Sunset at the alpaca farm.

The house has a metal roof and it’s a veritable hot box on hot days. We have no choice but to leave the sliding doors open. The flies and sand flies are bad. I wear repellent round the clock, re-applying it three times a day. 

This alpaca, Amber Rose, who recently gave birth, often looks at me through the kitchen window while I’m preparing meals at times pressing her nose on the glass.

Last night, a dragonfly was flying around the bedroom making noise as it bumped into the walls keeping me awake most of the night.  With no screens on any of the doors or windows, we can’t open any of the bedroom windows at night to cool off the hot room. 

The fan moves the hot air around but doesn’t seem to cool it down. We’ve only used the comforter on a few occasions. 

The WiFi is metered and we can’t download as many of our favorite shows as we’ve often been able in other locations. We’re in a tough position when we know we won’t have good enough WiFi in Bali to download shows.  We’d hoped to download everything we’ll need while we’re here to later watch in Bali. That may not happen.

Each sunny afternoon, the alpacas crowd to the side of the house to find shelter in the shade.

I love it here. Tom loves it here. Adaptation.  It’s a simple life in the country.

There’s a lot to love; the alpacas; the many comforts in the house; the ever-changing exquisite scenery surrounding us; the sound of the flowing nearby river; the kind and helpful owners, Trish and Neil; the New Zealand people; the ideal shopping fulfilling all of our needs from the health food store to the grass-fed only meat market to the weekly farmers market with the best eggs in the South Pacific.

The number of alpacas in the shade from our house grows with the heat of the sun.

Yes, there is a lot to love. Yesterday, I filled a bowl with a special grass mix for the alpacas and hand-fed it to them as my feet dangled over the edge of the veranda.  I couldn’t take photos while my hands were otherwise busy. It didn’t seem to matter at the time. Sorry about that. Sometimes the experience supersedes all else.

Hanging the laundry on the clothesline is a pleasant experience in itself as is each time I step outdoors in my bare feet to check to see if it’s dry. The feel of the soft neatly trimmed grass under my feet sends my senses reeling, reminding me of the yet unproven philosophy of “earthing” or “grounding.” that may have some truth to it. (See here for details).

The grouping of cria started with these four.  They love sitting in this dirt, rolling around, and getting dirty.

The rental car sits in the driveway, used only three times a week for a variety of local trips. We don’t want to leave more often. Everything we could possibly want is right here within a few hour’s drive. 

In minutes, the group of cria grew to eight.

Yesterday, I walked alone when Tom didn’t feel like joining me. As I approached the cattle, my favorite pregnant female immediately spotted me heading to the fence. She literally danced she was so happy to see me, lifting one leg at a time as she rocked in place, shaking her head back and forth, slobber flinging from her mouth in the process. 

My favorite cow separated from who may have been her last offspring.  We often find them close to one another sneaking affection through the fence.

She moaned in frustration as I walked away. Had anyone seen this they would have laughed at this crazy woman communicating with a cow. I’ve often wondered if I should have lived on a farm when I’ve always been drawn to barnyard animals, rolling dough, and baking bread (in my old life when I could eat gluten).

Last year’s young bulls.

Instead, for now, we live this simple life, outdoors a lot, cooking good meals, mingling with the life in the country, taking photos of precious moments with the ongoing joy of sharing them daily with all of YOU, as we’ve shown today.

This mom and son, Mont Blanc, are the pair that were separated by the fence when Mont Blanc had crawled underneath and escaped. Later, Trish and Neil picked him up, placing him over the fence, not an easy task. We often see them in close contact perhaps remembering they were once separated. Although Mont Blanc, the only blue eyes cria in the now group of 12, loves playing with the other youngsters.

For those in the US, may you have a fun-filled Super Bowl Sunday. (We’ll be watching it here). And for our friends in New Zealand, enjoy the remainder of Waitanga weekend. For details of this holiday, please click here.

Have a happy day in the country, city, desert, mountains or plains or, wherever you may be…

Photo from one year ago today, February 8, 2015:

My delicious lunch, a year ago, at the Kauai Westin Hotel with friends Elaine and Richard included a grass-fed burger with cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and a side salad.  For more photos and details, please click here.