Anyone got a fairy?

It's that time of the year when every time you walk around the farm something new has popped up overnight to inspire your curiosity. All we need on this little beauty is one of those Arthur Ransome Fairies and the picture would be complete.

Two Toft Judges at the Heart of England Fleece Show

A fabulous three days for Shirley and I judging 161 fleeces at the Heart of England fleece show. Two Toft judges working together as equals for the first time. Shirley doing the coloured Huacayas and the Suris and yours truly doing the Fawn, lights and white Huacayas.

Today was presentation day and look what they gave us as a prezzy. Epic. We'll have  a job keeping the kids out of this box full of joys!

Show itself was a pleasure with some fabulous fleeces entered. Barbara Hetherington was my apprentice over the two days. She takes her certification in a couple of weeks and I have no doubt she will be a qualified BAS judge in a months time. 

Supreme Huacaya went to Honeyfield Angelo owned by Mrs Donna Stalker of Honeyfield alpacas with a score of 90.5. Bred from EP Cambridge Samson and Cambridge Select of ACC. Congratulations Donna! In general the fleeces were of a high standard with some truly exceptional fleeces as always in the whites and lights.

Supreme Suri went to Whistling Sun Catcher with a light intermediate fleece from Whistling Duck Alpacas! Congratulations Mrs Leigh Woods and the Mighty Ducks!

A massive thanks to Lulu Oliver of Lusi alpacas and the Heart Of England Alpaca Group for inviting us to judge and to Paul Stead of Sapphire Alpacas for organising the show. And a huge thanks from Shirley and I to all the volunteers who have made the last three days such an enjoyable and memorable experience! A lot of laughs and a lot of learning- perfick!

A big thanks to all who entered their fleeces and if your scorecard didn't quite live up to your expectations don't get depressed get breeding and get even! 

Conks are out!

Look at these beauties I found in my garden this morning. 40 odd years ago I would spend every weekend searching the lanes for conkers like these. I loved it but never got a champion conker ever. There is nothing as evocative of the season as the colour of a freshly dropped conker!

British Alpaca Society Foundation

Spent last week tutoring on the British Alpaca Society Foundation Course hosted by Bozedown Alpacas. Fellow tutors were Nick Harrington Smith of the Alpaca Stud and observing and helping was Jay Holland of Pure Alpacas. Weather was superb throughout, the delegates on the course had travelled quite a ways to participate with alpaca owners from Spain, Switzerland and Eire.

A good time was had by all and as always we had a lot of laughs along with the learning.

 I had a great time. I stayed in a wee hostelry called the Perch and Pike in Moulsford, which was perfectly charming, good food, quality ale and quiet! Well almost, Moulsford village has a church clock which chimes on the hour and the half hour throughout the night. If your sleep pattern coincides then you are drifting out of Under Milk Wood all night long with Ogrmore Pritchard and. Ocky the milkman etc  As each hour bongs you can't help but ponder who in days gone by had to get up at that time and what job they had to do. Amazing, charming, quaint, a lovely stay but beware of the bongs!!

Off on the trains

Great wee trip on Sunday when we spent an hour or two with the Rugby and Rainsbrook engineering society taking young Edward for a ride on the trains. When our children were little these scale model trains used to ride past the fence in our back garden when we lived in Rainsbrook  Avenue. Kerry, Laura and Scott used to wave to the passengers as they passed by.

Some 24 years ago the trains moved to a permanent site on the Barby Road, where the members have built a fantastic scale railway on which to run their model trains. Since then we asa a family have had no need of such fun but now we are grandparents the circle turns again and so we set off to enjoy their open day on Sunday with young Edward Lord .

It was a treat and the site is a real tribute to the members enthusiasm, its huge and due to be expanded next year. This is the stuff that puts the Great back in Britain and long may the members keep on travelling on their wee trains enjoying  their all consuming passion.

 Thanks for sharing boys and girls and keep on steaming!

Alpacas attract at Barby Moorings...

Who said you can't keep an alpaca on a canal boat? Well if you have your barge moored at the canal marina at Barby in Warwickshire you can. This morning we delivered three pet alpaca males to the canal basin where they have huge island in the middle of the Marina which has been traditionally grazed by sheep. The owners and creators of Barby Moorings -Tony, Penny and Luke have decided on a change and replaced the sheep with alpacas. 

Here are the pet alpacas  taking in their new surroundings on the island which is the highest point in the Marina so has plenty of wee hills upon which to play 'I'm the king of the castle'. 

These three pet alpaca males will be the stars of the show at the weekend when all the bargees arrive. As it was there were boat owners asking lots of questions as we were leaving. 

I did warn young Luke that the work might slow down for a while until the bargees familiarise themselves with the new attraction. 

If you don't want to talk to the people then don't buy alpacas!!

It's out- Edwards Menagerie has been published

It's been a long time coming but Edwards Menagerie of crochet  animals has now been published and is available online from the TOFT Shop. 

Kerry started creating this collection in the last few weeks of pregnancy whilst awaiting Edwards arrival, as you do. Since  then she has spent a whole year refining the designs, checking the patterns and adding to the menagerie to produce this magnificent and very original TOFT collection.

She launched the finished article yesterday at the same time we gathered to celebrate Edwards first birthday. timely and very apt. Well done Mummy!

What an achievement!  Well done Kerry we are immensely proud of the work you do in the studio but this has been a monumental effort which we have all lived with for a long time but the finished product is truly beautiful and something that will bring joy to all who take on the challenges within.

The result has been well worth your efforts and is a tribute to your creativity- this truly stunning e- book is stylish, modern and extremely attractive. With patterns and projects for all levels of creator it is no wonder that this e-book is flying out of the shop across the world faster than the swallows can return home.

I kid you not folks get on it now, get yours and get making, Edwards Menagerie is on the move!

Well done Kerry Lord and all her staff and helpers in the TOFT studio.