Today I heard so darn many things,

"Oh you meant that account?"

"Yeah, that Father Dave is getting married!"

"Your arms are one of the only body parts everyone sees naked"

"Squeeze it then you'll know."

"I only grazed it."

"Just put in on already"

"Can't we get a pond?"

"Did someone say meatballs?"

"Fishing?"

"You're a sassy one aren't you?"

"I called and called then I just came over."

"So you are the new manager?...excellent"

"Let's make Taylor Swift go away."

"I wish you had been here just 30 seconds ago."

"Yuck, you put your hand where?"

"Skim, why do you want skim- decaf yeah but skim I don't get"

It is just a taste of only a few of the crazy things people say to me. Do you understand why I spend so much time with animals?

Well here we are a new year-or shall I say here we are, a week or so ago, a new year?

Just because I haven't been updating doesn't mean that nothing is going on. As a matter of fact our last holiday visitor just left over the weekend. I guess that means the new year is really here.

Things are a bit status quo with the animals right now- welcome to January. Before the end of February we will again be a flurry of activity. Weening, training etc. And I am slipping in a quick vacation- first since becoming my new farmer self a few years ago - A-L-O-H-A!!!!

What do I do when I am not breaking ice on the water buckets, hauling hay, working out, running, tending to the humans in my life, going to school and starting my new job- (not ready to share on that yet but I am oh so very excited!)

I read of course.

I thought I would send a couple of good, and maybe not so good, book reviews your way. So hold onto your reading glasses- or maybe get yourself a glass of something. I suggest something strong, or at least hot.

I don't know how often this new idea is going to last but as I read all the time maybe I can come up with a good one every week while is is slow.

Let's see how it goes.

Oh- and I don't book club- ICK

Well I trust you all had a great Christmas (yes, I did use the C word, I am all about Christmas)

I have, believe it or not, had 4 emails (about the blog, I have had numerous other emails just nothing about being a farmer!) since the end of the 24 days of alpacas- three were begging- not just asking- begging- pretty dramatic huh? me to continue my adventure in blogging.

The other email was just asking me to learn how to use commas better- jerk.

So today we had a couple of sets of visitors.

One of Garett's crew coaches had family in town, with young children. He was looking to spend a little time on the farm. Wow, we had a great time. You really don't appreciate how special and wonderful your life is until you get to share it with others. If you think I ramble when I write, you should get me in person.

The visiting family was great we spent over an hour getting to know all of my friends- Adelaide, a little darling three year old was particularly taken with the chickens. For some reason everyone is. I always think of them as flowers that walk around my yard entertaining me. She got to hold Quetzal and pet Frank our big rooster. One and Two even produced a couple of eggs for her and her brothers breakfast tomorrow.

Marika and Pink lady both gave rides and all the alpaca are well fed. I am almost glowing with optimism that usually holds off until the daffodils com in March. I am so glad they came.

After the hub bub and excitement of Martin and his family I settled down to get some other work done. I was sitting in my office/exercise room/feed storage/ medicine room/ store storage/ everything room and I see Luke walking by with a couple of other visitors.

Where are these people coming from? Don't they know it's winter? Anyway, Luke was up and running with a farm tour. I briefly tried to take over but he waved me away and the visitors didn't seem to want me either-imagine?

Later, when we were having dinner Luke was re-capping his day to his brothers. "I even gave a tour to some Amish" I heard him say. My head whipped around so fast- Amish? Luke? I spoke with those visitors, they weren't Amish. "Yes they were." I had to doubt him in front of his brothers which I try not to ever do but... "Honey, I think they were Polish" I said trying to contain a laugh. "Oh, that makes more sense, they didn't even have beards" Luke said

We all busted out laughing so hard. I now have a sore gut.

Happy almost New Year.

I know you are all going to get teary that today is the last day of the 24 days of Alpacas! Don't worry tomorrow we will celebrate the birth of Christ so you'll be too busy to read anyway.

So do you want to know who is the last Alpaca?

So do you have any guesses who the last alpaca is? Well I won't keep you in suspense it is (drum roll please) our very own Autumn Diva!!! aka Muncho, Martian, Sweet Breath, Baby Girl, Carmen's girl or what some tourists call her- that brown one.

Autumn has been a farm favorite since the day she was born. She was sooo dark that she literally stopped traffic for the first few weeks after her birth.

We aren't sure if it is nature or nurture with her but she is curious to a fault. She is forever up in my face checking out what I am up to. She has pulled things out of my pockets while I was tending to other things in the field. She is a lover.

She has a few other names- big surprise. We usually call her Muncho- not because of her eating habits- though they are hearty- but because it is short for Munchkin Martian.

The first time she was shorn and each subsequent time, she has the biggest giantesst head.
I tried to capture the fullness of her head here but it doesn't do her doo justice.

Muncho is the best alpaca ambassador on the farm. She is first to greet and visit with everyone. They don't even need to bring her food- though it doesn't hurt.

She has visited with school children, seniors, and all types of tourists.



I don't want you to think she spends all her time being an ambassador. She is also busy winning ribbons at shows. She is our most award winning- so far.

Isn't she the full package? She is our very own Angelina Jolie (without that pesky Brad Pitt) Muncho doesn't know she is beautiful. She just is. That's part of what makes her who she is.

Do you know how when you throw a dinner party you sometimes invite an extra couple who will probably be able to get on with the others invited? At our home we call them The Buffer. The buffer at our house is usually one of our best friends- they also usually know they are the buffer.

Here is our herd buffer none other than the biggest- size wise not attitude wise- boy on the farm. He is the easygoing ever-so-handsome and debonair,

In addition to being the largest, easiest to get along with guy around Penny has a secret--- he has amazing fleece. One of finest on the farm- what makes this great is that he is so large that he makes tons of it - figuratively of course. He actually sheers about 8 pounds of white gold.

Yesterday I stole off with farmer Jeff's camera and tried to take a few shots. I posted some of Clackama but I thought I would share a few of the pics you didn't see.

How do you say his name? Can you spell that?
In a word NO.

Clackama? Klacama? Klackama I am going to need to figure this out before I register him.

To solve the whole problem I just call him Phoebus' boy. He is the spitting image, no pun intended, of his sire Phoebus. He has even inherited the Phoebus top knot- thank goodness for my newest male Adonis! (if you say that fast enough it rhymes or maybe I am just getting punchy)

Clack is one of the luckiest cria, has pretty much two mothers. Manhattan is his 'real' mom but big sister Summer is right there to teach him the ropes...and keep him from getting too big for his britches. The three snuggle up every night together. Manhattan and Summer with Clackama tucked in between the two.

He was our first cria this year so he was able to soak up all of the only child attention for a few days before Holly, Ranger and finally Pippi made their respective ways into the world. The herd loves to dote.

Here are a few shots of our man today- It was a sunny beautiful day- almost 50 degrees. For December I'll take it!!