More Pears, More Cria Watch, and Less Sock

The pears continue to ripen faster than I can process them. I filled the fruit dryer with pears yesterday and I've (almost) managed to fill it again today. In filling the fruit dryer and making a batch of waffle topping, I used up all my washed pears, so a great deal of today's pear effort went into washing more pears. I'm optimistic I'll have the fruit dryer filled by the end of the evening and everything set up to put a few more slices on before I leave for work in the morning. If I'm really productive, I 'll have another pot filled with pears ready to cook into waffle topping.

At the moment, however, I'm tired of cooking and not feeling very productive.

For a while this morning, I thought cria watch was going to be interesting. After deciding she had enough pellets before her bowl was empty, Ipo wandered into the shade, kushed half on her side, and proceeded to utter some of the strangest noises I've ever heard her make. Some of the noises sounded very much like prolonged grunts.

Ipo has always been a very vocal alpaca. I think she probably has the widest vocal range of any of our animals, and certainly she uses a wider noise on a regular basis. Ipo hums a lot and she has a great range of hums from plaintive to trilling to an urgent bleat. She growls at her food dish and while she's eating especially good grass. She grunts from time to time.

Ipo making noises? That's nothing.

Ipo making strange noises? That's not really a big deal.

Ipo making three new noises in two minutes – noises that sound very strained – noises made while she's lying half on her side looking very uncomfortable – all in late pregnancy?

Like I said, I thought for a few minutes cria watch might get intresting. Instead, Ipo straightened up and started chewing her cud.

If you can't guess from the title of this post, I decided to rip the sock back before the heel. The sock was too short and I basically mangled the heel don't think I followed the pattern properly at the heel. I've ripped back before the heel and I'm in the process of lengthening the foot before I attempt the heel again.

Thanks to all those who responded to my posted comments about Socks that Rock. It seems sacrilegious to purchase wool sock yarn when I have so much alpaca to spin, but I think I want to get some STR to get the feel of a really good sock yarn.