Our two alpacas, Okami and Uluru, are the gentlest creatures I have ever come across. Son gave them their names when we first got them and, because we’d been told that their presence here would deter the foxes that lurk somewhere out there, their names reflect this. ‘Okami’ is a Japanese word that roughly translates to ‘wolf with spiritual powers’ (my paraphrase), and ‘Uluru’ is, of course, the Aboriginal word for that big brown ‘pebble’ in the centre of Australia, previously known as Ayers Rock. Somehow their heavily symbolic names don’t seem to match their placid personalities. I don’t think they could kill a fly, let alone a fox!
Here are some recent photos of them:
They do everything very slowly; they wander around slowly, chew grass and the wheat I give them slowly, stare and blink slowly. When my heartbeat is galloping I only have to watch Okami and Uluru for a minute or so and their tranquility calms me down.
This morning I tried to beat Okami in an unblinking competition but he easily won. Perhaps this is how they deter the foxes?
jmgoyder 
I try to stare down my cat from time to time. I never win.
They’re beautiful creatures. I take it they’ve been shorn recently? Those are some interesting patterns in their coat, if not!
Yes – shorn a few weeks ago – rather transformative!
Actually, it looks as if you’ve knitted them. Isn’t that a knit two, purl two rib down the back of Uluru’s neck?
Haha! I don’t knit so I don’t know but you obviously do. Would you like their fleeces?
I cannot imagine anything nicer than their fleeces unless it was a real close-up cuddle but I’m afraid I would not know how to use them.
Ha! They’re not quite tame enough to cuddle but nearly!
Oh they are beautiful. And plenty of time yet to get woolly for winter. Gorgeous pics. I can feel their soulful energy. xx
There’s a picture in a post I wrote a while back that shows what they looked like before they were shorn – hilarious!
Alpacas are very gentle and lovely attitude. They are family with the camels, they love the cold weather and they have a fine fleece that is very precious. If you could spindle it into yarn and knit a sweater, this one, despite being so light it would warm you more than a parka. I have seen the alpacas in the Andes of Peru, also the Llamas, Guanaco and the most precious of them all the Vicuna, their fleece is as expensive as gold. It’s the finest!
From all, the Llamas are the largest and they love to spit if they don’t like you, they love to chew alfalfa (Lucerne)
Yes and, now they’ve been shorn, I have two fleeces ready to sell!
Hi,
I love them, such gentle animals, and also very beautiful. 🙂
Yes I was told they spit but these two don’t!
Oh, they are so cute and look so sweet! I really like their names, and as far as Okami, I like many things Japanese. It’s interesting how different they look when they are shaven.
Unrecognizable!
They are adorable!! Great pics Julie 🙂
I still can’t hand feed them. They come right up to me but stop within a few cms – weird but beautiful!
I was glad to read in your comments that your two don’t spit. That allows me to continue to fantasize about how cute they are!
They can spit at the fox but not me!
You have alpacas too!!! I think I missed that. Maybe you should tell me what you don’t have in your menagerie! Margie
I don’t have a flamingo!
Okay, one more thing. Don’t tell me you knit alpaca sweaters with their sheared coats! Do you? Someone must get their gorgeous wool or whatever you call it on an alpaca. Margie
If you lived closer you could have the fleeces. I am not a knitter!
Not sure if it is their lips or their eyes that catch my attention 🙂
I haven’t even noticed their lips – I’ll have another look!
They are so cute. I wish I had a couple of them in our garden to fend off the squirrels.
Oh I love squirrels – we don’t have them here. Do they do damage, do they?
‘Women Who Stare at Alpacas’ – Is there a movie in there somewhere? 🙂
It might be a very short movie!
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