Still chilly.

After boasting in last week's blog that we'd had very little frost this winter, Tuesday night this week was really frosty for this time of year and several of the bushes in flower, Magnolia and Camellia in particular, turned from white and pink respectively to dark brown!  We just have to hope that the apple buds have survived the frost - they look OK - otherwise we will have a poor harvest again.  This photo was taken at 7.00am on Wed, frost was on the grass, ice was in the water troughs and Ben Wyvis in the distance had a new dusting of snow.  Faro and Gully are up and about but Fergus is still lying down in the shelter.

About an hour later the boys have moved to an adjoining paddock but prefer to take it easy at this time of day.  Note that Fidget is lying on his own again, at the bottom of the paddock and looking for bunnies, and the ice from the water trough still hasn't melted. 

This photo of Rufus was taken yesterday.  Always quite nervous here he is listening to dogs barking in the distance.

Faro - not a lover of the camera, keeping a close eye on the photographer!

Fyta getting his chin stroked as he and Wee Eck help themselves to hay.  Fyta, like most of the boys, generally doesn't like being touched but does like a 'chin tickle' now and again!

This is a Clematis at the entrance to the vegetable garden, and it's in full flower at present.  The frost didn't seem to have affected it at all.

And finally..........long term blog readers may recall that about three years ago we had a visit from Gill and Ian who live on the Isle of Coll and who were very keen to own alpacas.  There was just one snag and that was that they had to build  their own house first before they could give a home to 'pacas.  Since then, they got planning permission, built their own home and moved in late last year.  Very recently they have just transported Duncan, Dixie and Bruno to the island causing considerable interest and amusement at the ferry terminal and starting what we think will be a flood of visitors to see the 'pacas at their home.  This photo of Duncan at his new home on the island says it all - beautiful.  Well done on realising your dream Gill and Ian - we think there will be a few jealous bloggers out there!