I have always been fond of alpacas ever since I first saw those funny expressions.  Alpaca fibers are considered to be one of the softest and warmest natural fibers available.

Alpacas are like a smaller version of a llama and related to the camel. Alpacas and llamas roam together and can interbred, but they eventually separate into their own groups.

Vicunas are the alpacas native to the Andes mountain. They are highly protected and can not be exported anywhere. They also have the finest fur of them all.

I first learned about Vicunas while watching Nature on PBS, the program was titled “Andes: The Dragon’s Back.” A great program to watch if you get the chance. There are so many other interesting wildlife that live in this part of South America.

Introduction from PBS Nature:

Only a mountain range of extremes could harbor such a rich and diverse variety of life forms. Here you will find some of the highest, saltiest, wettest and driest terrains on the planet. Penguins, opossums, hummingbirds, llamas, pumas, foxes, condors, spectacle bears and many more have all managed to carve out an existence somewhere in one of the many worlds that we call the Andes.

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I picked up my latest issue of the Smithsonian magazine and just learned about the narwhal.  Narwhal are considered to be the unicorn of the sea because of their spiral tusk (which is really their teeth).

Image source:  National Geographic

I was surprise that after all these years I’ve never heard about narwhals.  M said he found out about narwhals when he saw the cartoon drawing on a skateboard deck.  He couldn’t believe narwhals were real and thought it was a joke made between a small whale and a unicorn.  But he soon confirmed that narwhals are real and that they live in the Arctic.

In the past, European fisherman would catch and kill narwhals just to collect and sell the tusk.  And many people (in those days) believed the tusk were magical.  It was used to make a “powder” wonder drug.  Members of the royal family would carve the tusk into their thrones and other royal objects.  Some of them can still be seen in Norwegian museums today.

All that killing and hunting for the tusks put narwhals in risk of becoming extinct.  This also reminds me of what is happening with the elephants.  But presently, both the hunting of tusks for elephants and narwhals are illegal (at least illegal to be imported to the U.S.).  So that is a good sign going in the right direction.

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When I first heard the name marmot, I thought they were just an outdoor clothing company.  But marmots are these cute little animals that like living in the mountains.

These days, the marmots of Vancouver Island are being endangered due mainly to clear cut logging.  The Marmot Recovery Foundation is set up to help preserve and protect these cute little creatures.

Vancouver Island marmot peeking out between the rocks.  Photo from the Marmot Recovery Foundation.

Marmots are generally found living high up in the mountains.  And they are scattered between North America to Europe.

The name marmot originated from the old French and Latin “marmotte” meaning mountain mouse.  They are part of the squirrel family and related to the goundhog too.   Marmots typically live in burrows, and hibernate there through the winter. They are highly social animals.

Here is a little bit of information on why they are endangered in Vancouver Island.

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Having a small yard does not mean you can’t have a nice garden.  With some interesting layout and careful selections of plants and trees, you too can have a beautiful garden.

Christopher J. Cohan of This Old House recommends dividing a small yard into several areas of interest, including a pond.  This makes the landscape seem bigger than it is.  For his own yard, he divided the front and backyard with different types of plants and landscaping.  Cohan uses ornamental border along the street to adds curb appeal and make it feel more inviting. Then an entry garden with a lamp post lights the way for visitors. And there’s even a private patio for dining and a woodsy backyard for relaxing in your lounge-chair.  You can view more photos of Cohan’s garden here.

Photo from This Old House.

As you can see from the picture of the front yard, the house has a dogwood tree that is scaled to the house.  This provides the front-yard with a focal point. I really like this idea. But the only thing I wonder about Cohan’s yard is how much care and maintenance this yard will need.  And also if they plants are drought tolerant, since we are having water shortages in many part of the U.S..  But overall, despite having a smaller home and yard, Cohan was able to create a magical and inviting place. Read the rest of this entry »