Thankfulness

It's the first of December, and the Giving Thanks Project has wrapped up officially, but I am here to tell you that it was a good reminder for us all to think daily about the blessings God has given us even when we think things are worst. 

It helped me to appreciate more the things that Keith did for me this past month... from daily help with chores to the wiring project he took on so that we could have Christmas lights and a tree on our porch... to the great llama feeder that Inca and Tony seem to really appreciate.  He has shown his kindness and love in many little ways.

We have a warm home to come home to, be it ever so humble.  We have pets who adore our every moves... Hannah who wants only to be near me... Abby, our farm dog who can freeze a chick with her stare... Lilly Ann who got lost on Thanksgiving night and scared us to death... and Ranger whose hips are giving out and remind us daily that we won't have him a long time.  The two kitties, Jenny and Josie, who didn't replace Gwen and Nick, but filled the holes left in our hearts by their losses.

We have family to love and who loves us. 

We have plenty to eat and to share. 

We choose not to believe that the world is gloom and doom, and faith is the cause for that.

My thanks to Leah at South Breeze Farm for organizing the Giving Thanks Project. 

My Old Friends

Tonight I dined with five old friends, all ladies with whom I had worked for many years on a former job.  I miss them all... and though we had all aged gracefully, it was so good to be in their company for a little while, to catch up on their families, and to hear about their current lives.  Of all times, I forgot my camera, and forgot the camera in my phone.  In a way it was almost better, because their memories live in my heart. 

Thank you, Terry, Patsy, Linda, Mayling, and especially you, Mary, for being you.  It's good to know tonight that I go to sleep with such good people on my side.

A beautiful chocolate pot for Calamity Acres, from dear Mary.

Surprise! Surprise!

Another reason to be thankful, but one we did not anticipate.  This morning it was very dark when I did chores.  I sped through them, because I wanted to vote on my way into the office.  When I put the llama feed in their bowls, I did not see Inca, only Tony.  He was nosing something in the horseyard (now llama yard) but I searched for Inca for a minute, called her, and then went back in to get my good clothes on and leave. 

At 8:30 or so, the phone rang at work.  It was Keith.  As he had just been getting up when I left, I wondered what he was calling for.  He told me to prepare myself.

"We have a new baby!"  I said "Whattttt?????"

"We have a new little cria!" Keith replied.   I could hardly talk... I was so stunned.  Inca, who was only 15 months old when we got her last spring, was a mother!  As llama gestation is 350 days, we knew it could not have been Tony, who did breed her when we brought her home.  The baby is black, blacker than she.  It appears to be healthy, and is nursing and moving around fine despite a quarter-sized wound on it's left rear haunch.  We can't tell if Mama's hoof caught it or what happened, but we will watch it closely and call Dr. Jeannie if we need to. 

We did not plan on breeding llamas, and that is why Tony and the late beautiful Yankee were sent to be gelded, but this is a blessing that God has sent us to enjoy.  It is supposed to dip down in temps the next few nights, so the little shed is deeply bedded with clean straw, plenty of hay and good water is out, and we will feed lots of good grain for the new mother.  We will keep everyone updated on the progress of our new little member of the Calamity Acres family. 

I'll try to get better closeups in the next few days.  We can't tell if boy or girl yet, it may be days before we are able to.  Inca will let us near them... but she prefers to keep him/her where she can protect it better. She's going to be a good mama!

The Giving Thanks Project

On November 1st, All Saints Day (and the 40th birthday of my beloved son Jeff!) I am joining Leah at South Breeze Farm for the 2010 Giving Thanks Challenge.  Bloggers across the country will be listing a daily thing for which they would like to give thanks... something MDH and I try to do regularly.  My first grateful thought is for Jeffrey, who though he lives 50 miles away, is daily in my heart.  He is an independent, hardworking single man, who is content with his lot in life, and I couldn't be happier about him.  Thanks for Jeff!

Jeff and me, circa 1974

How about them slacks????