Furry Bums ....

Evening Stroll......

We still have our coat on up here !

Zanubis....out for an evening stroll....

Diesel and Zonda....are also out.....for an evening stroll

Zaninni....he just looks...good and can you spot Norris !!

Tremona and Trienza...enjoying the view

Last night I decided to go for an evening stroll around the wood with the dogs. It was a lovely evening and the wood is now 4 years old. Back in 2006 we planted up just under 6 acres of mixed broad leaf trees. It is fantastic to see just how this is starting to take shape. As it was such a severe winter everything appears to be behind for the time of year. The grass is just turning the corner...and remember the muck-spreading...well that has virtually all gone !

The trees are just starting to sprout into life and although some have been damaged by the winds, most of them are doing fine, there was approx 4500 trees planted to create this new woodland. So it was inevitable that some would not make it.

It is a fantastic feeling to be able to walk around your own little woodland, hopefully in years to come, I shall still be able to enjoy it, I want to be able to look back and say....'I remember when....this was planted ....' It might be little for now..but everything has to 'grow and great things take time ' .... as we all know.

After my lovely stroll....obviously it was time to take some alpaca photos.....I'm determined to enjoy my furry friends....as its getting nearer to shearing time once again..

I always have mixed emotions about shearing, I know the alpacas must feel relieved to get rid of all that fleece, especially in the hot weather, but I do love to see them in full fleece, then I have the delight of all that lovely fleece, my imagination just runs away with the thought of what I can create with all this....and the sight of freshly sheared alpacas.........Well that just takes a bit of getting used to !

But for now.......we are still under a big blanket of fleece, so we are enjoying it all the same.

Lets face it..its hardly a heatwave !

;-(

Tigh Mhor Visit !....

Smile for the camera....can you get much closer...Zerquo !!

The girls are looking glamorous !.....as usual....unlike the on-lookers!!

Minstrel is having a word with Shirley !!

Boys and Babies !!

Marquette and Me !

It might have taken a couple of days...but I usually get there in the end !

I have managed to transfer the photos, that Robbie and Shirley took of their visit to us on Monday ! I have never done this before and it was a bit of trial and error.

I forgot to take my camera out with me, so unfortunately I had no pictures of the day. Thankfully, Robbie and Shirley had remembered theirs.

So I just thought that I would share a few photos with you of our little day with the alpacas, I will have to admit to Shirley, that I had a lovely cuddle with minstrel on Friday, we had a wonderful alpaca moment and it lasted....about 15 mins !! What a way to lift your spirits, I just love her, she is a real character !.... When Shirley and Robbie was here she played had to get and would not let us cuddle her. We tried but to no avail !!

I have read that Debbie is being brave at Barnacre Alpacas..and has decided to have her animals sheared !!!......well I hope that all goes well for your shearing day. But I think under the current weather, we are going to hang on to our fleece for as long as possible......its definitely not Summer Just Yet !

In fact.....its more like.....Autumn.....Roll on the Summer .......

What's the saying.....'Don't cast a clout 'till May is out !! ;-)

They're Right !!

Designer Soap !!... & Delicious Shortbread !

Hand crafted soaps.....

Its a hard life !

My little present from Robbie and Shirley ....thank-you !

Today I have had visitors...Shirley and Robbie from Tigh Mhor Alpacas.

The time has just flew by ! It was lovely of them to come and visit us here at Zanzibah, I have often wondered about meeting them, as my shearer James Dixon always goes to shear for them after me ! Well today was that day and we had a lovely little chit-chat.

Needless, to say, Alpacas were on the agenda...we had a look at the babies....Duke was on his best behaviour and made them very welcome ! Then it was off to see the boys...we had a close inspection of them and it was over to see the girls. Minstrel was not having a cuddle today !...she was teasing us...but every time we went to stroke her, she just played hard to get !...mind you she does like to creep up on you...when you are not looking !!

We compared....spinning, yarns....bored Robbie with various knitted items....and you could hardly get a word in.....we had a private little fashion show.....as you do !!....and then before they left.....we polished off some home-made soup....and of course, there was a cake ! Robbie even managed to sneak a second piece !!..so it must have been nice.

We nosed at various fleeces and Shirley even had a go of my Electric Spinning Wheel !!....there's just not enough hours in the day !...for all this Alpaca-ing About !!

The weather is like winter...and we have had all the seasons...in one today....starting with Sleet and Hail Showers...then Rain.....and a little bit of Sun......The wind is freezing..if I didn't know better I'd say it was January !!

Before Shirley and Robbie left, they gave me a little present...some lovely home-made short-bread and some Designer Soap.....all had crafted by Shirley !

Now, unlike me...I forgot to take my camera out...with me so I got no photos, but I have managed to take some of my little Thank-you...present...my lovely soap...

I packed them off....home-ward bound, with some more cake ! especially for Robbie, I could see him eyeing it up....so I hope you enjoyed your day...as much as me...and the extra cake with a cuppa tea tonight.

Time to Enjoy !!

The weanlings...... enjoying their new paddock

Is it time for Bed ?

Zullulah....

As the title would suggest, after my hectic days......its time to wind down a little !

So I have been taking it easy, over the last couple of days. I have been turning my time to doing a bit of spinning. I really enjoy this, and for some reason, its quite therapeutic. Also my electric spinning wheel is fantastic ! Gives the old knees a rest.

The alpacas are all ok, there is definite improvement with Zeuss's leg and I have only heard one cough from Zanubis ! Socks also appears to be doing what he should, so I think its safe to say, he is ok !

The babies are getting the hang of being on their own, Duke has settled in really well and they have formed a nice little group. I have wormed my weanlings last night as they were due. Today we have a little rain, so that will wash in the muck spreading......in preparation for the hay crop !

Well, now we are in May, I can't believe that it will be only just a few weeks till the alpacas will be sheared again. I still have a little bit of fleece from last year's shearing batch...but I'm sure that this will be used up quickly ........ thankfully to my little electric wheel !

Oh....I thought that I would just mention...I planted 200 Daffodil Bulbs in Feb....that was late due to all the snow....we had. Well I would just like to say.....that they are all starting to grow !

I know its late....but still they are a welcome sight !

Its a Dirty Old Job.......but someone's gota do it !!

What a Day.....ladies that lunch !.......maybe one day !!

I did have an audience......

Daisy is doing a great job...the muck heap is disappearing !!

Now, who's that handsome fella !.....he's even smiling for the camera...if you look closely.

How does the saying go .....All the gear,........and you might as well use it !!

I shall firstly start with the alpacas.....as some may be wondering how we are getting on with one or two health issues....that I was having. Well, Socks appears to be back to normal....after my scare the other day with him, whether or not he was injured I will never know. But so far as to say he is walking, eating and behaving just as he should, I am still keeping an eye on him.

Zanubis's coughing appears to have gone ! I have him on antibiotics and cough medicine. I have not heard him cough for a couple of days, now I have said this...I bet he coughs today !

Zeuss's leg is still under treatment and I shall be re-dressing it today...so see what it is doing, he also is on antibiotics. I shall persevere with this..no doubt.

Now to say I have been slightly busy is an understatement......they say a picture paints a thousand words...so no doubt you will make your own mind up !!

I have been getting my hands....dirty ! No painted nails..here....but a good sturdy pair of gloves required ! I have been waiting for the contractors...to come and do a bit of muck-spreading !....waiting..... and waiting.....so, there was no other thing for it ! as the grass is just beginning to turn......its important it gets done....sooner rather than later....and I just couldn't wait any longer.....'Where there's a will'............and so on !!

Mind you, I did have a bit of a scary moment.....I shall admit to......I'm not too proud ! I drove to the top of the field..and turned the tractor round in order to go down hill......picture the scene, at this point I have about 4 ton of 'Shite' on board....!! The tractor was in four wheel drive and it just managed to pull the whole thing up the incline to the top of the field, so I decided...rather than straining it up hill, I would go down and work with gravity.........TOO WELL IN FACT.........I was having a blonde !.....moment !! I THOUGHT I WAS IN GEAR......!! I WASN'T............GRAVITY WAS WORKING A BIT TOO WELL !! ........ especially when you have all that weight...pushing you down the hill......I managed to get it under control, there are some......rather large skid marks......in the field....!! ( ....no where else !) I'll have you know !!!!!

So....that was my only......brief encounter with....danger !! and yes Debbie, I have a safety knot in the tractor !!

I shall dust off the life insurance policy at this rate !!! :-)

As Rob would say......'To Infinity and Beyond !!' ....... Im off to find a new pair of pants !!

Get me a Whisky ! ....somebody

;-0))

What a week.....Highs...and Lows.....

Socksy.....he's off colour...!!!

Zienna....is looking .......like...... just how I feel !!

I have had one of those weeks...a very mixed bag of highs and lows......just goes to show you never know whats round the corner..

Obviously, one of the highs..was Duke arriving safe and sound...and boy how time flies...he has been here exactly one week today.

Today, another...high...the Swallows are here...they weren't here this morning..but this afternoon I looked out of the kitchen window...and there they were 'Fantastic'..I love to see the swallows...marks the start of Summer for me ! I do hope its a good one....after the hard slog through this winter...I'm looking forward to a good one !!

Now....onto the lows.... at the moment is it like emergency ward 10 here !!!...I'm having a bit of a run....with poorly alpacas....I have 3 at the moment....!!

Zeuss's nasty abscess has returned...so I am in the process of treating that !...on your own I here you ask !!.....Yes !!.....not easy ! But I will persevere...I have to try and just get on with it....

Zanubis..has developed a bit of a cough..a tickly...one...he's ok one minute then has bouts of coughing.....so I am treating that also....!!

Now, what a palaver.......I had decided to feed up early on Thursday..night..as I was hoping for an early....finish...no chance !!

I fed the boys their evening tea..and was having a look a t Zeuss's leg. It then dawned on me that I was an alpaca missing..and I re-checked them, just to make sure. Yes, definitely one missing...I had a look around the field and at first I couldn't see him....It was 'Socks' my older brown and white boy..he is very shy..and never gets involved with the argy-bargy with the other boys.....I was looking...frantically..by now...and I spotted him....up the top of the field....My heart just sank ! He was lying down..on his side...this did not look good. I shouted of him..but no response...he then looked up and just rolled back down onto his side. !! By this time I was walking up the field...just wondering ....what I was going to find...and was dreading the worst ! Normally he will not let you close....but he made no attempt to move..this wasn't good... I approached him and he made no attempt to get up ! I checked him over and could see nothing unusual....so I sat down next to him for a better look...now you know when you could do with a hand...and there is nobody there....well that was me. I rang for help..no answer....I knew I could not move him on my own....so I had to get some assistance....in the end it was getting dark...I ended up going for my neighbour...and we managed to get him inside..the barn....I didn't know what was wrong....so just to cover most things..he got an anti-biotic...injection..for infection...maybe ulcers !..I was thinking...then also to cover....pain...he got some pain relief..in the form of Liquid Devils..Claw....I was trying to cover all eventualities......I would check him...regularly...and monitor his...situation.....I left him..next to the babies..and put some feed out for him...over night...

In the morning..I was pleased to see him standing..and he had eaten his feed....I can't decide if he has strained himself....if the boys have been wrestling...or if it might have been..something else...needless to say he is back out with the others....and they are coming in....for routine...healthcare...!! He is off colour to say the least..as he has been lying down alot..and resting......I have been keeping a close eye on all of them today....As I have been in the conservatory....spinning up some of Zerquo's fleece.... I shall keep you posted how we get on...

I hate it when these sort of things happen.....you just plummet back down to earth with a mighty thump !!....so Im trying to stay focused....on nicer things.....and hanging onto...my lovely weekend....last week.......just goes to show...how...things change.........and thats...just the Alpaca....side of things...!!

Just to round things off...I nearly choked myself last night...trying to get water through the water pipe for the cows.....!!

What a week .........:-(