EARLY SUMMER VISITORS

The fledglings in our roof tiles are preparing to take their first flight…..

The snake that lives in the rocks below our house makes an appearance on our terrace, much to Lin’s horror! It might be a viper!!

And early morning balloonists pays us a visit……

They quite often land in the valley just below us!

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY (SECOND CHAPTER)

Our celebratory lunch with our close friends Ian and Kathy....

Following our morning at the ‘Romeria’ the five of us went to lunch at the Hotel la fuente de la Higuera, which is located on the opposite side of the valley to us!
It really is a lovely hotel with picturesque views; it’s where David Cameron and his family spent their holiday last year.

We had a splendid lunch and then returned to Ian and Kathy’s house to watch the final of The Apprentice!

A Wedding Anniversary to remember!

and with our old buddie Ed......

A photograph of our house taken from the Hotel Restaurant

My Beautiful Wife....

Ian and Kathy at the 'Romeria'

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

A typical caravan of the 'Romeria'

Last Saturday 6th June was our 11th Wedding Anniversary. As we were busy with business matters concerning Finca La Cabra on the Saturday, we decided to celebrate on the Sunday.

We had heard that the ‘Romeria’ festival was being held on the Sunday, so we met up with our friends Ian and Kathy at the Barrio of San Francisco in the old town of Ronda to participate in this local tradition. We were joined by our dearest friend Ed, who is staying with us at the moment.

Ronda holds the “Romería” pilgrimage each year, which is in honour of the ‘Virgen de la Cabeza’ and is organised by the local Catholic brotherhood of the same name.

Caballeros of the 'Romeria'

The youngest of the Cabelleros

A young foal that never left his mother's side

The Virgen de la Cabeza at the City Gates

It dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and is a festival of folk music and bright colours and a procession that brings the “Virgin of the Head” statue from the la Merced Church, across the famous “Puente Nuevo” and out of town to the hermitage, where the celebrations go on throughout the day and into the night.

The Town of Ronda

TAKE ME HOME!

From left to right: Zac, Martin, Mateo, Lilly, Lorca & Martina

As a little treat for our alpacas, we have created a new temporary paddock above the house, which gives them a different outlook and a bit of variety from the lower fields. They absolutely love it when we take them up there and for the first ten minutes they race around like mad things!

As we can get the hosepipe up to this new paddock it gives us the opportunity of spraying them with water, which they really adore especially during the summer months when the temperature can reach 40 degrees plus.

However, they obviously feel more comfortable and safe in their normal paddock as evening approaches, because (as you can see in the photograph) from around 7pm they all congregate at the gate asking to go home for the night!!

Shearing starts this Monday the 8th June, so we should have some interesting photographs to publish soon; so watch this space!!

CAMELIDYNAMICS

Julie Taylor-Browne in action!

Last week we attended a 2-day Alpaca Camelidynamics course run by Julie Taylor-Browne of Cartvean Alpacas based in Cornwall, who is a qualified Camelidynamics Practioner and gives courses and advice to owners and breeders throughout the UK, Europe and Scandinavia

Alan and Lorna master the art of halter training

Lin assists in the leading process

Lin practicing her Tellington Touch technique

The purpose of the course was to learn how to handle alpacas in a relaxed, controlled, stress free fashion, with no more grabbing, wrestling, chasing, cushing or spitting.

We learnt how to perform the Tellington Touch (a form of massage) on our alpacas which helps relax them and in time gain confidence and trust in their handlers!

Lunch on the second day of the course at John and Jane's beautiful house in Gaucin

The course was held in Gaucin at the houses of our friends Juli Stevens and John and Jane Powell and was attended by Nigel and Ginny (Alpacas de Andalucia) Alan and Lorna (Alpacas de Sol) David & Di (Torcal Alpacas) and two potential alpaca owners from Galicia, Alison Boydon and her husband Ciano.

In addition to the above, we learnt about catch pens, raising babies, medical management, halter training plus much more. The course was invaluable to all that attended and it renewed our enthusiasm in the caring and breeding of our alpacas!

HOUSE & GARDEN

We have both been really busy over the past few months; harvesting our olives and then pruning the trees, endless hours of strimming, mowing and weeding in an attempt to get on top of the land before it gets completely out of control. It's a bit like the Fourth Bridge; as soon as we finish it's time to start the whole process again!!

However, as you can see from the photographs, when it’s finished it looks fabulous and makes all of the hard work worthwhile.

The weather is now improving here and we are experiencing a wonderful Spring of long sunny days and cloudless skies and perfect temperatures.

Can you see Nuri?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOAN BAILLIE

Joan Baillie Born 27th April 1920

Joan Baillie (the Mother of our good buddie Ian) is 89 years old today!

To celebrate her birthday a group of us had Sunday lunch at the Hotel Molino del Puente, which was originally a 17th century olive mill that has been beautifully renovated into a small family run hotel by the owners, Ian and Elaine Love.

Joan is one amazing lady; bright as a button, fun loving and you would never believe that she was 89 years of age!

It has been a privilege for us to have made her acquaintance and we will really miss her when she returns to the UK next week.

Joan, Ian and Lin at the Hotel Molino del Puente