Belinda

Thank you for the comments on last night's blog.  Not September, Barbara, but Belinda is very odd and her 11 months is not up until on 9th July -  last year she went 361 days which could mean she would not have it until the beginning of August!! Can't be right! We first mated her on 12th June then she sat again on 25th July spat off and then sat again on 8th August!! If she had really taken first time she would be 341 days today but is that possible?  Has anyone else had an alpaca who has sat again - twice - but still been pregnant?

Only a quick blog today as we have been shearing - we were planning to do everyone else but the generator ran out of fuel and then we discovered the cans were empty - don't know who to blame for that!  It was all going so well with no nicks or traumas and Mother helping on the bagging up - never mind, tomorrow is another day!

Due Dates

Day of cleaning today - house and paddocks - paddock cleaning is the best as I can spend lots of time taking a break and sitting with the girls.  Belinda's baby  was really lively this afternoon - but you can't catch that in a photograph!

If anyone would care to guess when she is due I would be very interested to hear as there is something which strikes me as wrong on the due date I have for her!  I have included a rear end picture!

The only really lively ones today have been Little Star and Lily who have been keen to drive the Mule (still in action, if slow).

Sitting in the Sun

I have been to the dentist and have had a filling - I have very little real tooth material left in my mouth.

Due to this, I have spent much of the rest of the day sitting in the field with the alpacas trying to resist biting my tongue to see how much it really hurts if you do that.  When I have not been sitting I have been rushing around with water as the girls seem to be getting through an awful lot!  Belinda and Emily (above) have been guarding their water to the death and despite being spat at by Bert who then retreated into the shed where she beat ten bales out of the panels with her feet!  There are plenty of waters around but they seem to develop favourite spots.

The peace has now been broken by Sam launching into some unspecified tractor activity.

Lambs on the Loose!

Bit of a day today!  I have had the great sheep escape - and lost a chicken.  As I took the lambs their lunchtime bottles I saw Caedmon jumping around, rearing up and pacing along the fence looking worried so I charged up there as quick as the Mule would take me (which is not very quick at the moment as I will explain in a bit) only to find a large heap of feathers outside the alpaca and sheep paddock.  My chickens free range but generally they stay in first field - this one had ventured up past the sheep into the Drove and Caedmon was stuck in his paddock unable to help.  The sheep were also making a lot of noise and something did not look right.  One Ewe was obviously going frantic unable to find her lamb - then they all started baaing!  Then as I struggled over the fence I saw what had happened - the lambs were charging around second field - having jumped through the electric fence!  It didn't take long to discover the electric fence was not working and the lambs had taken advantage of this.  They were having a grand old time running in and out the electric fence whilst their Mum's howled!  Luckily everyone is bucket trained so they all rushed back into the race when they thought feed was on the way!  Electric fence now fixed.

The Mule is undergoing another mid life crisis - something is sticking out of the hub, which is weird.  Carl has not got time to look at it so I can use it - slowly - tomorrow and then I have to have an alternative, temporary, field vehicle - it won't look pretty but Sam has big plans for it!  It may be revealed tomorrow (depending how my trip to the dentist turns out!).

Today I and the cats have also had a caller - still out there peering in the door and crying now!

A Visit from Ashdale Alpacas

The morning was spent poo collecting, John Deereing and pondering the little phrases you develop.  I had an email last night from a lady referring to her Monday Friend - a friend who comes on Mondays of course.  Carl is forever complaining in bed about my Book Hand - you probably don't want to know this but I read my book before sleep whilst lying down and one hand always gets cold where it is outside the covers holding the book - "Get your Book Hand off me!"  is Carl's usual last minute term of endearment.

Herman needed feeding today but I feel he may not end up as quite as large as he should be - the teatowel caved in on him and he lost half of himself on it - very difficult to release him from the teatowel so some of him ended up in the washing machine.

Si and Irene from Ashdale Alpacas came over this afternoon and it was very nice to see them.  We talked over plans and had a tour of the alpacas.  Very pleased that all their hard work is paying off and things are looking really good for them.  They have some great alpacas so I am not surprised there is so much interest in them.  I did take the camera but forgot to use it so tonight's photo is  alpacas going to bed rather that Irene and Si!

Little Greeves, looking very dirty from rolling - and, below, Cassie, Islay, Belinda (looking far more pregnant than she ought to), with Bert on the right.

And, incidentally, does any other blogger have the problem of the spell check only working when it wants to?

Prue's spit off

Sam's first exam today - and he was nervous!  When I picked him up at lunchtime he was happier and said it had gone okay - next one Wednesday.

We managed to get poo picking, and a bit of moving around done in the afternoon, with a little John Deere work on nettles.  This evening was Prue's spit off - and she did!  Dude was in charge of that end of things and he really wanted to get to Emily after that but he had to be restrained!  He is now sulking in his dust bowl.

Sorry, that is really all there is to say about today - but hopefully, tomorrow, we have visitors and that will be a photo opportunity!

Glad I have no apples!

Carl and Sam were shearing today so we have all been rushing around chasing our tails - and Sam has the first of his exams tomorrow so it was early to bed for him.  Carl was impressed with one boy he sheared, saying it had a lovely fleece - according to him the really good fleeces come off differently. 

I have been attacking docks and buttercups.  Buttercups are my least favourite plant at the moment as they are do difficult to snip off with the John Deere - they seem to spring back and there never seem to be many less.  John Deere ride on mowers are a little addictive and I have to fight the desire that erupts in me to get stripes in the paddocks.  I tried to combat this by going in ever decreasing circles which has resulted in one paddock resembling a race track. 

And finally - the sight that met me when I returned from my John Deere race track - Smudge asleep in the fruit bowl!