Greetings all!

Not a bauble in the barn, nor paper-chain on a 'paca, but all is prepared for Christmas at Apple Vale HQ.
The herd aren't perfectly coifferred for a photograph, but we are all suffering from rain and mud at the moment, and at least they are getting out for exercise, 'sun'light and air. Camelot is performing like all cria do at this stage, and being the mobile hay-rick - he's sitting back left next to mum, Minnie. Pelachuta (fawn) and Moira(black), as elders watch the open entrance on the right, while Bramley, Ambrosia and Autumn Gold fill the space in the middle - a fairly regular arrangement of herd hierarchy.
Weekends have been spent slithering around in the mud, spreading gravel around the over-trodden areas around gate and shelter, and eeking out the thinning grass, by allowing them into the tiny orchard and keeping them off the alotment with some chestnut pale fence. We've been offerred a temporary paddock in the village needing some grazing, so we'll be taking a few of them up there soon. Due to the construction of the workshop and studio, we kept the trailer in the field just a bit too long, and won't get it out without borrowing a tractor and creating a lot of mess, so it will have to wait for the ground to firm up - we'll lead the halter-trained girls through the village to the new paddock.

Joys' website offering spinning and felting workshops has been launched and can be found at www.appleknit.co.uk - spread the word.

So here's wishing all readers best wishes for Christmas, and thanks for joining in with your comments, quips, advice, and encouragement.