THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

31 July 2014

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....



56 comments:

  1. I have always loved looking into the eyes of baby Alpacas , fascinating they are !
    Look like some young man was having a fantastic time at the beach :)
    I am hoping the best for Triggers possible transition Em,
    That last pic of Jack and the bone ~ ha ~ priceless !

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    1. He kept having to put that bone down it was so heavy Willow! He never got it home either but did carry it for a couple of miles.

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  2. Oh those alpacas, I love those guys! Brilliant pictures, as always, especially of the ponies.
    I hope things progress with Trigger, but know that either way you will make the right decision. Good luck x

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    1. Thank you. I have some Mexican Daisy seed from my mum's for you by the way....I'll email you.

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  3. Those baby Alpacas are adorable, I wish I had eyelashes like there! All your photos are fantastic Em, each one pure delight. Hope things work out for Trigger.

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    1. Me too Denise, on every count, especially the eyelashes!

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  4. That seagull sure looks mean! I love the cairn which OB made, I would love one for my garden!
    That's promising news about the folks wanting a companion pony, fingers crossed.

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    1. I'd love one for the garden too but we resisted the temptation to take it with us!

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  5. Aww, those alpaca babies are too cute for words. All the best with a home for Trigger. Have a good weekend yourselves.

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    1. I just hop it doesn't rain too much Ann. The clouds are building up here now but still only Scotch mist

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  6. Hi Em! It has been much too long, and I've so enjoyed the escape to your world and seeing what you've been up too! I collect rocks, and love exploring and spending time on your lovely beach and every where else too for that matter! I do hope you're doing well, and your week ends on a good note!!

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    1. The drumming course ends tonight so I think it will be a deafening note Kim, peppered with rain unfortunately but in good spirits!

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  7. What sweet alpaca faces. I'm partial to Betty.
    Best of luck with Trigger. It's so hard knowing what's best for our 4 legged kids.

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    1. It really is Terry; part of me wants to keep him because I love him but if it's better for him, I have to let him go.

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  8. The baby Alpacas are extremely sweet. I've not been in any water yet this year. The pool by you looks very inviting x

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    1. That pool is half an hour's walk away over rough ground and marsh but worth every stumble and the sweat when you get there. Not a lot of people know about it so.....shhhhh!

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  9. I like the stack of rocks!

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    1. Could probably sell it on ebay for a few quid....

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  10. awwww baby Alpacas so sweet.Love the eyelashes.
    The rock sculpture was wonderful.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Sweet but they spit at you if they're upset, like Llamas so I'll stay my side of the fence thank you. I wonder if they could do an eyelash transplant?

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  11. HI EM You have everything in this post. Firstly the Alpaca's babies are SOOOO cute. Then those wonderful beach shots and then back to the Moors.Love all the horses with their foals and the Dragonflies are splendid. The dogs seem to be having a great time whether they are.

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    1. They do but Snippet disgraced himself by growling at a Manchester Terrier.

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  12. Those alpaca babies are exceedingly cute :) Love the pebble tower OB has built. I do hope everything works out for the best for Trigger.

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    1. Thanks RR; I'm looking forward to visiting their place and meeting them on Sunday

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  13. Hi Em, for some reason I'm not a fan of Alpacas...don't know why, but your photos show them as cute as can be!
    I love your image called 'big ears'
    I hope your meeting about Trigger goes well

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    1. I'd rather wear them than keep them I must admit!

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  14. Hey Em, lovely to see you and yours! The Alpaca are cute; but pesky ;) News sounds good about Trigs x

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    1. You managed to comment at last....hoorah! Glad you like the pics of your babies. X

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  15. Don't Alpacas have the most amazing eyelashes? (we have a couple Alpacas in our "extended family" that we sometimes get to visit!) :))))))) Beautiful photos ~ one and all! :)))))

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    1. My eyelashes are pathetic and these make me feel even more inadequate!

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  16. First off, the cairn is FABULOUS! And just look at the eyelashes on the alpacas!
    Gorgeous photos,as ever,Em.
    Jane x

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    1. OB is really pleased that so many people like it. It fell over a lot before and after this was taken.

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  17. The photos of the Alpaca babies are beautiful! But the one of Willow with her ears back and glaring eyes really embodies my experience with Alpacas :)

    I think I like your swimming hole on the Moor better than the sea only because the scenery is so gorgeous.

    Beautiful photo of Daisy and the other gray mare. Love the thistle and gorse, both are wonderful shots.

    Thinking positive thoughts about Trigger...

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    1. Thanks Gail. I'm still completely undecided about how I feel so time will tell.....

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  18. You really ae good at capturing transparent dragonflies!
    Those sweet alpaca babies reminds me of our local farm shop who have a menagerie of animal for the children to look at. Two years ago they bought a female camel and a few weeks ago she gave birth to a baby after all that time. As she lives alone she must have been pregnant when they bought her - but apparently that long a gestation is not unusual.

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    1. Wow - that's a long pregnancy! I guess they don't suffer from morning sickness.

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  19. Beautiful photos and those Alpaca are just the cutest! I had to laugh at the people coming to sit by you on the beach. That always seemed to happen to us, we would walk right across the beach to find somewhere quiet, and someone would always come and sit by us!! Usually with a loud radio!

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    1. It was just so rude the way they did it. Unnecessarily close and very loud!

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  20. Those Alpaca are the cutest babies. Gorgeous colours too. And their EXPRESSIONS!!!

    The seaside looked like a lovely day out, and super foaly photos. The grey mare with the hollow back has a very Welsh look about her - Welsh with the obligatory drop of Arab blood from Victorian times.

    All fingers crossed on Trigger going to be a companion down the road. TBH, the fact that you broke your back doesn't really need to be mentioned. You fell off - it could have been a leg you broke. If he is a companion, he just needs the manners on the ground - easy to catch, with farrier etc.

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    1. I really hope they go for him BB - they were just lovely and have exactly the right attitude and temperament to get on with Trig. Beautiful place too and just down the road so I could see him often. Fingers crossed!

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  21. The water looked so inviting Em! Friends of ours had alpacas and they needed quite a lot of consistent work to keep them well mannered. Their cutest was a guy called Skippy; he never grew beyond 1/2 size as he had a defective heart - hence the "Skippy"! He could be a demanding little guy because he needed hand feeding. I feel for you re: Trigger, but at least he'll be close by. Thinking of you, whichever way you decide.

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    1. Fingers crossed they want him Virginia - they were so nice!

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  22. Pretty alpaca babies, I have spun their wool, slightly coarse, but their colours are natural. Also loved Daisy with her white mane, the ponies on the moor must be doing well. As for Trigger, it will probably be a bit of an upheaval if she moves down the road, but there again she will be down the road to visit...

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    1. We think Daisy is quite old so every year, I wonder if she'll appear again but she always does.

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  23. I hope that you can work things out for Trigger, it sounds as though it could be a great solution in lots of ways. Betty the alpaca is a real beauty isn't she!! So glad that you had such a great time at the beach and that OB is enjoying the drumming as well! xxx

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    1. Thanks Amy. Still no news on a name for Willow's babe! x

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  24. Splendid pictures of all creatures great and small, with and without legs, with and without fur.

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    1. I'm going for winged creatures in the next post!

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  25. I love alpacas, lovely photos Em xxx

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  26. Em, your photographs are really good - especially impressed with the insects and birds which are so hard to take pictures of! And lucky you for the peacock butterfly shots - I have hardly seen one this year which is really odd given the good weather. Lots of gatekeepers and burnet moths and whites, but not very much else. Of course the dogs do rather steal the show, but I admit to being biased that way. - Lily x

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    1. That's odd you haven't seen many; there are so many here. They rarely sit still for me though.

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  27. So much going on, but I'll home in on those fabulous alpaca faces! Superb pics, Em, as usual!

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    1. I think that first Alpaca looks a bit evil or is that just me?

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.