Comings and goings

Notwithstanding the fact that it was Mother's Day and blowing a gale last Sunday, over 30 people attended our first Open Day of 2009. Unfortunately our newest mother took the decision not to let her little ones out:

"Never know what might happen with all those strangers about" she probably thought to herself. Shame!

The following day it was a different story altogether and she bustled them over to talk to me at the gate - although they were quick to take shelter under her capacious ears.... can't blame them cos they really are the most amazingly curly large ears.

Since they were out and about for quite a while, I had the opportunity to play with the little ones and study them a little more closely. Quite a revelation ---- Precious is really quite clever. Not only did she give birth to one of each colour, but also to one of each sex. (I know, I got it wrong last week!). She probably thought she'd done enough and must have been quite satisfied with her output!

We've named them Bonnie & Clyde - the blonde is Bonnie, naturally!

Meanwhile, it was off to the Butterfly Park with two little chefs on Tuesday. There was no favouritism in the decision about "who to go" and "who to stay".... just the first two to go into the trailer when we asked them. Ainsley (the coloured one!) has always been the most preococious of the bunch so no surprise that he was first on without hesitation, closely followed by Delia and it could have been 3 -- Jamie (or was it Hugh?) followed but then had a change of heart and ran back to the paddock....... chicken....

Arriving at the Butterfly Park they were equally happy to disembark and delighted their new custodians by trotting speedily around the perimeter of their new home, inspecting the lodgings and generally giving the place their seal of approval. Thanks to their predecessors doing such a good job of demolishing the grazing last year, their pen has only a light covering of grass this time round. That doesn't really bother pigs though cos they are more interested in finding out what is under the grass....... Having disclosed their liking for cow parsley - of which there is no shortage at the Park - - I don't imagine they will lack for green stuff! In fact the charming Michael (keeper of the Park) suggested that if we had halter trained Ainsley and Delia he would be quite happy to take them on foraging expeditions. Unfortunately we had to admit that we had been a little lax in that department of their education --- "not that there is any reason why they shouldn't be so trained during their summer sojourn!" we were happy to add.....

We left Ainsley and Delia merrily exploring their new surroundings.. accompanied by some very strange background noises. "That's the Llamas" explained Michael, continuing "They'd never made any noise before the pigs came last year, and then they started this strange laughing." Curious. Even more curious is that since the curly coats left the park for the winter the Llamas have once again been silent -- until they saw Ainsley and Delia on Tuesday and started laughing again....... Now, what to make of that????