07 Jul Wed 2010
It's Hot Out There!
Last summer we had just one day where the temperature reached 90 degrees. I heard it’s been about 8 years since it’s been 100 degrees. Well, this summer we’ve had several days of 90+ degrees weather, and yesterday, it was 101 degrees here in New Hampshire!! Yes, folks, it was record heat. The weather people are saying it will be just pretty darn hot for several more days.
Our alpacas’ barn is really a 3 sided run-in style shed with an awning that doubles the space. The awning has really neat walls/doors that fold back but we’ve been keeping them closed to provide as much shade as possible. And with windows across the back wall, there is plenty of cross-ventilation. The boys have remained in the barn most of the day, but sometimes they’re silly and still go out to graze and sunbathe. Yes, wooly alpacas lie in the sun and sunbathe! In the afternoons, they all cush in front of the fan which we have running 24/7.
Yesterday was so darn miserable that in the morning we decided to try hosing them down. The alpacas saw Dan coming across the yard with the hose, all ears went up and in a somewhat single leap, they all greeted Dan in the paddock. They know what the hose is for! Dan sprayed and sprayed alpaca bellies and Guinness and Bo eagerly turned around so Dan could spray under their tails as well. Guinness and Julio cushed in the mud puddles. Arlo was trying to drink from the hose at first while Dan sprayed his belly, and then realized that getting sprayed under the tail is a wonderful thing. Each was trying hard to push in front of the others to get sprayed again, although Coty was a bit unsure, until Dan got him good in the belly and then he was the last to walk away.
They were so obviously happy and we couldn’t stop laughing at their antics. I tried to take pictures of the whole gang but Arlo was the only one willing to pose.