The area where we live is sparsely populated, about one hundred times lower population density than where we lived in New York. Some folks around here claim that in this area there are more horses than people. Judging from the number of horse farms in the area, that could easily be true.

Of course it's not just horses. Going for a walk on our local roads, there's no telling what you might see in the next field. I've seen ostriches, emus, Icelandic horses (a rare breed), llamas and, most recently, alpacas. While alpacas are sometimes mistaken for llamas, they're quite different. If they were cars, you'd say that the alpacas have a shorter wheelbase. They're also a lot cuter, as this picture shows. Note the luxurious coat.

There are now seven of these animals in the field, including a cute little newborn. When you walk past, they all lift up their heads as if to say hello. If you walk over the fence, they will run over to be petted.