Revision and Matings

Sam and I have had a very busy day of field maintenance (Sam is on exam leave but more than 10 minutes revision at a time seems to cause him to incur strange illnesses).  In addition to bouts of revision we have also been doing the highway code in preparation for Sam's tractor test on Monday - something he is more nervous about than anything else (I am also exceedingly nervous but now know how to check coolant levels on a John Deere, maximum speeds, the correct way to reverse round a corner, the MSM routine . . . ).  I have now decided that despite signs to the contary, no babies are coming until they are officially due which means Crispie and Cassie are first and don't reach 330 days until 24th and 22nd June respectively.  I shall therefore not mention births until then!

I will, however, mention mating!  I am having a little trouble with Emily who I don't think is pregnant.  We tried a couple of times last year but she would not sit and when she did it was brief and reluctant.  This year we had a little investigation and she was very tight - Dude didn't get in very well and kept falling out.  We tried a gentle bit of lubrication but I was worried not really knowing what I was doing.  I thought maybe we had solved the problem but now I think not so I took a little advise from The Gynaecologist this evening and following this had more of an exploration  - she is keen to sit now but I am still not sure I have quite cracked it!

Carl is outside welding up the Shepherd's sheep race at the moment as it sustained a little damage - it's a bit of a rush job as he needs it for tomorrow!  Sam is now helping him, having first helped me with Emily - although most of the time he was doing something in the corner of the barn which was of great interest to the girls - and totally incomprehensible to me!

A bit of wrestling from the girls!

The rain has started to do a little bit of good and things are looking marginally greener.

Everyone is a bit grumpy at Westhill - Carl has been doing too much, Sam has exams and the girls are big and uncomfortable.  Today Lina and Crispie had a  fight because they both wanted to lie in the same place!  It started with Lina coming to lie down almost on top of poor Crispie. (Lina on the right)

Then Lina got very aggravated as Crispie didn't immediately get up and move.

When rolling on top of her didn't work she tried kneeling on her - Crispie, normally the mildest of creatures who is easily pushed out of her spot, held firm and Lina went off in a huff!

Crispie is just too uncomfortable to be bothered with anything much!

Rain, at last!

Too wet for photos today - but I am not complaining, we certainly needed it.  The water butts are all full and the alpacas look far more comfortable.  Well, apart from Carolyn who took at least 10 minutes trying to kush tonight, the baby was kicking like a little demon.  She's not due until July so there is a bit of time to go yet.  I was a bit chilly over in the fields but steam was coming from the noses of the alpacas who haven't been sheared yet so despite the rain I think they were still hot.  Dude does look more comfortable now though, Judi - hope your rain is as refreshing as ours is!

Hard at Work

After last night's hilarity - and rather awful blog photo, sorry, we were back to some normality today.  Lots of paddock maintenance - which involved much driving around on the John Deere attacking docks and the odd nettles, Poo Picking everywhere, cleaning water containers (water is reaching critical level now as both butts are almost empty - as is Billy).  The alpacas have mostly been lying around watching all this activity.  Here's Flemenco looking over her shoulder.

Dude is now far too hot and over fleeced even though we gave him a second shear in August last year.  Sadly, Carl and Sam have no time to shear him until one evening next week - ah well, looks like it could possibly rain tonight!

Sam is developing a new line in pet sheep and has been busy halter training the lambs - he's not doing too badly but it does look rather funny!

The lambs are all growing well - even George's twins are looking quite big.

Ladies getting larger!

It's no good - I can't blog properly tonight.  Carl and Sam have just returned from an epic shearing adventure and now we are completely curled up over one of the funniest things for a long time - sorry, fits of giggles are overcoming me again! 

Just have to leave you with a picture of big Cassie going to the toilet (not the hilarious event of the day!) - she has both hiccups and wind and when not relieving herself, has been snoring!!

Anonymous said . .

I am so sorry - I can't leave comments on anyone's blog for some reason!  Firstly I could but only if they were anonymous and then when I tried to leave a comment for Pat and Sid at Toad Hall Alpacas it just wouldn't let me comment at all.  So I am silently reading and attempting to investigate the problem (and I do hope the cria are okay - Debbie and Pat and Sid).

It has gradually got hotter today.  Sam and I were up early to get the lambs fed ready for the Ascension Day Service at 6.30am this morning - always good this one as it ends with breakfast in the village hall.  Delicious and well worth the washing up! 

The boys didn't seem to mind the heat today and did a great deal of play fighting - which I missed on camera, just catching  the aftermath!

Barry is nearest the fence with Dylan nearest the camera (having trouble covering his equipment!), Barnaby behind him with Alf at the back looking downhill and Harry (recognisable as he is black!).

The girls were much quieter (no babies of course!).  Zara looking cute.

Bert, as usual looks cute - wanting a cuddle!  I know she only looks gorgeous to me!

A Day Out

A very good day out today at the Bath and West!

The weather was just right as it could have got uncomfortable if it had been any hotter.  First we met up with Lynn from TaiWind and were just looking at her team when along came Carol and Peter from Ashton Lane who had both succeeded in the casual yet smart  "I am equally at home with a field of alpacas or a Buckingham Palace Tea Party" Look - Something  I sadly failed at as I realised catching sight of myself in the toilet mirror (incidentally, I was fast becoming good friends with the Polish girl in charge of the toilets by Blue Entrance as I seemed to visit many times and she was always there cleaning - we reached the eye contact and smile stage by lunchtime).  I then bravely went to say hello to the Mighty Patou Male who was looking formidable with his show team (he did deservedly well).  I tried and tried to catch the attention of one of the Inca Team but they were very busy and I desperately wanted a close look at a black fleece - Lynn came to the rescue as she noticed me dithering around like a wet weekend and got Tim Hey's attention for me.  So I saw a lovely black fleece - thank you!  A black fleece and a white fleece seem to me to be different kettles of fish and we have not got enough black alpacas to really have much familiarity with what we should be looking for and I need to grab every chance I can to gain more understanding (well I need Lynn or someone helping me grab chances as I fear I am a little retiring in real life).
We spent most of the day  around the alpacas but made many sorties in between out  into the showground.  One thing not to miss is the sheep show by a New Zealand man - very, very funny  and informative - particularly the sheep dancing at the end (brilliant performance by the riverdancing Texel).

A great day but I have now come back to something of a poser.  The trouble with writing a blog most days is that you can make a real idiot of your self - and I think that is what I am about to do right now!  Flemenco - not 11 months until July looks imminent.  Really, I am not making it up - she does!  We'll see!