2010 has been kind to us here, both on the human and alpaca front, with good health and happiness all round (even Explorer is happy...he just enjoys grumbling!)
We have grown in number over the year, although I did manage to avoid adopting an elephant during our visit to the Sri Lankian orphanage in January.
Elephant aerobics...sorry it's still no!
We had a long wait for our first cria of 2010. Cambridge Camilla kept us guessing but eventually produced Mr Gorgeous himself (aka Beck Brow Explorer) on the 29th May at 385-days gestation. After a shaky start he is now a whopper with the most promising fleece.
Beck Brow Explorer...new born
Our tenth and last cria of 2010 arrived on the 23rd of September. Blueberry Samurai Bahiti did us proud producing her third brown female in a row. Known as Poppet (registered as Beck Brow Paige Turner) she is a real little sweetie and hopefully one for the show team!
Poppet with Nutmeg, Tabitha and Explorer
We also added two fabulous fawns to our herd this year; EP Cambridge Lady Gaga and Waradene St. Patrick of EPC, whose offspring we look forward to seeing in 2011 (enough said...no tempting fate). However our star addition of 2010 was a little black female. She is adorable, her presence is confirmed by the hole in the new bed cover, the cushions without corners, the lovely Moroccan rug without any tassels. Yes...Velvet arrived...and don't we know about it!
Velvet...her love of Oscar just keeps on growing!
As we head for 2011, like all fellow breeders we look forward with excitement to what 2011 will bring us. Nothing beats the anticipation of the cria to be born in the Spring but we will also be launching our knitwear range, another exciting project I hope!
I finish with a photo of Silverstream Galaxy with her cria Beck Brow Fine Romance (Roma). An image which I think just sums it all up.
Silverstream Galaxy with Beck Brow Fine Romance.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and successful
2011....with lots of fabulous happy, healthy cria too!!