house...turned... and slippity-slurp... down into the mud I went!  Yep..this is me....sitting on my fanny in the muck.  As you can tell, I rescued the camera. 

Smoke thinks I'M the big goof!

The "S" Word

All the white "stuff" melted yesterday and today, like many other places across the United States, we have another round of the "S" word. On the window sills you can see the little chess pieces Handsome Hubby and Little Man are making out of clay.  At least we've been able to come up with some fun things to do to combat cabin fever.

During the evening feed duty I thought I'd snap some pictures with the alpacas.  I can always count on our guard llama, Ringo, to get in them.   He IS technically doing his job by getting in between the alpacas and anything else that comes along, but I think he just wants to stick his nose in the feed bucket I'm carrying.  He gets pretty pushy with that nose!

 

Now getting the picture was going to be a little tricky.  I could hear the boys drinking the warm water I just brought out.  When it got quiet I knew they had raised their head...

Bingo!  There is our pretty Jr. Herdsire,  Peruvian Mystery, but I  left someone out of the shot!

I'll have to try when someone else can hold the camera AND I can't promise it will be before Spring.    Ha!  Another "S" word.  :)

Mumble, Grumble, Humble

Today I am mumbling inside about where I need improvement with my knitting and crocheting skills.  I came up with this adorable bootie, but trying to figure out the pattern in order to duplicate it has left me humbled...thus the mumbles.

So.  The left bootie came out smaller.  Now, do I make a third and keep fumbling through?  I might.  Do I (gasp) use a pattern? I think I need to be okay with the learning process and that I'm not going to be that good without investing time into the knowledge that is already out there waiting for me to use.  I am mumbling to myself that I don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Right?  I do raise the alpacas, hand card the fleece, spin it, and knit it!  It is okay to use a pattern.  It is okay to use a pattern.  It is okay to use a pattern. Mumble, Grumble, Humble.

P.S.  I should clarify that I mean it is okay to use existing patterns, not always my own.  I beat myself up when I can't come up with my own.

My New Wonder Washer

It was suggested to me to try a Wonder Washer for my felting process. Perhaps other fiber artists have already discovered this but it is new to me and I am pretty excited about it. A Wonder Washer is a small portable washing machine.  When I knit a bowl or pouch, I then have to wet felt it.  Which is like shrinking your favorite sweater.  I usually use my full-size washing machine, but it uses a lot of water and is harder to control the outcome.  So I gave the Wonder Washer a try over the weekend.  I am really happy with it but will need a little practice.

The first thing I had ready to felt was one of my pouches.  

I can tell you without a doubt that the washer did an excellent job at felting but it is supposed to look more like THIS...

Not THIS.... (Laughing at myself here)

I left it in a little too long!  No matter.  I found a home for it as something else and will definitely try again.

Did I really just do that?

Well, I'm in for it now. I stopped to get gas for the mower this morning and dummy me put the can in the trunk. Yep, it fell over. Yep, it leaked. Yep, it is my hubby's car. Do you think "Barn Dry" will help? 

I asked my facebook friends and Brad suggests I leave the trunk open and just let it air out.  He went on to suggest that tonight may be a good night for a "Steak Dinner" !  

So, right after I mow EVERY ACRE, taking care of as many of HIS farm chores as I can, and quickly thawing out the best beef I have in the freezer, I'll be setting up the hammock, firing up the grill, and popping the top on a cold one for my very patient guy. 

Now my next question is... Does anyone know how to get the mower out of the fence?