Festive Greetings and......Santa has come early......I couldn't wait !!.!

Everette Green has a new friend !.......Santa...has arrived early here at Zanzibah Land

My lovely new Fawn Girl......courtesy of Wellground Alpaca Stud !!

The view up the track....today...

The Rainbow Trout hand carved walking stick.......made by my father !

The view from the hill...looking down to the farm.......I have been out in the tractor...today...

I am back from my little blog holiday....just in time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....

I have been other wise occupied.....over the last week.....what with one thing and another....although the temperature was rising.....:-) we still managed to have.....even more snow than before......I have been busy as usual trying to keep the track open......we have had a considerable amount of snow over the last week....what a week .......but all in all a great week !! Maybe more of the same...in the future....who knows....time will tell !

Here at Zanzibah Land....I have been rather naughty... Santa has arrived early with presents......I was perplexed with the little jingle that was coming from one very nice present.....I just couldn't leave it alone.....I left it a couple of days having....rattled it on a daily basis...wondering what it could be.......and then...tonight....I gave in to the....temptation....I just had to open it......and what was inside...it really made me laugh......Everette Green has a new little friend........Santa..!! He sings....and dances like no other......what a great little mover !

Then on my wish list....obviously a new fawn alpaca.......that would be nice....wouldn't it.....well maybe fantasy wishful thinking.......or was it.....I shall let you decide on that one.......what a absolutely lovely gift ! Thank-you.....a lovely surprise....

Cinderella is back to the usual....daily chores........

My parents are visiting for Christmas....and my dad has brought some of his hand carved walking stick to show me.....he has made a lovely Rainbow Trout one from a Rams horn....

Well its just left to Wish you all a Merry Christmas....and I wonder what Santa has in store......I have been just a little naughty.......I have opened one or two...presents....already ! :0)

The Temperature is Rising !!!

The girls....waiting to go out...this morning !

Yipee.....we have....grass...

Pocus..is waiting...for Santa !!

What a difference a day makes.....the temperature has risen.....considerably !!

We hardly have any snow left it has melted with avengence.....there has been local flooding on roads ......and the rivers and ditches are running to full capacity.

The alpacas have been out today as we had grass....well.....brownish grass anyway.....they have been inside for about 2 weeks.....refusing to venture out in the snow.

Unfortunately with the thaw....there is mud ! Everything is now going back to green, albeit muddy green. The larger animals have all been out on the fields doing a little bit of grazing.

The alpacas ran out and up the field today.....I think they were happy not to have a snow covered field.

I have a couple of photos...to record the moment......we are getting into the festive spirit here. In fact I have a special delivery.....due to arrive some time next week !!!! can't say any more than that !! So the blog might be a bit quiet...as I might be a little bit pre-occupied....

I have had to alter my props..in my shelter...now the snow has gone...the roof has sprung back....and some of the props had fallen out.....its lifted about 4 to 5" it just goes to show.....what weight was on there......but all in all.....I'm glad that I will be able to repair it in the future..and I'm not replacing the full roof !!

So the big melt is on.....and apparently....we are forecast.....it to get colder towards the latter end of next week......and brace yourself....for a bit more of the white stuff !!

Sack the Builder .....The Girls have been Evicted !!

We are feeling the strain.....of the snow !!........

Thankfully....I had propped up the roof......as the snow was so...deep !......

An empty building......thankfully no harm done.....the girls have moved...to the building....down the track !......

Well this weather is taking its toll.....on man and beast.......and today...I was greeted by a scary moment !!

I have been concerned....by the small shelter that I made a couple of years ago....I wasn't convinced that the roof was strong enough....I have 7"x 2" spars....keeping the main support of the roof. But at the time of building....I was limited to how many cross members I could get and the ones that I did get....I wasn't happy with them at the time. Never the less......it was built and it has been an excellent little shelter........

Bearing in mind that we have not had....this sort of heavy snow fall in 2010 on record in Scotland....till now....I thought that it would be ok....after all ever one moaned on about Global Warming !!....so I thought that the roof....was more than strong enough...to cope with the copious amounts of rain !!.......

Having said all that....after the snow earlier on in the year...and the horrendous.....amounts that fell.....I was quite impressed with the little roof......and its....strength......

However all the while in the back on my head was a little niggle....that I think I should strengthen that roof !!..... Now...at the time I hadn't considered...that allot of the snow.....slips from the big barn...roof...onto this little roof.....I hadn't thought of that !!......either....!!

Today.....when I walked the dogs......I couldn't help notice...that we were thawing ....rapidly !!...infact.....every where...is soaked !

As usual I check the girls......the first thing I noticed....was the roof !!.....MMmmm the sight I saw I wasn't happy !!.....thankfully...in my wisdom......I had decided to prop the roof with extra supports to be on the safe side....after all we have had allot of snow lately !!

And...thankfully I did......there was a massive.....crack in one of the main....roof beams....if my prop had not been there...this little roof...would have collapsed.....and my girls are in here....the thought doesn't bear thinking about......

So this morning.....emergency..action plan...the girls were kicked out into the field.....I have propped the roof even more...with three extra....supports.......this will hold the roof till I can repair the damage.....probably in the spring or at least in the better weather.....

Thankfully the girls have been moved....to the old stone steading.....where I used to keep the boys...its a little dark...but at least the roofs....good !!....The other shelter..will stay empty till its repaired. I'm lucky enough to have a spare building to use over the winter.....

Aren't I glad....I propped up that roof......'Better to be Safe than Sorry !.......Lucky's not the word !!.....

You can never......be too careful ....... there's lots of farms on the news lately....that their buildings have collapsed with their livestock in.......and there have been several casualties.......the thought.....makes me just cringe....we spend most of our time...trying to look after our animals...........providing shelter.........and comfort..........tonight....Im grateful....I had a little bit of hindsight.......and it has payed off.......!!!!!

Guess what I've been Doing !!!!!!!!!!!!!

The track after....the snow...clearing.....tonight !!

The drifts...were really quite deep.....the wind just blows the snow back....sadly !!

This is the track this morning !.....my walk....before the work to clear it had started !

Deep snow drifts......overnight and yesterday......just think I got back in time last night with the car !.........there's no way.....we'd get through this.....with the car !! 4x4 or not !!

No surprises......sadly for me today....did I wake up to a lovely sunny day.....with nice melting snow......no chance !!

Instead the blizzards came yesterday afternoon....and we got well and truly snowed on, once again.....the winds picked up and it was a white-out from late afternoon well into the evening !

I was out shopping and what a different world....I came out to......the roads were really bad and it was an interesting drive home to say the least.....I was greeted by snow drifts.....crossing the track......it was a case of .........fortune favours the brave...there were three places where the drifting snow was really quite deep....I'd estimate it to be 2ft....and there were a couple of....car drifting moments...when we battled against the snow....and managed to keep the car going........yehah......I made it all the way up the track and parked outside......Boy was I pleased !

So this morning....I had a job ! To try and clear away the snow......again.....Im trying to keep the track open so I don't get blocked in..like earlier on in the year....I was blocked in for over 4 weeks...!! Not Good !!

Its the dry...drifting snow thats the problem.....it just drifts...back.....time and time again....As I type tonight......the snow/sleet is lashing off the window....so it is still relentless......

I shall battle on........with my tractor and plough !!....home-made ! It does a good job...but I'm not working 24hrs.......the snow clearer....track...maintenence is now sitting in front of the fire.....I've done my day shift !!

I can just hope that...its not too bad.....I shall return to snow clearing duties....no doubt....very soon......so here are some photos...of my morning walk....before the track clearing....and this evening......after the attempt to keep the access......open !

At this rate.....I could do with a proper....snow-plough !!!.....

8 Wood Pigeons in an Ash Tree !!.....no Partridge !!

The Wood Pigeons......in the Ash Tree !!!!!!!!......and its snowing ....

The Pheasants....in the garden........today.....

The little birds.......in the garden......

Everette Green...........my little singing Christmas Tree !!.....he's out this year.......he had a year off last year....but he's back.....!!

The weather is still cold and we still have snow....mind you it has thawed a little today....

I have had various avalanches of snow sliding off the roof.......the icicles are beginning to melt and well......just when you thought it might be on its way....night time comes and its back to freezing....

Onto matters of a feathered variety......there is a very popular song......at this time of year !! it goes something like this......'On the first day of Christmas......my true love gave to me '.......

A Partridge.....in a Pear Tree.............I can hear you all singing.....at this point !!.....

Well sadly ..............I have no.......Pear Tree......or even....the other.....!!

But what I do have......is 8 Wood Pigeons......in my Ash Tree.....all together now !!!!!!!!!!

I can hear you all now singing.....the Zanzibah version........' Eight Wood Pigeons in an Ash Tree !! .............. I have also had 4 Pheasants....in the Garden........

Oh dear.............the things you do......on days like this.......one could be accused of being slightly......perculiar........on occasions.......however I can assure you.........that the occasions are very consistent .....indeed.....on that note...it is the time of year for a very special....person to make an appearance......its..Everette Green.....he's back.....to keep me company....over the festive season......!!

I turned the girls out today...as I thought they would like to be out....they ran across the field...following each other.....and me as I took the dogs down the track...and by the time I had returned.....they were all standing back at the gate waiting to come in !!.....

A brief outing....indeed......mind you the wind was bitter....and there's nothing just standing out in the fields.....freezing.....the boys and the baby boys are as happy as Larry...with Norris in the big Barn......no requests from them to go out in this freezing stuff......

The most they do is have a quick sniff of the freezing air.....then retire to the hay......after feeding their faces...its time for a lie down and a look at the scenery !!.....

What a life !!

The Big Freeze !! .....and Sit In !!!!!

We're not moving.........out there !! .... its freezing !!

Haggis ..... waiting...for his bucket .......

Haggis....enjoying his feed ........

It was lovely.........and so is he !!.....its so cold he has icicles........on his face !! The Highland Cattle are well suited to these extreme temperatures....they do not loose their body heat !! like others........

The track tonight.......and the freezing fog is creeping in....tonight........

Well no thaw in sight......in fact its getting colder......tonight as I type the weather station is showing -7 C excluding any wind chill....so its freezing alright !!

You know its cold when the moisture....up your nose starts to freeze, or your hands stick to the gate......just little things like that remind you just how cold it really is......

Not to mention...the frozen water......frozen solid......barn doors.....and today...for a brief moment...the hydraulic...pipes on the front loader...were frozen !!....thankfully the tractor started up...she can be a little temperamental in this extreme cold weather.......I had water to do for the big animals.......so I needed the tractor to take it down to the field for Haggis and Dougal.....on the front loader.......then it was my usual....drive down the track....to lay down some......extra tracks......in case I need to get out !!

I took a photo of the girls...in the shed......looking like they needed...to be out !!.......no chance !!

So again the alpacas have been indoors.......quite content !........meals on demand...warm cosy bed.....why would you want to go any further........ in this snow...getting your feet cold....no thanks !

We're sitting pretty !!

Little Black Bird.....Big Wood Pigeon !!

Top left...Big Wood Pigeon.....bottom right....little Black Bird !!

The wild life....helping them-selves to the rose-hips.....

The snow....is quite deep now.....view to the wood......

The girls........wanting back in !!

A lovely Beech Tree.....on the edge of the wood.......behind......the tree......my little wood...is now 4 years....old ..........

I was looking out of the window....this afternoon...and there outside sitting on the wild rose bush was a little Black Bird......!!

I thought Ah....the little Black Bird was helping itself..to the rose-hips....on the shrub....as it was tucking into the hips......

There was a huge......flying Wood Pigeon..which also landed like a world war II bomber.....on the same shrub.....the Wood Pigeon was huge in comparison to the little Black Bird ......

They both tucked into the rose-hips and then the pigeon.....flew off.... I like to see the birds in the garden...and I always..leave the rose pruning till after the winter for this reason.....as when the weather is bad the birds..rely on all the food they can find......I always put feed out for the birds......so we often have garden visitors.......

The girls were out for all of 5 mintutes...today....I turned them out......put hay out and the sky just turned black and then into snow.....they stood at the gate and demanded to be back in....so I just opened the gate and in they ran.....I then collected up the hay....and they were happy to be inside....out of the snow !

There is no end to the snowing at the moment...we are forecast.......more snow over night on the East Coast of Scotland......and its minus 5 !!

No melt insight !!!...........