Every April our neighbors set aside a day for shearing their alpacas. Joe went to watch, and sometimes help. And took these pictures which I share with you here.

The owners only sell a few of their animals from time to time. Mostly they sell the shorn fleece to local artisans who process the fleece and eventually spin it into yarn. The yarn is in high demand with other artisans who weave and knit.

The "before" pictures show animals that look downright chonky. The adorable Hannah, above, looks like a stuffed plush toy come to life.

Their heads, tails, and legs don't get shorn. According to my son, the fleece is divided into three different containers, depending on where on the animal's body it came from. 

Joe says the whole thing went off without a hitch. Everyone was calm and peaceful throughout, and afterwards went right back to enjoying their mulberry leaves and shady spots under the trees. I was invited, too, but because I'm a little out of sorts (only getting 4-5 hours of sleep the night before does that to me) I opted to stay home. And asked for pictures.

Tired as I am, looking at these pictures made me smile. A lot. I hope you enjoyed them, too.