Wednesday 18 April 2012

Walk on the Wild Side !!!!!

A walk with a difference !!

Having a great time...

Made quite an impression with the alpacas !

Brave....but not that brave...the alpacas are off !

Niggy, Noggy and Norka.....Two's company.....Three's heavy !!! ......having a sleep on my knee



Today I had a walk on the wild side...I decided to take the piggies for a walk this morning with the dogs !

I thought it would be a great experience for all of us, it would also give me a good indication if they would follow me, or if it might turn quickly into mayhem !!

Well, I think that the piggies are better trained than the dogs...they followed me so well down the track...I decided to take them into the big field where the pond is being dug .....we trotted down the field, made quite a stir with the alpacas....who initially ran over to see what on earth was in the field....a very quick retreat, when Norka went over to take a close look at the posers on the other side of the fence.

It was going so well, I took them all the way down to where the pond is and we had a good walk around by now the dogs had got accustomed to the piggies and a game of chase started between Jessie, Norka and Noggie...Niggy was far too busy having a good old sniff in the grass.....

It was only when the sky turned black and it started to thunder that I decided to turn round and head back home.

We all trotted back home, I think the walk went down so well.

I shall be repeating it again tonight, so it looks like I shall be having more followers for my evening walk.

Its amazing just how quick the piggies have settled in, they're very intelligent and have made themselves at home.

Looks like they might be waiting tonight to go for another walk....on the wild side....

We all had a great time....and they certainly put a big smile on my face....aren't animals just great for chasing those miserable moments away !!

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Moving Boundaries ....

Waiting to come in tonight...

Removing the fence...today

The young boys...enjoying the sun without the snow !!


The 'Piggy Palace' ....is just waiting for the piggies ....


Yesterday was a day off for the digger and me, I was feeling under the weather slightly so I had a relatively quiet day.
Today however it has been another lovely sunny day without the hail and snow showers. We are forecast torrential rain overnight....so I thought I'd take advantage of the fine weather and remove part of the old fence that will actually be in the pond area when completed.
The digger arrived today to finish off the drains that have been repaired. They have been left open for a couple of weeks just to make sure that they will drain away correctly. The drainage pipe has been laid and it has all been back filled. Hopefully this will cure the wet problems that have been spoiling the fields.
I have also had a small ditch dug in the new younger boys field, to take the water that runs off the roofs of the barns...the aim is to eventually take these ditches and drain them into the pond ....hopefully this will dry up parts of the field that have been wet over the winter.
I have been busy removing the fence this afternoon. I managed to get it all taken down today. Which is a good job, as it won't be long before the digger is over on this side to dig part of the pond.
Unfortunately the digger had to go home early as it sprung a hydraulic pipe leak.....which scuppered the job for the rest of the day.
I don't know if it will be fixed for tomorrow or even if the weather will be good.
Today I managed to take some photos of the alpacas enjoying the nice day and the girls this evening....waiting to come in for bed.
There is always an orderly queue.

Saturday 14 April 2012

Pond Update ....Day Three

We do have a little bit of water....lying in the pond, which is a good sign !

The sun came out, banking up and grading the sides, this will be the deep end...

View from a distance near to where the water markers are ....

Niggy ............ fast asleep tonight ..... on my knee !!

Heavy hail showers mixed in with lovely sunshine.... what weather !


The pond is coming along nicely.....today we have had glorious sunshine and hail-stones...a combination of all the seasons in one day !

The pond is about just over a quarter dug and is starting to take shape...it is still quite a way from being finished...but its coming along....

I managed to get all the boys in their proper field today.....with the use of a strategic piece of string ....stopping the gate from blowing shut, in the wind......so there were no alpaca antics today.

I have been tidying my barn out, putting a few tools away, after all those jobs...we didn't get time to do it before my parents went back home.

I am due a delivery of alpaca feed sometime next week, so I had to make some room before it arrives.

Tonight I thought I'd have a bit of a piggy moment....so I sat down in the shed...it wasn't long before Niggy came over to see me...he squeezed himself along my legs and went to sleep...

He looks so comfortable...I felt guilty when I had to wake him...so I could get up.....

Its one week today, since we took delivery of the new arrivals.....I think they have settled in just fine !

What do you think !!


Friday 13 April 2012

Wrong side of the fence !

Stravinsky & Sparky in the wrong field having a great time..today !

Todays...progress...

Noggy....

In hot persuit..... Niggy & Norka....



This morning as I turned the alpacas out into their new paddock....just as three ran into their right field..the wind blew and the gate closed behind them....the other three, namely Strav, Sparks and Hamish continued running and ended up on the wrong side of the fence..into the 10 acre field...spirits were high and they ran round and pronked about, there was no chance of me getting them into their proper field...I did try several times..but no chance !

The boys spent the day in the field with the digger.

I went to see how things were progressing and the boys were having a whale of a time...chasing the dogs and creeping up on us....then running away again.

However tonight all of them were standing at the top of the field...waiting to come in for bed...tomorrow I'm off to tie a bit of string on the gate to stop this happening again....hindsight is a marvellous thing....

The piggies are just fab, Norka gets so excited to see you...he jumped over the hurdle this morning....and I had to try and get him back on the right side for his breakfast !

Thursday 12 April 2012

Divine Intervention ...

Day Two....of the pond ..

Busy at work....the pond is starting to take shape ...

Banking the sides up, the digger is on, what will be an island when finished ...


Day two of the pond creation, yesterday as you know the plans to create a wildlife pond here started...

The plan is to dig out the pond then break into the water pipe that hopefully will supply the pond with fresh running water...I have a large what looks like a drainage pipe which runs with water all year round at the edge of the field, this runs into a burn at the bottom of the field.

So what I needed to do was to locate where the pipe runs across the field in order that we could avoid breaking it to soon and flooding the semi dug pond.

Now, I'm not a professional 'water diviner' however I have dabbled in this in the past, so I decided to see if I could follow the pipe across the field and put marker points where I thought the pipe was....so off I set. I was occupied for over an hour....marking out a route that I believe is going to be the supply pipe....up to now, the digger driver has managed to avoid it and so far so good.....just goes to show....that the technique works...after marking out the underground water pipe, I set off across the brow of the hill, just to make sure there was no running water crossing the proposed pond site...I had walked about 50ft and the rods that I use....(two short lengths of fencing wire) nothing to technical in that..began to move towards each other...I was thinking...we are getting near to some water.....but they did not cross...I carried on walking right round the brow of the hill.....nothing there...so I thought that there was no running water here....I then went back to see the driver to report, my findings....

As I got near, he said.....'I've found a dry drain', that he had dug up....'Did you find that then '

I said.......actually 'Yes' ....it was in exactly the place that he had been digging going diagonally across the field.....but it was dry....no running water....and that's why the 'rods' didn't cross....

I thought to myself...........how clever was that..and it just proved to me more that ..there really is something....in this 'Water Divining'

I will keep you posted....if we burst a pipe....before we intend to....but for the moment...things are making good progress.....

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Every Thing Comes to .... She who Waits !!!!!

The young boys...watching the goings on....today from their new field !

Haggis having a good old scratch...tonight in his new field, with Dougal ...

Whey Hey ............its started !!!

Repairing the broken culverts today in the little paddock

Ah ........... Bliss !!


Well its all going on here at Zanzibah !!


What a busy few weeks we have had, taking advantage of the gorgeous weather before the snow fall the weekend before Easter....my parents have gone back home for a well earned rest after a very busy couple of weeks.....I thought I was in for a rest today but it wasn't to be !!

On Tuesday evening, after completing the fencing to divide the boys alpaca field it was time for the big move ......!

Haggis and Dougal were off to pastures new, so Tuesday night was time for the big move...the boys did me proud and Dougal actually lead the way into his new field, after putting all that work into the fencing, I have also run an electric wire on the cows as they wreck the fences scratching .....we have catered for this requirement in their new field and they have a lovely big scratching post, tonight Haggis was giving it a good try out....!

So there was me set for a quiet day........NOT !

There was a knock at the door and the fun began.....I was busy all afternoon guess what is happening here......something I have wanted for years....and true to form....as the title suggests......I have waited and waited, but tonight...it has started..I am very excited indeed...it is all happening here at the moment.....

My pond has begun....!! by next week it will be completed....how great is that it has only taken me eight years to get it.....but its happening alright !!!!!! YIPEE !!!!

Before the pond could be started it was time to finish off the water problems in the little baby paddock, where there was a broken old culvert...it has been dug out and traced back to a point where it can be fixed....then it was time to go to the bottom of the hill where there was also a broken drain...this has also been fixed today and is running away. Before we fill the repaired drains in..we have to wait to make sure that they re running away it will make a huge difference getting these fixed.

As last night was the last day I had help from my parents it was time to site the new 'Piggy Palace'..where there's a will, there's a way...and we managed to get it into its new place ready for the little piggies to move into it in a few weeks time....

Niggy, Noggy and Norka are absolutely great....... just spend 5mins with these fantastic creatures...and you can't help being cheered up.....their happy go lucky personalities are infectious....and it wouldn't be long before you were won over by their cuteness !!

Back to today...the pond is in the very early stages of being created....but I have managed to take a couple of pictures...to give an idea where it is in relation to the house and the new alpaca fields......

I have picked a perfect spot...I can see it from my kitchen window...looking across the new little boys field down across the 10 acre field and over to the site of the new pond....

I am ready with the binoculars and my aim is to have Swans oneday on the pond....that is my goal and I hope it happens ...all in good time....I hope to attract a variety of wildlife into the area I have designated for the new pond, it will have an island with a few trees planted in the middle.....

Life is great when you have dreams...and its even better when those dreams can be made into reality.....a little bit of dreaming can take you a very long way in life.....

You just have to be brave enough to dream......and the rest is up to you....

As I have often said..........'Follow your Dreams...and stay True to your Heart'

Those bad times...just make the Good Times....seem a whole lot better !!!!!!

Like most people in life, I have had my fare share of difficult times ..... I am three years down the line, I am still here....and most of all....I am still following my dream ....


And Enjoying it....after all that's what life is all about isn't it !

Saturday 7 April 2012

Three Little Pigs !!

Niggy, Norka & Noggy .........(front to rear)

Noggy having a snooze .....its a hard life, he's already a softie, liking a belly tickle !! and off to sleep !

Niggy, Norka & Noggy settling into their new home !


Well its time to introduce the new arrivals !!

Ok, you must have guessed by now........the new arrivals are here and they are Kune Kune Piglets .... we have branched out into the piggy department. I have acquired 3 castrated boys as pets, they are about 10 weeks old. Two are brothers and the other is unrelated.

I guess it would be bad manners not to introduce them to you, so here goes.....

I have called....them .... Niggy,(the piggy) .... Noggy,(the hoggy) ... and Norka,(the porka).

The 'Piggy Palace' is still under construction, I have been doing the roof today, just have to finish painting it.

The piggies are in the lean-to barn for the moment where they can settle in. The Kune Kune's are part of my Birthday presents...so we shall begin a life time with the pet pigs....

One thing for sure............

These Little Piggies....are NOT going to market !!

Friday 6 April 2012

Grand Designs ....who lives in a house like this ?

Zoretah ....is last out in the snow !

The start of the task ..... this week !

Fiddler on the roof ! .....


Zeto tucking into the hay .... in the snow ! Just for his fan club ! ... Irene !!

Nearly finished ..... who lives in a house like this ????


We have had a very busy week what with one thing and another....the snow has finally gone, after 4 days of what turned out to be quite a descent amount for this time of the year !

I have spent all week working on my project.....I had a bit of a challenge to complete before Saturday, when my special delivery ...turn up !

I am not quite finished, although I have managed to get most of the transformation completed, I still have a rear door to sort out and the roof to clad and paint...then it will be completed.

So here are a few photos of this weeks task, all the alpacas are fine and have spent some of the week both inside and out. They were quite surprised on Monday to see just how much snow had fallen over night....Zoretah had to be persuaded out by me....she was not happy about walking out onto the snow....but with a good push from me, she managed to catch up with the others as they made their way out on Wednesday.

Tomorrow is another busy day with the delivery and I have to go and get some fixings for the roof and a pot of paint.

I have been doing a spot of recycling, using up various bits of wood, that I had already, so this new house has cost me very little indeed....its been a good excuse to tidy up the barn in the process....

All being well ..... there should be an update tomorrow !!

Monday 2 April 2012

SNOW !!!!!!!!!!

Tonight....what a difference a week makes !

Red hot last week.........snow tonight !

The young boys waiting to come in tonight ..... slightly snowy !

The older boys ...... gathering tonight as the snow begins to fall !

The girls, this evening .. ... sheltering


Well the weather forecast was correct, as predicted...tonight we are under a white blanket of snow.....its still falling and is a good 4" to 6".

They predicted we would have snow by 4pm and for a change they were bang on with their prediction....the alpacas were out today and as the snow began to fall....they began to make their way over to the gates...and wait patiently, for me to arrive and put them to bed !

What a world away from last week's fencing frenzy.......we were sweltering working on the fencing last week...who would believe the change, in such a short time.

We always seem to get what I call a lambing storm, just as the lambs arrive. So the start to April is snow and plenty of it by the looks of things.

The Daffodils are drooping under a white blanket of the white stuff.....

What a relief to get the fencing finished, before the arrival of the snow.

Its time to take advantage of all those inside jobs....I have a bit of a mission to complete before Saturday.....all will be revealed later, providing I manage to complete my task !

At this rate...I'm wondering if I might have to get my snow-chains out !!