WHO IS MARY?

My mother named me Mary Caroline.  Her first name is Mary.  I named my daughter Mary Heather.  So the name Mary has a special meaning on many fronts.  I guess because they did not want confusion in our household, I was called by my middle name.  But, I really, really liked my first name.  So this is my opportunity to introduce myself  to you as MARY, but inside I am Caroline!

How is that for a beginning paragraph?

I tried writing a blog last fall.  Kept up with several postings. but then, birthing season of our alpaca herd began and I found myself flipping from joy to grief over the results of some of the births. Did not want to depress you if I was not on top of the world, so to speak.....
I had an occasion once to read a post on a chat site of a farmer who lost her cria to a pack of dogs because her fencing was inadequate.  When I noted the time of day her cria was devoured, she was posting a "how to about something" on that chat site.  Now, if she had been doing what she was supposed to be doing, she would have been out at her barn and noticed her cria being curious and ultimately in danger.  That tragedy could have been avoided.  Since then never did I want to be found guilty of being remiss!
All of my readers who are farmers will get bits and pieces of this past season Thusly, I have been about my business of being on "cria watch" since last September. Staying focused on what matters, at least what I thought was primary,  backfired.
The joy of the season left for I forgot what really was primary.  My health waffled, my husband noticed the concern, even the passing of four months without remembering what day it was affected my whole psyche.
Thank goodness I woke up.  But you know, it did not happen til the last cria appeared. It was not until that was off my plate that I realized I was in the grips of  "fear of failure".
If I took my mind for one day off the goings on in the pasture I could not have lived with the guilt if I failed to be watchful of signs of mishap in these little creatures.

 Even with all my due diligence, Mother Nature was much more powerful than I could ever be.  I did all humanly possible to provide a safe environment and total wonderful environment for a pregnant dam. But to no avail, we still had a tough season with lots of issues.  Some good, some not so good.  I think that God has a master plan for us all.  I would hate to think that bad things happen just so that MARY can help others but maybe that is the purpose of such a challenging season.

There is  a web site for the alpaca business that my husband and I operate.  The search engines will give you access to Carodel Alpacas; but you can find us at http://www.alpacas4u.homestead.com/.

What shows up here will hopefully be fodder for you and insight into how to be successful in your livestock ventures.  These ideas might help us all have a more satisfying life and find the real focus.
Be sure to share this with others who might want to follow along.  Send me a comment if you feel inclined.
BTW: that is Kaya and her new cria, Cinca das Navidad.. Not sure about this , but she was born on the fifth day of Christmas. Probably not good translation but it works for the moment.

Til next time .......