We had a new cria (baby alpacas are called a cria) born on the farm. Not named yet, but he looks like his dad and not his mom :P, I will get to see him tomorrow. Babies are always exciting, and there are 2 more due this month.

Before I start, I have deleted the last Monday Funny post. Tho’ those of us who have raised teenagers will understand the humor, I thought maybe because of the criminal climate of our world right now with children being human trafficked this meme might not be appropriate right now, please save the children! A new one will be up next Monday :).

I knit the last sweater I posted for a friend’s daughter who had a son, saw his picture, he’s a cutie. She was pleased with it and surprised me with some stitch markers, so cute, they will definitely be used! Thanks Anna!

The next picture is a bridal bouquet I made for my daughter after her attempt to make it. We bought the silk flowers and all the things needed to make it and she tried to make it. I looked at it and shook my head and took it apart and redid it, she looked relieved hahaha. I made the boutonnieres for the guys too. Crafting is not her thing, but she’s a great daughter :). She gets married later this month.

Now to the last two pictures. My son’s farm helper has gone off to college and my son and his spouse asked if I would be of a mind to step in until Dec when they close their store and visitors for the winter. I thought it over for a day, I rarely just jump in with both feet into anything, there are always things to consider. This involved my Saturdays, so could I move things around to make my Saturdays free and then there was getting up early (I’m a night owl lol)? I decided I could and told them I would be happy to help out. My son puts them in a small pasture up front, next to the barn, where visitors can come see and feed and touch those that allow it. The first Saturday was a short one because of the extreme heat we were having (115 with the heat index), when it gets to hot for the alpacas to be outside instead of in the barn with a fan going, everything shuts down, they come first. This last Saturday was a full day and tho there is plenty of shade, it was humid so my son put out the splash pad he has for the alpaca girls. They love it, it has a place where the water spurts out of the top of the circle and he makes the water go up to belly hight. Some lay in the water, other like to stand around with the water hitting their bellies to keep cool and putting their faces in the water, you can see that in the 4th picture. I got a sunburn, lol, my face and arms and the back of my neck (I have long hair but I braid it and pull it to the side and that causes my neck show). My face was a bright red along with the back of my neck. My arms weren’t so bad. Fortunately I have a large aloe vera plant and when I got home I picked off one of the larger leaves and got the gooey jell stuff out and put it on my face and back of my neck. It felt better and about an hr later I also put lavender on it (lavender in fractionated coconut oil base – if you are allergic to nuts test to see if you can use the coconut oil, in a roller ball bottle). I put the lavender on again before bed and on Sunday morning, afternoon and evening and again on Monday morning. All the burn has turned into tan and no peeling, whew. Aloe Vera and Lavender are amazing for skin, lavender also works to quell itchy bug bites and ouchie scrapes and minor cuts. I call it the itchy/ouchie solution, the kids never mind having it put on because it doesn’t sting on the ouchies either :). I have to say I’m exhausted being out in the sun all day, but I sleep well :P. I did buy a bottle of sun screen so I won’t be burned again.

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the last of the summer before fall :).