Thursday 27 October 2011

Zoretah ......!

Zoretah,(L) Trienza, Zirrianna, Zadi~Blanca, Aymara....and Pacosha....in the background !

Zoretah is growing up nicely .....

Zoretah and Trienza.....



Just following on from last night.....here she is.........Zoretah....

She is special...and it was all made possible by the 'gift' of plasma....from Wellground Alpaca Stud ......if I hadn't of had it....the story might have been so very different !!

We are so very grateful...for having that option !!

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Makeover Complete !!

Makeover......complete !!

Zadi~Blanca ......

I have started on the winter log store !!......

Zimushka......

Me and Minstrel......having a cuddle !!


It has been a couple of days since my last blog......when I went to get the hayrack !

Well I have been busy doing a bit of a makeover...and I'm pleased to say, I think it looks great.

I have been busy doing a few winter jobs, mainly chopping logs in between painting the hayrack. Yesterday it was so wet, all the alpacas had a day indoors, it rained and never stopped, so it just wasn't worth putting them out for a few hours to get soaked.

Today I have taken a couple of photos of the babies, who are growing up fast. As usual Zirrius and Zadi~Blanca came right over to have a close look....and I got some great pictures.

Time is a marvellous thing and patience is just one of the ingredients to sometimes win the babies over, when Zadi~Blanca was born she always stayed close to her mother and kept her distance, but over time she has gained confidence and now she comes over to see you and have a cuddle ! which is just great. Zirrius is a cheeky monkey and is always being a nuisance in a nice way....he is just a typical boy ! Zoretah is very special, she had such a fragile start to life, despite being my biggest cria born this year, she still has the shaved area on her neck, where she had a plasma transfer.....she has always been very friendly and I think she knows along with Trienza her mother, that I helped her into this world.....I think we have a mutual understanding......strangely enough I can just sense it !!

Zirrianna who is the oldest cria is also growing up nicely along with Zimushka who are my two grey girls.....

As mentioned, I have been busy chopping a few logs....I still have rather a big pile to go, but this is my second digger bucket full......hopefully I shall get them stacked tomorrow, along with doing a spot of re-arranging the barn....I need to move a few bales around.....more winter preparation.......

Tonight I have ordered some snow chains.....!!! I have been promising myself some for the last 2 winters..and never got round to getting them, as they had sold out.....by the time I got round to it....and because of where I live....I just know they will come in handy....even if its just to get me through the snow up the track......going off previous winters.....

I am determined....to be ready......willing and able !!

To Infinity and Beyond.......I hear you cry !!

I shall look forward to trying them out......this year.....I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity.....I am getting ready !!

To Rumble !!!!!!

:0)

Thursday 20 October 2011

Look What I Found !!

Trienza and Tremona !!

The Hay feeder being unloaded !....

The alpacas.....tonight in for bed !....

Slinky...checking out the new feeder.......


Its marvellous what you find in the most unexpected places.

I was on a bit of a mission the other day, when I happened to notice this hay feeder in one of the fields.....I asked the people who owned it, if they wanted it and they said that they had no need for it....so we struck a bit of a deal......

Today I went to collect my bargain purchase.....it will have a bit of a makeover.....but I have often thought that one of these would be very handy for putting the hay in to feed the alpacas......

I went to collect the feeder with the trailer, which is proving very handy....as there was just myself and the lady there....to load it....she did say it was heavy....however with a bit of 'Girl Power'....we had it loaded in no time......and it was much easier than we both thought....I had gone well prepared...with ratchet straps.....bit of wood....and various ideas how to get it in the trailer......it was quite a pleasant experience.........which makes a change !

So here is my new purchase....I do like a bargain........and when it gets a makeover....it will look like new.....

Tonight I got a lovely picture of Trienza and Tremona....looking over the door.....waiting for their tea !!

Saturday 15 October 2011

We have Light !! .....and Lift Off !!

Alpacatastic !!

On the move.......girls and babies.....


I have been busy this afternoon, sorting out the light in the new barn extension !

I managed to run a new light into the barn, so that was this afternoons job. I had to go and get some animal feed, as I was running low, we've not been out much as we have been too busy trying to get all the jobs done !

I'm glad to say that we have managed to do all of the big jobs, in preparation for the winter.

We have worked what feels like non stop.......I think that we have had every tool out of the tool shed...and its going to take me days to put them back !

It will be very quiet after today, I shall have a bit of time to do other jobs that have taken a back seat, like the garden and the lawns...not to mention a bit of spinning.....

My parents will go back to a more normal easier pace of retirement......it will be Christmas time before they visit.....so plenty of time to re-charge their batteries.

I'm hoping that we can have a much easier time then.........

All that remains to say is a great big 'Thank-you' to them for all their help......I couldn't have done it without them......so it will be back to me, myself and I. My parents have 'Lift Off' for tomorrow.......back home !

The alpacas have been enjoying the nice sunny weather this week, infact we have had a real good spell, I have managed to make my hay, late September ! it is good hay, well worth the wait, it is stacked, packed and under cover in the barn. I shall be looking forward to trying the haylage in November sometime...as its the first year I've ever made it....it will be interesting to see how it has turned out, this was made mainly for one of my horses who has a dust allergy......

The proof will be in the pudding.......so they say !

Friday 14 October 2011

Road to Hell...has speed Humps !! :0)

Much better...but it does have a few...'Speed Humps'

Better than this mind...Im hoping you can see....the improvements !! What a mess !

Daisy pulling the tractor...out of the gateway...as we were stuck with a trailer full of rock !!

Having a break.......we have worked.....non stop for 2 days on this........to create this mess !!

Mam......and Holly .....checked, cleaned and put back to bed......she is now 'Huge' compared to

4 ozs when she was found last year !


Carrying on from last nights topic......the track....better know as the road to Hell !

Well I managed to get the last few loads this morning.... and after dinner I had the delight of trying to smooth it out !

I'll have you know we have spent all day sorting out the track, we have had just about every piece of equipment out. The trials and tribulations have been and gone, we did have the tractor stuck at one point in the gateway to the 10 acre field....loaded with the trailer....sunk into the soft mud.......thankfully Daisy came to the rescue and helped pull the tractor out....

Most of the afternoon was spent.......driving up and down, with the tractor and the homemade plough....a strainer post ! then I moved onto Daisy who did her share....then back to the tractor with a steel girder on.....then the quad was out with a pallet dragging behind !!

To top it off.......I have a much improved track....much better than before...........however....I do have a number of...'Speed Humps' as described by my mam.....to slow the horses down !

I have rang the professionals to request they come and sort out....my BMX course !......to come and remove the humps, my tractor and Digger do not have self levelling buckets...so when you go over the humps...the bucket just follows......so I have called on the services of the contractors....who are much more skilled than me at this sort of thing !

I am happy with our efforts........just a few humps to deal with, but overall .....much improved compared to the ...........Boot Sucking Mud !!

The horses have been watching with amusement and have been up and down the track already. I'm sure it will be much better for them through the winter months.

Especially when it gets the professional touch !

We even managed to have a look at Holly tonight, we needed to check her to see if she was ok, before she goes into hibernation.....she is massive, she was hissing lots...and she now is the size of a football....and weight a healthy amount....she has been dusted with special flea powder....and given nice fresh straw......so hopefully she can go into the winter ...nice and snug.

So, tomorrow is hopefully going to be an easier day...I have a light to fix in the new wooden barn extension....so we can see, as the nights draw......and at this time of year.....I regularly get caught out...with the dark !

So that's on the 'to do' list for me tomorrow......its the last day for my parents before they go back home.......we have managed to do most of the jobs......on the list.

I have a bit of finishing off to do....but I think I can safely say....I'm more prepared than I was a month ago !

Thursday 13 October 2011

The Road to Hell........seeing is Believing !!

Seeing is believing.....Yes....TPT....is on Norris's Back !!

This is the road....to Hell....Im hoping it will be much improved....tomorrow !!

The wood was delivered on Tuesday....chopped up Wednesday....and stacked, ready for splitting !


Well this is the road to hell....and what a day ..........

I suppose things get worse before they get better....and I hope its not going to get any worse....the track, is in a state and it has been trial and error, trying to get the trailer into position. There is so much mud, its more a case of sliding into position....

Tonight we are shattered....Ive done more loads than I can remember....I have lost count of the total.....tomorrow I'm hoping to level it with the good old.....home made snow plough !

As the tractor is 4 wheel drive, I think Daisy is out of her depth at the moment with this....as she is only a 2 wheel drive digger.....so tomorrow I shall be trying to get the levels sorted.....

I'm hoping to have better photos.....after tomorrow....if not then it will be back to another plan !

At about 4pm we came in for a cuppa tea.......and I happened to look over into the chicken area......now after the day we've had....you could almost question your sanity....especially when I could hardly believe what I was seeing !!

Its not the first time......Tara Palmer Tompkinson....has been on the back of Norris.....thankfully...I managed to snap a picture.....its a bit hard to see....but this Turkey...is actually standing on the back of Norris....!!

I'm starting to think.......that we are all just a bit mad here !!

Even the animals ...........

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Jack of all......master of None !!

Guess....what we've been doing !

The girls...in the new field....

Logs just delivered......

Early morning......sunshine !!


We have had another busy day here....the weather has been lovely and at this time of year you just have to make the most of it !

The tipping trailer has not arrived yet ..............but the logs have.....and guess what todays jobs were .......yep you guessed it.......chopping the logs and stacking them in the barn, to keep them dry.....in preparation to split them at a later date.

I managed to re-arrange the alpacas for the winter, thankfully all went where they should have and are getting used to the change around.

The barn extension is now bedded up nice and cosy and the girls and the babies are getting used to their new home. I have also been busy fixing some guttering along the walls of the barn.....this makes a great feed trough, which can be removed for cleaning etc......I think the girls are getting to grips with their new feeding arrangement. All I have to do is to make a wind shelter for the gate....to help with the wind blowing through the extension....on windy days especially if there is snow also !

Maybe this will be the job for tomorrow, unless the trailer arrives !

Sunday 9 October 2011

A Relative Picture !!

Some of the hay stacked in the wooden barn....


Nearly done, gutter now fixed, just a couple of boards to fix round the door-way !


The boys last week....and a lovely Rainbow.......



I know last night I did a blog about.....stacking my hay in for the winter....however there was a lack of a relative picture ! as I hadn't managed to take a photo of the barn.


So here is the relative picture, of the new part of the barn stacked with hay ! I have also managed to take a photo of all my dads hard work...he spent most of Saturday up the ladder fixing the guttering, whilst I carted hay into the barn.


Today we managed to fix the door on the stable of the old stone steading, as the frame had came away from the wall and this meant that the door wouldn't shut properly. After that job and a cup of tea...we managed to hang the gate on the opposite side of the new barn, this now means that the other gate is now fitted properly, I just have to drill a hole in the door to secure it.......tomorrow I shall be having a bit of a change round. The girls and babies are moving onto the 6 acre field, the boys will move across to the 3 acre field, which joins the small birthing paddock, the Nick Nacks are grazing in here at the moment, however its now getting time to introduce the Nick Nacks with the older boys ! After this swap round it means that the boys will be coming into the barn at night, with the Nick Nacks beside them in a separate enclosure....... the girls will come into the new wooden barn on the opposite side of the stacked hay ......its all very complicated, but I do have a bit of a plan........this is all in preparation for the winter........and the changes ahead !!


Just hope the move goes smoothly.......no doubt I shall find out very soon ...... But thats the plan....anyway !!



Saturday 8 October 2011

Stacked Just in time !!

Zirrius and Zadi~Blanca......somewhere under here !!

Troublesome two-some .....

Bottoms Up !!.....Zirrius and Zadi~Blanca play fighting ...


Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon...carting hay into the new wooden barn that we have been building !! this year.........so one side of the barn is now full of hay, as this year is the first year for stacking it was a bit of trial and error.....in the end I managed to get 36 bales in total in there. I only stacked two high as the tractor is at its maximum lift and sometimes....you struggle to get the third row off, I didn't want to risk it. I was busy till after dark.

Today it was another early start for me, to re arrange the other barn in order that I could bring in the remainder of the hay. I had another 24 bales to move, tonight we are forecast rain all night and a very unsettled week.......so I am pleased that I have managed to get that job done !

Dare I say it....I am nearly organised for the winter, I just have my delivery of straw for the winter to find a home for....and we are sorted.

Tonight the rain is lashing down, the boys are in the new extension....!! that we have been working on....I have a gate to fix, it is tied on for tonight....so tomorrow I intend to hang the gate, make a wind break to shelter the new part from the prevailing wind.....I'm waiting to hear if we can get the tipping trailer for next weeks job....and then my parents will be making their way back home.....for a rest !

The next time I see them will be Christmas time.....I'm hoping that this year will be a much milder winter, however I've heard lots of rumours already !

I just hope Im not going to be snowed in for 5 weeks this year....


Thursday 6 October 2011

Up on the Roof !

The girls and the babies.....growing fast !!


I have spent most of the day up on the roof !!

Finishing off the corner of the roof, which needed to be tidied up, this has been sheeted and then the next job was to 'sark' up the gap in between the different roofs. This took up most of the afternoon, together with doing a spot of cementing. To fill in the gap between the stone gable and the roof of the extension.

True to form, as I was pointing up the edge, the rain came ! and we did get rather wet at one stage, the cementing has been covered up to protect it from any more rain this evening. I haven't managed to get a photo, but I think you can see the bit I'm talking about on one of the other earlier pictures......just have to hang the gate, make a panel to stop the wind from blowing through the part which the alpacas are going to be using......finish off the bottom part of the sides, as this is double boarded.....and I shall be done !!

We are hoping to fix the weather strip on the main barn doors....tomorrow, weather pending.

Then one last big job on the 'to do list' all being well next week, I have to borrow a tipping trailer for this one, so if we get the go ahead for the trailer, then the job will get started. I shall keep you posted on my progress....in between all this I have a load of 3 meter trees lengths being delivered on Tuesday, just waiting to be chopped into fire wood for the winter !

So its ......all hands to the deck......and I still have my hay barn to stack, so I guess you could say......looks like another busy week !!


Tuesday 4 October 2011

Nearly There !!....

Nearly finished......tonight.....Zaninni is waiting for his tea !!

Having a rest.......before sheeting the sides.....

Mam and the dogs.....(ltor) Meg, Diesel, Jessie, Zonda

Waiting to go out.....this morning !! Zienna, Zirrius, Zimushka, Zirrianna...... Zakhura black hiding and Dusty !

Me and my Dad.......


We have been very busy working on the barn...extension....and we are nearly there !

The poles were concreted in on the Friday, and setting on Saturday, we had ran and only got a little bit extra done. On Sunday we started to build the main structure and it was finished by late Sunday evening. Monday we started to fix the smaller cross beams ready for the sheeting.

Today we have fixed all the smaller beams and cut the sheeting and tonight the roof is done. Also we spent the afternoon 'Yorkshire' boarding the sides.....so we are nearly finished. My new gate arrived this afternoon sometime.....however, it must have came when we were in for dinner.....we never seen the delivery yet !

It was only late this evening...after I had moaned ....that the gate hadn't turned up ! I walked up the track.....back to the barn to get the hammer....only to notice that a nice shiney new gate was propped up by the barn door ! To my surprise.....

To it was another late finish....just by dusk....I managed to get the last photo of the evening......when I went to feed the boys.

Next on the 'to do list'...is the other barn doors....the ones that rain in....and end up flooding the floor when the rain and wind...are in a certain direction....I have managed to get some galvanised steel.....type guttering......that when turned upside down......will do the trick !

We will find out soon...no doubt when we come to fix it !....I'm hoping it works and stops the rain coming into the building.......as this is where the girlies and babies sleep !

So the finishing touches on the extension are on the cards for tomorrow.....re-fix the wooden door to the front.....of the new extension....and hang the gate on the other side.......this will be where the boys will winter....in times of horrendous weather.......and no doubt.....its just a matter of time, before.....winter really sets in !

I'm hoping to bring the hay in.....maybe at the weekend...it has been resting on the field.....as if you bring it in too soon, although baled nice and dry...it tends to sweat in the buildings !!


So another job.....no rest for the wicked !!!

;0)