A little snow, a little sun

Beginning of a cold week, a snowy Monday.   Fergus looks a bit pensive as he probably thought the last of the snow had gone and that Spring was springing!  Wrong.

Rufus decided that lying down in the cold snow is the thing to do whilst Gaucho is next to him and Fyta is looking on.

Whats good for Rufus is good enough for Gaucho but Fyta just can't bring himself to get his belly onto the snow.

Same scene, different angle with Wee Eck and Faro in the background.

Hunkey Dunkey is not a lover of the 'white stuff' and often stands on one leg warming the other leg in his feathers!   If the snow has any depth he prefers to stay in the henhouse - clever boy.

Today has been a lovely day.  This was taken from the new house, boys in the middle ground and a snowy Ben Wyvis in the background.  On that hillside under the Ben is where Kirsty and Graham at Ruilick Alpacas live with their family and herd.  Our boys' new paddock (with the long grass!) is in the foreground awaiting some TLC!

And finally..........another of today's photos looking through the budding hedge at Faro (foreground) with Fyta behind and Rufus in the background.  The boys have been on their monthly doze of Verm-X all this week so a change of paddock and new grass will give them a nice surprise shortly.

Fencing and beet

We had two fencers working here this week making a new paddock for the boys on some unused land closer to the new house.  The weather was kind to them, the ground is soft so they got the paddock finished in a couple of days.  Plenty to interest the boys then with posts getting knocked in, chain saws buzzing etc.  This is Faro waiting to get into the paddock nearest to the new paddock just to check what is going on.  He does not usually like the camera being pointed at him and usually walks away.  Gaucho (left) and Fyta are behind.

Gaucho leads Wee Eck into the paddock, and being deaf, Eck doesn't hear the noise but is certainly interested in what the fencers are up to.

Rufus leading Gully with Gaucho and Fidget behind.

Earlier in the week it had been pretty cold and the boys enjoyed their beet in the morning  Faro has his head in the bowl and Gaucho does his camel impression whilst looking at the camera!

Fyta (front) and Rufus get stuck in.

If a camera is near then Gully poses!  Fyta is in the background going around all the bowls making sure that a morsel has not been left.

And finally................it's official then, the snowdrops have appeared so Spring must be coming - honest!

C'mon boys - it's nail clipping time!

Earlier this week during a lull in the rain and wind we decided to do some nail trimming which Fergus in particular required.  When the boys see us approaching carrying the white guidance sticks they know that they are heading for the catch pen so in this photo they look to Faro (nearest camera) for a bit of leadership!

Faro then leads them from one paddock into the other then through the gate on the far side leading to an 'alleyway' which takes them to the pen.  Faro is very intelligent and knows exactly what is required - although he is not always willing to do it!

Gully - "Hang on guys before you go up the alleyway - there's something I have to do first!"   Gully invariably does this each time the boys are rounded up.  Perhaps he thinks he won't have an opportunity to 'go' for a while!

Up the alleyway now and heading towards the pen - one or two of the boys start humming at this point although they follow each other peacefully into the pen.

Fidget, awaiting the head collar before the nail trim.  He and Fergus (rear) are our white boys so need regular nail trims and we've found from experience that they behave much better with their head collars on.  This time we were able to do all four feet on both animals.  I do a 'neck-rub' and speak to the 'client' whilst Robbie does the clipping.  Gully (on the right of this picture) also needs an occasional nail clip as his nails grow to the side but he's always a good boy in the pen and doesn't need his collar on.  A successful clipping session.

Wee Eck - just look at those long eye lashes!  He doesn't get a nail clip, once a year at shearing time is fine for him but he is anxiously waiting to find out what is happening.

No nail clipping either for Rufus today, an annual clip is fine but that doesn't stop him from humming!  He's a big alpaca but very gentle, and also often slightly nervous.

And finally............it's all over and the boys get out of the pen.  They then start jumping about and racing down the alleyway, past the chicken compound and into the paddock knowing that today's 'session' is over.  The two humans are pretty relieved too and Robbie then gets the good job of picking up all the clipped and discarded nails! 

No change in the weather.

Ah, the joys of being soaking wet on a driech, winter's day!  Gaucho seems unimpressed by our latest spell of wet and windy weather.

Wee Eck with Fidget behind and Faro and Rufus in the background.  Eck's only bit of non-black colour is the white patch behind his left front foot.

Gully always manages to have a roll in the mud, although he doesn't look too happy about the conditions.   Behind the fence is the veg garden with the Keder polytunnel and in the background is the north gable end of Tigh Mhor (the house hasn't sold yet - anyone out there interested?)

Rufus -a little nervous and  always on the lookout.

Fyta boy - he's also been rolling around getting dirty.

And finally............a shot of the dripping wet Monkey Puzzle tree.  It's about 20 years old now, spent a couple of years in a large pot before we planted it in a corner when we moved here 18 years ago.  The leaves are extremely sharp and hard so it's in a corner where we won't brush against it.  On the left is a 'mile-a-minute' plant (Polygonum Baldschuanicum) which covers a garden seat and pergola and during the summer completely covers the Monkey Puzzle in white flowers.  It has to be drastically pruned back every year otherwise it would take over the complete garden I think!  The Royal Horticultural Society encyclopedia of garden plants says, "it is frequently rampant and may be difficult to control!"  No kidding?!

Heads down

Following all the rain we've had in recent weeks the water had started bubbling up through the ground in places.  Then last weekend and for a couple of days heavy frost set in turning parts of the paddocks into skating rinks.  Trying to get the boys to avoid these areas is hopeless - perhaps they enjoy sliding around!

I'm always surprised when I see the boys eating frozen grass - must be harsh on their lips and mouths, although they don't seem to mind at all.

The other thing which is surprising is the amount of time they take over nibbling the tiniest shoots and blades of grass when longer grass is available.  Thats what they are all doing in this set of photos.

The boys have been having their monthly quota of Verm-X granules mixed with their supplement this week and whilst one or two of them initially turn their noses up when they smell the granules, they all usually manage to finish it all off.  Then it's back to nibbling tiny green bits!

I don't suppose we should expect Fidget to keep his head down when there is a camera in the vicinity - what a poseur!

And finally..........although frosty, we've had some lovely sunny days this week.  This is the steading for storing the hay etc with the open shelter in the bottom paddock, with the field shelter next to it.  On the extreme left are the chicken compounds, home to  Hunkey Dunkey and his hens.  They like it when the boys are in the bottom paddocks, not only for the company but because they get thrown a handful (or two) of alpaca supplement. It makes a change from the Digestive biscuits!

Boys will be boys.

Boys will be boys!  Rufus (left) and Fergus giving each other the audible and visual warnings to get out of their respective personal space!  Plenty of huffing and puffing going on here, but that was it, no aggression.

At this time of year when the paddocks are pretty bare of grass the boys are always looking out for something to eat.  There is always hay on offer, daily haylage plus daily supplements and sugar beet when it's really cold but that doesn't stop them looking at humans in that doleful manner trying to get more food.

Gaucho (back), Faro and Fyta's rear end in front!

Fyta, front, with Fidget.  Weather wise it's been a much better week and the boys have been able to dry off in the wind and occasional sunshine.  It's back to a more 'normal' winter now with frost and snow showers.

And finally...................down in the chicken compound Hunkey Dunkey is looking 'the business' with his new set of feathers ready for the Spring.  I think we're all ready for a bit of Spring, don't you?

Squelch, squelch!

Fyta looks as fed up as all animals and humans with the present weather conditions.  Squelching about in muddy paddocks is no fun.

Earlier in the week we decided to change the boys from the top to the bottom paddocks, to give them fresh grass but also to give them drier shelters.  This is Faro waiting for the gate to open so that he can lead the charge, with Fergus looking on from the left.

There they go with Faro in front and Wee Eck dancing around behind him!

They need no second bidding to run and certainly don't need a map to find their way around the paddocks!

A wet looking herd, but at least there is some fresh grass to nibble.

And finally.........normally this is a sand pit, with this weather it looks more like a paddling pool.  Stay dry and safe wherever you are in these conditions.