I need a Sheep Dog !!!!!!!!! Alpacas are Great !

Duke in the summer.....

Not a sheep dog !!......

I could have done with this sheep dog.........the one in the background....was confused !!

Today I foolishly thought that I'd try and move the sheep...into the next field.......as there is much more grass there..infact it was a good deed.....or so I thought at the time !!

First mistake...!!
I had no help...other than me and this soon turned into an ordeal......to cut a very long story short !!...I was there for over 2 hours.....and it turned into.....a 'I wish I hadn't bothered.....mind you...It wasn't a totally failed ..attempt....I eventually got 4 in ! Whoo Hoo !!

After several attempts......of getting them within...10ft of the said gateway.....I lost the battle...I had break-away groups...and I went for reinforcements......this was after about 4 attempts......and over an hour !

So I went to the house.....to get my help....now at this point I have to mention....I have a Dogue De Bordeaux...who is not the sharpest tack in the box....mind you she was on the lead...!! and I have a little Patterdale Terrier cross.....he has been mistaken for a sheep dog puppy ...!!! at times !

Well...even after my helpers created more havoc.....and actually were no help at all....we completely failed.....with the task...and I decided that these..bloody sheep....were not going with my efforts...no matter how I tried.....

I did give the local farmers this afternoons entertainment..as they were out ploughing their fields...and I could hear...them......in my head...I bet they had a bet on that I didn't succeed...and yes after hours.....I gave up...and went to the consolation of my Alpaca friends.....much more refined animals.....and when they ran down to see...me it just lifted my deflated spirits.......now if they had all been called Norris.....they would have followed me through the gate..so he is exempt from the above criticism...after all he thinks like an alpaca in a slightly more course...woolly jumper !!!

Anyway..after an alpaca moment...I was re lifted .....and just had to accept that I have wasted my two or more hours...achieving nothing......well I tried....and failed.....very well !!!

So the moral of the story is Alpacas....are great....and well...sheep are sheep....and maybe I need a sheep dog.......if I'm trying to move the darn ...things.....I will try no more...infact..I will ask the farmer...to come with his dogs....and move them....if they don't go there on there own...

I ain't no Sheep Farmer....and I have....No Sheep Dogs....Lesson learned !!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sticking to Alpacas....and Norris.... ...:0)

Mud....glorious Mud !!!

The Boys and Norris.....

This was one evening...when the sheep arrived....and one or two..decided to play 'King of the Castle'...on top of the well in the field....

No frost up here...but the days and nights are turning colder, its hard to believe that November is nearly here !

The nights are getting darker sooner and we have already had numerous sleet and snowy showers together with biting winds....no gentle ease into the winter.....its here and boy don't I know it !!

The Canada Geese are flying overhead to winter on the Moray Firth, that is always a lovely sight to behold.....but on the down side of the onset of winter...comes the dreaded MUD !!

I seem to spend my winter months....sloshing around in various depths of Mud !!......yesterday I had a delivery of straw to tide me over for the winter....and I have been loading and re-arranging the barns to make room for it...up and down the track and the result is MUD !!

You could get a little dis-heartened about the stuff...and some days...are worse than others....but its just a fact of life when you live in the country on a farm.....

We have had no real frosts to mention.......so a good sturdy pair of wellies are definitely required......

I checked on Holly today...just to make sure she was in her house.....and she is....curled up in the corner....sleeping, she has the right idea...I added more straw in her house so she is nice and snug.....I hope to see her in the spring.......sleep well little hedgehog....!! See you in the Spring !!

I think Holly has gone into Hibernation !!

Taken just before.....hibernation.....is there any room for me !!

The weather has been positively freezing over the past couple of days...the wind is biting and we have had a number of sleet and hail showers...

Although the sun has been shinning at points today....don't be fooled...it is like winter !!

Over the last couple of days, I have been monitoring...Holly the hedgehog..to see if she is eating her food..it appears that maybe she has gone into hibernation.....as she has not eaten her food....lately.

I have come to the conclusion that because the weather is so cold, I think that this has encouraged her to go into hibernation.....frankly I don't blame her....that's the way I feel....this weather would make anybody feel the same way.

I woke up to horrendous hail showers through the night...the noise was so loud on the conservatory roof...it woke me up ! !

I also..woke up to...the remains of the hail showers.....which looked just like snow...but it was the collection of the hail-stones......and they haven't even thawed away..just goes to
show..how cold it is.....

Needless to say...I have the fire on.....and at least its..cosey...in the house....

The sad thing is that ......I'm already......looking forward to spring.....already....I need will power to see me through the onset of winter.......I'm bracing myself ......Time to dust off the thermals !!.........:-0)

Get the Hint !!

Get the hint.....can any one remember the summer !!!!!!!!!

What a day......winter has arrived......

Winter has definitely arrived with avengeance....it has been a blustery freezing cold day with heavy hail storms and sleet...!!

I have spent most of the day inside....pottering about. I happened to look out of my kitchen window..at about 5pm this evening and if ever there was a hint to be taken.....the alpaca girls had started to make their way down to the gateway, where they continued to stand and wait..obviously for me..to let them inside for bed ....

The wind has been biting and with the evening forecast to be no better...then time for bed it was. So tonight we are all tucked up in bed....the babies are in the big barn, the girls are in their shelter and the boys are in the old stone steading......and its nice to have the content feeling that they are all snug, safe and warm..not sitting out in the wet fields....with the howling wind.

I am also doing a little bit of a knitting project.....with some beautiful alpaca fleece, I am in the process of re-vamping my 'Funky Wellground Alpaca Hat' and I have a new addition to match.....coming soon....so no doubt there might be another photo...shoot pending !!

Vaccinations, Toenails & A Black n Blue Knee for Me !!

Dusty has a strange hanger on !!

Zeto, Duke and Zullulah are now back in the weaning paddock.......

Dusty with her cling-on !! and Zakhura.....(Mother and Daughter)

Today I had a few routine jobs to do with the alpaca girls....as the title suggests.....last years cria needed a Multi Vit injection which went ok, then it was time for a few toe-nails to be trimmed, my mam helped hold onto some of the alpacas. The worst offender was Zienna, she was a real nuissance to keep a hold of ! we managed eventually with a bit of a struggle and a sweat on ! Duke was being a real pest when we had to trim Trienza's toes..he was humming and just wouldn't get out of the way !!....he has taken a liking to her at the moment...he is a real strange boy..he is fascinated with different girls at different times, he was infatuated with Zullulah a couple of months ago...now it has been Trienza !!

I was just finishing off the toe-nails of Dusty when I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time......I received a nice hearty kick off Pacosha, who caught me fair and square on the knee...this is the 3rd good kick I have received off her ..over the years...thanks...so I am now modelling a nice black and blue knee....I wouldn't mind but its the same leg she got me on the last time...I really should know better...I was so interested in doing Dusty's toes..I forgot about Pacosha !! I will try and remember..for the next time !!

Anyway after the wrestling with the girls I managed to get done what I needed to, I didn't want to push it as my mam was helping and going back tomorrow...so I didn't want her going back injured !! Mind you I didn't even attempt the worse one....this is Tremona..she is so flighty and needs some lead weights just to bring her down to earth..let alone...trying to do the toe's...maybe next time....I'll give her a pedicure........I need a strong extra pair of hands..just to hang on to her..then there is Zaninni...he has a kick like a horse..so any brave volunteers...need just apply.... funny how the previous owners forget to mention just how problamatic this toe-nail trimming can be !!!!

After all this excitement..it was time to separate some of last years cria again, the younger boys are getting the romantic urge...with some of the girls and are becoming a bit of a pest !! so these had to be removed back to the weaning paddock, where they will stay now until they are old enough to be introduced into the main bachelor group next year. I have also removed Zullulah from the girls for the time being, she had taken to feeding back from her mum Marquette...and she was letting her, this was not good as hopefully Marquette is now pregnant, Zullulah will be re-weaned again for several weeks, I will keep her from the main group as long as I can, providing she is not being pestered by the boys. Zeto and Duke.

So we have had a bit of a change around in preparation for the winter. My parents are going back home tomorrow for a well earned rest......

More Visitors from Afar !!

Jane and Ian, with the electric spinning wheel !!

Today I have had more visitors !!

I had a lovely phone call from Jane & Ian of mclaren-alpacas@hotmail.com all the way from South Africa. They are on holiday here and asked if they could come and have a look at the alpacas, they have been staying in Inverness, they have payed a visit to Tigh Mhor Alpacas, Robbie and Shirley, whilst holidaying here..... both are Vets and also keep a herd of Alpacas in South Africa.

Jane is very interested in processing her alpaca fleece into garments, mainly woven and hand crafted, scarves, waistcoats and throws.....in your own tartan on request !!

We had a lovely chit-chat, and the 'extreme torture' spinning wheel came up in conversation, Jane had to have a go ! and it caused quite a bit of interest, this little spinning wheel came all the way from Poland...purchased from good old Ebay ! Rob from Wellground nicknamed it...a machine of 'extreme torture' !! and it has stuck....

Needless to say we had a quick nosey at the alpacas, a good rummage through this years fleece , then they had to leave back to Inverness.

At this rate....I shall be having to re-surface my track ! maybe after my little run on visitors....

I won't be having any more for a while...I shall have to wait and see....if any one else fancies..a visit !!

In and Out !!

Just a little update on Holly....she has managed to venture out of her new home last night and find her way back home again....

Today I checked up on her I got a shock, as I couldn't find her. My heart sank and for a brief moment I thought that she had not made it back to her new home...then after more searching..deep in the straw........I found her, snugly curled up in the corner of her new home.

So I was chuffed to bits that she had managed to go back to her new home, so hopefully she now knows where she lives.

Excellent result....I shall sleep easier tonight, whilst Holly is out.....and about !!