The Llamas are coming! The Llamas are coming!

So it's official! We are officially approved as a SELR adoptive home!

Yes folks! Within the next month or so we will be bringing on 2 new four legged family members to our farm! It is a bit of a fulfillment of a dream to live with llamas and now it is really going to happen (double fingers crossed not to jinx it)!

Why llamas you ask? (Or as my husband asks- Why llamas? in a dejected monotone voice). I don't know. Because they are cool.

They are larger than goats and sheep so I don't have to stay up all night worrying (as much) about predatory attacks. And they are not as large as horses who usually don't know their own power.

Llamas are brilliant, quiet, stoic creatures who form life long bonds.

And NO, they do not spit (unless provoked or are harassed like this ridiculous kid and her obviously intellectually challenged father who in my opinion both need to be taken out and horsed whipped). Sorry, stupid people annoy me.

Besides who can resist big eyes like this?

Or a face like this?

I actually began thinking about Llamas about 5 few years ago and bought this book. Very informative and a great intro to llamas.

And now that we have the facilities, I began doing a little research online about availability. And that's how I found SELR.

I have been fooling around with horses long enough to know- I do not know anything about animals. So to go out and purchase a set of llamas (like they are pair side tables.... right?) seemed a little dumb. And that is why SELR appealed to me. SELR is a nonprofit made up of a group of enthusiasts, veterinarians, and professionals who have been working with camelids for years. The majority of the animals they acquire are surrendered by owners who are no longer able/willing to care for them. Only a few are abuse and neglect cases and the majority of those guys are kept in house through an EXTENSIVE network of individual volunteer farms.

Sounds pretty cool. So I started chatting with my husband about it and believe it or not, it was his idea to submit an application for adoption. Wow! (Although I understand this does not mean he is in any way excited about the prospect.) But I am :-)

The SELR rep who visited our farm is Deborah Logan. She is extremely knowledgeable about llamas and seems very attuned to our needs (we are first time llama parents, already have 2 rescue horses, and have a small child). She asked us a few questions about what we are looking for in a llama (age, sex, fiber quality, etc.) and I told her she knew more than me. Just bring us two llamas :-)

And so she will. As we speak, she is now searching her network. Finding us the perfect guys (or gals) to add to our four legged family!

SELR's network extends from Maryland to Florida and as far west as Texas. If your state does not fall in SELR's territory and you are interested in adopting, please contact SELR and they can direct you to sister organizations.

(All photos courtesy SELR facebook page)

Happy Spring!

Hello all and Happy Spring!
The world is green again and the air is getting warmer! Despite my last post, we really did have a pleasant winter here. Actually, it wasn't much of a winter at all. It was unseasonably warm and Spring came very early! In mid February we had snow and by the end of the month it was in the low 70's! It has been warm ever since!

This year is going to be a big year! In February, I worked on a huge commission for an upcoming network television series. I can't release too many details until the pilot airs. But it was my biggest commission to date. (As many of you know, I create historic costumes for the film, television, and museum industries.) More on that later!

In addition, we are in serious get ready to move mode. This is something we have been thinking about for a few years and as "just the two of us" has now become "three of us", we are finding the need for a little more room.

Right now the housing market is a buyer's dream but a seller's nightmare. Houses are priced 30-50% below their 2008 values. Definitely a great time to buy! Not a great a time to sell. However, when a house like this one comes on the market at a price we can afford, one gets a little more incentive to start packing those dishes!

This c1900 house (fully remodeled in 1988) is located in a small historic community outside of our current city of residence. It is just 5 miles from my husband's place of employment (whereas he is now commuting over 35 miles one way.) It is on a corner lot and has just enough side yard for our little one to play and the dogs to stretch their legs. But it would be city living as there are residences all around it.

It is by no means Eutopiaville, but the streets are quite and the crime rate relatively low. In our current city, there is a growing gang problem that is reeking havoc on our revitalized downtown residential districts.

This house is within walking distance to both the children's park and the local elementary school. (And, the schools in this community DO NOT have school resource officers! Can you remember a time when there was no need for police presence in our schools?) In addition, I could walk to the post office and ride my bike to the grocery!

However, it is city living. Our dreams have always been to build a house on our rural 30 acre farm (just 5 miles from this house.) But unlike the depressed housing market, the building market is still very high. Sky rocketing gas prices are driving up materials prices and right now it would cost twice the price to build a house on our property.

Lots to think about, pray about, and just plain wait and see about. But, I know in the end it will all work out the way it is meant to be :-) It always does!

Celebrating Appalachian Culture

There is an exciting opportunity coming up in February centering around Appalachian culture. From the schedule, it looks to be pretty intriguing. And best of all- it's FREE!

Here are the details:
Where: The Mildred Haun Conference- Walter State College in Morristown, TN
When: February 4-5, 2012
Theme: "A celebration of Appalachian Literature, Culture, and Scholarship"

Here is a link to the schedule
Here is a link to the site

Best part of all- they will be paying homage to noted Tennessee History scholar and writer Wilma Dykeman! Amazing Lady! A true Steele Magnolia mixed with a heavy helping of Tennessee tenacity!