End of year post.

We've had a return to snowy conditions as have many of you in UK.  If you have alpacas or other animals hope they are all OK in this weather.  Fyta is not concerned by the snow - as long as the food keeps coming!

Here are all four of the boys tucking into their bowls of sugar beet.  The overnight temperatures have been down to around -5 degrees with very clear moon-lit nights.

'Big Man' Fergus, following the human with the snow scraper hoping that more grass will be uncovered - even though it is frozen!

As the sun goes down Fyta and Fidget are nibbling at the areas of cleared grass.  The clear skies once again an indication of sharp frost to come.

The nights are cold but the days are sparkling in the sun. This long range shot shows from left, Fidget, Faro, Fyta and Fergus inside the field shelter.

Regular blog readers will know that we usually have a few jigsaws 'on the go' over the festive period - makes a change from poor TV programmes!  This is a 1000 piece festive scene.

And finally................ some 'paca themed Christmas gifts which I received - a year planner, a note-book and a pair of lovely socks!  Robbie and I wish all blog readers a very happy New Year and best wishes for 2018.

A Christmasy theme

A seasonal greeting to all blog readers!

Keeping up the festive theme Faro decides on a little bit of personal decoration - pity it wasn't tinsel.

There is something of the nativity theme in this photo with all the boys doing their best to recreate 'Away in a Manger!'

The snow has all gone now, thank goodness, and the boys are able to enjoy their grass again.  This is Fyta (left) and Fergus who is looking at a jogger on the nearby road.

Fidget always manages to look off-white, especially when it has been raining and he he's been rolling around!

This pastel drawing of 'Haughty Henry' was drawn by our friend Sandra who sent it to us in the form of a Christmas card.  Lovely isn't it?

And finally..................Helleborus 'Christmas Rose' which is on full display despite being covered in snow and ice last week.  Hope you all have a lovely Christmas.

It's still wintery here.

Yet another set of snowy photographs, I had thought that by now the snow would have melted, but no such luck.  Still, it makes for some interesting snaps including this one of Faro - just keeping an eye on the photographer as always!

Whilst the snow has persisted we've continued giving the boys their daily sugar beet which they really enjoy.  Fidget loves to make a mess of his chin when he's 'slurping' from his bowl!

Fyta is finishing off his bowlful but Fergus (as always) has finished first and fancies getting some of Fyta's rations.  He didn't succeed!

Fergus surveying a snowy scene from the comfort of the field shelter.  This winter we have noticed that Fergus is preferring to stay under cover rather than wander around the paddocks in the snow.  At 11 years old he has probably seen all the snow he wants to!

We've often said that the boys get bored when the grass is covered by snow and they will not scrape the ground as sheep or deer do to get at grass.  As the Grumpy Gardener has no garden to look after at this time of the year, he always 'volunteers' to scrape some grass for the boys.

It really is funny to watch the boys follow in a line as more grass is uncovered from under the snow. Faro is in front, followed by Fergus, Fyta then Fidget.

And finally..................crop circles used to be in fashion a few years ago - now it's snow circles to keep the 'pacas happy!

Snow fair!

You'll be able to tell the weather conditions for most of this week from the photo!  Storm Caroline brought us high winds at the beginning of the week followed by the white stuff!  Fidget is left wondering where all his green grass has disappeared to.

The boys make good use of their shelters when the weather gets rough.  They are quite happy to lie outside on a clear, frosty night but when snow starts falling they go under cover.

Viewed from inside the shelter, three snow clad boys survey the scene - Faro (left) Fergus (nearest)  and Fyta.

Drinking water is essential in wintery weather, firstly because the troughs often freeze over, especially at night and secondly because the boys are eating a lot of hay and haylage instead of grass and so get thirsty.

We've also been feeding sugar beet this week.  We use the pellets which are soaked in water before being dished up.  The boys really like it in this weather but ignore it if there is grass to be had!

Faro is a slow eater and always last to finish any feed.  Fergus looks as if he is pleading for a second helping - which he does not get!

This photo was taken this morning as the boys wandered over to the furthest paddock in the strong sunshine, probably hoping to find some grass.  A helpful human gets out his snow shovel later and shifts some snow to give the boys a taste of their grass.  Pampered or what?  Incidentally, we had an email this week from a Taiwanese family who visited the alpacas during 2014.  Teng-Wei and his family enjoyed their visit then and subsequently posted photos of the boys, and details of their visit on their blog back home in Taiwan.  I know you all read this blog Teng-Wei, so greetings to you and your family from Tigh Mhor alpacas in a very snowy Scotland!  Hope you'll visit us again sometime - after the snow has gone!

And finally.............. this photo was taken during a snow shower and shows the top of the south facing gable end of our house where the House Martins built two nests.  It's always the case that the Sparrows inhabit the nests over winter then get chased out in the Spring by the returning Martins.  During this week's gales one of the nests was completely blown down whilst half of the remaining one was blown off.  This left a very irate male Sparrow making his displeasure known from the remains of the nest!

 

 

A more normal week.

This has been a much less cold week than last week but as you see from the photo, there is still frost around.  Faro is standing in front of the garden which the Grumpy Garden has cleared up for the winter - only leeks left to eat.

Faro again with Fidget.  Although the boys don't seem to mind the snow too much, they much prefer to have the grass to nibble.

The boys are also having apples and carrots on alternate days.  We had a good crop of apples this year so they are enjoying a variety of names, Discovery, Norfolk Royal and Katy. In this photo are Fyta (left) and Fergus with Fidget in the background.

Faro also enjoys apples and carrots and here he is sniffing out a piece of carrot on the ground at the top of the rough paddock.

I don't know why this photo turned out so dark, a pity really because it shows Fidget making his camel noises as a warning to Faro who is close by.  Hope you can make it out.

And finally................no blog is complete without Fyta making faces at the camera.  I'm sure that he thinks the camera is either carrot or apple flavoured!