"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."  I Thes: 4: 11 & 12

I have been restless and trying to escape my life lately by looking at houses and buying things to sell and daydreaming about new places and "what ifs."  Then the other morning, reading my Bible, I read this passage and it was as if the Lord spoke to me.  I realized that I have a good life and it doesn't matter if I don't "make it big" with my business, or if I don't buy more animals or if I never have a vacation home on the beach somewhere.  I am surrounded here by my family and friends.  My husband loves me and my kids and grandkids do too.  I have plenty of food to eat, clothes to wear and a roof over my head.  These are not small blessings but large blessings.  All of my needs are met just as Jesus said they would be.  Hallelujah!  What peace this brings!  What freedom!

We have been having gorgeous weather the last few days, sunny and hot, cool breezes and pleasant nights.  I took some pictures of our sunrise and moonrise.  

Buddy is finally shedding his heavy winter undercoat.  I have been able to pull big hunks of hair off and also brush a lot of the dirty brown stuff out.  This usually happens in June but is a little late this year.  I will probably still take him to a groomer because I will not be able to get the mats and mess out of his tail.  He will get his teeth cleaned and toenails done too.  He'll feel much better.

Stewie and Kardigan got into a big fight the day before yesterday.  They were spinning around in circles trying to bite each others hind legs and undersides.  It looked like Stewie might have injured one of his teeth as his mouth was bleeding a little.  He is not showing any signs of trauma today and is still eating and spitting at his fellow alpacas.  It is always amazing to me how violent these docile creatures are when they fight.  I think they are trying to re-establish their pecking order.  Kardigan seems to be trying to be the boss and Stewie is no longer a baby and wants to assert himself too.  Prince acts like the big older brother and just kind of oversees their quarrels.  Cimarron rarely fights with any of them.  He's pretty laid back and minds his own business.

My big desert willow tree out front has had a daily visitor lately.  Every morning when I am on my Mobia machine doing my workout, I see a bright yellow and black oriole flitting around the orchid-like blooms on the tree.  I tried to get his picture this morning, but being extremely cautious, he would not let me get near enough to capture him even on film.  He is a joy to behold never the less.