Putting out the Fleece

This past week, my adventurous parents purchased two pet alpacas, Milee and Pegasus.  If you aren't familiar with this beautiful creature, they are a little smaller in stature than a llama with a head that looks similar to a camel.  As someone who has had very little desire to own any type of pet for most of my life, I was a bit perplexed by their newest residents.  But after watching my mom and dad parade these harnessed babes around the yard for their grand kids this past Fathers Day weekend with gigantic smiles, it makes perfect sense.  Why not?  If a couple of 60 yr old, ex-hippie's want to dabble in semi-exotic livestock then where's the harm in that. 

As we were leaving, my dad went to the garage and handed me a 13 gallon garbage bag full of Pegasus trimmings.... because I knit.  Hmmmm...  I accepted the gift, knowing that my dad would in no way expect me to return with socks for him for the winter.  My dad, like he's always done, was giving a spark to his inquisitive middle kid (like when I was 10 and he gave me access to innumerable boards, nails, and a hammer to make a tree house).  With appreciation I left with my fleece and here it sits beside me with a decision to make.  Do I really have time to learn a new trick?  Spinning fleece into yarn is not like experimenting on a new bread recipe.  I am a busy mother of three with a fairly new knitting habit.  I buy my yarn at a store clean, weighed, dyed, and neatly packaged.  Maybe I should lay a piece of fleece out on the table and ask God for a sign :)  To spin or not to spin?