![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttxM3m-GioQgcdqZWcsVaPesCbZFfjG1A9nnJobPxlMkhHSy48-3TThF5GCrydulr-IQ0j_MucPF38rSH7BN4PFOb4tFGEfU1t9U5o_i3_NE7j3nGY2gTSDrRZ0A142K7AFtGQU9C0vTe/s400/IMG_4160.JPG)
This is what two years of llama fiber growth looks like:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislTbczEQLmFAFHypj5TvFCcscCWgPjYF2zF71q7X6N0zk6ug-PBa9RDNAOHNCp3fGzOovyBxNDt_TBe_YSbRr4q8Jqnj3yFHTzpXeIDtEIyei_1QIGeq9uIgrAmTGPoJ4811zL8ImTzyB/s400/IMG_3962.JPG)
In climates that are hot and humid, it's important that a llama is sheared annually every spring, but here in the cool Pacific Northwest, unless you have a show llama, every two years is pretty routine:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBj3Kb2SfuUkSTML5CXOCc95fBE0myYS4-gzhrSZIgN4FPqH21w9XLBcvYvLhWpYqbGH0WV6SKRBj727Rt7BHAJYRhyphenhyphenvlOweBYYRQZ3n9NhhVqoJI-chxw2UKcejjO8_VW41dMXmji9SPz/s400/IMG_3829.JPG)
I'm glad that we kept Kai's coat for as long as we did. We've had a very cold and very wet winter and it didn't phase her a bit. This coat kept her toasty and dry. I was the only one to suffer with the condition of her coat, it just
looked *so* bad:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AvWCbqPBwRuxuRsp-hMz1cIV5dXqyqoTjPnShcVBpBkf0YMyciBTDT9xO0FvnbIvltnXMHaM8m4folX1j6W1t_Cxwho05T5WnsMe1Mw1kLet3W8RxuMu4wlAyLuHfVsRfbSOnCuWRbMX/s400/IMG_3807.JPG)
Saturday was the much anticipated shearing day. Pete and Reggie were on-hand to help entice Kai back to the barn. It worked like a charm:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoaP5eoJZcRkLBLl-CHiDaTrk1Foez1uxj6taxfyWYWEbW_mXBH6QJv-kQzJeq8w6H-Exl8SnilRo8WL_YcB7IlXpAX5K8Ug5LPUDazU0UnRO6P6ydmu91u-L9RZ_We4ifSZehR0yPR3lB/s400/IMG_6737.JPG)
Kai insisted on one, last roll in the stall bedding before we began:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHPwglukaOVZ_88PSX3CHF6Qzgl9b8262Q-6hlmBqvAHxkmXEbBWSuBhehlSHu7tWJBdnlkVVmwj_HwvH0cx0Obada0XREhpTNwzikQRqosVW1c2cND4bloZWDgQvxPLBlfCBIgtGqMiB/s400/IMG_6738.JPG)
My trimmer is a person I met at the
Camelid Herd Health Conference that I attended in early March. Adrienne has been trimming llamas for over 15 years:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrV37SvPaYHc38Ht2Pf9g84iwfZACVlxovxxgOPqA_sPZYQ5nfBcVp4UaHegLq3-wjq8iLUFXoKG04fdPK0LAetmvMxeDXObXvJgKoIeRz7MROrTSL0hUOyK_jM3dhU3OMyICjTLTrffL0/s400/IMG_6740.JPG)
It looks bad in this photo, but Adrienne told me that Kai has beautiful fiber. Considering how many llamas she sees and trims each season, my heart swelled a little bit when she said this. A mama's pride, you know...:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDgZFQKWXvx4z_PD8qv6yqALIS-gAWJPbQ3MmTn0_tOOIjuz1aVy1FXGwP-_W9ThIxi96lP_hk2-T343m1wJayseBQEYBOBYBWWgm0DYIKIAmQb-youKfy4NdI850zR8VQgeAJ8Sz4v51/s400/IMG_6743.JPG)
Chester and Beau were never more than a few feet away from Kai throughout the entire ordeal:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPmAdm1V_pvpoZdiD3OH3rEL0Vlg7MbGx2QV_AdshMwuN_iJyA2PNrZxUdXMPoqo6xWj8ftQFJJld25kTv7RIdfaRSGYCsisEJ90YPPTWhr7_5fr-8r4XHDEgxz0RiKlvVqBA8dsQCdGb/s400/IMG_6745.JPG)
Such devotion:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOeZvUYY2Co07BOK15D9PteFavZ4WDMa_s7GuFMwWRDqSjpB4LD5S6q309hV1WdONziLNQ731W8uEcqmxXrSULHBpUjHLx-rTdPxHbEEKRQ2ycAVmATNlDaou_7vBAuddfcWCBtGD97bl/s400/IMG_6747.JPG)
Once the clippers started going, though, Beau and Chester gave Kai a few, final, whispered words of support...:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWwuxesPLTMHF4fHPegIENXknmsbIuNF5vVd4S7Cs6mluY4TdiZ_Z0EJ2Hn-Fq_3b_5Z_PWLvfWwfwjyiuAL8ojsZpr6pZ3hhR-06fRxoVokU_HTkXst1l0xRMmRexYbtHAsxONXPRqRD/s400/IMG_6749.JPG)
and then retreated - just a bit - to a safer distance:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3f1DzI29n8Q1_KNmbnzuutDN7Ulhkq6I6spyNg9IPYmFFAQHa3Lwqsi80LtIS8_4L2K6zL83kcfbnIpg5BVTdHEqCbT9xFjN0TMm-mVWryIPMk9Dj2YNAltJABrCkiBb3tonF9dyC9LI/s400/IMG_6752.JPG)
Underneath that crusty top layer, her fiber looked just like soft cotton:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLvk0rLuGxo1cdw36naUSIKPgz0LezGSwyN6WUhLTR2pYikXgAcllpmmiB9z6qdoylq0rELhnsi4BP79VQj8lbmI3fRQm2_nbZ2PgmFPj3tYpkjfPdW_liLPN2NZuI2lfzhfbQSlXMLhx/s400/IMG_6751.JPG)
Chester would check in, every now and again, just to make sure all was in order. It really was a fascinating process to watch. Kai's fiber basically came off like a rug - in one long, heavy piece:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6oF9IfrkD_P5vOoFZmNhUmMzRbgDnUPjWZTLykXdebbD_VX1WKvkeyO6337Fe2sApm2EbeqbjU8x5ni9iSFtxtm8MRRV5xCEboUe-E0dFNk41NqwAU-YgVDSCfnN2CoVADM2ZJPRePT9/s400/IMG_6754.JPG)
A few times, Kai became less than cooperative:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip40h7mJ_I-4zLkwsfa4-g0xLEhooojdcbxd2w9xRrxU-8-UC7IcgQa6wAWnJfUlvneFsQtIJ7Qvd6jFfEQMyyXJyARdShMIjwPpYpqrBZKJ2cgT2YWJVHHQ3ovh6XQ1BOO5BinRUDWYov/s400/IMG_6766.JPG)
And attempted a number of complicated poses to keep Adrienne from touching her:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EEZWPnfpuJGTxuhD_hva3ZDIEmZuIoADZnw9SyE3_527PIuFrBI27f9OyMDfjcKNNZxzWwGrsdJG3kpl82gQAdMp2E8G14U78_GPUtFDAYjrbLrPeebOj48ZWzAeA88vNyeEpiw_O6QD/s400/IMG_6767.JPG)
Look...pantaloons!:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO1L0yJ4X8UeT4T4kNn5pLLGJrpI1Q27WXG69CYZnQlQPvo2yyHUygroEDi4K3NLpc8kaV4rHNthCKQIEToSUzasfRXwPgKdNh-Rsh8Y_TOc_MtCsblJFw5kya_YvygKZWCUnlvvzzW74/s400/IMG_6777.JPG)
I thought it was really interesting how Chester and Beau stayed so close the whole time. My handsome boys:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_B6OjToiqZ168KwQRDRDPBQQ7y_CNjPmJMEhNgOg8YvIGLXfQLdGrMgEpZP5MJ_sEVAKyGUEso4JOhL6H3FgnrHQqRQKPMSpN7Ldfey3qa8psx35dnd3ZvRdl3xNEiD7gr95BB_aq5OS/s400/IMG_6770.JPG)
With the right side complete, the left side "rug" came off:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoZnUNc76yFvuTPDGhPS91pqnhqzHTljjNPvCpgQNjHfbnzzH45yGwGx4i9G9qDMaQQKY7wl_eWIkTTXlmOlx8jJrGkGHRc2X_3-9Suvj8-IoNBp15TjD4JgX0TozCa_TFrmzCgCNaPBr/s400/IMG_6784.JPG)
A pedicure was part of the shearing package. Now her toes are as pretty as the rest of her:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoyXpIthDJCLqlj5RuJcr-q66OJHflhRQuQY_d8RqU1mq0VtNzGFqPTq91E2_ZoD1ohis6-2wd-MME9Z6GLHYZvCAgNa5z3q9o9Mb41nQ3P4Eu8QtuTNe4PWaT8ZvEwVqH_Bl_D0f6UwC/s400/IMG_6813.JPG)
I think everyone was really happy when Adrienne packed away her buzzy tool and life at the barn could return to normal:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a64-wS3EYmzKct-Yu4qZn08dbBjQKXjl2EuLbF9LIptaXG5wECSpNekwiPnkbJqxvqBRhsopTRVgzU3Kk-Jb5JB8Fpe6_Br5ZqueypBEOjANolAy7VPUsca7BPYteXAZaXzUkdwV-vlw/s400/IMG_6821.JPG)
Now I have a feed bag-full of llama fiber:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxny5Q59sdG5aoXuKermFndwXrFAKU_FfdYtf9tC6HQUQhYwIfbCAcgvrRwFsjpZifTneYDppqOLNoEetiAGH1z0jN-dzZjg_fiVVxXXspatn5vdOLSjqrOz47RSG53BJE69uNoZUGb5T/s400/IMG_6886.JPG)
Any fiber fanatics out there want some of this to play with :-) :
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAjQKk-OjsUhF9fFCJxB7RvLzy_SuC1puUbQiYw1azK60xTy0S-YphiL1_T1eDeFXtXJ9Dvh92PvRMbXv9q1oDjmYmK9smk_oLivNsbA3nf_qtT7TH3fspKR2rwuIlJwnEQlcpe8QSfts/s400/IMG_6883.JPG)
...What's that?
Oh, you want to see Kai?
:-)
Before (taken Saturday morning)
:
After (taken Saturday afternoon)
:![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oWNe-GLzU9OFMK3Wnsvbxfg_qGakxcWHI-Xgb8P-rLNM1Xi8TIhr50EQhKZhTEia17pfN1WNS3mV3AtiATnYJCx5g5UiK71sHVZg-WIbXcng-xC9PrIuC3o-hqZATYtycPCf17pwa7Ah/s400/IMG_6850.JPG)
Isn't she lovely?
She looks like a baby to me now! (The "clipper tracks" on her sides should disappear in a few days):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcYUdAW71y9I7T6FfPsbNd14KxCjkPiUszfM-xcP13XZ8-Puj2_-xQqIf3kgpaRXvrhTE_kmzpE1zAgsps2BU8d3ApX21xjtPtvX_ljV6sG9TECw_Lym5nbrUs-xIJw5gVGaaav6QEKOz/s400/IMG_6838.JPG)
She has the skinniest, little, pointy-bottom now:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7Ax_y_Uw0f4JLFye42HUu3-R6EPUV3UvvVEqu2PHWbmoRN7U02rKqqcZVsNaxP_PP0sPdsQmEW0lMukVadpbT0XvfhI8_wNoJO_cbOCvPCXm3JzcuhRnHSyfKg-Hxw0c4MHwWb6GafSG/s400/IMG_6853.JPG)
You're not laughing, right, Chester? Because guess who's getting
his feet done tomorrow?: