Shayne and Brad at Mt Tanga

Really lovely to have a visit from Shayne and Brad this weekend.  They brought our new geese for us, and Shayne had lots of fun with the llamas and alpacas while Brad went out with Adam and Amy to stir up the local unwanted wildlife - foxes and pigs!!  Unfortunately they ended up with a zero score.

Carter and Totem were a bit aloof, but in the 'girls and babies' paddock they were all over Shayne like a rash!!

This is Azzura with a mouthful of llama lollies, nom nom nom.

Tarquinn is always very keen to get involved.

Cleo coming forward for her share.

Azzura about to help herself to more llama lollies!

Orchid doesnt like to miss out either.

JayJay coming to get another helping.

Tarquinn is a 'PR' animal, he loves people, getting his nose into everything, being patted and acting the clown.  He is such a good value member of the family :)

And these are our new geese, they'll stay penned for a little while till they get used to their new surroundings.

Kiki and Minto

Minto was here for the weekend, Kiki couldnt have been more pleased!!  They played and played and played!!  Inside and outside it was full-on and non-stop, they had a ball .... without a ball!!  LOL!!

Kiki's first ride on the bike

The weather was beautiful yesterday, I decided to take Kiki with me for a ride on the bike, out to the end of the property and back - seemed easy enough!

She wasnt quite sure whether she like riding on the bike, until I put her off, and let her run alongside/behind... didnt take long for one small puppy to realise that riding on the bike was really quite a good alternative ;-D

The road home.  We didnt make it all the way to the back fence, riding holding a puppy in one hand is quite tiring I discovered, and when we reached the steep crossing, AND it had water in it, I decided to turn back and call that 'lesson 1'.

When we got home the excitement really started.... Skinny escaped as I opened the back door, Kiki and I chased/followed him all around the house, then ALL the way round the perimeter of the orchard.  Finally I caught him at the wood shed and headed for the back door.  Kiki was so busy watching me and the cat, that she forgot to look where she was going and fell off the landing!!  Her fall was broken by landing in the water lily pot, which luckily (?) I had topped up to very full the day before.  I put Skinny through the door, and onto the verandah so quickly that he needed (?) to use my hand for traction and sliced my little finger open from top to bottom with his back claw.

I rescued Kiki from the drink, my finger painful, bleeding and looking all the more dramatic for the extra liquid, the dog was sodden and very cold and I swear that was cat smiling when we came inside!!  Luckily we're all better now, eh?

Hawkesbury Valley Waterfowl Breeders Assoc Show at Yass

On Sunday I had 5 ducks entered into the Hawkesbury Valley Waterfowl Breeders Association Show - at Yass!!  I had to get up before I went to bed to get the ducks penned before judging...... but really the problem was that I was woken by a certain cat prowling about in the middle of the night... and then slept in....... so I had 30 minutes to eat brekky, get dressed, catch ducks and get out the gate!!  Made it!!  Freezing day in Yass on Sunday!  The ducks got 2 firsts, 1 second and 2 thirds, so I was pleased :)  I carry my ducks into the show in a travel box, most other exhibitors carry them in one at a time in their hands!

Some of my ducks, in their cages, before judging.

Chumba - first, bibbed Call duck

 Sting - second, natural Call drake

 Tess - third, natural Call duck

Some of the sights around the showgrounds, ancient pine.

The pavillion.

And it's mossy steps.

And view across the parade ground.

Picture if you will......

I was out giving the llamas and alpacas their brekky and saw a fabulous photo with the now bare claret ash literally 'full' of galahs, all facing the early morning sun and their beautiful pink chests lit up like mad... only problem was I didnt have my camera with me.  So I dashed back to the house to grab it  before the light changed and/or the birds moved - not a chance!!  Got back, lens cap off, and just as I raised the camera... off they flew - bugger!!  So picture if you will...... and here's what was left of the scene to help your imagination!  It was truly spectacular... honestly!

You're not supposed to feed alpacas 'treats' if you want their fleece to be beautiful, but while they're still thin on the ground I have them in with the llamas and so they get lucky.... every day!!  LOL!!  They are now very tame, like the llamas, but as soon as I have a big enough gang they'll get their own paddock, and that will have to be the end of llama lollies for brekky :(  Tarquinn is a big llama lolly fan, and you can see how gorgeous his fleece is, very curly after light morning rain.

Kiki, A Pug in Paradise

She's cute (ugly but interesting), especially when she's asleep!!

Here, crashed out after a huge dinner, looks like she's having a food baby!!

Wonders will never cease, this moment didnt last long!!

Skinny and the Fatman are both very keen on Kiki's new bed, here Fatman 'relaxes'  in front of the fire.

Meantime Kiki is passed out on the couch with Freya.

Butter wouldnt melt in her microwave!!