Hurrah - shearing is finished!

James and Kym Dixon have really 'played a blinder' this season for alpaca owners in the north.  Having been rained off several weeks ago they returned north to dubious weather forecasts and to catch up on all the 'stragglers' they had missed.  Today we were delighted when the weather in the morning was lovely and warm and friends Angie and Liz, each with their respective small herds, were due to have their animals sheared.  We went to help Liz with her 4 boys, and as usual, when an alpaca is sheared, the other animals look at them as if they are total strangers.  Here are Torquil (rear) and Ragnar when they see Hector after clipping!  Hamish has already rushed at Hector and a spitting match started.  Only after a lot of sniffing each other was peace restored.  Ragnar (front) is quite an old boy and was in need of a good short back and sides, dental attention and pedicure...............

And here he is - doesn't he look smart after James and Kym have spent some time on him?

Here are Torquil (left) and Hamish, two of Liz's boys waiting James's attention.

After James and Kym had left to continue their work in the north, we went to visit Angie and Ian who had had a visit from James earlier in the day.  This seems to have induced Bianca (left) as she gave birth to Bailey (the same colour as a certain Irish creme!) about an hour earlier.  This was James's second visit and the second time one of Angie's girls had given birth as a result - James obviously has this effect on girls!  Bianca and Bailey were safely inside as thunder and lightening struck followed by torrential rain! 

This is Twix (he takes the biscuit!), another one of Angie and Ian's family.

Earlier in the week we had a visit from sister-in-law Sheila, husband Jim, daughter Pauline and grandson Matthew.  Sheila is trying to coax Gully to come closer - without luck!  We also had a visit earlier in the week from Lorna and Sandy of Ardo Alpacas and the weather for these visits was fantastic.  As the week has progressed, so has the rain and storms.  Really strange summer weather this year.

Our Cardiocrinum Gigantium  ( Himalayan giant lily, introduced into this country by the explorer George Sherrifs) is excelling itself.  It's now about 7 feet tall with these fragrant, beautiful flowers on display.