A Llama Emergency!

All of these boys, except for the one on my left are rescues!

Today I will be doing things a bit differently.  I have been madly working with my friend and mentor L'illette, who was my friend Bobra Goldsmith's right hand woman.  L'illette has been rescuing llamas for as long as I've known her; as a matter of fact, that is how we became friends.  But I'm not sure either of us ever saw this one coming folks.  My dear friend put it all in an e-mail to me this weekend, and here it is for you in its entirety:

If you’re not up-to-date on this, please check out the http://southeastllamarescue.org website, Gary Kaufman’s YouTube video,  and Jerry Finch (President/Founder of Habitat for Horses) blog report. Horrific in the most literal sense.

I’m also trying to keep my website at lillette.net updated with these links and any other info that comes along. And a Facebook page has been created: MLAS Llama Rescue. I urge you to cross-post my status update emails to you, the links above, any information you can. And if you have any press contacts, please get the word out to them, too. We need national coverage to get things going faster. Weather and road conditions in Montana mean we have to move these animals quickly.

TRANSPORT

The newly formed Montana Llama Rescue Coalition (MTLLRC) comprising representatives from llama breed and rescue organizations across the country, has been collecting money for transports and the ASPCA has promised a large donation, funds yet to be received.

We have one big load of 100 earmarked for points east, but need a big cattle hauler. Including below one of the latest emails on that topic for your reference. So if you know of any cattle haulers or anyone who might be able to take on some of these admittedly worrisome, starved, probably ill, and largely untrained llamas—yep, hoping for big miracles all around!—please spread the word.

Also have places for about 25 in Texas and a few so far in Ft. Collins area that can be dropped off en route to Texas. So far, I’ve found one livestock hauler out of Iowa who can take about 35-40 per trip, and 10-15 of the Texas-bound llamas can be dropped off en route.

RMLA AREA – WE NEED YOU! Only two farms so far have offered to help, and I really need more foster caretakers for here in CO. Ideally, of course, we’d like to get in at least one large group to some place where we can then get them initial care, sorting, etc. and on to farms in smaller groups. Our desperately needed miracles will hopefully include some sort of staging/temporary sanctuary area where a bunch could winter under shelter and with care and oversight. (This applies to all regions, not just RMLA.) FYI, these are mostly geldings and a few intact males at this point… hundreds of them still awaiting rescue, and dying as they wait.

Quick immediate and urgent needs lists (target is national, not just for my little regions):

·         Cattle hauler with double-decker style rig to transport 100 MT llamas to Northeast Llama Rescue (NELR) – see email included below.

·         Foster farms that can take in large numbers for immediate triage and distribution asap in smaller groups to other foster farms.

·         Other foster farms: even if you can take only a few, if enough folks will volunteer, that adds up to a lot more lives saved.

·         Donations of money via http://southeastllamarescue.org – all tax-deductible, initially for transport, with any remaining funds, such as if ASPCA comes through, going to veterinary care.

·         Please contact your camelid vets to ask if they’ll donate services or reduce costs for this rescue effort.

·         Knowledgeable llama folks who can be in MT to help load the llamas, or at the receiving ends to help unload, triage, distribute.

Please be aware that there will surely be initial costs to you angels who offer to take llamas. For my RMLA folks, I will set you up as a Southwest Llama Rescue, Inc. foster farm, which means your expenses may be tax deductible. Too, SWLR will continue to raise money to reimburse expenses incurred by foster farms. I’m sure the other rescue organizations are working along the same lines.

Again, if you haven’t been keeping up with the situation, please read Jerry Finch’s blog report from December 27. And know that the situation is much, much worse now. I don’t know how to tug any better at your heartstrings, but my own heart is breaking. Llamas are dying every day, and many may not even survive our rescue attempts. But some will! You can be part of this enormous endeavor to save as many llama lives as possible. I can only plead with you to help in whatever ways you can, whether it be a little or monumental. Nothing like this has ever happened in the rescue world, and certainly not to our beloved llamas. Please, please… please.
L’illetteL’illette Vasquez
SWLR/SELR Llama Rescues
LANA/RMLA/MTLLRC Llama Rescue Committees
L’illy Llamas at Rocky Mt. Llamas
7202 N 45^th Street
Longmont CO 80503-8844

I chose a Tuesday to post this because I cross post on Green Spot-On and I know that you my Rebels will surely get involved, if you can.  Put the word out people, and if you know me, you probably guessed the reason for my absence the last day or so, yes I have a few tricks up my sleeve!  I am hoping to get our local Environmental Action class involved with my rescue mission...ooops did I let that slip?  Is the RR headed to Montana?

Happy New Year GSO!!!

 

From The Royal Ranch to You!

Dear Santa,

Thank you so much for the Christmas card with the money in it!  Tom and I had decided to not buy each other gifts this year so that we could really make the kids' Christmas special.  So, when we got the stack of cards out of the mailbox on Christmas Day (sorry we were a little late, it had been a busy week, but I know you had been watching...) it was like our gift to each other; we split them up and each enjoyed the gifts they brought.

I noticed the North Pole postmark first, and thought it was kind of funny, and then opened up the card and out fell all of that money!!!!!  I'm very sorry, Sir, but you know how banks are, and they don't believe, so when Tom went to cash it...we found out that you bought it in Centennial, and have a bank in Grand Junction....So my dear Santa, we love you dearly, whoever you are....And please know, that we still believe!

Sweetened Condensed Milk (Homemade!)

Photo courtesy of ifood.tv

You know that ooey, gooey can of milk that you always have on your shelf for those extra rich baked goods...that is until you need it?  Well, I needed mine yesterday, and lo and behold, my son donated it to the canned food drive.  So what is a savvy baker to do?  Google it of course.  And I came up with a great second choice because I always have powdered milk on hand, doesn't everybody?

So here goes, it's easier than pie...

1/2 cup hot water

1 T. butter

1 cup powdered milk

1 cup sugar

Place all ingredients in blender and mix well.  I must admit, that I thought I could get away with saving myself from washing the blender and just mixing this by hand.  Big mistake.  I had lumps and an exhausted arm, so use the blender and then this can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge or freezer.  By the by, my lumps baked out perfectly in the toffee chip bars that I made, so it worked out fine, but it still would have been worth washing the darn blender!

The Christmas Tree Debate...

Being an environmentalist really makes the Christmas Tree debate a personal one for me, especially living right in the middle of the forest and being as passionate about saving trees as I am.  But I know what a HUGE carbon footprint those plastic jobbies leave when they are made and placed in your home.  So where does that leave an environmental steward like me?

We looked high:

And we looked low:

And then we found the most perfect compromise ever!  We took a tree that already needed to be cut down!  This spectacular Colorado Blue Spruce was encroaching on the power lines at The Royal Roost, our "Nest in the Woods" getaway cabin for visitors.

It also was blocking some much needed sunshine from that very same cabin, so we knew it needed to go sooner or later, so I said why not use it for a Christmas Tree and firewood?

So this year, so far, my dreams are coming true.  What is your opinion on the Christmas Tree debate?  What are you doing this year to be green?  Or maybe to save some "Green"?

What do gardeners do in the winter?

I read about spring. I collect web pages that will help me make the changes I need, and I always make changes. Meanwhile, my bunnies take advantage of my being indoors.

This is Krumpet, our little lionhead rabbit, keeping company with La Petite. Yes, she is really a little ball of fluff. Krumpet, that is, not La Petite.