The Inadvertent Farmer

Snow Covered Camel and other assorted Critters!

While the kiddos around here (and most of the adults) loved the break from the usual wet soggy Northwest weather, the animals on the other hand seemed perplexed and annoyed with it!

The big guy hates, HATES the snow.  He stands in his house glaring out, waiting for it to go away.  The only time he ventures out is when someone comes near the fence...he is hoping for a treat.

Sorry buddy, no apples...just my camera.

Your stinkin' camera does me no good...seriously I left the shelter of my house for a camera?  Where is my payment for this photoshoot?

I guess your payment is me putting up with you destroying the fences, eating my garden and costing a fortune in hay, grain, and worming medicine.  Really your payment is not being made into a very large rug for the family room!

Well....I've never!

At least take a picture of my good side.

Some of the critters are much sweeter in disposition...and cute to boot!  Baby Dolly Llama seemed to get a kick out of the snow, she loves to jump and run around in it.  She also gets it on her nose and then wiggles and shakes till she gets it off!

While the chickens hide in their house the ducks seem unaffected by the cold and snow...they make just as much noise as usual.

May we talk a minute about ducks?

I have never in my life had a group of animals make as much racket as a few ducks do.  When they hear us crack open the back door they start setting up such a fuss you would think they were being eaten by coyotes or something!  It is their subtle way of letting us know that they want to be fed first.

What is funny is that if they are indeed fed first the camel comes and leans menacingly over their fence and they are too afraid to go near their food bucket until he leaves...which of course is not until he gets fed. 

Maybe they are actually saying,

"Feed the camel first, feed the camel first so he will leave us alone!"

And finally there is one particular critter that has simply buried his head in the snow whilst praying for spring! 

So what about you?  Are you embracing the last remnants of winter...or are you praying for spring to hurry up and get here?

Hello Dolly...meet the new baby!

I am finally formally introducing you to our newest baby.

Meet Dolly...yes Dolly Llama!

The two babies together...

Dolly is now a week old and doing very, very well.  She is nursing wonderfully and running around and getting into everything...you know just like a typical kid!!!

Althogther now...ahhhhhh.

 

She reminds me of her uncle that you guys helped name a couple of years ago...

Remember Oreo?

Ahhh I miss him...but he was starting to get 'interested' in his sister, ahem.

And since I allow no hankey pankey of that sort around the farm, we gave him to a friend that has taught him to be a pack llama for his family that loves to hike.  He is very happy!

Hope you all are having a tremendously awesome week!

 

Freaky Friday Llama Blossom

I was out one morning taking photos of daisies in the fog.

One of the llamas wondered over and got behind the flower!

Yes...a llama blossom in the mist!

That's ok...

Everyone needs something unexpected on a mist morning!

Have a great weekend,

Mending Fences...Praying for Patience!

(Note this was first published at almost this last time last year...considering this weekend I had to spend 3 hours fixing the fence I thought it would be a perfect re-post since spending 3 hourse fixing the fence left me so far behind that I didn't have time to post anything new this morning...darn camel!)

*****

You know you're a farmer when the expression "I have some fences to mend" has nothing whatsoever to do with apologies, grovelling, or admitting to being an arse...

  

No when you live on a farm mending fences means...well your fence is broke and before everyone escapes you better go fix it.

  

It also means in my case that the #&%! camel has broken it...again!

  

 

This is what an electric fence insulator looks like when it battles a 1500 pound camel...yep busted clean in half!

  

It is a battle it will never win, even with 2000 volts on its side, Gizmo always wins!

  

 

But at least I had good help along...

 

  

 

 

Another way to tell you live on a farm is when you ask your two year old to hand you the long fence insulators...and he knows exactly which ones those are.

 

  

 

Sweet Girl is not so much into mending fences...she much rather stand in the middle of the field and direct traffic!

 

 

"HALT...this is a goat crossing, you are a camel, you must halt!"

  

 

Baby Boy went and played with his sister for a while but ran back needing a hug...

 

 

 

As we were sitting together in the grass and singing 'Bob the Builder' Sophie our young female llama came up to let us know we were off key!

 

She is such a lovely girl!

 

Her parents were two strays I took in not knowing anything about them...turned out they were male and female...

 

In fact they liked each other so much that we have had three baby llamas produced from them so far!

 

Anyway we got the fence fixed and it was time to go in and get dinner on...

 

This was the response I got...

 

 

"NO mama...me no want to go in.  Me no like go in house.  NO!"

  

"Mama make me sad"

  

 

So what did we do?

 

Well we stayed outside of course...

 

Until the llamas...and camel...and goat came home!

 

 

 

Then had a very late dinner and went to bed...

 

As I was drifting off I sent up this prayer...

 

"Dear God, I know Gizmo is one of your creatures and I certainly wouldn't want to break one of your commandments by killing him...so could you just keep him from breaking the fence for at least a couple of days?  I would surely appreciate your help on this, thanks...amen."

New Baby Llama and so much more, Camel alert!

(Note all of the photos in this post were taken from the exact same spot, I did not move an inch...but as you will see what is in front of me moved...dramatically!)

We have a new addition to our little herd here on the farm...

It is a little girl and her name is Tolkien, J.R. for short! 

I have neglected to share her with you, she is now a couple of months old.

She is as sweet as can be! 

 It was feeding time so all the llamas had gathered 'round to eat.  Gizmo was in his house, I feed him there so he doesn't bug the llamas.  Of course he eats like, well a camel, and finished up before everyone else...

Hey big guy...you're blocking my shot of the new baby!  She is just too cute isn't she?

Just darrrrrlllling...

Do I hear a bit of sarcasm in you voice?

Where is my apple?

Sarcastic camels don't get apples...

Hey move over!  I can't see anything but your neck...

You have sticks and needles and stuff in your fur...you really should do something about that.  Your personal hygiene needs some work.

Your beard is getting a bit long... and what is that on your chin? 

Now wait a minute...my beard is just now starting to recover after the embarrassing shaving incident, you leave my beard out of this!

 

You know, I have some tweezers in the house, I could pull out those long chin hairs for you.

You and what army?

I was just saying I could if you wanted...no need to get all huffy about it!

 

Your lip is getting a bit hairy too... 

And Gizmo?

Yes.

You are invading my personal space.

And?

Well it is getting a bit crowded with both of us trying to occupy the same little area.

Your point?

Gizmo...MOVE!

 

Is this better?

You are doing this on purpose aren't you?

Did you bring me an apple?

No

Well then yes ...I'm doing this completely on purpose! 

 

You know that sneer is not an attractive look for you...

Again...your point?

I just thought you should know...

I'm going in the house now...suddenly I have this overwhelming urge to brush my teeth.

Fine...and next time you come out bring me an apple, would ya?

I will...and maybe some tweezers too.

 

 

 

Mending Fences...Yet again!

You know you're a farmer when the expression "I have some fences to mend" has nothing whatsoever to do with apologies, grovelling, or admitting to being an arse...

  

No when you live on a farm mending fences means...well your fence is broke and before everyone escapes you better go fix it.

  

It also means in my case that the #&%! camel has broken it...again!

  

 

This is what an electric fence insulator looks like when it battles a 1500 pound camel...yep busted clean in half!

  

It is a battle it will never win, even with 2000 volts on its side, Gizmo always wins!

  

 

But at least I had good help along...

  

 

 

Another way to tell you live on a farm is when you ask your two year old to hand you the long fence insulators...and he knows exactly which ones those are.

  

 

Sweet Girl is not so much into mending fences...she much rather stand in the middle of the field and direct traffic!

 

 

"HALT...this is a goat crossing, you are a camel, you must halt!"

  

 

Baby Boy went and played with his sister for a while but ran back needing a hug...

 

 

As we were sitting together in the grass and singing 'Bob the Builder' Sophie our young female llama came up to let us know we were off key!

 

She is such a lovely girl!

 

Her parents were two strays I took in not knowing anything about them...turned out they were male and female...

 

In fact they liked each other so much that we have had three baby llamas produced from them so far!

 

Anyway we got the fence fixed and it was time to go in and get dinner on...

 

This was the response I got...

 

 

"NO mama...me no want to go in.  Me no like go in house.  NO!"

  

"Mama make me sad"

  

 

So what did we do?

 

Well we stayed outside of course...

 

Until the llamas...and camel...and goat came home!

 

 

 

Then had a very late dinner and went to bed...

 

As I was drifting off I sent up this prayer...

 

"Dear God, I know Gizmo is one of your creatures and I certainly wouldn't want to break one of your commandments by killing him...so could you just keep him from breaking the fence for at least a couple of days?  I would surely appreciate your help on this, thanks...amen."

Its a boy...I think

Well I think the baby is a boy.  You try picking up a squirming baby llama while the mama threatens to spit all over you and tell whether it has girl parts or boy parts, lol!  But if I had to guess I would say boy. 

What I know for sure is that it is too stinkin' cute...everybody altogether now, ahhhhh!

 

     

We have a new BABY...warning cute overload!

I was walking the fence earlier this evening (see story of obnoxious camel and how I'm gonna kill him, lol)  and was just coming around the big fir tree and and saw the llamas.  Well to my surprise  there were 4!  We only have 3 llamas, well we did until today!  Here is the new addition.  I'll post more about him/her later but just had to share!

 

Curious Critters...Animal photos up close and personal!

Yesterday the kids and I went out looking for leaves to do leaf rubbings for art class.  The animals were very curious to see what we were doing.  They followed us everywhere while we searched for the perfect leaf, all the while watching and hoping we would drop one or two for them.  At one point the goat got so up close and personal with the camera I had to wipe goat slobber of the lense...gross! 

   

Gizmo the Camel

 

Sophie the Llama

 

Fluffly the Goat

Mama has a llama

I forgot to mention that Gizmo the camel came with his own buddy the llama.  I guess being herd animals camels get lonely...wouldn't want a lonely depressed camel now would we?