ALPACA BABIES

On Tuesday, OB and I went to see friends after day two of his drumming summer school, which he's really enjoying. These friends have ten Alpacas now having had three babies this year. The youngster above is Betty and the newest arrival is the unnamed beauty below with her mum Willow:

This next one is the very sweet Jackson Pollock:

Betty again:

Mum, Barbara Hepworth posing for the camera. That ear hair looking like prayer flags:

Willow with her baby again:

Willow with the three young ones. Jackson Pollock and Betty are her grandchildren. Aren't they stunning?:

Someone wanted their dinner:

Last Sunday, we went to Ness Cove near Shaldon with the dogs. The weather was perfect and we all swam.

OB and I....a rare sighting of this blog's author!

Simple pleasures:

We had a lovely spot until about three o'clock when this appeared ten feet in front of us, despite space a bit further on. Oh well.....time to go anyway:

We got an ice cream in the pretty town of Shaldon. We were being watched:

This one looks a bit seasick on a buoy: 

Looking across the mouth of the Teign to Teignmouth. The Teign is the river whose source is near us up on the moor where we swim:

Back home, the evening light has been beautiful:

Other images from the last few days..........

Nib and Diamond playing:

A Snippet in the grass:

Our swimming pool in the river Teign:

Lovely Daisy:

And Smudge:

One of a group of particularly pretty mares that always seem to herd together:

Big ears:

I've included this despite the blurriness; the bee and the butterfly were both posing beautifully when I pressed the shutter button but only the Marsh Thistle remains in focus. I quite like it anyway:

Gorse.............flowering as ever:

Meadow Brown on its last legs poor thing. It's the only way I can capture them these days!

Obligatory Pipit:

Large Red Damselflies mating: 

Last night, I had a phone call from a friend whose old Highland pony recently died. Very sad; he was the first pony I rode after a twenty five year absence nine years ago. He was on permanent loan to a local couple as a companion for their horse and they are now looking for a replacement. My friend thought of Trigger and tonight, I spoke to them about the possibility of their coming and meeting him and my going to see their place and filling them in on his chequered past. You may remember I made the decision a couple of years ago to look for a home for him where he would be understood and well looked after with permanent company but I had honestly given up hope. I'm a bit disconcerted at the sudden possible change of circumstances but it may come to nothing. If it did happen, he would only be a mile and a half down the road, and they have 12 acres of paddock and sound like lovely, lovely people. So, I'll keep you posted and, until next time (this has taken me three days to get organised!), here are those dogs, Jack with some manky old cow bone he found. Nice. have a lovely weekend all and welcome to Lily and Flossy who I'll talk about at a later date....

NEW DOG & THE RETURN OF THE HOUSE MARTINS

45 minutes with the Snippers clippers and what a difference. These are the before pictures:

Too hot...........

He wasn't happy.........

Much better:

Do you remember the muddy patch the house martins left on my neighbour's wall last year? Well, they're back and seem to be finishing the job. Bit late in the season but perhaps they're building it for next year having had their brood. I'll keep you posted. This was a couple of days ago:

These were today; good progress:

A bit shy to start with:

But soon back to work:

I know this is out of focus but I had to show you the multi-bug business going on here with the Large Red Damselfly being joined by these two friends playing piggy back:

I saw this young blackbird yesterday, preening in the sun:

Mmmm - much better:

Obligatory Meadow Pipits:

Another enormous and disturbing looking meal!

Spiders' webs covered in morning dew. That's a LOT of spiders:

Sheep are trying to keep cool in the dusty bowls, previously muddy puddles:

Bees mating:

Couldn't resist those Sword Thistles in the sunshine:

 Craggy Kestor in the sun: 

Today we went down to the river to swim. It was glorious:

We weren't the only ones swimming:

Bracken  wasn't much help pulling him out:

The light was exquisite on the parched heather:

Some people turned up with their dog. It turned into a mad chase and the dogs are out for the count tonight.

Like a very stretched out version of Jack:

Today is the first day of the summer holidays and it's started well. Tomorrow we're off to the seaside if it's nice. Last night I had a dream that I found a kitten in the washing machine being strangled by a belt. I saved it but then kept finding kittens in peril all over the strange and labyrinthine house in which I was staying. Freud would have a field day with that. Have a great weekend and until next time, here are the dogs again.