Last night, after I’d finished the blog, Neil let me know he had moved number 3, Wonder and his brother into the wellfield. He also said Wonder wasn’t looking too good. He wasn’t convinced he would make it through the night 😔Emma was there before me this morning. When I got there I rang her to suggest looking over by the little quarry. She said she would but told me that she hadn’t been able to find Wonder. I let the ducks out and went to look for him. His mother was over by the rushes with his brother. Firstly I checked the deep watering hole Neil had dug out last summer. Wonder wasn’t in there but it was deep with mud. I looked around but gave up. Neil came then and said he couldnt find him last night either. “I think he died but something must have taken him or we would have found his body” 😔
He went off to look at a new lamb by the cabbage field. Emma and I fed the chickens and then filled a big bag of hay for the alpacas. I drove that down in the truck. Number 5 was there with her twins. We gave the podfield girls some hay and then I drove up to the top of the boy’s field but on the outside. Emma lifted the big bag over the fence, I climbed it and then dragged the bag to the pod. After that we drove up. When we were in line with the wellfield gate we watched Neil bend over near the rushes at the bottom of the wellfield slope. He lifted something up with one hand. It was hard to see details but it was a lamb. It looked curled up. I couldn’t even see it move. It was Wonder. At least Neil ahd found him, even though he was dead. Neil carried on up the field towards his mother. Then I saw him wriggling! So, not dead. Just the Garth Hall hide and seek champion. It’s quite a feat considering he cannot see! We walked over there and watched him with his mother, having a big long drink. Neil was astounded. “I just think he’s just plain lazy. He sleeps all day. He’s looking in better health than his brother now!” Emma also said “You had better mark hin as undead on your list!” We left him to marvel over the wonder of Wonder 😂 Emma and I went to get ready. I got the ewe nuts and went up with the banner and Emma trekked back to the IBCs for water.
The visitors arrived. It was Mia and her grandmother Pippa. (I was given permission to include their names) I had brought the truck so I could take Pip downtown the alpacas. She walks with a stick so it was better to give her a lift around. She did some walking and got photos. She fed the girls as well but the main visit was done from the ease of the truck. If the weather is suitable and I have advanced notice, I am always happy to do this for visitors with mobility issues. When we were leaving the girls field, we noticed Neil, by the bridge. I thought he was catching up with ringing tails. “He’s got troop transport!” Something was amiss. It turned out that number 5 was headbutting her boy. Neil felt she was getting stressed out with other lambs being around her trying to sneak milk. They are now in the wellfield. She rapidly strode off up the field. There are only a few ewes with lambs in there so she’ll have peace.
I drove the truck to the top of the tump to show Pip that view while we waited for Emma and Mia to walk up. We looked at the view to the right, which was up the valley and then we looked to our left and saw a lamb stand up for the first time. It had been born just before we got there! All looked good though apart from a really long umbilical. We’ll keep an eye on it but in that place, in the wind, its likely to dry out quickly. We said our goodbyes then and they left. We made plans to clean out the ducks paddling pool and refill it tomorrow. That’s the plan.
I went home and got started on dinner. Neil had gone back to Garth Hall. I don’t know why but he tortured himself by looking for Wonder again. 🤦♀️ I had a message. I can’t repeat it on here but the gist of it was that he was missing again. About half an hour later I got a video of a sleeping Wonder, behind a big clump of rushes 😂 He needs a helium balloon attached to him. I keep saying it. After dinner, I took Skye to Tregurnog for a walk around and Neil took the afternoon shift at Garth Hall. He sent a photo of Baarbaara’s lamb in the selfie tyre, such a funny picture. He’s done some more tails and let two ewes and their lambs out the wellfield. I also had a thank you message from my visitors and they’ve recommended the experience to their friends so happy days 👍
It’s been a good day. Wonder is AWOL again this evening, I wonder if I’ll find him tomorrow?
Helen x
