Clasical Mileend Alpaca Visit

Sunday July 10th was a red letter day for me! We took a young friend down to Devon with us, a she has just finished her GCSE's and had an expressed a desire to meet some alpacas (I didn't need much persuasion!). Steve very kindly drove us there and we took great delight in meeting and photographing the animals.Thanks to Chas and Rachel for allowing us to wander through their farm.

Just some of the pics I took. If you have never been up close and personal to these animals, but have heard people say how peaceful they are, I can now speak from personal experience........they certainly are! Very inquisitive, they will stare at you for a while, allow you to stare back and then continue with their business. In the lowest of the fields, the gate was open and the largest female of the group became very concerned as some of  the younger alpacas in her care were moved back into her field. It was her responsibility to ensure they got home safely and came to direct the traffic past a small group of visitors. As they returned this little one above was greeted with some special comfort.
Just a perfect day!

Happy Wednesday

Just lately, due to lack of time to walk together during the week, Steve and I have taken to getting up earlier and walking before work. This morning was just lovely (but not long enough!).


This was part of a walk I did with a friend yesterday. We walked through the fields to get to the same point, but today time was precious. For those fibery people amongst you, I thought you would apreciate the following group of pictures, taken just feet from one another. We also saw a fox bounding across a field, but I just wasn't quick enough with the camera!

There is a great history to the farm where the alpaca were.

We didn't really go far enough for you to see the oldest part of the buildings properly, but the tallest gable, which you can see behind the conservatory is from a more ancient time. It is a private home and farm, so I am not going to name the property this time.Having researched the history of the site, I have discovered that it has quite a past! For anyone living in Somerset, you might even be able to guess where it is!


The first written evidence for the place goes back to 579! In 1539-1707, it was owned by The Duke of Somerset, Sir Edward Seymour, brother of the famous Jane Seymour, who of course married King Henry VIII. Sir Edward Dwyer, and Elizabethan poet also owned the estate at one point, as did the Thynne family of Longleat (famouse for it's free ranging lions, and now a thenme park). For those of you who enjoy classical novels, Henry Fielding, the author of Tom Jones, was born here in 1707. From the late 1700's it passed into the hands of several gentleman farmers including Thomas Hawkins, the palaeontologist who discovered fossils of the ichthyosaurus.


In the 1830's a large part of the main buildings including the chapel, were demolished, but by 1830 it was looked upon as the best farm in Somerset and employed over 40 labourers, growing wheat, dairy and beef cattle, and sheep.

Rained off!

Sorry to everyone who was expecting to see some pics of our Sunday walk this week, rain stopped play! Next week will be slightly different because my Dad is coming to stay. We are collecting him the day after his birthday, but he has invited us out for a birthday meal. You never know, there might be some pictures of a meal out with the birthday boy/father!

As you know, another of  my passions is knitting. I have been using alpaca blended with BFL (blue faced Liecester) and marino, just lately. I had no idea of its history in Great Britian! I thought you might be interested in this..................

I have just been watching a TV programme, here in UK. It is called Great British Railway Journeys ( shown on BBC 2, series 2 episode 3).(this programme will beavailable at www.bbc.co.uk/iPlayer for the next 7 days from the date of this post! The presenter, ex MP Michael Portillo, took a trip round Yorkshire, stopping off at Saltaire. There he visited a mill where flax was origionally produced. This was until the owner, a Sir Titus Salt discovered the alpaca! Take a look at this letter:
http://www.saltairevillage.info/news-00004-thewinningpost...

When you have read that, take a look at these pics!
The last 2 of the mill, contain alpacas!
http://www.eriding.net/media/saltaire.shtml

We were not the first to see the importance of apaca fleece! I was very excited by this find!