Eats, shoots and leaves...

To give an example of  being thrifty, the newspapers always state that the Queen saves pieces of string to use again - I have coat pockets and hooks in the shed full of baler twine - after all, it comes in useful for tying up sacks of hay, gates, this, that and the other, and of course, my trousers - but I'm still accumulating faster than I can use it, so rather than make a New Years resolution this year, I've decide to search for a new use for baler twine - current possibilities are perhaps a woven fireside rug or maybe a beach mat...

Today, I noticed some grass seed that I had optimistically scattered around a newly-planted tree in November has sprouted, and daffodil leaves have poked through this week - even the birdsong today sounded optimistic - yes, it's still the middle of January, but we're over the hump, and it's great to be looking forward to the year ahead - at least a wet sunday afternoon in January is an excuse for indoor planning.

We gave the alpacas a pedicure this morning - three of them decided to kush, which is more awkward, and Minnie put up her usual resistance, but we managed without getting kicked, while the air turned green around us.

All of a sudden the next six months looks busy, as we were trying to find a convenient period to take the herd to another field to rest our paddocks, while accommodating all the herd-related husbandry events coming up. We've resumed the lawn grazing treat since the snowfall, and the girls love it, though we had to go to great lengths to cordon-off the laurel (poisonous), and the garden shrubs.