Sat here at the dining room table looking out through the warmth of the conservatory at bare fields with trees dancing in gale force winds, the long hazy days of last Summer are now a distant memory.
To help with my recollection I look back through our photo album, and recall how our year started,
Well, the year started with Yorkie our Chocolate lab coming out of hibernation, beckoning the onset of Spring.
Next of course was the arrival of our seven cria, 11.5 months is a long time to wait, and to be honest we were more than a little nervous with having so many 1st time mums in our maternity paddock. Anxiety aside each birth gave way to much excitement, as overall the mums proved to be very capable, so there was no need to bring out the baby bottles this year!
Jumping about a bit here I have just come across some photos of two new studs we purchased at the National show way back in March.
First we have Furze Park Polaris, who brings in genetics from Viracocha Prophecy of Anzac, and Rural Alianza Wiracocha of WSX to name but a few. as you can see he was only a junior, but we are hopeful he will be ready to work this Summer. Then we have Fowberry Brigadier, who is a Fowberry Nobilty son, he certainly looks like a chip off the old block – we are very excited about this boy.
What a bonus – he was also very happy to start work straight away, so we are eagerly awaiting his progeny
Summer then arrived, and it was way too hot outside so we just decided to take it easy…
Though we did find time to set up our Alpaca Experience, which was very exciting, and Jude concentrated on the SWAG craft and fleece show. The show proved to be a great success, and particularly memorable as I was awarded the cup for the Supreme Champion, with Angersleigh Tickety Boo taking Best White and Supreme Champion and our new boy Fowberry Brigadier taking 1st in class and the Fawn colour championship.
Then came the onset of Autumn Timmy was the first to notice it arrive.
Then the full bleakness of Winter set in, in fact it got so bad here, even our local fox decided to set up camp in the barn.
We have yet to name this little fellow but we may in time, as he appears to turn up in the morning, and sleep through most of the day – he is totally unfazed by humans, Alpacas, or indeed the cat.
Things get a little hazy after that, though I have now started work on my winter project converting a Movano long wheel base van to carry the Alpacas to this years shows, no more nervous trailer towing for me, If all goes to plan this conversion will feature in my next blog…
