The season of mists.............

This picture sums up the sort of weather we have had for most of this week - damp, drizzly and misty!  The temperature has been fine so we mustn't complain!

Fyta staring into the mist whilst eating his feed. One morning this week he was 'out of sorts', not eating his haylage and continually trying to go to the toilet.  By mid morning he seemed fine - perhaps just a stomach upset.

Fergus is not bothered about the mist - just so long as his feed is not 'missed' - although there is very little chance of that with this boy!

Faro in front with Fyta behind. Faro continues to eat well which we are pleased about although he is easily distracted from his food - a dog barking, the other boys moving around him, a cyclist on the nearby road - all will stop him eating.

The 'dynamic duo' again, always together. By the end of the week there had been no recurrence of Fyta's upset stomach - good news!

Faro looks a bit fierce in this photo but he has just come to the fence as the human approaches with some carrots!

And finally.............a long range shot of the boys on a slightly brighter day earlier this week, with Fergus lying down.

'Pacas, Pike & pods!

Faro enjoying some haylage after a day of rain leaving him looking pretty wet. This week has given us rain, lots of mist and some very frosty nights. 

Fyta in front, then Faro and Fergus at the rear waiting to go into the rough paddocks on a frosty morning.

A long range shot, early morning mid week with the boys near their field shelter.  The sun is coming up over the hill behind and shining on the mountains to the west.

The trio just hanging about waiting for their mid afternoon feed - from the left: Fyta, Faro and Fergus (chewing some haylage!)

Another day, another long range shot of the boys in the rough paddock looking north to Ben Wyvis in the distance.

The neighbourhood super-mouser 'Pike' taken today sitting on top of the composting bins in the garden just waiting for his prey to appear!

And finally.............the annual bursting open of the Peony tree seed pods.  These shiny black pods (almost) look good enough to eat!

More seasonal weather.

The boys have had quite a mixture of weather to contend with this week having been soaked for most of last week!  Midweek, and the hail and snow started falling and Fyta (left) and Faro were unimpressed!

Fyta returned to the field shelter where he could eat some haylage, in the dry and out of the wintery weather.

Faro is often outside in all weathers, but where Fyta goes then Faro will follow - and vice versa! Being the 'guard' alpaca, Faro always positions himself at the door when the boys are inside whereas the other two tend to stay at the back.

Fergus on the other hand went outside for his handful of haylage. He does not always follow the other two boys and often does his own thing around the paddocks.

Then all three boys wanted feeding outside!  There is either hay or haylage in their buckets all the time but sometimes these guys just want to eat off the ground.

A long range view of the boys to the right of their field shelter with the snowy Strath Glass hills away to the West.  We had a visit from two lovely people this week who hope to own alpacas in the future - the boys enjoyed meeting you and getting their carrots!  Good luck with your project!

And finally.............. during the frosty weather the cobwebs are everywhere to be seen, normally they are never noticed.

A frosty night.

Midweek and the overnight temperature had dropped to minus 5 degrees. It was the coldest night of the winter so far and after a hesitant start the boys started to emerge from  the field shelter.  Fergus, wasn't too impressed by the outside  temperature!

For the first time this winter we have started giving the boys a handful of haylage first thing in the morning and last thing at night/  Faro (left) and Fyta are enjoying their breakfast!

Eventually, Fergus emerges into the sunlight and frost to enjoy some haylage, like the other two boys!

Later in the morning the boys enjoy their carrots and Swede (turnip) mix. They love to crunch their way through these veg.

Faro surveys his territory on a frosty morning.  We are pleased with the way Faro is eating his feed these days, he clears his dish almost daily - that's a far cry from his worrying, 'picky' eating habits in the past.

Fergus (left) and Fyta at the other field shelters, enjoying the clear, frosty morning and autumnal/winter colours.

And finally....... the Gunnera took a severe hit with the frost.  The leaves were beginning to wilt after the summer but the overnight frost killed them off completely and the Grumpy Gardener, on the following morning, cut them all back and used them as over-wintering protection for the crowns of the plant.  The crowns will stay covered now until late Sporing, 2020.