Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Ellie's Leroy

This is Leroy, one of the first alpacas to be born at Big Meadow Creek Alpacas. His dam Yolinda was one of the first imports to this country and was purchased by my brother from Andrea Applegate. His sire was Black Knight. When he was born in August 2002, he was such a big cria that he could nurse from his mother from a sitting position! That's why he was named for a rock--Rock Hudson--whose real name was Leroy Scherer.

In the fall of 2008, Leroy was on the losing side of a herdsire dispute! Ungelded male alpacas, like other males, sometimes need to prove how macho they are! Leroy had to take a trip to WSU to get stitches in his ear after one of these wrestling matches. To make sure his ear was healed before he went back with the other herdsires, Leroy was put into a temporary pen close to the house.

That's where Ellie first saw him. She was visiting me in Idaho for the first time. Four years old, Ellie was fascinated by Leroy. She immediately went for her crayons and paper, sat down near the pen and began drawing. This is one of her first of many pictures of Leroy.

One day, one of the crew that works at BMCA put a special bandana on Leroy. When Ellie saw it, she asked her dad what it said. "For Sale," Mike said. "Can I buy him?" Ellie asked. "You'll need to ask Grandma Judy."

She came to me and asked and I responded, "Well, Ellie, you would have to pay $1.35 to buy him." She went to her dad, held out her hand and asked, "Please." With the money in her fist, she came to me and I said, "Sold!"

Ellie ran into the house and after a few whispered questions into Mike's ear, came out with a piece of paper and taped it to the pen: "Ellie bought Leroy. Not for sale."
I understand from my son that after she got home again, she excitedly told her pre-school class about Leroy and his stitches!
I haven't billed Ellie for hay, shots for worming and vaccinations, or for shearing, let alone boarding "her" alpaca. But then again, I've kept the fiber and used it for the second skein of yarn that I spun (see my entry for Oct. 2). It's a wonderful shade and so very soft and lustrous. I'm planning to knit a Christmas gift for Ellie with the yarn I've made.
Leroy was gelded last summer and isn't getting into those macho disputes any more. He's a curious, friendly and gentle alpaca. Now if he really had a rainbow neck, I wouldn't have to learn how to dye alpaca fiber!

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