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....!!

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 !!!!...

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.

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.

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 !!

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.