Monday Portrait – 2026 August Seventeenth

Close Encounter

with a Black Llama

As we rode the Safari Wagon at the Lazy 5 Ranch many of the animals which reside on the property roam freely and tend to follow the Wagons as they bring visitors along the dirt road. It seems like all the animals know that the Safari Wagons have feed buckets aboard for the guests to feed them.

Hey there, I’m here.

This Black Llama sure made its presence known to us (my family). The Black Llama was trying every possible means to get my daughter’s attention to be able to be handed feed from her feed bucket.

This is me trying to
get your attention …

The Llama was first domesticated by the Indians of Peru around 4,000 years ago. The Llama is known for its surefooted travels in high mountain areas. It’s docile by nature, but can also be stubborn. When upset, a Llama may spit a foul smelling liquid.

Maybe if I
turn this way
you’ll notice me …

Let me assure you that at The Lazy 5 Ranch if they want feed, they are more than likely to receive it. Llamas are used as pack animals and can carry loads up to 130 pounds for up to 10-20 miles a day over rugged slopes in high altitudes, but they are not ridden. When weary or overloaded Llamas just lie down and refuse to move. The Llama is often referred to as the “South American Camel.” Its long, coarse wool is used in the weaving of textiles.

Finally,
that’s exactly
what I wanted.

Llamas are herbivores with a three-chambered stomach for digesting fibrous plants. They primarily graze on grasses and plants. Llamas are also very social animals, preferring to live in herds, and are known for being quite gentle and intelligent. You might hear their soft humming, which they use to communicate a range of emotions – from contentment to concern – they also have unique warning calls, like a high-pitched alarm, if they sense danger.

Click on image to enlarge. 

Monday Portrait-2026.08.17

Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment. 

Location; Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA 

God Bless. Have a wonderful adventurous week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

 Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge/Monday Portrait — A BROWN Nilgai

We had a really fantastic time the other week when the family visited the Lazy 5 Ranch. With over 700 exotic animals there were plenty to capture. I in no way captured them all with my camera (not that I didn’t try), but there were too many to adequately capture while riding on the guided Wagon Safari ride.

With this week’s Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge colour theme being Brown, I decided I would combine it with the Monday Portrait challenge and show y’all one of the many Brown exotic animals which reside at the Lazy 5 Ranch. Which exotic animal is featured here today? … The exotic animals featured in this post are Nilgai.

The Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), also called Blueback, is the largest antelope in its native land of India. The name Nilgai comes from the Hindustani word nil, which means blue referring to the slate blue (blue-gray coloration of the adult male Nilgai and the Persian word gaw, which means cow. The females and juveniles are orange to a tawny Brown in their coloration. These shown here are female Nilgai.

It is a large horse-like antelope with sloping back which is found in grasslands and scrublands. Nilgai are herbivores that primarily eat grass, but also browse on leaves and fruits.

They are known for their shy nature and keen senses. Hindus regard the Nilgai as a close relative of the sacred cow. In an era of endangered species, an animal that is protected by religious is considered lucky.

Nilgai cows and calves tend to live in small herds while males live alone except during rut (their mating season). All males have short smooth horns and occasionally females grow horns. Females commonly give birth to two (2) offspring. When being chased a Nilgai can run up to twenty-nine (29) miles per hour (mph).

Click on images to enlarge.

Monday Portrait-2026.08.03

Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge-Brown

Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura IV Filter attachment.

Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville , North Carolina, USA 

God Bless. Stay Cool. Stay Hydrated. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2026 CosPhoChal: Close Up with Butterflies

Dale, the host of the Cosmic Photo Challenge, has challenged us to post a few close-up shots for this week’s challenge. Coleman and I had just recently visited the Butterfly Bungalow watching the butterflies fluttering to and fro from flower to flower feasting on nectar and/or pollen till their hearts content. Therefore, I thought it might be worth it to share a few close-ups with you.

Eastern Giant Swallowtails

First, in the image above we are viewing two Eastern Giant Swallowtails enjoying the tasty delight in the butterfly feeder.

Next, let’s take a closer look at the Butterfly feeder. Not only are the Swallowtails having a delicious feast of the sugar water solution mixed with fruit to provide them with energy, but severe black ants are joining in to sample it as well.

And finally for a close-up view of the Eastern Giant Swallowtails themselves. Observe the delicate line, pattern, and color details in the design of the Swallowtails wings. Notice their distinctive appearance with their prominent antennae that are dark, slender, and distinctively club-tipped. Its legs are also slender, dark, and segmented allowing it to grip the edge of the feeder.

Click on each image to enlarge.

Cosmic Photo Challenge (#CosPhoChal)-Close-Up

Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Be observant of all creatures large and small that call our Earth home. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.