Lovely Looking Llamas

It was a marvellous sunrise yesterday morning - better than this photo.

Rounding up llamas and alpacas is not like rounding up sheep!!  It involves 'calling' them - and in the morning, its feeding time so they come a runnin'

Azzura was a bit keen to help herself to brekky!!

Nothing in it for Freddie so he decided to sit it out.

This is JayJay wanting to know why I've stopped heading toward the feed shed???

I think that to say Sweet Pea and Carter wait patiently for their turn is a bit of a stretch!!  Carter has grown up to be a very handsome llama, now slightly taller than his mother.  He and Totem are headed for the 'boys' paddock very shortly.

 Orchid, looking to see if I have more food hidden about my person.  She is such a pretty girl.

Sweet Pea is as big as a house!  She's not due for a few months yet but 2 out of the last 4 mornings I think I've been able to see the cria bouncing around.  If not, she's a very special llama because she the new Kenwood Chef rotary action event happening some days ;-D

Tarquinn is always investigating, what if this time the camera has something for him??  LOL!!  He often sneaks up behind me and puts his nose in my hand or my pocket if its gaping... never can tell when there might be a treat there :)

Baby Budgie Fledges

This little baby budgie fledged yesterday, found her (wishful thinking) sitting with her tail in the water... helped her move on! And at the end of the day she was happy to accept a helping hand back into the nest box.  There is one other baby in the nest, smaller still and they are from the same pair that raised one female last time.  That bird seems to have been helping with the parenting of her new siblings... good way to become a good parent?  Dad is yellow pied, and mum white pied, all the offspring are lemon pied!

Good Heavens Gwendolyn

Tina hatched a duckling!!  Her first from her own egg!!  She's struggling with the concept of mothering so far, having been moved to the 'maternity ward' but hopefully instinct will kick in before the sun goes down!!

Lavender Park

A glorious day yesterday, sunshine and blue skies, perfect for my visit to Lavender Park alpaca stud.

I think black alpacas are just beautiful, the blue blacks make me dribble!! and to meet so many with lovely calm and friendly personalities is a treat.

This is little Amelie, a real sweetie, looks dark brown now, but the jury is still out and she might really be a black - wait and see.

This is the lovely Cushla.

Cushla has a good appetite and just look at the sheen on her face, definitely in the pink!

Cushla's daughter Magdalena, very nice cria.

My visit with the mums and babies was 'supervised' by the lovely Sparkles.  She's a blue silver tabby tortie SHD and (thus) has fantastic temperament (blue AND tortie genes) and a coat that is as slick (silver gene) as can be, a real purr bag, and thoroughly at  home walking amongst the alpacas.

Moving on to meet the studs, this is Brockie, Cushla's grandfather.

And this is Kok, Magdalena's dad.

And there I was admiring the elegant black boys when in strolled Rembrandt, he is so friendly, and plainly loves people and is very handsome.  Should have taken more care to shade the lens!! but you get the gist.

No show is complete without Punch, and thus once again Sparkle provided feline supervision from a suitable vantage point supplied FOC.

The roses in Ruth's garden were looking lovely - really will have to get to work and restore the rose garden here at Mt Tanga.  Here the simple elegance of old fashioned roses, masses of blooms :)

And the rose hips were also making a fabulous display :)

Excellent day, a feast for the eyes and good for the soul :)

Finding Llama Family

I got up late this morning, all that rain and some good sound sleep at last.... looked out the window and found llamas just about to walk through the gate - blown open during the night - into the orchard.  Before I could get my boots on they were at the back door - except Orchid - who missed seeing them go in, so she's tearing around the perimeter mmmmm ing (anxious noise) and trying to crash through the fence!!  AHHHHH  Morning exercise - check!  Everybody fed now and back where they should be!!

Yesterday I was in touch with a lovely llama lady in Queensland, and now have pics of some of my llamas extended and immediate family - thanks Berry for the forwarded email that led to this connection :)

This is Emrys, Tarquinn's father, now its plain where he gets his colouring, massive coat and strong personality from.  Emrys is a quiet and gentle boy, with great presence.

And this is Tinker, as a cria, enjoying a roll on the grass in the sunshine.  She is Trinket's daughter, so Tarquinn's sister :)

And this is a shot of some of Suzanne's llamas, Tinker on the left and at the back, then the fabulous Loxley, in front - I am a big fan of the tuxedo pattern - then Diablo - wow, look at that for colouring, love the face spots and the hairy ears... only looks good on llamas!!, both lovely big solid boys, then Lilith, lovely spotty girl on the right and also at the back.  Alpacas and goats, mixed and various ;-D  Really nice to be able to put 'faces' to the names on some of my llama's pedigrees - thanks Suzanne.

Llama fix

Tarquinn, his mother Trinket at the back and Orchid on the right, all looking lovely yesterday afternoon.  They all stuck their noses over the fence on Monday when I was mowing the lawn - full on sticky beaks!

Mt Tanga in the late afternoon

Took the bike AND the camera out yesterday late in the afternoon, and took these shots from the top of the hill.

This one looking back down the road.

And across - pretty high up here!!  My shadow on the right, the very last of the daylight.

Coming down the hill and looking back toward the house, chickened out after taking this shot - too steep, back to the fence line ;-D  Hard to ride with the camera in hand, must fix a tool box to the front of the bike for such items!

That tree!  Think I might make some art based on that tree, its such a good shape.  Could have taken a better pic, but that would have meant riding back to the gate, and back to the tree and by then the light would have gone - my excuse and I'm sticking to it!