Atlanta Alpaca Tree House in the Bamboo Forest

12/23/2022

This shoot was gorgeous and encapsulated the vibe here at the Alpaca Treehouse. Our rescue llamas & alpacas roam freely around the treehouse, checking in to see if you brought organic baby carrots.
❤️
📷 by

12/21/2022

This morning I was texting with my friend and I said I have this deep sense of foreboding that I can’t shake.
I am so lucky I walked away from this with minor injuries: bruises, burns, painful neck and back, and weird neck cuts. I saw this big SUV suddenly doing the slow swerve over into my lane but he was going about 40 miles an hour. There’s a huge buffer between the lanes so plenty of space to correct
I couldn’t move to the left as there were oncoming cars. And by the trajectory,
if I pulled into the right lane, he would hit me directly where I was driving. So I just stopped and there was no where to go and I felt terrified as the guy just plowed head on into my car.

I kept thinking OK why is this happening? Surely, he’s going to realize he’s completely over on our side and will readjust. You know, maybe he’s texting or doing some thing he’s not supposed to be doing. He will readjust. And then oh my God he’s going to hit me he’s going to hit me.

And then there comes this realization that this might be the end because he’s gonna hit me head on, and there’s nothing I can do and he’s in a big vehicle. And then you know massive impact and I smell burning and I know that my thumb is hurt. It was like turning different colors and the end of it was swollen and I felt my wrist. I’m not sure if I burned it or banged it. But there was smoke coming from underneath my dash and so I wondered if I could get out but my door opened and I thought I need to get out because the lithium battery could burst into flames potentially. I didn’t want to be run over by traffic, because that would suck after surviving the onslaught.

The man that hit me was asleep maybe or altered. He was getting breathalyzer tests. Kate and Walker raced to me. Some kind strangers bought me a chamomile tea and invited me to their table at a coffee shoppe. I was sort of crying/shaking.
Make sure you hug all of your loved ones. I was beyond lucky that I walked away from this and I went to Emory for x-rays and I don’t have anything broken. My chest really hurts from the seatbelt upon impact. But I am beyond lucky. Love you all. Thank you for your support. ❤️❤️❤️

12/05/2022

really captured our original rescue Paloma Piper. This genius, uppity, opinionated 21-year young suri alpaca is a master Houdini when it comes to breaking into the feed room. We have had to use two latches to keep her out.
🦙
She also communicates. She wanted grain the other day so she picked up a grain dish and threw it down in front of me and then looked at me. She’s been known to scream at alpaca llama experience guests to make them give her carrots. She’s a total menace and I adore her.
❤️❤️❤️

12/03/2022

This is baby Rio. She is three months old. We rescued her with her mama, Zora the magnificent, at the auction.
❤️
She’s realized that I bring her grain. And guard her while she eats it.
❤️
She looks like a wild creature, plucked straight from the altiplano of S. America. And I am obsessed with photo of her scrunchy face.

12/03/2022

got my head shot. I might audition for things.

12/02/2022

Wowsa! Thank you for naming us as a top ten yoga event.
🧘🏽
Our instructors are just the best!

12/01/2022

So just when you think Llama Yoga cannot get any cuter. After all The Figs is in the Bamboo Barn, participating.
🐶
Meet Doug. He’s a very specifically trained diabetic service dog. He will be now be accompanying everywhere she goes.
🐶
Technology has failed Lanise several (very scary) times but Doug will be able to smell and alert her if her blood sugar dips or raises at unhealthy levels. He will jump up gently and paw her leg to alert her.
🐶🦙🐶
He’s going to meet Figgy on Weds! ❤️

12/01/2022

Feeling purty.

11/30/2022

No, Zora did not have a good night’s sleep. Thank you very much.

11/21/2022

Kate and I caught Lil Wiz. Yesterday he choked horribly and we wanted to listen to his lungs for problems. And weigh him. He seems to be thriving today. Nursing. Frolicking. Noshing leaves. These toddlers are keeping me from beauty rest, y’all.
🦙

11/18/2022

I have major FOMO.
😩
While I’ve been rescuing in TN, traveling to Auburn for vet visits, cramming the rescue herd in the basement, making sure everyone is thriving and getting plenty of groceries, Patty & Steve have soldiered on building the River Cabin without me. And slaying it.
🔨
Patty tiled the kitchen backsplash. And together they installed the 1890s roofing shingles in the sleeping loft and now are hanging the 1890s Bowdon barn tin on the ceiling. It has so much character but maybe this is too dark?
🎨
Help me decide, y’all. Paint the metal white or leave with the rusted patina?

11/17/2022

Big Zora, the rescue llama (still sporting her auction sticker).
❤️
She’s feral. But she doesn’t mind babysitting the compromised baby alpaca, Pienzo. I think they have formed a bond. 🥺

11/15/2022

The babies were shivering, drenched and nobody would go in their shelter(s). One shelter is their barn and the other is the basement. I had part of the basement turned into an alpaca barn yesterday with this rain coming in and left the door open for them to go in. For some reason they found it to be scary—despite the alfalfa hay & alpaca grain.
🌧
I brought little Pienzo up to my bathroom to towel him down really well and blow him dry a little bit. He was very taken with tiny mahogany alpaca looking at him in the mirror.
🌧
Getting all six of them into the basement with the door shut— it was a complete rodeo. It took two guys and me about 30 minutes in the driving rain.
😩
Willow is a wild child and getting her to cooperate was beyond difficult. I do admire her feisty spirit. And I made the mistake of trying to dry off Dame Shirley Elizabeth. She issued me a thank you by kicking me into next week.
🤪🦙🤪
They will be staying in the basement until the rain subsides around 5 o’clock. In the meantime I’m going to dry off these cria coats….

11/15/2022

Figgy, Llyra & Dali spotted me in the bamboo forest with Zora & Rio and pronked back to watch a little llama tv.

11/12/2022

They’ve decided I’m a curiosity.
❤️

11/11/2022

Pienzo. He’s a boy. Oops. The auction lied and we bought it. We would have rescued the pair no matter.

Funny vet exchange:

Vet: you know this is a boy?
Me: Pienza?
Vet: Yes. Male.
Me: Are you sure? The auction said female.
Vet: You know? He has a p***s
Me: I am not the brightest bulb in the marquee, but am familiar that is associated with male.
Vet: (no laughing). Yes.
Me: Well. Damn.

He is vet wrapped from the plasma port. He is perkier.
❤️
4.5 hours of driving in the dark rain and we are home safely with our furry charges.
❤️
Mama Willow doesn’t have enough milk (sigh—c’mon Universe cut us a break) and so we stopped for baby formula so I can make my Ohio State recipe that I call “The Pixie Mixie” to make sure the boy is getting enough.
🤪
We just wrangled all the Littles in the rain and outfitted them in baby coats. Gonna sleep well, y’all.

11/10/2022

Lil’ Pienza girl had a reaction to the plasma transfusion and went flat. They administered some fluids to try to balance her electrolytes and then she got perky and got up. And nursed.

They kept her at Auburn to make sure that she didn’t have any additional reactions, but she did. She went flat again with her eyes open and her legs sticking out weird and straight and so they gave her more fluids. Apparently, the plasma transfusion can cause an imbalance of electrolytes.

They measured her protein levels to find that they had gone from the low 4.9 up to 5.6. Her albumin is still kind of low but they didn’t expect that come up.

She’s been stable and doing well and nursing normally and so now she’s allowed to go home. We’re going to drive back to Auburn this evening after Kate gets off work and pick up both mama & baby.

11/09/2022

What an exhausting day. Little Pienza needs a plasma transfer. Shockingly she didn’t get enough colostrum at the auction when she was born.
😩
Sweet blind Sunny’s eyes starting weeping so she got a check up and she needs different meds for pain and pressure as her eyes hurt. She’s 18 plus.
🦙
Baby Pienza gets her transfer tomorrow. Hopefully no adverse reactions. All just strengthening. She is nursing. And is 16 pounds. No dehydration and besides goopy eyes and snotty nose, no symptoms. She’s just super low energy.
❤️❤️❤️
Heading back to Atlanta. Pick up Willow (mama) & Pienza in a few days.

Big thank you to Martha Baker for driving me!

11/09/2022

What an exhausting day. Little Pienza needs a plasma transfer. Shockingly she didn’t get enough colostrum at the auction when she was born.
😩
Sweet blind Sunny’s eyes starting weeping so she got a check up and she needs different meds for pain and pressure as her eyes hurt. She’s 18 plus.
🦙
Baby Pienza gets her transfer tomorrow. Hopefully no adverse reactions. All just strengthening. She is nursing. And is 16 pounds. No dehydration and besides goopy eyes and snotty nose, no symptoms. She’s just super low energy.
❤️❤️❤️
Heading back to Atlanta.

11/09/2022

One of the babies, little Pienza is lethargic. She doesn’t play like her brothers. She doesn’t nurse enough. She’s wobbly and weak. She was likely born in that hellhole of an auction as there was blood on the straw and evidence of a birth.

Of course no one dipped her cord in iodine.

We are going to Auburn University animal hospital today.

I was up all night wondering how we are going to back the trailer into the LLama Stay drive. Mama Willow is feral and not halter trained mama so backing in on our busy road is the only option.

My amazing friend Martha Baker is coming to help and somehow we will get it backed in so we can funnel Willow into the trailer. Hopefully get the little girl, in a colorful elephant jacket, some help.

11/08/2022

Get out and vote! It has never ever been more important. And it feels super good to let your voice be heard! Let’s go America!

Campari is super happy that I voted!

11/06/2022

Photos from Atlanta Alpaca Tree House in the Bamboo Forest's post

11/02/2022

Road trip! Heading to the exotic animal auction to rescue some mamas & baby combo camelids. They sell them separately but oftentimes they babies die without their mamas and the specific nutrients in their milk. And baby boys have very specific requirements. They can’t be cuddled like a dog or a goat or they grow up crazy. It’s a thing. You can look up berserk llama syndrome.
🦙
Because I’m a dork I’m wearing my llama socks and “save the drama for your llama” tee (sent to me by a guest!)
🦙🦙
Stay tuned for barn pics this evening.

10/29/2022

Get married surrounded by Alpacas!

Get married surrounded by Alpacas!

10/28/2022

Photos from FOCUS's post

10/27/2022

Super Important Post: Elfie Fay Von Picklesprite is trying out a new combover coiff. And Dali disapproves.

10/26/2022

Wooman put new shirt on me. Haz my face. But wasn’t cold.

Come meet me for yoga on Sunday. I help teach in barn. 15% of proceeds benefit

10/26/2022

He walked 17 km with his old dog on his shoulder❤️🙏
17 km to reach the border with Poland. Dedicated photo for all those people who leave a family member. Because for some parents animals are equal and equal members of the family ❤️

10/26/2022

Llyra was on the deck of the Llama Stay cottage begging for carrots. One of the guests reported he was using the potty in the half bath when he felt like someone was watching him. Looked out the window and Llyra was craning her head up to peep at him.

We are here for bucket list experiences. 😂

10/22/2022

It’s Saturday and Dali Llama would like you to know she’s not feeling stabby. That’s all.

10/19/2022

Okay so y’all helped me find an amazing home for the last beautiful pup.

How about this wittle 10 pound white dachshund mix? She is UTD on shots, spayed.

Her former owner had to go to assisted living and she needs a loving happy home. ❤️❤️❤️

Share away if you know someone that needs a tiny fur friend. ❤️❤️❤️

10/17/2022

This sweet baby beagle mix boy was dumped as a wee baby in the deep Alabama forest with his sister. He was found by a military family camping and hiking. The two babies were almost dead: just skin & bones. After extensive rehabilitation and vet care, this little boy needs a home. His sister was adopted out and now he’s desperately lonely. He has all shots and will be neutered soon.
❤️
He loves to hug you and is a huge love muffin. Could you offer him love and a soft landing?
❤️
Please share and message me if you’re interested.

10/12/2022

(Amazing Annie) captured these gorgeous images of sweet Parker for her senior photos.
❤️💫
Is there a better way to do senior pics?
❤️🦙🌳🏡💫

10/11/2022

This sweet couple is here for two nights. They were both educators, are in their 80s and they are sponsored by the Wish of a Lifetime foundation.
❤️🌳🏡❤️. What an honor that they chose us. It makes me a little bit misty-eyed.
❤️❤️❤️
They just have professional photos taken (these are just mine). And I gave them a private tour.

10/02/2022

There are a lot of icon duos in history, but only one pair you can see tomorrow! and will be teaching the 11:30am class at so sign up now to see these rockstars!

10/02/2022

In two days, Patty, Steve and I built the entertainment deck for the hot tub, fireplace, and swing.
🔨
It still needs some gorgeous footings and stone columns.
🌸
Also the weather was 70s and gorgeous. Just absolutely the most beautiful time to be alive and swinging a hammer or running screws.

10/02/2022

So in two days, we built the hot tub, swinging bed, fireplace entertainment deck. And the guineas and Luis Alejandro Cheeto roamed free. We still need some beautiful footings & piers underneath.

09/27/2022

We started running the 1890s heart of pine flooring on the walls and ceiling. And I have an accent wall that I thought 1800s metal pressed roofing shingles might be a delight? We figured out that they have this little channel and you basically have to fit them together which is not super easy because they’re so old and a little rusty. And dirty. But once we started figuring it they way they lock in, then they went together a little better. I like the juxtaposition of the stained glass with the rustic metal.

09/24/2022

I wuvz fall.