hunger is the only story

mother and daughter

wild geraniums along Arboretum Drive

walking along Arboretum Drive on a sunny afternoon … cottonwood fluff floating through the air and settling along the roadsides like snow, wild geraniums, the call of red-winged blackbirds, geese with their goslings, wild turkeys

Lake Wingra under a heavy sky, early evening

late afternoon walk down Arboretum Drive … it was a brown and green and gray day, the air full of humidity and birdsong

walking down East Main Street, early evening

alpaca yarn scored at the festival this weekend:  600 yards of a tweed imported from Peru by Enchanted Meadows Alpacas and Goats and 5 hanks of an olive-green fingering weight yarn from Rach-Al-Paca Farm in Hastings, Minnesota  

work in progress

shorn alpacas from Oak Lawn Alpacas in Iron Ridge, Wisconsin (at the Great Midwest Alpaca Festival)

It was out of mild curiosity that I entered the coliseum today to attend the Great Midwest Alpaca Festival.  I’ve completed a few projects with alpaca yarn now, not knowing anything about the animal.  I could not have predicted how ridiculously happy the whole experience would make me.

I walked in to see pen after pen of small, fluffy animals with big eyes and long necks peacefully chewing or yawning in front of fans.  Their fleece is so warm that they easily overheat indoors.  Springtime is shearing time though, so soon they’ll be naked and cool.  They are half the size of llamas and are not used as pack animals.  They are intelligent, clean, mellow, social creatures that make a soft humming sound.  One farmer said they have personalities like cats, different every day.  The yarn rivals cashmere in softness and warmth and comes in 22 natural colors. 

On top of all that, alpacas are insanely cute.  If you live in the Madison area, GO to the alpaca festival tomorrow.  The event is free, parking is $6 and it runs from 8am until 2pm.  If you aren’t charmed by the little beasts, then I don’t know what can be said for you.