Easter Hat and Scarf!

I finally finished the hat and scarf for mother. They are such pretty Easter colors, I just couldn't help post a photo with the Easter bunnies.

The lavender yarn is 100% silky llama, and the white is Boa, which adds a lot of luster and character to both pieces. The scarf was woven and hat was made on a rake loom. I just hope my mom likes them!

Llama Plain of Nazca

You gotta wonder if the llamas had any out-of-this-world expectations as they incribed these figures in the snow. Perhaps they have their own intergalactic language and they are sending secret codes to their brothers "upstairs." How else can you explain the curliques and weaving lines? Too much fermented grain, perhaps?

How Deep is 3 inches?

I noticed the snow cover summary for our area south of Indianapolis listed us as 3 to 6 inches of snow. Never trust a hill-billy weatherman to extrapolate snow fall. (Or spell "extrapolate.") Tuesday we received almost five inches, followed by several hours of freezing rain, which added about a half inch of ice. Then, after dark, more snow; easily another 5 to 6 inches on top of the ice. Where the wind drifted the snow, we had almost two foot deep snow drifts. I guess our farm must have experienced localized, pond-effect snow. And then of course, the temperature plummeted back to zero, and this morning it is -4.

Our autumn was very cold, and then early winter was so warm I kept anticipating planting my potatoes early this year; like by February! But then the jet stream shifted and we have been flirting with zero degrees and below for almost a month. I think we are actually getting used to it. I must admit, those flannel lined jeans really help. I have closed several of the barn doors on the windward side of the barns, locking in the bored and unhappy llamas. Even when the sun is out and the temperatures reach into the teens, the wind has been a factor. Despite the rumors, I know we have had worse winters. I also know other places like St. Louis have been hit with more snow. But I am tired of this! I guess this must be what they mean by global warming. They are predicting 40 degrees next week, and that will feel like spring, even with the snow cover!

This is the first time in my 27 years at my job in Indy that I have missed two consequetive days of work due to snow. The first day, we were prepared for the weather, and with potential blizzard warnings in the forcast, my husband handled an all-day conference call while I worked on my laptop that I brought home from work. Afterwards, we began trying to dig out. That was when we realized one of our "all" wheel drive vehicles couldn't handle the snow and ice. We barely got it moved. Our Navigator came through for us, but by the next morning, dressed by 4:30 am and ready to go to work, my trustworthy Jeep got stuck in our drifted driveway! The second day the roads were not plowed either. We gave up trying to get to work, but Fred spent hours using the tractor and front loader to clean our driveway. What a relief to see black top again! He then helped our good neighbors out with their long driveway. By the time all was finished at nightfall, we were quite tired. The next day, the Navigator would not start. Of course, our gator and mule would not start either! I guess the more rolling stock you have, the more problems you have too. At least the roads are clear and the sun is shining. More snow on the way, though!

Rush Order

I had a rush yarn order to finish in time for a birthday gift. With our winter weather finally here, staying inside to work on fiber projects was not so bad. The difficulty was that I often watch TV while I spin, or at least glance at TV while I spin. With an entire weekend of spinning and plying, however, I must have worn out all the satellite channels. When the HGTV programs began to repeat, or at least looked too much alike, I surfed all the other channels in vain. As a science fiction buff, I thought I would find solace in the SciFi channel. However, I was chased away when there was more obnoxious advertising time than movie time. You know desparation has really set in when the best show on was "The History of Tupperware." I admit it was interesting to learn that Mr. Tupper was an enthusiastic inventor, with many lesser known ideas such as the "Fish Powered Boat." I thought his "Dripless Ice Cream Cone" had merit, but all in all it seemed a wonder that we ever got our indespensible burping bowls. Mr. Tupper really hit his stride with that one, and continued to develop assorted styles until his patent ran out in the early 1980's. It just goes to show that persistance pays. That unique product, combined with a powerful sales campaign that gave women a foothold in industry turned out to be a very rich story afterall.

Another not-to-be-missed movie we discovered on TCM was the 1962 original version of the "Manchurian Candidate." If you have seen the recent Denzel Washington remake, you know the plot. The 1962 version did not have the special effects, but I believe employing dramatic rather than computer generated effects actually makes the original version a more powerful movie than the later remake. It was the first movie to deal with the subject of assasination, especially that of a presential figure. Considering the timing, it is no wonder that Frank Sinatra, who stars in the movie, had the movie shelved for years after the Kennedy assination. What also amazed me was Angela Lansbury, playing the manipulative, power-monger mother of the war hero. Her part was a mature lady of the politically active Washington social class. This is the same actress from the more recent "Murder She Wrote" series, from 1984 to 1996. Her latest movie of that series was made in 2003! She obviously has escaped the ravages of age, as she looks so much now like she did back in 1962, when she was only 37 years old. Grab a copy of this movie if you find yourself snowed in one weekend. But be forewarned: even though you know the plot already, it is best to enjoy each scene of the movie intently and not just sneak a peak occasionally through the spinning spokes of your wheel!

In the News

This is a painful blog to write, as I still find tears forming when I think of Barbaro being finally put to rest yesterday. The courage of this horse is unquestioned, and his loss both to horse racing and most especially to animal and horse lovers everywhere will be felt for years to come. Our animals give their all for their human companions, and I am always in awe when we see such a will to live as demonstrated by Barbaro. As we went through painful ordeals with two of our own pets last year, I often thought of Barbaro and hoped that somehow his strength would magically travel through the ether to help our own loved ones. I know that once Barbaro's owners and doctors decided it was time to euthanize him, their decision was the right one. His stuggle may be over but perhaps we can all take a little of his courage with us everyday.

Yesterday I also recieved my copy of Llama Life II in the mail. This publication is one that does not just present the glossy, glamorous image of the camelid industry, but brings forth news that is important and sometimes unplesant. The closure of the Catskill Game Farm was covered, including the final auction of exotic livestock. Many people do not realize that animals in such auctions often wind up at rendering plants from which pet food and fertilizer are made. This final end must be horrifying as one can imagine the lack of care offered the animals on the way to their final destination. Equally horrifying is the number of animals purchased for canned hunting. How someone could make a trophy of a nearly tame animal, shot like a fish in a barrel, is entirely beyond me. Kudos to the rescue agencies who tried their best to purchase as many animals as practical to find them proper homes. The writer and her rescue group purchased 39 llamas, many of whom had obviously lacked proper human contact and training during their years at the farm, and were in poor health. The rescuers are endeavoring to find proper homes for these animals to live out their lives with good health and proper care. Adopting these animals, which have no commercial value, is an unselfish way to strike back at the inhumanity our animal industries impose on thier helpless victims.

The final news I read, also in Llama Life, was the obiturary of Iris Christ, who passed away December 8, 2006. She had liquidated her herd of llamas several years ago after a prolonged bout with cancer. For those who never had the opportunity to meet Iris, she was a special and interesting lady. She had a herd of about 350 llamas in Oregon, and was a descendant of the Vanderbilts. Her finances made it possible for her to create a special herd of animals with a farm that was state of the art. Despite her family money, however, she was quite down to earth and was a genuine animal lover. Upon first meeting Iris, you realized she was always concerned about the future homes of her llamas, and selling to strangers was not easy. Despite the high prices she could get for her llamas, she seemed to feel she needed to know you personally, and if you did not pass muster, you would not get to purchase from her. We spent part of three days at her farm in 1995, finally selecting LW Captain Curry, our first herd sire. A Willie K son by a Kissam daughter, he embodied the strength of Iris's Bolivian program. What has impressed me even more since then is that now, having purchased other animals from farms all over the country, I really appreciate the care with which she raised her animals. Curry has been a gentleman since the day we brought him home. His babies have some of the finest personalities of any of our offspring born here. I have purchased other llamas with equally fine dispositions, and I know part of that is genetics, and part of it is handling and training. I have also purchased animals from farms where I think the first time the youngster was halter broke and handled was when they were being readied for one of the big prestigous sales. Hours of painful grooming, followed by days of shipping and then a rude introduction to their new owner, and new farm, and it is no wonder these llamas have a hard time trusting us. I do believe, however, that every one of Iris's animals was trained and handled from the time they were born. She also was adamant about removing any llama from the breeding program at any hint of a genetic flaw. Many other profit-driven farms today will not share medical histories, and some will even employ surgical techniques to hide flaws from potential buyers. Iris would never have done that. She had integrity concerning her animals. Our beloved Curry and his many show winning babies are a testament to her. But when I think of Iris herself, I recall the story of how she purchased her first llamas, both youngsters. She then purchased a used school bus and drove the llamas home to Long Island across the entire United States, in the school bus! She sneaked the llamas in the hotel room at night, and did get charged a damage fee at least once! Well, those were the days. We will miss Iris, but the bloodlines she promoted in the industry are still the backbone of many thriving herds today.