Years and years ago, I saw photos of curly-headed, long-lashed alpacas, and my heart quickened.
How much fun to have a herd of my own!
But not very practical on my suburban, homeowner association-controlled quarter acre.
I had to make do with teasing from my kids, greeting cards with alpacas on the front, and an adorable figurine from my niece. Until several months ago when my pipe dream came true.
I left my Florida small-town-near-a-big-city home to stay with my mom and sister on their Tennessee hobby farm. Sis needed a living lawnmower to maintain her acreage, but what? A goat? Nope! A miniature horse? Could be fun.
Alpacas gather in the garage.
Seizing the opportune moment, I suggested an alpaca. We did a bit of research and, lo and behold, alpacas are about the best livestock there is for keeping the lawn shorn and the pasture short.
Next stop . . . Craigslist.
A few days later, we welcomed Sassafras, Starr, Autumn, and Winter to The Keep. Since then we’ve added seven more: Merry, General, Di, Charro, Stonebride, and Snow.
Starr eating hay from the back of my Vibe
Autumn gets her neck stuck in the fence . . . again!
I thought I cherished an impossible dream, but all those years God must have been smiling. He knew all along that someday my pipe dream would be a reality in a way I never could have imagined.
