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 30 June 2013

Crop circle time again.

Having watched Kate Humble's programme on alpacas from Peru we can relax in the knowledge that our boys have a really comfortable existence here - as elsewhere in UK with other owners.  Back to more mundane things here and common to all of us will be the poo pile areas on which the grass grows much thicker and higher than the rest of the paddocks.  All very well but a bit of a test when it comes to trying to keep the paddocks clean.  The three areas can clearly be seen front, middle and bottom of this paddock - even though the photo is not of the best quality.
Our solution to this problem is either the strimmer, or more often, the sit on job!  The noise doesn't scare off the boys, they are just curious about this new machine which makes more noise than the  daily visit from the Poop Recovery Vehicle wheel barrow with the squeaky wheel which the grumpy gardener pushes around!  Gully having a look at the sit on.
The boys watch the action from a safe distance.
The mower makes short work of the longest of the grass.
The result of the cut though is that from a distance it looks like crop circles in the paddocks.  Still, it keeps the passing tourists amused!
Elsewhere, down at the boys' steading the Pied Wagtail brood have finally taken to the air - well, almost.  This youngster got itself trapped behind a barrier but was soon helped to freedom by a friendly human, much to the delight of mum and dad wagtail who were creating a din nearby.
And finally............ the Weigela bush on the right has been in this position at the side of the drive  for around 12 years  but this is the most flowers we have ever seen on it.  Perhaps like some other plants, Hostas for instance, it has benefitted from the longer, colder Spring.  A tree heather is in the background with a flowering cherry on the left.

3 comments:

  1. Your photo prompted me to go and look at our Wegela...doesn't seem that the weather has improved our display...might also be something to do with the gardener having minimal skills, hence the having to go and look if it was flowering. I will do better next year, yours looks lovely!

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  2. Interesting to see that you pick up your mowings. We let our fall when we top the paddocks and it seems to breakdown ok.

    How are things going on the house front...are you nearly there or have I missed a post and maybe you're already in?!

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  3. Hi Judi, Not in yet although the house is completed now. Waiting until after summer to see if we get any interest in the sale of Tigh Mhor. No luck so far but the property market place is absolutely flat at present so we know we have a wait on our hands. Shirley & Robbie

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