Photo was taken yesterday on the farm of Pat and Nora Casey, Aghinagh, Co.Cork (Irl)

This Alpaca doesn’t seem to mind its lovely fleece coming off especially with the weather lovely and sunny across Ireland at the moment. The wool from an Alpaca is much sought after in the fashion industry even in a recession. It is many times more valuable than that of sheeps wool. There are not many Alpacas in Ireland but efforts are underway through different breeding programmes to increase their numbers.
The Alpaca in our photo today also features in our Archive on July 19th.

Thought on Friday – August – 27/08/2010

‘People cultivate five thousand roses in one garden and still they do not find what they seek. Yet what they are seeking may be found in a single rose or a drop of water.’ ~Antoine de Sainte-Exupery

Down through the years we’ve been led to believe in the numbers game. A consumerist society feeds into more and plenty of everything. The more you have the happier you’ll be is the motto. But this is not always the case. Recent surveys have shown that people are not happier and that they seek and search lasting happiness. A close look at our Gospels indicates that happiness and contentment are actually within our grasp. The words used are ‘finding the kingdom of God’. It is among us, around us and within our reach. It’s a bit like the Rose of Tralee, many will say they couldn’t be bothered watching it, yet over 1 million tuned in to last Tuesday night. We might say we couldn’t be bothered with spiritual matters yet we do want it. One person, one gesture of love and kindness, one smile, one text, one word of encouragement, one prayer can be enough to make it begin to happen. The power of one cannot be measured.