I just finished reading my friend, Liz's blog. My goodness! She is such a talented quilter! All of the pictures of the quilts she made are just fabulous! So much work she put in to them! Amazing. I am only an amateur quilter. I make pillows and do some applique on my machine. Everyone always says my pillows are beautiful but no one wants to pay for them, except once I sold two in a yard sale for $5 each. The fabric was worth more than that.

All of my friends are great achievers. I often feel inadequate next to them. There is Kathy who has a fabulous ranch and yarn store. And Margaret who has a fabulous huge alpaca ranch. And Markel, who rescues dachshunds and provides a home for 15-20 dachshunds of her own. My sister is an excellent equestrian and has her own jewelry business. And then there's me. I have a small alpaca and goat farm. I have not sold any fleece or made it into anything yet. I am learning to spin and I can sew but I have not gotten my business off the ground hardly. Sometimes this gets me down but then I remind myself that my friends have more time to devote to these things. I am still providing a home for some of my children and grand children. My husband still works a full time job and does not have all the time in the world to help on the farm. I do not have many open hours that I can devote to the animals or my business. I am still watching small children much of the time and cooking and cleaning and ironing and all the things I did when my kids were little. So I figure I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and trying to get a little of what I want to be doing in as well. I am grateful for my family and all my friends who give me so much inspiration. You go girls!

We are socked in with heavy fog this morning. We had rain yesterday and the day before. It seems very strange to have fog in Arizona. It does not happen very often.

I am getting tired of the rain and dreary weather. It is supposed to be sunny here and I miss it when it is not. All the hay and feed is soaked and the animals don't seem to dry off. I try not to worry about the alpacas too much. They come from one of the harshest climates on earth after all, the Andes Mountains in South America.

I will try to post some pictures of the fog. And if you like reading about farm life, check out my friend, Liz's, blog at idaralpaca.blogspot.com.

I thought the storm on Wednesday night was bad but the storm that hit on Thursday night was down right scary! I don't think I have ever felt so apprehensive. We were watching the news because they kept posting weather updates. They showed the storm front and we were under a tornado watch for several hours. We were considering whether or not to leave the house for a safer place, like a hotel. The weather people said that people in mobile homes should leave for a safer, more substantial structure if we went to a tornado warning. The TV kept going out. The wind was howling and the rain was unbelievable. But I didn't want to leave the animals.

I was afraid the new alpaca shelter would blow over or the goat shelter would blow away. Both of them held up well. We had a big dead tree in the eastside alpaca pasture in the back. It was blown down. I think the good Lord was protecting us. That tree was huge but it did not do any damage. It was as if it was laid down perfectly. It did not hit the power lines, the fence or the big alpaca shelter. All of the big alpacas had been confined to the westside of the pasture since Tinker and Prince got hurt on the barbed wire. So they were not in the path of the fallen tree either. For that, I say Praise the Lord!

The snow level was supposed to get down to 3000-4000', but we did not get any snow. It fell on all the mountains around us and it is fairly cold. There was ice in the water buckets the last couple of days. But today it was sunny and beautiful again even if it was cold. Tonight the sky is clear and all the stars are especially bright.

We have had a new cat wondering around. It looks like Mikey, gray tiger striped. But it has a white chest and its two hind feet are white. Mikey has no white on him. We seem to have a new resident roadrunner too. I saw him flitting around Little Buck and Donald's pen today.

We had a very nasty storm last night as the weatherman predicted. I woke up about 2 a.m. The wind was blasting at 50 mph and the rain was coming in horizontally. The goats all hid in the barn, as did the alpacas. It is a good thing we opened up their barn because they had to get on the east side to get out of the rain. Prince and Stewie did not fare as well in their little shelter. They were both soaked this morning. It looked like the chickens repossessed the new shelter. I could not find Buddy. I think he must've hidden on the east side of the house. He was not wet this morning or any the worse for wear. I think he enjoys the foul weather. It is sunny and cold this morning.

I took some pictures of the surrounding mountains with the snow down their flanks. You can see a clear line where the snow stopped and the rain began. I have managed to teach myself how to download pictures from the digital camera to the computer. Next I will figure out how to download them to this site.

I gained 10 pounds over the holidays so now it's back to my diet and exercise program! Ha! Such as it is. I have two weddings to go to, the first one in July, so I want to be in better condition. And, although I love to wear a bikini in the summer, I'm afraid I will have to settle for a one piece even if I do lose 10 pounds!

Today was very productive. I was going shopping with my daughters but decided there was too much to do around here.

We removed one of the boards from the center of the alpaca barn. Then we moved the gate from the west side of the shelter to the east side. Now the three big boys, Tinker, Kardigan and Cimarron, have the use of the entire barn but cannot get to the east side of the pasture. I think this will give them more personal space and shelter from the storm that is coming tonight. We also added another wooden panel between the two posts that divided the barn space. Now there are two "stalls" in the barn with more shelter from the wind but there is a big enough opening so the alpacas can move around. They cannot have access to the larger eastside pasture until we solve the barbed wire problem.

In the front yard, formerly the chicken pen, we moved the chicken shelter and refurbished it. We removed the old warped roof and replaced it with 2, 4'x8' plywood panels. This made the roof higher in the front and also made an overhang in the back. It is not as high as Prince and Stewie are used to, and not as big as the alpaca barn, but it is big enough for both of them to cush in and get out of any wind or rain and snow. I placed the chicken boxes under the overhang in the back. It may take the chickens awhile to figure out that is their new space.

Steve also bought some new hooks for gates and to attach buckets to fences. I filled the mineral feeder for the alpacas and gave some sweet licks to the goats also. They must have needed it because they all ate some right away.

We need the rain and snow that is supposed to be coming. I can rest easier now that all the critters have some shelter to keep them warm and dry.

Today was a busy day at Saguaro Hill. The ladies, Shawna, Sara and I, went to Walmart in the morning to by groceries. When we returned, Steve went out to do the weekly poop scooping. When he finished that, it was time to feed the animals. I fed everyone and we moved Caramel back into a pen of her own. She is probably pregnant now so there is no reason to leave her in with Falkor any longer. She needs to have her own space for eating and relaxing without him pestering her and taking her food.

Then it was time to trim hooves on the goats. We did Caramel's first and them Little Bones and Mouth. I held each one on their behinds while Steve did the trimming. We are getting better at this ritual. I sat down and held them between my knees. There is little struggling that way on the part of the goats and it spares my back. Caramel and Mouth did very well. Little Bones protested and wiggled but we got her done just the same. Mouth tried to give me kisses and chewed on my hair! Silly goat! Ha! We will have to do the other three bucks a different day.

After all that, it was time to look at Prince's injured foot. I was really dreading that little chore. We waited til Shawna and Jeff came up with all the grands for dinner. We enlisted Jeff's help again. He is such a good sport and and a great help. Steve and I have gotten Prince used to being captured since we have been giving him shots everyday. So Steve and I went in the pen and caught Prince. In fact, he just stood and waited for us to lay hands on him. He is such a good boy! I put the halter on this time and led him over to the patio area. It is all cement blocks and would be a cleaner place if we had to wash his wound again. He did not like leaving his new buddy, Stewie. Stewie went a little crazy too. He started running around the pen but eventually calmed down. I tied Prince to the fence and then held his neck and ear. He did not fight us or struggle very much. I guess the hardest part for Steve was getting the old bandage off with our pathetically dull scissors.

The wound looked great! No pus and a nice scab. We put more ointment on it and a clean new bandage and sock. Prince was a real prince throughout the whole procedure. I am so thankful and glad he is getting better. He is not limping at all and does not seem to be in any pain. Thank you, Lord!

Now my big concern is having the chicken shelter modified to accommodate the alpacas. Steve says he will get more 4' x 8' plywood panels tomorrow. He will probably have to get more 2"x4" boards too. Jeff said he will help. I think they can make the roof higher and move the shelter against the fence for added support. There is supposed to be a big winter storm headed our way on Tuesday. I sincerely hope they can get this done before that. I don't want my two best alpacas not having shelter from the snow and rain.

So much for peace being restored. Yesterday was one of those days that made me wonder what I am doing and if I am really cut out to be an alpaca farmer or any kind of farmer for that matter.

I looked out the kitchen window shortly after lunch and noticed that Prince was favoring his left rear leg. Oh NO! My stomach suddenly didn't feel so great. I delayed going out because I was hoping against hope that my eyes were deceiving me. They weren't. I went out a little before feeding time, and sure enough there was blood all over the ground by the gate and corner of the pasture where Tinker has been forcing Prince to stay. Prince had a gash in the side of his foot. He had to have gotten it while fighting Tinker. I'm pretty sure now that both of their injuries are due to the barbed wire perimeter fence.

We had to wait until our children returned from town before we could help Prince. We were watching our grandson and cannot work on an alpaca and watch him at the same time. At least I knew what to do this time. We still have bandages and antiseptic for Tinker. It was about 5pm when everyone returned and would be dark soon. Steve and I went out and chased all five boys around until we captured Prince. Steve held him as I haltered him. Tinker would not leave us alone. We practically had to beat him off to keep him from biting Prince while we removed him from the pasture.

It was a little easier to take care of Prince's wound because he is smaller than Tinker and because it was his rear foot. He didn't rear up. I held his head and Steve washed the wound. Then we had to get our son-in-law to help bandage the tear. Prince didn't like it but he seemed calmer after it was done.

I knew what would happen if I took him back into the field with Tinker so we decided to put him in the chicken pen instead. He let me lead him over there very easily but he wasn't sure about his new surroundings. I was afraid he would try to jump the fence. So, back out to the pasture we went to catch someone to place with Prince. Since Tinker has been so brutal, we decided that little Stewie would be the best choice. We spent another 15 minutes trying to round him up. He finally got trapped in the catch pen in the shelter. We had to protect him from the harassment of the others too.

Stewie isn't as familiar with being on the lead because he is young. He went along fairly easily though. He would hop up on his front feet a few times like he wanted to rear but I kept talking to him and stopped whenever he wanted to look at something unfamiliar, like the car. So he finally got in the chicken pen with Prince. They both started eating hay and I knew they would be ok. I did check on them several times before I went to bed to make sure they were calm and resting. Prince's foot bled quite a bit in spite of the bandage. He is not limping or anything,not like Tinker was. I think he should probably have antibiotic shots like Tinker had and I will call the vet about it.

There is no shelter for Prince and Stewie in the chicken pen. The chicken house is small and the roof is caving in. There is really no other place to put them right now. I was so stressed and sick feeling after all of this that I couldn't eat my dinner. I asked Steve if my adrenalin was flowing while we were dealing with all of this. He said it probably was, but he didn't have any trouble eating his dinner. Ha! I had a mostly sleepless night. It is supposed to be easier to have an all male herd. With no females around they are all supposed to be buddies and get along! Right! Prince and Tinker will never be able to share a pasture again. I will have to build another enclosure and another shelter. I don't know when we will have the money for either or when Steve will have the time. Once again we will have to make do, the best we can. We are going to place another fence between the barbed wire perimeter fence and the alpacas. We can do that fairly easily. We already have the fence material, we just need to get a couple of fence posts.

One kind of funny thing, Steve has started calling Tinker,"Rex" as in Tyranosaurus! He sure seems like a big mean dinosaur when he starts bullying the others.

Today we got hi-speed internet! Wow is it ever great! Now I can open all those files and pictures that took forever before.

All the animals are doing fine. Tinker still has a bandage on his foot. I will attempt to check his foot and put a new sock on it on Saturday. Today Tinker had a small tiff with Kardigan. It didn't last very long. He and Prince have settled down a lot since their teeth were trimmed. I do think Tinker is the herd leader now. He is always alert and putting the others in their place. He still "dogs" Prince the most. I am just glad that peace has mostly been restored.

Also, I think I got Little Bones away from Falkor in time. She has started flagging again, something she would not do if she were pregnant.

I am starting to feel like things are back to normal after the holidays and Tinker's injury. I'm getting things cleaned out and put away around the house. I also bought some see-thru plastic containers to store my fleece in until I can send it somewhere to be processed. This Saturday will be time to wash out water buckets again and clean out the barn. I usually file last years bills away and start new files this time of year too. We have set up the computer in one of the bedrooms and will be getting a new desk and chair. I hope to get the business files put in the computer room too. I plan on getting my retail license soon too so that I can try to sell fleece online. It should be easier with this new hi-speed. I have no more excuses!

Happy New Year, Y'all! How time flies!

Margaret, John and Melissa came back today to clip the fighting teeth on whichever alpacas had them. Turned out that Tinker had a few and Prince only had one wicked one. That is why Tinker's ear kept getting torn up worse and worse. It looked really nasty today. Margaret cleaned it up and put antibiotic on it again.

Tinker's foot busted open again this morning too. We could hardly believe it after how good it looked last Tuesday. We cleaned that up again and re-bandaged it and put a new sock on it. I'm going to go all around the pasture and check for sharp objects and wires sticking out. Steve had closed the gate between the pastures so that we would have easy access to the alpacas when Margaret came. I think I will keep them in the smaller space for awhile. They don't seem to run as much which may help Tinker's foot. Although, Tinker and Prince had another knock-down-fight after feeding time. I think that they will have to be separated eventually, like as soon as I can get another pasture set up.

Kardigan had three fighting teeth cut and Cimarron's were coming in. He will probably have his done at shearing time. Stewie was the only one who didn't have any fighting teeth yet. He's still the baby. I really hope they all don't start fighting when they hit 5 years of age.

I might get to go to Margaret's and help with some shots and management of her herd this week. It will be a great learning experience.

Great Thanks again to Margaret, John and Melissa!