Callanish’ Diary
Hello All,
Everyone agrees that I really am a very good natured llama. I’m a contented soul who gets on with everyone, and I’m perfectly happy to have our people stand with us and reach out, stroke my strong neck, and put their arm round me.
My special friend is my half sister Maes Howe. We can always be found in the same part of the field and we love one another. Never a crossed hum between us.
As you know I’ve been away for my hols. I’ve come back with twisted nails on my back feet. This was probably because I spent the entire three months in a field and didn’t have the chance to keep my feet in trim by walking on hard surfaces like roads and concrete. Here at Old King Street Farm, we have plenty of stone for us to scratch our feet on.
So my male person is going to try to trim my feet with clippers. Our people have always tried to teach us that being haltered, groomed, and having our mouths and feet examined is a good thing, but it doesn’t feel very natural for a llama to be handled all over. As a bit of sport, when we’re in the pen waiting to be groomed, some of us manage to kush before the grooming brushes can get to us. Hahaha.
In theory I am a white llama, but I do SO much rolling in the dried earth of our little Andean peak that I’m really a rather attractive rose-pink colour at the moment. The grooming sort of removes some of the mess, but not all of it, and everyone despairs of me. Ho hum.
There has been some llama trekking on the farm going on recently. We had a party of 6 two-legs spend the weekend with our dear people, and naturally they wanted to see us. Wise people. We were enticed into the barn with the usual (tasty mix, tasty hay), and after we were haltered and groomed, eight of us set off around the farm. The boys walk at the front because they’ve gone on more llama treks than we girls have, but Doll Tor, Maes Howe and I were soon stepping out right behind the boys. We went around our favourite Home Field which is nearest the yard, then into Bottom Field where we all stood and looked at the stream. Our people pulled some hazel and maple branches down for us to nibble on – both of these trees are really good to eat. Cherry is good too. We have some cherry trees, and that’s one of my favourites.
We went into Lake Field and skipped around the edge of the lake. Everyone was very happy – I think it was because the weather is so good at the moment. There was lots of chatter from the two legs and quite a bit of humming from Avebury, Stenness and me.
Back in the yard, we were able to tell the two youngest girls all about the mini llama trek. A few more of these and my nails will be worn down to where they should be. They are so much better than they were a month ago, and at this rate the two legs won’t have to trim my toenails – something we might not see eye to eye on!
More llama chat soon