Today Tawny is 3 years old. This is how her birthday started out. She has no idea the surprises that lie ahead. And yeah, I know I'm fat, I can see that. And I'm doing something about it so you don't need to point it out. Just keep your eye on future posts. I suspect my photographer intentionally took several "wide angle" shots so I'd have to go public with it.
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Click the picture for a larger view.
Chapter 47: Bucky Love
Do-over. Couldn't help myself. Ran across this quote and instantly thought of this photo with Bucky.
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You must know from viewing the Haunted Doghouse that this is what I do with my animals on special occasions. I was a bit of a tomboy as a child so didn't do the dolly dressup thing much. I took more of an interest in converting doll buggies into go-carts. Then I would dress up my dog, scoop him into the go-cart, gather my friends, and we'd all have a parade for our neighborhood. Or sometimes it was just me and my dog doing the parading. Enough about me, here's how Tawny's surprise birthday party continues.
Click the picture for a larger view.
Click the picture for a larger view.
Click the picture for a larger view.
And it wasn't all about dress up. We did some work on her birthday as well. We start with saddle work again and very soon we will work with the panniers attached too. Before you know it, we'll be on a dayhike in the mountains. Except we still have the llamamobile to make for the occasion. This will require some money that we don't have to spare right now. Meanwhile, Tawny's shearing is just around the corner so I'll have the spinning to keep me busy.
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Chapter 48: Tawny Gets Sheared
And I get a sweater. At least that's the plan. And so begins my journey cleaning, carding, spinning, and knitting the fleece from my very own llama. It remains to be seen if Bucky's fleece is long enough to be spun. Many say it's not. But I'll be the judge of that after I have a little more experience.
Tawny was brilliant today. She tolerated the process very well and it appeared once she realized it was way cool not to have to lug all that fleece around, she settled down for the long haul. We started with a barrel cut around her body like she had last year. And when I say "we" I mean shearer Cheri. All I did was hold Tawny still and reassure her in the process. That's Tammie gathering every last ounce of my first officially owned fiber. Since Tawny took it in stride we proceeded to the front, chest, legs, and neck. Then the finale, the back end. So we won't be embarrased by leaving pants on her. Proceeding from on step to another was entirely dependent upon Tawny having a good experience of it.
