Me and My Hat !!..... and the Midges !!

I have been way for a little home visit, just before I went away I had a little job to do, regular readers will remember that I mentioned that the midges were pestering Zaninni, he was being eaten alive by the blighters....I also mentioned that I just might have to make him a designer hat !!....

Whilst I was away I visited Debbie and Paul at Barnacre Alpacas near Morpeth. It was a special visit to see Golden Guinea and the new arrivals, Palm-Olive, Heidi and the most recent little girl to arrive at Barnacre.....I wonder what have you decided to call her.

I mentioned to Debbie that I had some photos of Zaninni wearing his extra special midge- busting hat, so needless to say the camera came out and I have said that we were going to set the trend in Alpaca Headwear !! .....at this point I think that Debbie was certain that I was slightly off the planet, however I assured her that I was completely sane !! all in the name of alpaca welfare.

Zaninni likes hit new hat, its better than being eaten alive by the midges and he looks handsome, we had several attempts and fittings to eventually get the right look !! ....its very important you know.

I have lots of photos of my lovely visit, I was very pleased to see Golden Guinea on his feet, he has been recovering after a freak accident after beaching himself on the dividing fence between two paddocks....I do hope that he continues to recover and gain his strength back to full health, he is a beautifully handsome fella. The new arrivals are lovely and I had a lovely afternoon 'alpaca chatting'.....although I did feel that I never shut up, I can't think why !!

So I've gone on about it enough, so here's the pictures you have been waiting for....... I'll let you make up your own mind up about my sanity, however there are no complaints from Zaninni ....

Its like winter......guess where we are !

As I type the wind is blowing a gale and the rain is lashing down, we are been battered by a right storm, quite frankly its like winter.....we have had a good run of fine weather and I thought that spring had sprung, however as the saying goes........Don't cast a clout till May is Out !......and its true.

If I did not know any better I'd swear it was November !

So guess where we are tonight, I mean the alpacas.....yes you've guessed it tucked up nice and dry in their sheds !....well a combination of barn for the girls and the building I made last year for the boys.

I have read Marks blog...the Mighty Patou and he is not a happy bunny.....this weather is 'pants'....and I do hope that his alpacas don't have too rough a night.....and he has James the shearer coming first thing in the morning......this is the kind of weather when you could do with keeping your fur coat on !....typical.

I hope all goes well for them down at the Mighty Patou and I hope that the sun shines bright no damp clouds......heres hoping.

Why is it that the weather is rubbish, just after you have your animals sheared. It happens to me every year !! I hope that the new arrivals are finding a bit of dry shelter at Barnacre and Coire Alpacas....they have new babies, just days/hours old...

Spot the Gargoyle, on the roof !!......

What are they on !!

Last week my parents came up to visit, they had been on holiday to the Isle of Sky as a treat for my Dad, who celebrated his 70th Birthday in April.

As a surprise Birthday present I had a garden Wheel-Barrow made from a local nursery. My dad has been going on and on about a new one for the garden. He had no idea that I was scheming to get him one.

So, here's the proof of the pudding....he was delighted with his surprise, the look on his face said it all..........!!! the only problem was, would it fit into the car to get it home....it did !

We had a lovely week, jobbing about on the farm, there's been a lot going on, fencing, I managed to get my wood store made, the only problem now is, we just have to fill it with wood... the garden has been fenced and I made a nice arch-way to house the clematis, I have been promising it an arch for at least three years that I know of.

Also here's a picture of the newly painted Post-Knocker.....its got some work to do, you've just got to look at all those posts in the background and the arch-way with my lovely Deer Bell that my parents bought me as a little pressie.

The post-knocker has had a face lift and is ready for action, the list goes on !!....so here's a few pictures of the improvements......

My Mam and Dad bought me a lovely Deer Bell and there was only one place to put it !.... I think it looks nice over the arch-way.

The 'Dirty Stop Outs'.... at Sunset !!

This one is for you Debbie, as I know that you are wondering how the Alpacas are coping with their 'Nights-Out !...

So I took my camera with me the other night at feeding time to record the moment !...I must say, I think that they are enjoying the lovely evenings that we have been having.

However, there is always one !.....now last year Zaninni was being pestered by the midges biting his ears, I thought that this might be a one-off, but its not. He is having the same problem this year, so we have treated him with some Deosect fly repellent mixed with pig-oil. I know this sound horrible, but I don't think that its from pigs.....I think that it is used for preparation when showing pigs.....I hope anyway.

If this does not work, but I think it will, as I have used it with my horses, with great results. I am thinking of making him ......now wait for it !!!.......some ear protectors....nice bonny ones just like what the Peruvian people would dress their alpacas in, so he has some street cred out in the field, I might even put some 'Pom Poms' on !...... I'll keep you posted.

If I make Zaninni a little stylist head-wear, I can guarantee you one thing....it will be on the Blog !... with pictures of course.

Those horrible midges....... I can see the need to get the field-shelter built........another job on the list !!

Big Jobs require Big Kit !!...Now that's what I call a sprayer !

What about that for a sprayer, its marvellous when you have the 'kit' to do the job just how easy it is !

I'm talking about weed killing, we have been blighted with dockings so there was nothing else for it other than to get the professionals in.

Needless to say the animals needed to be re-accommodated, hence the babies are back in with the girls, I know its the fastest weaning known to record, but all seems to be well. No problems so far with trying to feed, the mothers have definitely weaned the babies and thankfully both of the girls have stopped producing milk.

This was a decision that I had to make as we needed to have the majority of the fields sprayed. So it looks like this is the plan for at least 10 days as the fields need to be rested.

If we encounter any problems I shall have to have a re-think, but all seems well for the moment. I would normally keep them separated for a lot longer, but needs must.