After two days of gale force winds today is calm and unusually warm for the time of year. But that makes doing the outside jobs that much more enjoyable in my humble opinion. the alpacas are all fine and enjoying munching around looking for tasty pieces of grass.

Macario and I have been busy pruning trees and bushes in the garden to try and get them into some sort of decent shape that is pleasing to the eye...all of which sounds very fancy but for the last two years we have been so busy with the farm that the garden has gone slightly wild in places.

Poor Gifford the Australian Shepherd is really suffering. He has allergies which make him scratch and he has created a number of sore spots over the holidays which are clearly making him very uncomfortable..... I think another trip to the vet is in order but he can't keep taking steroids and antibiotics for ever. We have had him on a hypo allergenic diet for weeks now but that doesn't look like it makes much difference and Jo has been treating him with essential oils which help with the symptoms but of course don't address the underlying allergies.

Still time to press on and get the last of the paperwork to the accountant so that we can start work on the tax filing. However, when the weather is so mild it is very tempting to be outside and enjoying the lifestyle....