well on the rainy days when its play days – they are indoors of course!

well living in an all male household (hubby and 3 sons) its small wonder that they did not want to see the movie of Downton Abbey with me… despite being made to suffer the entire series whilst it was on.

So off I went meeting a friend at Greenbridge Swindon – no Cinema in Cirencester folks… and it was a very good film. True to period and historic costume and genre with a good tale to tell … but sadly the food at Frankie and Bennies was awful…

cold prawns – their new dish which was supposed to be hot, hard butter with garlic dough balls… yuk

and no apology for bringing the starter with the main course and all really late… not even busy that night!

Today is the day that my Mother in law died but 5 weeks ago. What a beautiful person she was, we remember her with fondness – always – not just today.

well what better day to do a 24 hour stay in after worming – than the rain we have had recently for this gang?

Daisy simply doesn’t “do” Mondays… or wet days… or late breakfast days…

up with the larks… pilarks says Jasper Carrott in the 80’s – perhaps he is right as its dawn to dusk in farming but what sights you do see..

Amazing skies everywhere at the moment, not that we have a moment to spare to look up really but wow !

Wow – how time flies is it nearly 2 years ago we celebrated our 10th year of breeding Alpaca?

Remember those funky one off haircuts we did to celebrate that put Alpaca back on the place map?

  well these three beautiful boys are all grown up and earning their keep – halter trained and perfect for use on our husbandry courses –

first time ever with a total stranger on the halter as adults (we always start them as cria)…

and just look at them now … bless

Alpaca care at Kensmyth this winter…

  What a heavy fleeced Alpaca will look like from the outside…

Note to the wise for those of you who have not had babies yet or seen teething rings or understand the wonders of Calpol! Alpaca when teething go to the water trough often to cool their gums. unfortunately in the case of stunningly bred Alpaca with lots of sharpie like wrinkles under their chins, this can lead to soreness if not spotted, clipped back and dried regularly.

Our Alpaca are well handled and this young boy has had this done for the past two winters and happily holds his head back for a shave!

all done… but it needs doing several times before shearing next year

CAUTION – not all Alpaca will do this happily un haltered for you and

CAUTION check for wet chins because they can become very sore very quickly if you don’t.

well with Autumn chill at night despite relatively high daytime temperatures, hay needs putting out for all livestock to supplement rapidly fading grass nutrition – start too late and your Alpaca will not pick up over winter especially if they are pregnant… bless the Kubota…

its not like they are waiting for their feed too is it… LOL

Blackberries – yum yum and yes, we too let our Alpaca graze adjacent to these as they love them. However, unless you are constantly around to see what mischief they can get up to with the hooky thorns, you will be ill prepared.

look closely at this Alpacas eye and see how a thorn has gone into it above and caused irritation… don’t check your Alpaca and you simply wont see it…

check your Alpaca – watch out and don’t graze them near hooky thorns and falling Acorns which are poisonous right now