Saturday 27 February 2010

I couldn't Wait !!


I have been giving my new Electric Spinning Wheel a whirl !....


As I couldn't wait.....to have a try !...

Some people, have mentioned that it looks like an item of extreme torture !!!!.....Rob. I am hoping that this actually makes my life much easier...more pleasurable...not torturous !

When it arrived there were a couple of wires that had came disconnected, during transit I think.....so after a little bit of communication with the seller in Russia...via the email....I managed to locate where these had came from.

I have repaired the wires by soldering them into place.... and the little wheel works perfectly...

This electric spinning wheel has a nice history to it...it was handcrafted by a gentleman for his lovely wife...to spin in Russia... I know its not exactly new...but I like it and it makes the job much easier...for any body who spins...knows all about the process.

It is unique... and anybody who knows me...will know I don't do conventional....very well !!

So, I've had my first trial run....and hey-presto....its great !

I am looking forward to spending..many happy hours spinning up my alpaca fleece...

I'll let you know how we get on !!

Russian Mystery is Revealed......




As promised....I managed to get out today....I had a special delivery to go and collect.


Yipee......I was down at the Postal Depot...bright and early, to collect my mystery parcel which had came all the way from Russia.


So I will put you all out of suspense....it is an Electric Spinning Wheel. I am hoping to get spinning more fleece this year, I can and still will use my Ashford Traveller but I never manage spin up any large quantities to make garments !


I am hoping with this it will take a little bit of the work out of the old knees....as after a while I tend to suffer from 'spinners knee' !!!....and I'm getting on you know !!!


However, you will still have to be patient for a little while longer for the next surprise....this one's the best.....and it comes by Royal Appointment....!!


Friday 26 February 2010

I'm Determined...to get out !....Special Delivery !!

The track.....after my snow clearing !!
Zullulah and Zienna.....nice and cosy


I'm determined to get out tomorrow !......so once again I was doing my bit to keep the track clear !.

The snow has been blowing all day off and on, mind you I do think that it has thawed a bit. I went to the postbox today with the quad...as the snow was still quite deep. the quad did struggle a little as the snow is very soft and wet....and the quad was starting to sink. But I managed to keep going through the drifts....and I got to the postbox !


On my way there ...I noticed that someone had tried to come up the track...unfortunately they had abandoned their attempt.....I had a suspicion it was the post-man !....


When I got to the post-box, there was a card inside.....This means only one thing....do you remember my special delivery !.....From Russia .....'with love'....(joking)....well that means its here....well at the depot any way.....

So, tomorrow.........I'm off to collect it all being well !.....I can't wait !!....providing I can get down the track !....


The secret parcel will hopefully be revealed tomorrow !!!!...

Thursday 25 February 2010

Where there is a will.......there's a way !!

Still smiling..............just about!

Inside.....today ....Tremona.....and the girls.

The tractor.........with the home-made....snow plough !....it does the job !!


This is the part of the track....which always gets blocked !


The boys and Norris..........in the barn, its the best place in this weather.



We have had more snow !!! .......there's a surprise.

So this morning when I took the dogs for a walk down the track...the snow was starting to get deep again...in the same spot as last time. Regular readers will remember that I was blocked in for one month in January....I was determined not to let this happen again.

So after my morning chores...I decided to crank the tractor into life, I donned my make shift snow plough, well not really....its a fence strainer....chained onto the front loader of the tractor. So off I trotted down to where the snow was deep....just to make a road in and out. I use the strainer to push out the snow away that collects in the middle of the track. To stop it getting too deep.


Incidentally it has snowed all day, mind you its the wet sort of snow...but still snow. I hope that it doesn't freeze.

I even managed to take the camera with me to record the moment.....I found a nearby fence post and set the timer. I know I look glamorous....as usual...more like a Telly Tubby !...in my overall.....its about 20 sizes too big !.....but it does the job.

By the time I was finished I was soaked right through. Thankfully I have another one to put on tonight for my night-time chores......


So that's been my day, with the snow, it will all be gone one day and I will look back on it with fondness...........Mmmm. She said.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Snow.............Go.....!!

My tree face....he's the only one smiling !...in the garden.
A view out of the conservatory....over the chicken area.....


View over fields....towards the wood.....no alpacas...!


This is the view, I woke up to this morning !


I was surprised to say the least....and there was me thinking that the snow was going away !


No....suree.....not here....it was actually getting worse...blizzards on and off all morning. There was a brief rest bite and I decided to turn the girls and older boys out for a couple of hours....I left the younger ones in...as they were nice and cosy in the barn.


Tonight, the wind has picked up, we are forecast yet again more snow and I have battened down the hatches....we are all tucked up nice and cosy....the fire is on and the we are sitting it out....who knows what I will get up to tomorrow.

Some good news....I managed to thaw the water pipes yesterday to the house....with a couple of kettle fulls of boiling water....so if nothing else...I have a full water tank !....I'm thankful for small mercies....

The only ones....'sitting it out' are the Moo Coows.....Haggis and Dougal....mind you they have had a nice tea and....those boys are happy being outside....full tummies and no doubt they also will 'sit it out' ! with their massive fury coats....they are made for this sort of winter...as they do not loose their body heat....and are well thermally insulated !..


I'll be needing....snow chains at this rate.......you never know I might even wake up to a heat wave !!.....tomorrow................no chance !! of that one.


Monday 22 February 2010

The Well's not Dry...Just Frozen !........

Sweet nothing's !......snow every where.....but no water !


Now there's always a challenge, today...it was the fact that the water had frozen....Not just the water troughs.....for the animals.


There is a private supply that serves the house and it is pumped up to the house via a well.


This is the first time that it has frozen !..... I have been without water for a day or so, if we get a power cut, but it has never frozen completely ... until today. The ground is frozen solid.....rock hard, I would imagine the water pipes are buried quite deep as the well is about 25ft deep !


The pump was trying to supply the house, as it is activated by a sensor, which when drops, sends a signal to the pump to fill the tank inside the house. This has emptied over the past couple of days and due to the freezing conditions....it has failed to fill the tank !


The pump is switched off.....until it gets a bit warmer.. as I don't want it to burn out !


So, at the moment....we are on strict rations of water !.....if this continues....I will run out at some point ! I'll have to go down the stream...with a bucket !!!!


I'm hoping for a sudden thaw !....but the weather forecast is more snow later on in the week....so not only have I been blocked in....for a month....I now have to face the prospect of having no water......just need a power cut and I've just about had it all to contend with !


A brief thaw would do, just to get the tank filled up again.....


Roll on the Spring...............I can't wait !!

Saturday 20 February 2010

Back to White !!

Minstrel and Zienna...
This morning's turn-out ...

Wait for me.....Trienza ...too busy having a roll to notice ...she has been left behind !


Enjoying the snow....



I'm sure Minstrel is smiling .....for the camera !!!! ......




You might have guessed.....we are back under a snowy blanket !...


We have had little flurries of snow over the last week, just when you thought that it was starting to feel like spring....the weather has just once again reminded us here that its still winter...we have been experiencing -4 temperatures and its been really quite cold.

Today the sun is shining and its nice when you are in the rays of the winter sun. However when you are in the shade its freezing. One good thing is that the ground is nice and crisp under foot.....no mud for the moment !

We are quietly getting on with things here in Zanzibah Land.....but there is a murmur in the distance of something happening....however I can't tell you at the moment...as its not quite the right time.... I will let you into a little secret....though......I have a mystery parcel...hopefully arriving quite....soon....all the way from 'Russia............with love ! ' .....no doubt !! This will hopefully be appearing on the blog...when it arrives......all being well.


Changing the subject slightly........Oh........there is a hint of Royalty !.......in the Air !!!!!!!!! I cannot say any more than that !!


I had a cuddle this morning with Minstrel....I took the camera out for some photos...and she ran over to me and....lay at my feet !.... she is a strange girl....then Zienna decided to come and see what we were doing !...


What a way to start the day !.............Brilliant.

Monday 15 February 2010

Big Trouble !!

This must be the only nice grass in the field......hurry up before it gets eaten....!!

Just a little blog tonight.....I was in big trouble with my Dad.....with my recent posting !


I was severely reprimanded.....as I called him 'Daddy'....he said, I hadn't called him that since I was three !....he made me promise that I would change this title !


So there you go.....this is for my father.....who apparently can remember that last time I called him Daddy !!!!........


I have also been out shopping......but I'm not going to tell you any more than that !!.....so there you have it....its not just Wellground that can keep you guessing !!


More on that subject a little later.........maybe.....some-time soon.......

Thursday 11 February 2010

The Lone Squawker !!....

Having an alpaca moment...to her self ....Minstrel !
Double trouble......Zullulah and Trienza...a nosey two-some !!

Today I decided to put the younger boys into the 10 acre field...as their little weaning paddock was showing signs of wear and tear...not much grass and lots of mud !


I had just put the boys into the field and was shutting the gate....when in the distance I could hear squawking....it took me a little while to locate the noise up above me in the sky...as it drew nearer...I could see a small group of about 7 Hooper Swans......flying about 80ft above me....I was amazed...I watched them fly past and wished them well...as they disappeared into the distance the noise returned.....I looked again and there was a large group of swans also following behind the first group....as they were flying so low...I had time to count them.....there were actually 39....WOW...this is the largest group of swans I have ever seen.


As they also disappeared into the distance...I was thinking to myself...what a shame...there was only 39....and not 40...!!!!


A couple of minutes later I was watching the boys and Norris just to make sure they were settled in their new field.....with Haggis and Dougal who were lying down at the time taking no notice of the alpacas exploring their new field.


And guess what.........Yes, you've guessed it....there was more squawking.....I looked up and Ahhh....bless it...there was a lone Hooper Swan.....squawking to itself.....flying behind the others.....

I wished it well and told it that it did not matter it was flying solo....as long as it got to its destination....safe and sound.....


Some times in life....we are very much alone....following our desired path ....but whilst the road, might sometimes be lonely......far better it that way. Than to be going down a path that you don't want to !....

So little solo Hooper Swan.....''Fly swift, Fly safe'......it doesn't matter if your late, just as long as you get there !!


Wednesday 10 February 2010

This one is for my Daddy !!....but there are still Alpacas to be seen !!

Off ... to drop the bin.....off...
Can you get any closer.....Trienza...sniffing the camera.

I didn't get far....before I had to make alterations !


NORRISSSSSSSSS .............he's great.....HA! HA!



Zienna and Minstrel....having a cuddle !




I have been requested on several occasions from my father.....to put some different photos and topics on the blog...so I have noted the comments and this one is of a slightly different nature.

Mind you, you don't have to look to hard....but I have managed to strategically place the girls in the photo shoot of the tractor !!

It was bin day yesterday, so I decided that instead of taking it down the track with the quad, as usual...I would give the tractor a run, to see how she started, she is affectionately know as 'Knockie Nora'...to some who are closely acquainted !!...and only on Sundays does she get her full title....

Now, although she did not spring into life at the push of the button, just a little coaxing and no problem....there she blows !!...I was pleased....no doubt the combination of new battery, and a trip to the professionals, who went through it with a fine tooth comb...made various changes and so on and so forth...if I mentioned every thing that was done...I'd be on for ever. The last resort, if things did not improve, was a new starter motor, however, things have improved and hopefully this won't need replacing just yet.

Its a good job as the starter motor is in the most awkward of places...its not just behind the quickie loader...so if you take that off, you're no better off...its actually behind the mounting brackets that the loader attaches to !!....what a bugger !!


Now I know what you're thinking...its a bit excessive...to put your bin out with a tractor !!...most people just stroll down the drive, pulling it behind them....not me.

So off I trundled to the road.....with the wheelie bin... placed on the front loader...I started with it at the back...but I must have just got 10ft and it had fallen off....already...so it was moved to the front, where I could keep an eye on it.

I normally use the tractor for more normal things, just in case you are wondering at this point...putting hay out, shifting bales of hay and straw...and the main job, mucking out the big sheds....which are due to be done very soon...just depending on the weather...I like to try and do these jobs when it is dryer, so it doesn't make too much mess....we are very muddy at the moment....my new wellies are doing a sterling job, in fact I'm starting to quite like them. I have had them now about a couple of weeks......

And no....I haven't thrown my old ones out yet !... I affectionately looked at them today, and I did think that I could possibly wear them in the summer-time........What is that about ? ...I might just throw them out in a moment of madness....one day.
I know what you are all thinking....I'm slightly mad....in a nice sort of way....just thought I'd add that before Mark does !!....They say lunacy is close to Genius !!!....don't they.

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Hey.....there...Mr Blue Sky !!!

The girls..and babies....out today when the clouds appeared
Zullulah, Zienna and Zeto .. we now have grass.

Zaninni, Zanubis and Zeuss...there's always one missing with this bunch... (Zerquo)


Marquette and Zullulah....there is a Rainbow...just looking for that pot of Gold...now !!



The Big Boys....




Hey there....we have had a Blue Sky over Scotland....briefly, mixed with big grey clouds and little flurries of snow !..a pretty mixed bag of weather to say the least...mind you its biting cold in the wind.

As the sun was shining, I decided to get the camera out for some photos of the alpacas and at one point there was a Rainbow !..which appeared in the distance.

No doubt the photos will bore my Dad, who has requested more of the tractor etc...! I will take some others when I next put some hay out or have a job to do with the tractor. I have been a little under the weather over the last couple of days, so I have only being doing what I need to.

I am debating about selling some more fleece, I can't decide whether I should keep it, just in case I have a desire to do a bit of spinning and knitting. As we are into February already, June will soon come around and I will have a new batch to be busy with. I can't believe how this year is marching on...time waits for no-one.....


It will soon be time to introduce the younger boys, back with the older ones, Zerquo, Zaninni and Zeuss have ran with them before, but when Zaninni had his injury last year I separated them in order that he may recover and have company. Zanubis will be two in June, so I am putting it off a little in order that he will be almost mature when he is introduced with the older boys...as you know they boys can be a little boisterous at times ! Hopefully in a month or so when the weather is better we will be trying them together. I hope that things go better than when I tried to introduce Zeuss...two years ago, it took 5 attempts...as Zorba was spending his time persecuting him..we got there in the end. I was reluctant to remove him from them, but I had to due to circumstance.

Sunday 7 February 2010

Snowdrops...

Lovely little Snowdrops...appear like magic in the garden
Zeuss, Zanubis and Norris...


Zelqui...I promise he's not alone !

Today I looked out of the window...and I saw Snowdrops ! I love these little flowers, its a warm reminder that spring is on its way.


I'm sure they weren't there yesterday, as I look out of this window every day, I was watching the little birds feeding in the garden, I'm sure I would have noticed them. Isn't nature marvellous, they just pop up in the garden to brighten your day ! They certainly did that.


We have had another dreary grey day, there is still a little snow hanging round the fields, just holding on in time for the next forecast....this week.


The alpacas have been out, mind you the younger boys hate having to walk through the mud to their field... I know their feeling I do to... another job on the to do list for this summer no doubt.

Saturday 6 February 2010

I can see Green....and grey !

I spy.....some grass...
Any one for a cuddle....Minstrel is waiting for a cuddle, with Zienna and Zullulah.

The snow has been melting over the last couple of days, so I can see a greener landscape starting to appear ! Mind you its very soggy under foot....that's the draw back to the milder temperatures...all the ditches are running with water. No doubt it will take weeks for the land to dry out.

I have been having a spot of tractor trouble last week.... but hopefully is fixed now...I have to be a 'Jack of all trades' up here and sometimes even that doesn't work...I had to call in the experts and the tractor has been away getting fixed... hopefully it is ! I collected it yesterday, put hay out for the horses and cows....all working fine....I'm going to try and start it again tomorrow. I like my tractor and its much needed by me, to make my life a bit easier....I can't really do without it on a long term basis.

The alpacas have been out grazing today, I debated about putting them out as it was drizzling on and off, but they do like to get out and there was some grass to graze so I thought why not !!

By 4pm prompt !...mind you I have a queue of alpacas waiting at various gates, especially if they see me, there is a steady stroll over to the gates to come in for bed-time !


I shall kick them out when the nicer weather appears.....It always makes me feel guilty, when I turn them out !!... I will resist the temptation to bring them in for bed-time ! when the summer time comes. But I do miss the close contact and the odd cuddle !!

Tuesday 2 February 2010

When will it end !!........

Its a Blizzard !! .... spot the alpacas.
The view out of the window....this afternoon.

Will this weather ever end !....


Today I woke up to a sunny morning, so I decided to put the alpacas out for the day. Mind you no sooner had I got them out the weather decided to change !


Yes, you've guessed it............snow. Massive clouds dumped even more snow this afternoon. So we are once again under an ever increasing white blanket. The alpacas decided to sit it out ! I decided to leave them out in the hope that it was a passing snow storm. Eventually it did stop after a little while.


We are back tucked up in bed tonight, the evening forecast is yet again.....more snow. You don't know just how lucky you are to be enjoying a snow free location. It doesn't stop here, after the snow, its the thaw......which makes such a mess.... roll on the spring.


Mind you, I'm not blocked in just yet !!! Lets hope it stays that way.

Monday 1 February 2010

What a reaction !!....

The girls tucking into their hay..
Snow baby, Zullulah ...she loves to roll in the snow, with Minstrel.

We have had more snow today....


Well, I had no idea when I posted a photo of my wood store, I would create such a reaction among regular readers....


It just goes to prove that along with myself....who is slightly biased of course, as I built it...I thought it was a good attempt...mind you I also find a great deal of pleasure in looking at the wood store....there's a strange feeling of satisfaction when you look at it and its full !! Its a bit like the comfort you get sitting by a lovely real fire ! on a cold winter's night, and lets face it we are having plenty of those at the moment.


According to the weather men, this has been the coldest January in Scotland since records began. The alpacas have once again spent the day indoors....there's no need to go out, good food on demand, a warm dry bed and plenty to drink....without having to tiptoe in the snow and face the bitterly cold wind.

Why would any man or beast want to go out when all this is at hand. I have also spent most of the day inside...keeping warm ... fighting for a place next to the fire ... I'm third in line to Zonda and Diesel... who keep a hearth side vigil.


Looks like this wintry weather is set to continue for some time.