One foot in the city, one foot rural.

I was raised in the city, if you can call any town in Kansas, "city". I always believed rural people were more down to earth, friendlier, more sincere. My husband's brother lives in Portland, Oregon. Definitely a big city. He has lung cancer. My husband (a rural person), has gone to him to visit possibly for the last time. Hospice, friends, family have visited his brother with well wishes, good food, good memories. They invite him to birthday parties, and to the pub . People are the same everywhere, friendly, giving, sincere and supportive. Doesn't matter where you live, you just have to surround yourself with people for you, and for them.

We had rain last night!!! We've had 100 degree temps. last 2 weeks. It was nice to sleep to the sounds of rain and distant thunder. Got an inch of rain! Alpacas don't look in my direction this morning. They are quite happy with the weather. We have only 9 'pacas at the ranch right now. Two are off being bred. We are very excited about the breedings. Breeding alpacas is like breeding cows. You are trying to improve the next generation. There are so many things to consider. You want the next generation to have better fleece, better shape, more cooperative and breed well. It's like dealing cards and you hope the "cria" (a baby alpaca), gets the best hand possible. I watch them, trying not to interfere with their family gatherings and they look at me and say "Watch Out! The human is standing at the gate".

The chickens have picked up a little. They gifted me with 7 eggs last night. We also have Chinese Golden pheasants. They can have fertilized eggs. I have left the females sitting on eggs. Our usually diligent female was off her nest last night. I confiscated her eggs. Started to bury them and they exploded all over me with a putrid odor. Cleaned alpaca poop, fed the chickens and then a rotten egg explodes on me, guess it's time for a shower. ...farm living is the life for me!