OUR SMALL HERD

Our original four boys came from Ardo Alpacas in Aberdeenshire. We are not alpaca breeders and have our boys purely as pets. Our experience is that you don't need to be a breeder and that a 'batchelor herd' can give much pleasure to the owner. We have 5 acres including our big garden and grazing for the boys, 15 miles north of Inverness, Scotland. I spin, knit, felt and crochet with the fleece from the boys.

Clicking!!

Just a reminder that clicking on (most) of the photos will show them greatly enlarged.

Sunday 13 May 2012

When will the warm weather arrive?

A last feed of hay for the boys before moving them from the bottom to the top paddocks.  The square bales of hay didn't seem to be moving a few weeks ago when the weather was nice, now with the wintry weather we're having, the boys are tucking into it once again.  We note from the various blogs that everyone seems to be having either a cold, or wet time of it at present.  The boys don't seem to mind but for their sakes we're not looking forward to shearing at the end of the month if this weather doesn't warm up.
We had a visit earlier in the week from brother and sister in law, Jim and Sheila who seem to be speaking Fergus's language (anything to do with food!) with Wee Eck and Faro looking on.
Fergus realises that Sheila's chat up line is all hot air - no food involved, no snacks or tit-bits, so interest is fast waning !
Gully showing off his dense fleece.
For those interested in house building sites, this is where we are at present with ours - foundations and concrete pouring this coming week, weather permitting.  The boys can be seen in the middle distance near their field shelters.  They have got quite used to the comings and goings of lorries and machinery onto the site and like to lie chewing the cud watching the builders get a good soaking!
And finally.........some of the flowers and plants are struggling in this cold weather.  This is Solomon's Seal which would normally all be out by now with their rows of hanging white bells, but as this photo shows, some are finding it hard to grow tall and hold their heads up in the cold.

4 comments:

  1. Caught a bit of sunburn this weekend, and the shorts even made their debut (very late) for this year today, but the wind has turned cold, from the north this evening. The pacas will love all the builders work going on.

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  2. We're enjoying warm and sunny weather...not quite got the shorts out yet though but t-shirts are fine! Hope you too are soon basking in sunshine but, for now, at least your boys will be glad of those lovely coats!

    Do keep the progress photos coming, it's always interesting watching a house appear!

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  3. Don't worry Shirley...we are enjoying the same weather as yourselves...we are wet and windy (alpacas included)!

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  4. I hoping the sun will warm up your area soon!! We've been enjoying a mixed bag of weather!! Today happens to be gray and chilly and damp. Enjoyed all your photos! I can imagine your anxious for the building of the new home! Come on out Sun!!! ...debbie

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