Naked Llamas and Fat Cows

Last week we sheared the llamas.  They had not been shorn in so long it was almost a new experience for them.  The "baby" had never been shorn.  I gave the wool a good dip in bleach water to kill any bugs and eggs and then laid it out on fences, chicken netting and empty cages to dry.  The llamas, visibly taken aback at being suddenly naked, kept coming over to look at their former coats.  They seemed to be trying to figure out what on earth we crazy humans were planning to do with all that wool.

Meanwhile, Mabel the Marvelous Dancing Jersey Milk Cow, has finally acquiesced to breeding and is once again with calf.  I think she got wind of a little conversation I had with the butcher, but it seems to have worked.  Now to feed her for the next 9 months until the calf gets here and she starts giving her rich, creamy milk again.  Sigh.

The llamas have proceeded to soil their new coats by rolling in the dirt.  I wonder if the neighbors will do a double take when they drive by and see them without all that fluffy hair.  Now I just need to get some wool cards and parts for the spinning wheel.  I've got four 30 gallon bags of llama wool to clean, sort and spin.

Remembering Why I Moved to the Country

The llama in the playhouse.

My extended stay in the Big City this year has served as a good reminder to me of why I moved out to the country.  The endless miles of cement and asphalt, cookie cutter houses with postage stamp yards, piles of rules regulating everything from garage sales to whether you can walk down the street with your child on a school day.  The gray skies that sometimes open up to blue by mid-day.  The 24 hour traffic.  The constant noise.  The overwhelming amount of activity.  The brown haze that obscures the mountains from view.  The over-chlorinated pools.  The speed at which life flies by.

Yet, there have been advantages.  Walking to daily Mass.  Spending time with my dad, my older children, my grandson, and my cousins.  Being present for the many special events that took place with my family this summer.  Seeing some old friends and making some new.  Then, there are those things that can only happen in Southern California:  black beans, lettuce and ranch dressing as pizza toppings.  Spending the morning in the mountains and the afternoon at the beach.  Hummer stretch limos.

Caught in the act.

Coming home was not without its problems.  I lost my entire sheep herd while I was gone.  One mama and baby in lambing, the other mama and baby to coyotes.  My rascally goats spent the summer systematically working their fence until they could open up a section.  So we have been systematically closing up each new hole and reinforcing the fence.  Fencing on the homestead is a never ending project.  My dog ran off to parts unknown, though she was last spotted playing with some campers visiting from another area.  I hope they're giving her a good home.

The new dogs are awesome.  The llamas were utterly displeased with sharing the back yard with them, however, so a new pen has been constructed for them.  It does have a nice shed, which, when cleaned out, will make as nice a shelter as the playhouse they were using in the back yard.

Home sweet home.

I've lost the ten pounds I gained just getting back to my normal routine and diet.  We do have a few new neighbors, creating some extra noise in my peaceful haven, but I am sure glad to be home.  Ten acres on a dirt road with clear skies trumps asphalt and constant highway noise any old day.

New Arrivals at Mrs. D's Homestead

Occasionally when I let the chickens out to free range, one will not come back.  Usually  it has become dinner for a coyote, but once in a while, it will reappear and surprise me.  This is the case with this mama hen and her chicks. 

We were just finishing up breakfast and I was thinking about having a cup of tea with the llamas in the backyard when li'l homesteader dashed into the house squealing with delight.  When he finally regained control of his tongue, he blurted out, "baby chicks in the back yard, Betty's (our pit bull "guard" dog) not even eating them!".  I stumbled over my feet to get my camera out of my purse and jammed my shoes on as I ran out the back door.

The proud mama strutted all over the yard, showing off her handsome brood to curious rabbits and majestic llamas alike.  Betty, ever the protective mother, snarled at the crea for getting too close to "her" chicks.  Mamma llama seemed only mildly interested, having recently supplied what she felt to be the supreme gift to the homestead, her crea.  After parading her chicks around the chicken coop, mama hen settled down with her babies in the goat pen for a little nap. 

What a joyful day!!

It's Raining, It's Pouring

We are having some crazy rain here on the homestead.  It's been raining a couple days a week all month.  Mabel the Marvelous Dancing Jersey Milk Cow has been through the fence twice, and is currently on timeout in her corral.  The roof is leaking all over my closet, that's what I get for a fear of heights.  On the other hand, we have some wonderful green grass coming up all over the place.  Need to fix the fence so we can let the animals out to graze on it.

Princess, the crea, comes to sniff my ears and my tea in the mornings, when the weather is nice enough to sit out in the back yard for a few minutes.

In the sewing room, we're replenishing the winter wardrobe with jeans, jammies and flannels.  In  the kitchen, we're trying new recipes for whole wheat cinnamon rolls - yummy - sourdough starter and hamburger buns.  We've sold out of oatmeal and castille soap, so it's into the workshop to make a couple batches for holiday orders.  We also need to finish getting our wood in for the winter.  There's nothing like a cozy fire in the woodstove to warm your soul on a gray day.

Hope you're getting set for an enjoyable winter, too!

The Little Princess

Our new arrival

We got home from church Sunday to find a little surprise in the back yard.  Well, little compared to her mother.  A surprise baby llama!  We certainly weren't expecting her, but what a treat;)  Momma and Poppa got out together last summer and apparently didn't waste any time.  Li'l Homesteader immediately named her Princess.  And that she is.