Here comes the ......Sun !

The boys...out grazing today......with the sun.....just peeping over the wood !

The boys.....enjoying the sun and maybe a little bit of the green stuff ....

The girls.....out today, ......... Pacosha..is always...last !

The baby boys.....Zeto and Duke also grazing today....

It has been a lovely sunny day here today....but it has been freezing cold outside !

I have been busy sorting out my parcel/fleece, infact the parcel has been collected this afternoon and is off to Portugal !!! I do hope that it arrives safely and that the people are pleased with their alpaca fleece. It should be there in 4 days.....marvelous.

The alpacas are well, Pacosha is much improved, although she still has a couple of bumps under her jaw. I'm hoping that this will reduce over time, but I'm not completely sure that all the infection has been cleared up....I shall keep a sharp eye on her. She is much happier in herself and eating well, supplemented with the Ceto Phyton.

I was out in the fields today, so I took a couple of photos of the alpacas grazing with my phone, we are now starting to get a little bit of sunshine climbing over the trees during the day, the wood that bounds the farm usually blocks it through-out the winter. However as the nights are getting a little lighter and longer.....so the sun is starting to reach higher in the sky.

A little bit of sunshine...goes a long way to lift the spirits, I'm sure the animals appreciate it also enjoying the sunnier days.

I have been doing a little bit of spinning today, also taking advantage of the lovely warm sunshine............in the conservatory....mind you !!

Things are ticking along....and Spring is just round the corner........February is nearly here and that's the first month of the year......nearly over already !!

A little bit of Therapy !

Duke and Zanubis.........waiting for a cuddle !

Zeto and Duke .......

We are ticking along nicely here......hoping that most of the winter is behind us now.....

However....there really is noting better than having a nice cuddle with your alpacas.....when they come in for bed......

Its a bit of a habit that I have got into......a little greeting every morning and a nice cuddle and a squeeze of that fabulous fleece........I suppose that they are my living teddy-bears !!

I just can't resist a 'touchy feely' moment .....especially with the boys...anyway because they are the most friendly. Especially the younger boys....Zeto, Zanubis and The Dukester !!

Oh.....I say.....maybe my little Teddy Bears enjoy the experience as much as me...however I suspect not !!

Its a bit one sided ................

But I like it ....any way part of owning these fantastic animals...is being able to just Love them !!

Back to Square One ! ......

The boys in the barn ......and Norris....eating as usual !!

Duke ......

Pacosha.....enjoying the summer......last year........can't come soon enough !!

It has been over a week since I have blogged....so I just thought I'd better show my face so to speak !

Over the last week or so I had noticed that Pacosha's abscess had started to return. So I have been dealing with this again, she has had two anti-biotic injections. I have lanced it and got out lots of infection, so we are back to the good old poultice.

I have also noticed that she had lost quite a bit of condition, maybe due to the abscess or maybe just because of old age, I suspect that she is probably older than on her registration certificate. I have started to give her some Ceto Phyton, to boost her food intake and hopefully this will help her gain condition. I have noticed quite an improvement with her mood since I have been treating her.

At the beginning of the week, I noticed that she was standing in the field ......she did not graze at all .....just stood looking quite sad.......but now since her treatment, she is back to grazing and moving with the other girls.....and generally behaving like she should be. I think she is much happier.

One another subject, I have sold some fleeces to a customer in Portugal !! So I'm in the process of posting these off.........hopefully sometime next week.....

Its surprising just how people find you, I have also had an enquiry from someone who is interested in coming to see the alpacas, so maybe we will have another visitor....sometime soon.

The girls are now 6 months into their pregnancies, and I think that some are starting to show their baby bumps !! Hopefully we might have 7 new arrivals sometime in June, all being well.

Its hard to believe that......its only 5 months.....to go !!

It will not surprise you to know....I have a new list of 'Z' names just waiting for the new arrivals......still got quite a long list !!

Skating on Ice .......

The girls out in the field today......

Part of the track ..where the girls have to cross to get from the building to the gate.....

Today it has been really cold and very very icy !!

The track to the farm is frozen solid.......the water usually runs down the tracks and with the weather being so cold and the vehicles compacting the snow it has frozen solid.

This is making life very dangerous....especially for the alpaca girls who have to walk a little way over it every morning and night. This morning it was a complete skating rink....and I was not at all happy with the turn-out......skating on ice....I have a couple of girls who usually run out....this morning....there was a brief spurt of speed followed by a bit of a scary moment...legs skating in all different directions......thankfully one or two realised that there was no grip and slowed down and gingerly walked across the track.....Pachosha and Dusty had the most problem....and nearly fell ..........thankfully they managed to right them-selves and stayed on all four legs......

After this ....I was trying to think what I could put over the ice...to try and get some grip for coming in to bed this evening....the only thing I could think of was the ashes from the fire.....so this I did....and it made such a difference....

Even for me.....this evening the girls....came in slowly and without any skating problems....I really don't want any accidents........

I've had a few slippery scary moment....myself......bring on the thaw........

So we have been doing a bit of skating on Ice.......today !!

Sods Law !!! ..........

Zeto......having a sit in the snow !!

Zeto and Duke....watching the older boys.....play-fighting today.....

The older boys...in the distance.........and Norris !

One day....the baby boys will join the older boys........

We had a busy day yesterday, it was worming day.

I have one or two alpacas who are more 'space-cadets' than the other chilled out majority !!

Namely.....Tremona she is very highly strung and regularly spends her time.....spooking herself !! she lives on the edge of life and is a bit of a handful at times, especially when you have to get hold of her. She hates having anything near/over her nose.

Most of the others are quite calm and chilled out. The alpacas who have been born here are well handled and used to being touched. I even managed to get the worming done without getting kicked.....what a result. No black n blue bruises this time for me.......thankfully.

At one point I even had visions of riding Norris round the barn....very like one of those knitted characters you see on the sheep racing !! Thankfully this did not happen and Norris was a star....he is so large.....he is almost square over his back......my little legs straddled his shoulders....and he was very pliant.....I think he liked the molasses that I mixed the wormer with.....it just helps it taste a little nicer.

I had a little dance round the shed with Tremona....but thankfully I managed to get a proper hold on her and bring her to a standstill.......all in all a good job. Till the next time.

After my little self-service oil delivery...I had to go into my local town and drop off the transfer pump that they had kindly lend me. I had just got back home and put the kettle on when I looked out of the kitchen window......

Guess what....there outside was a tanker.....with my oil delivery !! Only one problem....I had already got my own.....a quick chat to the driver and he realised also as the office had told him as he was approaching the farm !! The track is block ice at the moment and not ideal for a huge tanker....especially after a non required delivery !! Never mind he managed to turn round and off he went....I watched him go up the track and he managed to get out up the hill past my neighbours.........

Talk about Sods Law !! ..............typical !!!

When I rang last week .....they said......they couldn't possibly let me know when a delivery could be expected........I wonder if they do a line.....in possible suiters........oneday...maybe like busses....they'll all turn up at once !!

As if !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The things you Do !! ......Mission Accomplished !!!

The girls......out and about !

Mission.....accomplished......sometimes you gotta Do It Yourself !!

Zonda.......roasting by the fire......!!

Well as it has been a cold start to the New Year....very little has changed. Apart from the rapid diminishing hay and oil supplies !

I ordered my replacement oil before Christmas, however for some reason, due to the bad weather, this I was told....could not be delivered until after the New Year ! I was ok with this as I had plenty....which was a good thing !

Now obviously......... I re-rang after the New Year....however....a different story....was told....it was now a case of.....with the weather and one thing and another.....they couldn't tell me when they could deliver....which was no good !!

As I live up a farm track which is liable to block-in with snow in bad weather.......I couldn't take the risk of running out....or not knowing when a delivery would be made........and even if they could deliver...estimated delivery dates.....2/3 weeks....what's to say the weather is good and they can get to the farm !

So there was no other thing for it........get your own !!....so I did......sometimes...if you want something done....you just got to do it yourself.....and not be left waiting for someone else to just let you down !!

I have made two trips to the Fuel Supplier.....one for my friend...who was seriously out of oil ! In fact her gauge was on One.....and the alarm had been warning them of low supply.....this was temporarily topped up with small containers....but if your gonna do a job you might as well.....get large !!

So we purchased an IBC container which holds 1000 ltrs.....and we have both got 500 lts each......so the tanks are happy and the heating is on......no need to worry about the oil now ..... YEHAH !!

Apparently this oil delivery problem, is not just up here in Scotland.....Debbie and Paul at Barnacre Alpacas are also....waiting for an oil delivery...and sadly have ran out ! NOT GOOD !! in this weather.....

If I had lived nearer....they could have......used the same idea !!

So.....that's what we have been doing over the past couple of days....here....The alpacas and other animals are well.....and it was a case of looking after number one !

As you can see...from the photos..of today...we have snow...and its freezing.....so hopefully if I run out of anything else...it might just be a trip to the shops....for the odd.......toilet roll......!! :0)

Fancy a Lick !! .....

Zeuss.....enjoying the salt lick !!

Socks.....also enjoying the lick !!....

New hair-doo !!.......we can see .....

Norris.......enjoying the lick !!....

Last week I decided to renew the salt licks for the alpacas...as I had seen a couple of them sucking the bars on the sheep hurdles. I always worry at this time of year that they are getting enough minerals etc ! So I have used the baby Rockies...the buff coloured one for all livestock ! this seems to have gone down well !

So I decided to replace the salt licks........these have been greatly appreciated ! I have read some where that alpacas do NOT lick....there fore salt licks are not very useful......well someone should tell this to my lot !!

Even Norris ...enjoyed....a sneaky lick ...... I have checked all the licks and they are being used.

Today I have also...done a little bit of 'Hairdressing' the younger boys have had a hair-cut, Duke, Zanubis and Zeto have much more fleece around their faces and I think they also appreciated the new hairdoo !!

Apparently we are forecast more snow over the weekend.....so I hope this comes and goes.....just as quick.

I am looking forward to the spring....and the first sight of snow-drops...then the Daffodils.........yipee....then I know......winter is well and truly on its way........

But for the here and the now....its.....still....cold and dark winter nights.....sitting in front of the roaring....fire.......dreaming of the summer.....and nice evening walks round the wood.....and the odd moan.......about it being too hot !!!........as if !!

Oh.....Aye......I'm dreaming.....back to the winter !!