The nice thing about winter is there isn't much to do for the farm. Hubster has fed animals alot lately. I keep coming home from work after dark and they are magically already fed! This afternoon I cleaned paddocks and the 'pacas were all over themselves to get out of my way. What short memories they have! They were saying "Who is that? What is she doing here? Why is she going in the shed? Why is she getting in our feed bucket? Why is she.. oh yeah, she lives here and feeds us occasionally."

Thought I would show you a little about them. Don't let their innocent faces fool you. They can hurl spit in the blink of an eye!
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This is Almond Joy. We purchased her from a farm that named all their animals after candy bars. She had her first cria on their farm. Her second cria was stillborn. Her third cria is our Ebony (no candy bar names). Joy is usually a sweetheart. Let's us stroke her back. Takes lots of treats. We can even trim her nails easily. But...if she is PREGNANT OR TRYING TO GET PREGNANT, watch out. She spits, stomps, jumps, kicks or runs in an effort not to do what we want her to do. Nothing sweetheart about her when she is pregnant. But how can you not love those great big dark eyes!
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This is Ebony. Don't you just love her shy, sweet face? Her mama is Joy and they are usually together in the paddock. She was born in October of 2008. Even though Ebony is pretty close to being an adult, her mama got very upset with us when we took her out of the paddock last month to go to a show.
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This is Amanda. This picture doesn't really show her best side. (I'm still trying to figure out this new camera). She is our equivilant to a stud. She gets pregnant with little fuss. Struts her stuff with little fuss. And has had GIRLS! We bought her from a ranch in Laramie Wyo. We had a couple fun vacations picking her up and taking her back to be bred. Her official name is Via Caligula's Amanda. Named for her grand sire. She used to spit at me when I didn't give her treats fast enough, but now when I think she's in the spitting mood I put my hand up toward her face in a STOP sign and she settles down and just gives me dirty looks.
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This is Sophia. She was the first cria born on our ranch. We were such proud 'paca parents. She has beautiful white fleece. She won a couple ribbons as a yearling. We arranged a boyfriend for her in Wakefield, Ks. A handsome brown alpaca name Steiner. The product of this will be so much fun to see! She gave us a scare last summer when she was at another farm being bred. She had a bowel obstruction and had to have emergency surgery. Fortunately her caregivers were right on top of it and saved the pregnancy! She has been a little testy during her first pregnancy. Her paddock sorority kinda gives her a wide margin because she will kick anything that gets within her "space". But how can you not love someone during their first pregnancy?
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This is Caeser or Ceaser or Cesar or Cease her or Sees her. We were told that was his name. We call him Uncle Cesar. He is a gelding (you know what a gelding is Right? Wink Wink.)He is kinda in charge. When all the girls are in the field he sits and watches them. When he thinks it's time for them to come back in the shed he gets up and walks toward the shed and they follow him. If it's time to go to the field he gets up and goes and they follow him. He is the one that gets on the weanlings when they try to nurse. We purchsed him when Joy was pregnant and would be in the paddock alone. (Not good for a female alpaca. They can get so anxious they will lose their pregnancy.) We love Uncle Cesar for doing his job.
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We have eleven alpacas. They all are special in their own way. Just gotta' love 'em!
...farm living is the life for me. Sanetha.

A collection of lace and memories

If you can't read this it says "I'm a Raggedy Ann person in a Barbie Doll world". That pretty much explains me. I am a collector. Especially dolls. My husband buys me dolls for Christmas. Each is special on her own. Each has her/his own story. If I see a doll that looks lonely, I buy her. A doll I had when I was little, I buy her. A doll that is just plain beautiful, I buy her. I'm just a sucker for dolls. I name them if they don't come with an obvious name. I remember all their names.

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This is baby Chatty Cathy. My sis had one of these with dark hair. She brings back such special memories with my sis.


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This is Charmin' Chatty. She had records that slipped into her side that had cute sayings. If you see any of these little records I would love to have one. She also had black round glasses which are missing. But I just love her.

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This is Oliver. I thought he looked like the "Artful Dodger". Hubster thought I would like a boy doll.

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I named her Cynthia. I just thought it was a beautiful name for a beautiful doll with pretty curls.
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This is Princess Di. Of course. Her namesake was such a beauty. The world is less glamorous because Diana is not here.
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This is Pollyanna. Haley Mills starred in the movie. As a child I liked crystals that shined rainbows on the wall. I liked The fishing booth at Fun Night. You know, you put your "fishing pole" over a barrier and someone in the back put something on the other end.


My antique baby. I found her at an antique mall under some antique quilts. My granddaughter loves to walk around with her. My daughter is afraid she might break her. But dolls were meant to be loved by little girls and I love that maybe my granddaughter, like her mama and grandmother will love dolls.

I collect many things so in this area I will show you my collections. Please be patient with this collector/hoarder/accumulater/stuff lover.

...farm living is the life for me. Sanetha.

The stars lined up!!!

Oh how sometimes the stars line up in my favor and I have a wonderful experience.

Wichita has recently become a green pasture for excellent performers. After years of entertainers saying "Where's Wichita Kansas?", we've had a flow of great entertainment to our city. I've been fortunate to be a part of it. But let me explain to you how the stars lined up.

I took my daughter to see Alan Jackson last March. I took hubster to see Jeff Foxworthy in October. My daughter and I saw "Wicked" in November. Sis, Mom, Daughter, and I saw Martina McBride & Trace Adkins in December. Hubster and I saw Brad Paisley in January, I bought tickets to see Billy Joel & Elton John in March. We have been so tied to our animals we haven't taken a vacation or gone anywhere! So my excitement was looking forward to these performances. But... according to hubster I had kind of shot my wad in concerts and I probably should cool it for awhile and let the heat come off the VISA card. So when George Strait & Reba McEntire tickets went on sale I didn't jump on the bandwagon and the tickets "sold out" the same day! Well that's that. Okay. Life goes on.

As the day of the concert got closer I was a little bummed. I really like Reba, and here she will be in Wichita and I won't see her! (I have only recently come to appreciate George Strait, but mom has been a fan since dirt started) Our "Relay for Life" team had two tickets to sell for a fund raiser. Wow! Maybe I could actually see Reba! Hubster would have to work that evening. So I called my mother to see if she would want to split the price. (No added heat to the VISA card) So I put in my bid of $320. I lost out by $25! I called mom and felt bad at how disappointed she was. I even called a radio station and tried to WIN tickets. The day of the concert I got home from work about 5:30 I got on the internet to just look on the ticket site to see the big "Sold Out" banner and it wasn't there. There was a big BUY TICKETS button! What they hey! I'll try. (Only $200!) The concert started at 7:00 and I was printing off the tickets on my computer at 5:50 and calling Mom to get her jeans on, we were going to see George Strait & Reba!!! We didn't know where we were going to park or where our seats were but we were as excited as two teen-agers at a Taylor Swift concert!

We had to park a couple blocks away, but we were so pumped we hardly noticed how far we walked! When we got to the door and presented our tickets I had a flash of them not letting us in because these were BOGUS tickets, but they took our tickets with a smile, checked our purses and welcomed us right in. I didn't mention they probably shouldn't touch the tickets because the ink wasn't dry. Our tickets were 30ft. from the stage and 7 rows up! Nearly perfect! Both performers were awesome, (yeah I know that is an overused word these days). Mom was screaming right along with everybody else. She "whispered" over to me once - "I'M NOT EMBARASSING YOU AM I?" She could never embarass me. We had a great time. What a special experience for this mother-daughter duo!!

Oh how sometimes the stars line up in my favor.

...farm living is the life for me! Sanetha.

First Date - For Valentines Day

My husband said to me once "you know me, I meet someone for the first time and I blab my entire life story"! Yes, and I love him for that.

My husband and I met on a blind date, organized by his friend and my neighbor. My neighbor ask if I would be interested in a date with her son's friend. I was single. I had been on blind dates with brothers, co-workers, friends of friends. None had been memorable. She recommended him highly so I said yes.

I gave the neighbor my number. He called for a date a few days later. We were going to a supper club and he would pick me up. It's funny to look back on that date from my perspective and now know his perspective. (His perspective: He likes to say he lost it when I opened the door. He says he fell in love with me at that moment. My perspective: I thought he was older than anyone I had ever dated.)

He ordered a drink and I ordered a Tom Collins. (His perspective: I wasn't much of a drinker. My perspective: I prefer beer, but didn't know the names of any cool drinks except T.C.) We talked about the weather, nice. Sports, I didn't know Superbowl from World Series. Then we started talking about camping. I told him my daughter and I like to camp. We take our tent to the lake. Picnic and sleep in sleeping bags and fish. He told me he belonged to a historical re-enactment group and sleeps in a teepee. (His perspective: This girl really is interested in me because she did her homework on what would impress me! My perspective: Shouldn't tell him about being alone at the lake. Just in case!)

He kissed me goodnight and I kept my hands in my pockets (he's mentioned that a few times over the years.) We dated for a few weeks then I broke it off. Today he probably would be considered a stalker. He just thought he was biding his time until I changed my mind. He would ride his bike down my street early in the morning and wait for my daughter to start off on her bike and ride with her to school. He thought he could get to the mother through the daughter. (I gave him points for that one). On my birthday he gave me chocolates and a "friendly" card. My mother sat me down and persuaded me to give him another try. So a few days later I called him to see if he wanted to come to my house for dinner. In all my years of dating, I had never called a guy for a date. He said he had other plans! I was ticked. A few nights later he called to see if I wanted to go to a football game and I said I had other plans (couldn't let him get one up on me)! The next night he called and said he would like to take me to dinner and he would pick me up in a half hour. After that we were pretty inseperable. Sometime I'll have to tell you about the trip to Mexico. Or my first rendevous. Or our first Thanksgiving. He is just a person that gives unconditional love. We got married a year and a half later. Now we've been married nearly twenty years. Eleven alpacas, eight chickens, six grandchildren, in-laws, a cat, a dog and a farm. I'm sure glad I didn't turn down a blind date!

...farm living is the life for me. Sanetha

Winter blahs

Seasonal affective disorder. I have read about this in text books. People get depressed when they haven't been in the sun for a period of time. They have sun lamps especially for people with this disorder. I think I am experiencing it. I want to go out and run (well maybe walk) with the sun in my face. I want to plant flowers. I want to MOW (I must be desperate if I want to mow). I can close my eyes really tight and believe I'm cold because I need to turn up the air conditioner! I want to feel the crisp sting of a sunburn! I want to find my flip-flops! I want to dig out my bathing suit (maybe not). I want to take a walk around my back pasture. Seasonal affective disorder. BLAH! I need SUN!!!
...farm living is the life for me. Sanetha!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORA GRACE ELIZABETH!!!

I hope your day is full of surprises. We'll see you tonight for birthday cake!!