Quarry Bay, Nelson Island, B.C. Canada / April, 2015 –

I took this photo from my third story deck at my island retreat. The day before this, I saw these two feeding on their mother’s milk. I believe they had been born that day as she was still licking off clumps of afterbirth and they were looking a bit wet and unstable on their feet. In this photo I’d say they were just over a day old.

We often have deer come around our place. Usually it’s later in the day but this was mid-morning. Mother wasn’t straying too far for safety reasons. I think it may be because cougars and other predators are less likely to get too close to the house or where there are humans. Moms know best!

It’s interesting to observe how they are like mirror images of each other. Twins in our world. The bone structure and arched backs and pointed faces and ears seem identical. How they came out of their mother is beyond me. The act of birth is truly amazing. I always get a spiritual sense of excitement when I’m near a newborn. There’s an aura of excitement and bewilderment ever present.

The first time I ever visited Machu Picchu, I had declined to take a guided tour. I wanted to experience the vibe of the place in a more private and personal way. So I started down low and worked my way back up the rows of ruins to the main courtyard that had what seemed like a well kept lawn. Just as it came into view I noticed something unusual on the grass. It appeared to be a large blue and reddish colored frisbee lying on the grass. As I got closer my view opened up and not more than forty feet away were several llamas presumably standing guard, while the mother was licking her new born.

The baby llama could barely stand and was soaking wet with a little blood and slim. I’d say it wasn’t much older than five to ten minutes. Being so early in the morning, before all the tourist buses arrived, I felt so blessed to have had this special moment in such an amazing setting. I experienced a galvanic skin response as the hairs on my arm stood up. The sun was just starting to peak over the mountaintops and already the day had started with a newborn. The excitement and wonderment of something so special being welcomed into the world is sheer joy!