This afternoon has been heaven. It was the usual busy morning with breakfasts and guests but with the help of Angela and our new helper - young Jessica - we were able to get all the work done which meant that for an hour or so this afternoon I was able to relax and enjoy this beautiful spring day. The courtyard at Lambriggan Court is a sun trap and the most perfect place to sit quietly on the love seat with a cup of tea - and just enjoy. It was so peaceful , feeling the sun on my face and listening to all the birds. No wind today so couldn't even hear the waves crashing on the beach over the hill at Perranporth. The courtyard is such a sun trap that we even have our own banana plant which produces hands of small green bananas later on in the year. Next year we hope to plant some vines around the courtyard too - I am sure they will do well. Jon is thinking of vines on a bigger scale. In fact there is talk of a Lambriggan Vinyard at some point - possibly next to the walnut orchard. There are a few vinyards in Cornwall which produce very fine wines. We shall have to research this thoroughly first!
I even had time today to go 'walkabout' around the grounds. I noticed that we still have daffodils out and the Camelias are still blooming. They have not stopped blooming since last year - stunning reds and pinks. There is an abundance of blue-bells and white-bells and a yellow canopy of celandine. A profusion of pink Campion and mauve flowering ground geraniums. The cider apple tree is in blossom along with all the cherry trees and everthing is turning green.
Sitting in the jungle house on the lake I watched the black-necked swans gliding through the water. The moorhen who started off with several young now has only one left ducking and diving by her side. The mallard ducks who have made their home with us are keeping a very close eye on their ducklings but no matter how vigilant they are it won't be long before there are only one or two left. For the moment though it is wonderful to observe them. A couple of sparrows are trying to nest in the thatched roof of the jungle house but it was only newly thatched last summer so I don't think there's much hope. It is so peaceful in the jungle house on the lake - it feels like another world. One night last summer we had a BBQ in the jungle house with our neighbours. With lanterns and the noises of our birds and the sound of the waterfall between the lakes it felt and sounded like we were in the depths of Africa not Cornwall!!!
Back in the house it was time to clean out the ne-ne gosling and it's companion. We had collected a ducking from a friend's farm to keep the gosling company and to stop it from becoming too imprinted ( it is important that gosling knows it is a bird and not a human being!). The ne-ne gosling has trebled in size at least in the last 9 days since it has hatched . At first the two birds were very wary of each other and stayed in separate corners of their box. Now they are the best of friends and stick together all the time. If you are staying at Lambriggan Court later in the year do not be surprised to see a duck and a goose waddling about together . Actually you should not be surprised at anything you find at Lambriggan Court . I'm not any more.....
Sunday 20 April 2008
Thursday 10 April 2008
A new arrival at Lambriggan Court
Tuesday came and went with no sign of our very rare nene(pronounced nay-nay) goose egg hatching. Wednesday was really the last day that we were hoping would result in a gosling but we were kept waiting until late afternoon when Jon announced when 'candling' the egg that the beak was now in the air-sac. An extremely important move because if this doesn't happen then there will not be a hatching.
By bed-time the whole beak was well into the air-sac and we could hear the faint tap , tap , tapping from the inside of the egg . At one point with this very rare egg to my ear the telephone rang and I was in a bit of a dilemma whether to put the egg down or answer the phone which I just knew was going to be a guest looking for accommodation. I usually always put the guest first even if it means putting dinner or a shower on stand by - other bed and breakfast owners will recognise this situation- but I am afraid in this instance the ne-ne goose egg pipped everyone else to the post and I missed the phone call ( Jon would be relieved to hear this). Luckily the guest phoned back later and I was able to explain , much to his great amusement!
The ne-ne gosling was obviously very active during the night and to our great relief and delight we had an exhausted but live ne-ne gosling at 6.30am this morning when Jon went to make a cup of tea.
The first thing our guests wanted to know this morning was had the egg hatched? We were able to show them our new addition - only two and a half hours old - whereupon the gentleman proceeded to take lots of photos . His holiday snaps will certainly be different from the usual ones. Not many people will be returning from Cornwall with photographs of such a bird that is still rare enough to be on the endangered species list!
As I write this our little gosling is stretched out quite happily under the heat lamp after having sips of water every couple of hours and this afternoon has had his first taste of chick crumb mixed with water.
I am sure the neighbours will be round tonight to 'wet the baby's head' ( any excuse will do ) and our guests this weekend will have an added bonus to their stay at Lambriggan Court.
All in all a good day's work.
By bed-time the whole beak was well into the air-sac and we could hear the faint tap , tap , tapping from the inside of the egg . At one point with this very rare egg to my ear the telephone rang and I was in a bit of a dilemma whether to put the egg down or answer the phone which I just knew was going to be a guest looking for accommodation. I usually always put the guest first even if it means putting dinner or a shower on stand by - other bed and breakfast owners will recognise this situation- but I am afraid in this instance the ne-ne goose egg pipped everyone else to the post and I missed the phone call ( Jon would be relieved to hear this). Luckily the guest phoned back later and I was able to explain , much to his great amusement!
The ne-ne gosling was obviously very active during the night and to our great relief and delight we had an exhausted but live ne-ne gosling at 6.30am this morning when Jon went to make a cup of tea.
The first thing our guests wanted to know this morning was had the egg hatched? We were able to show them our new addition - only two and a half hours old - whereupon the gentleman proceeded to take lots of photos . His holiday snaps will certainly be different from the usual ones. Not many people will be returning from Cornwall with photographs of such a bird that is still rare enough to be on the endangered species list!
As I write this our little gosling is stretched out quite happily under the heat lamp after having sips of water every couple of hours and this afternoon has had his first taste of chick crumb mixed with water.
I am sure the neighbours will be round tonight to 'wet the baby's head' ( any excuse will do ) and our guests this weekend will have an added bonus to their stay at Lambriggan Court.
All in all a good day's work.
Saturday 5 April 2008
Spring marches on
It's been a few weeks since I wrote the last blog for Lambriggan Court but we have been so busy with all our guests over the Easter period and since that I have just been unable to find the time. I decided this morning after clearing breakfast that I would sit down and catch up with all that has been happening . The two new suites were finished just in time for our Easter guests and it was lovely to see the surprise and delight on their faces when they saw The Lemon Suite and The Furniss Suite for the first time. It really was worth all the extra effort to create these very special, beautiful rooms.
The weather forecast for this weekend was absolutely awful but so far we seem to have escaped it here at Lambriggan Court. The sun is shining through the kitchen window and the grasses and Cornish Palms are blowing in a balmy breeze. A few clouds but generally a beautiful blue sky. I can just hear the surf pounding the beach over the hill in Perranporth.
There are some new sounds in the dawn chorus at the moment. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker can be heard tapping away at the telegraph post down in the field. They usually inhabit woodlands and parks and old trees but I imagine that to a Greater Spotted Woodpecker a telegraph pole will suffice. I do hope it misses the wires! The GSW is quite distinctive by a large white shoulder patch that catches the eye. There are 180 species of Woodpeckers, of which only three are British and gained their English name because of the habit of some species tapping and pecking noisely on tree trunks with their beaks.
The other noisy morning visitors at the moment are the Canadian Geese flying overhead in their V-shape formation signaling that Spring has arrived.
Wandering into our newly planted walnut orchard have been the Red Deer -eyeing up the new shoots. This has meant extra work for us to put fences around the saplings to protect them or we would lose the whole orchard to the deer.The Red Deer is one of the largest deer species and the European Red Deer tend to have reddish/brown summer coats. Only the stags have antlers which start growing in the Spring and are shed each year , usually at the end of Winter. Stunning animals to look at but unfortunately could create total devastation in our orchard.
This morning there was a moorhen on the top lake who soon moved her newly-hatched brood to the lower lake away from one of the male swans. Moorhens are from the coot family and are only about 13 inches in length. Both parents incubate their eggs and then feed their young on insects which they find by picking through water reeds. The eggs usually hatch over a period of 2-3 days and then the young will swim off with one of the adults. As they mature their diet expands to include vegetation, insects and worms. They have multiple broods each year as they lose many young to foxes and other predators (including swans!).
Elsewhere at Lambriggan Court the hedges are budding, the gunnera (like giant rhubarb) have sprouted after hibernating for the Winter, the cherry trees are in full bloom and there is a carpet of primroses and wild violets. The Mallard ducks are splashing around in the fountain in the courtyard , four pairs of owls are now nesting and four baby wallabies are entertaining our guests. We have established that at least one of the grey wallabies is carrying a white baby or 'joey'.
However the most exciting 'happening' this week is discovering that one of the rare goose eggs we put in the incubator is definitely alive and kicking and if all goes well a hatching is due on Tuesday or Wednesday this week. Nene geese (pronounced nay-nay) - a native of Hawaii and a couple of the other nearby islands were brought to the brink of extinction in the early 1940's. Sir Peter Scott - the renowned naturalist was given special permission to take 6 pairs from the wild and initiate a captive breeding programme. This continues today as the nene geese are still very much on the endangered species list. We are keeping our fingers crossed that all goes well in the next few days . I shall keep you informed.
Meanwhile the chickens are on the move up to their new home in the orchard minus the cockerel
that was lost to a fox a few weeks ago!
The weather forecast for this weekend was absolutely awful but so far we seem to have escaped it here at Lambriggan Court. The sun is shining through the kitchen window and the grasses and Cornish Palms are blowing in a balmy breeze. A few clouds but generally a beautiful blue sky. I can just hear the surf pounding the beach over the hill in Perranporth.
There are some new sounds in the dawn chorus at the moment. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker can be heard tapping away at the telegraph post down in the field. They usually inhabit woodlands and parks and old trees but I imagine that to a Greater Spotted Woodpecker a telegraph pole will suffice. I do hope it misses the wires! The GSW is quite distinctive by a large white shoulder patch that catches the eye. There are 180 species of Woodpeckers, of which only three are British and gained their English name because of the habit of some species tapping and pecking noisely on tree trunks with their beaks.
The other noisy morning visitors at the moment are the Canadian Geese flying overhead in their V-shape formation signaling that Spring has arrived.
Wandering into our newly planted walnut orchard have been the Red Deer -eyeing up the new shoots. This has meant extra work for us to put fences around the saplings to protect them or we would lose the whole orchard to the deer.The Red Deer is one of the largest deer species and the European Red Deer tend to have reddish/brown summer coats. Only the stags have antlers which start growing in the Spring and are shed each year , usually at the end of Winter. Stunning animals to look at but unfortunately could create total devastation in our orchard.
This morning there was a moorhen on the top lake who soon moved her newly-hatched brood to the lower lake away from one of the male swans. Moorhens are from the coot family and are only about 13 inches in length. Both parents incubate their eggs and then feed their young on insects which they find by picking through water reeds. The eggs usually hatch over a period of 2-3 days and then the young will swim off with one of the adults. As they mature their diet expands to include vegetation, insects and worms. They have multiple broods each year as they lose many young to foxes and other predators (including swans!).
Elsewhere at Lambriggan Court the hedges are budding, the gunnera (like giant rhubarb) have sprouted after hibernating for the Winter, the cherry trees are in full bloom and there is a carpet of primroses and wild violets. The Mallard ducks are splashing around in the fountain in the courtyard , four pairs of owls are now nesting and four baby wallabies are entertaining our guests. We have established that at least one of the grey wallabies is carrying a white baby or 'joey'.
However the most exciting 'happening' this week is discovering that one of the rare goose eggs we put in the incubator is definitely alive and kicking and if all goes well a hatching is due on Tuesday or Wednesday this week. Nene geese (pronounced nay-nay) - a native of Hawaii and a couple of the other nearby islands were brought to the brink of extinction in the early 1940's. Sir Peter Scott - the renowned naturalist was given special permission to take 6 pairs from the wild and initiate a captive breeding programme. This continues today as the nene geese are still very much on the endangered species list. We are keeping our fingers crossed that all goes well in the next few days . I shall keep you informed.
Meanwhile the chickens are on the move up to their new home in the orchard minus the cockerel
that was lost to a fox a few weeks ago!
Monday 17 March 2008
Nice to be home
It was nice to be home again. We had treated ourselves to a break in Dublin which was most enjoyable but for some reason we were under the impression that Dublin would be around the same size as Truro (Cornwall's only city). We were wrong. It was a bustling city of 4 million inhabitants - three quarters of the population of Ireland in fact!
Meanwhile back at Lambriggan Court life is very hectic. Great excitement when one of our rare geese laid an egg. Great disappointment when it was found broken the day after. A decision was taken to get the incubator up and running immediately in expectation of more eggs. In fact we now have 2 eggs incubating which of course have to be exactly at the right temperature , humidity and need regular turning.
Quite a few of the owls have 'gone down'. This means they have disappeared into their nesting boxes - a very good sign indeed. Last year we had quite a few eggs but the birds were immature and the eggs infertile.
Another baby wallaby has been spotted. Last year we had 3 young Palmer's wallabies - a smaller breed - but this is the first of the larger wallabies. A bit difficult at the moment to distinguish if it will be grey or white ( we have one white male) as the only part visible is the Joey's head which is pink and hairless. The wallabies like all the other animals at Lambriggan Court are fascinating and I shall include more information about them in another blog.
A sad loss this week has been our cockerel. We take great care in protecting all our animals and birds from the foxes but they are not called 'crafty' for no reason. This particular cockerel was saved from the pot because when he was younger he was very protective of one of the other chicks . I also think it's much more natural to have a male bird with the chickens and he has guarded them well. Unfortunately he must have strayed a little too far this week which led to his very sad demise.
It's not just the birds and animals that have been busy. We already have three bed and breakfast rooms at Lambiggan Court and are just putting the finishing touches to two new suites.
As usual it has been a very tight deadline particularly with Easter arriving so early this year but we are nearly there. The en-suite shower room in The Furniss Suite has just been tiled. The carpet fitters are due to fit the carpet tomorrow afternoon. The furniture which was due to arrive the first week of March was held up but arrived in the dark a few nights ago - thank goodness. The furniture in The Lemon Suite is going in today with the electrician fitting all the lighting. This is my favourite part - the dressing of the rooms. I spend months searching for just the right furnishings and all the other little but very important items to dress the rooms. Little touches like the wall lamps we brought back from Andalucia in January to go in The Lemon Suite along with two antique wall sconces with cherubs on from a superb antiques shop in Lostwithiel. For The Furniss Suite I have a gramophone player blending in perfectly with it's elegant and sumptious surroundings and on the wall will be the vibrant tapestries purchased from the bastide town of Domme from our time in France. These are what gives each room it's character and individuality , something which is often lacking in big hotels. The feed back from our guests shows how much this extra effort is appreciated. I hope our guests who will be arriving on Friday for the Easter break will enjoy the new suites as much as I have enjoyed creating them.
Meanwhile back at Lambriggan Court life is very hectic. Great excitement when one of our rare geese laid an egg. Great disappointment when it was found broken the day after. A decision was taken to get the incubator up and running immediately in expectation of more eggs. In fact we now have 2 eggs incubating which of course have to be exactly at the right temperature , humidity and need regular turning.
Quite a few of the owls have 'gone down'. This means they have disappeared into their nesting boxes - a very good sign indeed. Last year we had quite a few eggs but the birds were immature and the eggs infertile.
Another baby wallaby has been spotted. Last year we had 3 young Palmer's wallabies - a smaller breed - but this is the first of the larger wallabies. A bit difficult at the moment to distinguish if it will be grey or white ( we have one white male) as the only part visible is the Joey's head which is pink and hairless. The wallabies like all the other animals at Lambriggan Court are fascinating and I shall include more information about them in another blog.
A sad loss this week has been our cockerel. We take great care in protecting all our animals and birds from the foxes but they are not called 'crafty' for no reason. This particular cockerel was saved from the pot because when he was younger he was very protective of one of the other chicks . I also think it's much more natural to have a male bird with the chickens and he has guarded them well. Unfortunately he must have strayed a little too far this week which led to his very sad demise.
It's not just the birds and animals that have been busy. We already have three bed and breakfast rooms at Lambiggan Court and are just putting the finishing touches to two new suites.
As usual it has been a very tight deadline particularly with Easter arriving so early this year but we are nearly there. The en-suite shower room in The Furniss Suite has just been tiled. The carpet fitters are due to fit the carpet tomorrow afternoon. The furniture which was due to arrive the first week of March was held up but arrived in the dark a few nights ago - thank goodness. The furniture in The Lemon Suite is going in today with the electrician fitting all the lighting. This is my favourite part - the dressing of the rooms. I spend months searching for just the right furnishings and all the other little but very important items to dress the rooms. Little touches like the wall lamps we brought back from Andalucia in January to go in The Lemon Suite along with two antique wall sconces with cherubs on from a superb antiques shop in Lostwithiel. For The Furniss Suite I have a gramophone player blending in perfectly with it's elegant and sumptious surroundings and on the wall will be the vibrant tapestries purchased from the bastide town of Domme from our time in France. These are what gives each room it's character and individuality , something which is often lacking in big hotels. The feed back from our guests shows how much this extra effort is appreciated. I hope our guests who will be arriving on Friday for the Easter break will enjoy the new suites as much as I have enjoyed creating them.
Thursday 6 March 2008
Eating out in Cornwall
A change of topic today - one of my favourites in fact - food. Cornwall is really making it's mark in the world of 'cuisine' with many top chefs opening up first rate places to eat. Cornwall also has so much up- and- coming talent with home-grown chefs , particularly those who are establishing themselves with their first ventures. One of these is Nic Boyle who has returned home to Cornwall after 2 years of working in some of the top U.K's restaurants and established 'Gaudi's in Truro - a 15 minute drive from Lambriggan Court. The style is classic British with Cornish flavours.
Another superb local eating place is 'Sally's Bistro' in St.Agnes - a 10 minute drive. Very much a Mediterranean experience , with lots of fish specials, using as much local produce as possible. With only ten tables the atmosphere is very intimate. The Bistro has an excellent chef with Sally out front mixing with the guests and making sure the food and wine are exactly as ordered.
Odd's Restaurant , newly opened at Cubert - 3 miles away on the road to Newquay. Adam Coad runs this restaurant at Ellenglaze farm and it has taken 4 years for him to realise his dream. 'Farm gate to plate ' sums it up quite nicely. The daily changing menus make use of Adam's beef , orchard fruit and game with help from neighbouring growers and local fishermen.
The restaurant is set in the hillside with panoramic 180-degree views over farmland and out to sea , as far as St.Ives.
A five minute drive from us is The Miner's Arms. A 16th century inn reputed to have it's own ghosts! This recently changed hands and now is run by Anouska , a local Cornish maid , despite the name and her excellent chef Catherine. A very cozy inn , open fires , beams , excellent food and a big Cornish welcome. Book a table beforehand as it is very popular with all us locals.
Finally (on this blog) I can add Fifteen Cornwall as I was treated to a wonderful lunch there this week. I am sure everyone knows about this establishment in Watergate Bay - 25 minutes away - as it has had so much time in the media. For those however who live outside the U.K it is owned by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and is a place where disadvantaged young people in Cornwall can carve out a career for themselves under the watchful eyes of experienced chefs.
Fifteen Cornwall is set in the cliffside at Watergate Bay with views over the Atlantic rollers and a 2 mile sandy beach. On Monday we were sitting at a table by the window admiring the antics of two kite-surfers. There was a bit of a breeze and they were flying high. This week there has been a Tuscan theme to the menu . The Antipasti was huge - a mountain of Italian meats , cheeses , vegetables and fruit. The waitress warned us not to have the primi course or we would never get through the secondi or main course. How right she was.!We both opted for rib-eye steaks dressed with atichokes and other vegetables with spiced and garlic potatoes. This was followed by tiramasu for my host , and for me - vanilla pannacotta, morsels of rhubarb , a gooseberry jelly and Cornish clotted cream ( of course ).
I think there is enough here today to wet the appetite but there are so many more in Cornwall.
I am determined to try them out one by one - all in the name of research of course!!!
Contact telephone numbers for all these restaurants can be found on my website under 'attractions'.
Another superb local eating place is 'Sally's Bistro' in St.Agnes - a 10 minute drive. Very much a Mediterranean experience , with lots of fish specials, using as much local produce as possible. With only ten tables the atmosphere is very intimate. The Bistro has an excellent chef with Sally out front mixing with the guests and making sure the food and wine are exactly as ordered.
Odd's Restaurant , newly opened at Cubert - 3 miles away on the road to Newquay. Adam Coad runs this restaurant at Ellenglaze farm and it has taken 4 years for him to realise his dream. 'Farm gate to plate ' sums it up quite nicely. The daily changing menus make use of Adam's beef , orchard fruit and game with help from neighbouring growers and local fishermen.
The restaurant is set in the hillside with panoramic 180-degree views over farmland and out to sea , as far as St.Ives.
A five minute drive from us is The Miner's Arms. A 16th century inn reputed to have it's own ghosts! This recently changed hands and now is run by Anouska , a local Cornish maid , despite the name and her excellent chef Catherine. A very cozy inn , open fires , beams , excellent food and a big Cornish welcome. Book a table beforehand as it is very popular with all us locals.
Finally (on this blog) I can add Fifteen Cornwall as I was treated to a wonderful lunch there this week. I am sure everyone knows about this establishment in Watergate Bay - 25 minutes away - as it has had so much time in the media. For those however who live outside the U.K it is owned by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and is a place where disadvantaged young people in Cornwall can carve out a career for themselves under the watchful eyes of experienced chefs.
Fifteen Cornwall is set in the cliffside at Watergate Bay with views over the Atlantic rollers and a 2 mile sandy beach. On Monday we were sitting at a table by the window admiring the antics of two kite-surfers. There was a bit of a breeze and they were flying high. This week there has been a Tuscan theme to the menu . The Antipasti was huge - a mountain of Italian meats , cheeses , vegetables and fruit. The waitress warned us not to have the primi course or we would never get through the secondi or main course. How right she was.!We both opted for rib-eye steaks dressed with atichokes and other vegetables with spiced and garlic potatoes. This was followed by tiramasu for my host , and for me - vanilla pannacotta, morsels of rhubarb , a gooseberry jelly and Cornish clotted cream ( of course ).
I think there is enough here today to wet the appetite but there are so many more in Cornwall.
I am determined to try them out one by one - all in the name of research of course!!!
Contact telephone numbers for all these restaurants can be found on my website under 'attractions'.
Sunday 2 March 2008
Spring Arrives
It's amazing when suddenly you realise that Spring has arrived. We have been so busy here at Lambriggan Court that weeks, months and even apparently seasons are passing by and here we are going through our second Spring at Lambriggan Court. The climate in Cornwall is definately milder - we have only had two frosts this winter where as I know north of the border ( across the Tamar ) the weather had been much harsher. The grass has continued to grow throughout the Winter which has been great for our Alpacas Gwineas and Gruda. For the last few weeks we have also had a neighbours three horses grazing in the paddock and up in the orchard. Jon seems to be pleased with the move to the orchard as the horses have been 'ambushing' him as he has been making his way around the paddock feeding the rheas and chickens and for some reason has always been a little nervous of horses. This is a man who can face a 6ft. male rhea in mating mode (admittedly with a broom stick and dustbin lid to fend him off) but still tries to sneak into the paddock without the horses seeing him. No chance!
With the grass still growing and the daffodils having been in full bloom since November and the Camellias not long after , we have had so much colour around for so long that it's really not surprising that Spring has slipped in unnoticed. The Primroses and the Crocusses (or is it crocii? unsure on that one ) have added to the colour and then a couple of weeks ago the roses started blooming.
Spring hasn't gone unnoticed of course by the birds and animals. The Alpaca are like Spring lambs at the moment . Sitting writing this at on my old scrubbed Victorian table in the kitchen with the aga warming my back quite nicely Gwineas and Gruda keep appearing in my peripheral vision though the kitchen window. One second there then gone again. On top of the dry stone wall then down on the grass. Back up on the wall again. That baby alpaca or 'cria' is becoming a distinct possibility! The birds are all strutting and displaying and some showing signs of wanting to build nests. The Canadian Geese arrived in full cry and tried to settle on our lakes but our swans - notably the males were having none of that. The geese were last seen heading to a neighbouring farmer's lake instead.
Testosterone is running rampant with the young male wallabies - very interesting! The storks have been given a nesting platform and seem to know what to do with it. The mara tend to congregate at the moment in their dens so one hopes that they are full of the joys of Spring too.
The owls are disappearing into nesting boxes and our neighbours Jen and Chris have been known to comment that the 'dawn chorus' is becoming very interesting.
With the grass still growing and the daffodils having been in full bloom since November and the Camellias not long after , we have had so much colour around for so long that it's really not surprising that Spring has slipped in unnoticed. The Primroses and the Crocusses (or is it crocii? unsure on that one ) have added to the colour and then a couple of weeks ago the roses started blooming.
Spring hasn't gone unnoticed of course by the birds and animals. The Alpaca are like Spring lambs at the moment . Sitting writing this at on my old scrubbed Victorian table in the kitchen with the aga warming my back quite nicely Gwineas and Gruda keep appearing in my peripheral vision though the kitchen window. One second there then gone again. On top of the dry stone wall then down on the grass. Back up on the wall again. That baby alpaca or 'cria' is becoming a distinct possibility! The birds are all strutting and displaying and some showing signs of wanting to build nests. The Canadian Geese arrived in full cry and tried to settle on our lakes but our swans - notably the males were having none of that. The geese were last seen heading to a neighbouring farmer's lake instead.
Testosterone is running rampant with the young male wallabies - very interesting! The storks have been given a nesting platform and seem to know what to do with it. The mara tend to congregate at the moment in their dens so one hopes that they are full of the joys of Spring too.
The owls are disappearing into nesting boxes and our neighbours Jen and Chris have been known to comment that the 'dawn chorus' is becoming very interesting.
Friday 22 February 2008
Gwineas and Gruda
At Lambriggan Court we have two Alpacas called Gwineas and Gruda. They were born last year at North Cornwall Aviarys on Bodmin Moor. Gwineas is the female and is red/brown in colour and Gruda is the black male. They came to us when they had been weaned at 6 months old. We used to live on the south coast of Cornwall in a beautiful sea-side village called Gorran Haven. The Gwineas is a landmark rock about half a mile off the beach at Gorran Haven where the local children swim out to and The Gruda is the name of the fields above Vault Beach - the beach around the point from Gorran Haven. The alpacas wander around freely as we have had a cattle grid put in to stop them wandering off up the lane. Gwineas and Gruda like to accompany our guests as they walk around visiting the other birds and animals at Lambriggan Court. Gwineas in particular likes to edge closer and closer until she can have a good 'sniff' and then runs coyley away!
The Alpaca is from the family known as 'camelids' and resembles a small Llama.They can be found in herds high up in The Andes of Ecudor, Southern Peru , Northern Bolivia and Northern Chile at an altitude of 3500-5000 metres above sea-level. Their fleece is used for making knitted and woven items and comes in 22 natural colours.
There are 2 breeds of Alpaca - the Huacaya and the Suri. The Huacaya's fleece is wavy and the Suri's fleece is grouped in spiral locks and is heavier and shinier. Only about 3% of the world's Alpacas are Suris.
Alpacas live for 15-20 years. The gestation period is 11.5 months and births usually occur during daylight hours. The young alpaca or 'cria' are born late Spring/early Summer and twin births are extremely rare. They eat mostly grass, a little hay and water. From the last couple of weeks I could add crocus and daffodils to that list as I chase Gwineas and Gruda out of the courtyard for the umpteenth time!!!
The males become fertile from about 18 months and the females are ready to breed at around the same time. Our Alpacas have been extremely 'active' lately so we have high hopes for a new addition to the Lambriggan Court menagerie in a few months time.
Shearing takes place on a yearly basis in May by a sheep shearer with electric shears. On average a fleece will weigh between 2-5kg. It is a most interesting process to watch although very undignified for the Alpaca as they are whisked off their feet , spread-eagled and expertly shorn.
They are very inquisitive and intelligent creatures and much loved by all the guests. The only one that had a bit of a shock one dark night was the lady taxi driver who after delivering our daughter and her friend home from a hen party in Newquay was suddenly aware of two pairs of eyes peering at her in the driveway!
NB. Photographs of our Apaca can be found on the 'gallery'.
The Alpaca is from the family known as 'camelids' and resembles a small Llama.They can be found in herds high up in The Andes of Ecudor, Southern Peru , Northern Bolivia and Northern Chile at an altitude of 3500-5000 metres above sea-level. Their fleece is used for making knitted and woven items and comes in 22 natural colours.
There are 2 breeds of Alpaca - the Huacaya and the Suri. The Huacaya's fleece is wavy and the Suri's fleece is grouped in spiral locks and is heavier and shinier. Only about 3% of the world's Alpacas are Suris.
Alpacas live for 15-20 years. The gestation period is 11.5 months and births usually occur during daylight hours. The young alpaca or 'cria' are born late Spring/early Summer and twin births are extremely rare. They eat mostly grass, a little hay and water. From the last couple of weeks I could add crocus and daffodils to that list as I chase Gwineas and Gruda out of the courtyard for the umpteenth time!!!
The males become fertile from about 18 months and the females are ready to breed at around the same time. Our Alpacas have been extremely 'active' lately so we have high hopes for a new addition to the Lambriggan Court menagerie in a few months time.
Shearing takes place on a yearly basis in May by a sheep shearer with electric shears. On average a fleece will weigh between 2-5kg. It is a most interesting process to watch although very undignified for the Alpaca as they are whisked off their feet , spread-eagled and expertly shorn.
They are very inquisitive and intelligent creatures and much loved by all the guests. The only one that had a bit of a shock one dark night was the lady taxi driver who after delivering our daughter and her friend home from a hen party in Newquay was suddenly aware of two pairs of eyes peering at her in the driveway!
NB. Photographs of our Apaca can be found on the 'gallery'.
Monday 18 February 2008
Anyone seen Mara?
Have you ever heard of mara? Neither had we until we visited Newquay Zoo one freezing day in January last year with our friends Cath and Ronnie. This very unusual creature was wandering around freely - and of course it caught Jon's eye.
A mara is classed as a rodent although it actually looks like it has the body of a small deer and the face of a rabbit with huge brown eyes and long eye-lashes. It has short brown fur, a dark rump and a white belly. Mara originate from the plains and scrubland of Central and Southern Argentina. They are monogamous and usually move around in pairs except in breeding season when they congregate at a communal den dug by the females. The females give birth to 1-3 young after a gestation period of 90 days. Within a day the pups start grazing and wandering a short way from the burrow.They stay around the burrow for about 4 months. The mother returns to nurse them once or twice a day . All the pups will greet a returning mother but she will sniff out her own young and only suckle those. The male mara stands guard and keeps the other pairs at bay. Low grumbles are used to keep contact with members of a pair with whistling calls between mother and young.
Their conservation status is 'lower-risk/near threatened.
We have 6 mara at Lambriggan Court , 3 males and 3 females (we hope!) Recently Jon became aware that one of the mara was being regularly attacked by the others so it had to be removed from the pack. Once isolated it became obvious that something was wrong with the mara. It appeared that it had an extremely large lump to the left of it's spine which made it appear hunched- back. I telephoned the vet in Truro to make an appointment to take the mara in to be checked over. It took a while to explain what a mara was and then the receptionist wouldn't book it in until it had a name. Eventually we agreed to call it 'Mara'.....
Our mara caused quite a stir amongst the staff at the surgery. The vet even telephoned the next day to thank us for bringing it in. She said it made a nice change from cats and dogs!!!
At first the vet thought the 'lump' might be a cyst but after a few whiffs of gas was able to examine the mara more thoroughly and also to do an X-ray. An added bonus was that they were also able to confirm that this mara was indeed a boy! The 'lump' in fact turned out to be a really bad case of congenital curvature of the spine. Being a nurse myself and having seen many X-rays in my work it was certainly the worst case of 'scoliosis' I've ever seen. This curvature was more like a hair-pin bend! The vet reassured us that the mara (or Taz as I have now named him) did not appear to be in pain. It had also been noted that Taz also had lots of little 'nips' on his rump and back so Jon decided to separate him from the others. It does mean that this weekend however will see us running around the paddock like mad-hatters trying to catch Taz's mate so that hopefully by the Summer we shall have lots of baby Tazzes at Lambriggan Court.
N.B - photos of our mara will soon be found on the gallery of our website
A mara is classed as a rodent although it actually looks like it has the body of a small deer and the face of a rabbit with huge brown eyes and long eye-lashes. It has short brown fur, a dark rump and a white belly. Mara originate from the plains and scrubland of Central and Southern Argentina. They are monogamous and usually move around in pairs except in breeding season when they congregate at a communal den dug by the females. The females give birth to 1-3 young after a gestation period of 90 days. Within a day the pups start grazing and wandering a short way from the burrow.They stay around the burrow for about 4 months. The mother returns to nurse them once or twice a day . All the pups will greet a returning mother but she will sniff out her own young and only suckle those. The male mara stands guard and keeps the other pairs at bay. Low grumbles are used to keep contact with members of a pair with whistling calls between mother and young.
Their conservation status is 'lower-risk/near threatened.
We have 6 mara at Lambriggan Court , 3 males and 3 females (we hope!) Recently Jon became aware that one of the mara was being regularly attacked by the others so it had to be removed from the pack. Once isolated it became obvious that something was wrong with the mara. It appeared that it had an extremely large lump to the left of it's spine which made it appear hunched- back. I telephoned the vet in Truro to make an appointment to take the mara in to be checked over. It took a while to explain what a mara was and then the receptionist wouldn't book it in until it had a name. Eventually we agreed to call it 'Mara'.....
Our mara caused quite a stir amongst the staff at the surgery. The vet even telephoned the next day to thank us for bringing it in. She said it made a nice change from cats and dogs!!!
At first the vet thought the 'lump' might be a cyst but after a few whiffs of gas was able to examine the mara more thoroughly and also to do an X-ray. An added bonus was that they were also able to confirm that this mara was indeed a boy! The 'lump' in fact turned out to be a really bad case of congenital curvature of the spine. Being a nurse myself and having seen many X-rays in my work it was certainly the worst case of 'scoliosis' I've ever seen. This curvature was more like a hair-pin bend! The vet reassured us that the mara (or Taz as I have now named him) did not appear to be in pain. It had also been noted that Taz also had lots of little 'nips' on his rump and back so Jon decided to separate him from the others. It does mean that this weekend however will see us running around the paddock like mad-hatters trying to catch Taz's mate so that hopefully by the Summer we shall have lots of baby Tazzes at Lambriggan Court.
N.B - photos of our mara will soon be found on the gallery of our website
Sunday 17 February 2008
Noah's Ark
'Lambriggan' means a holding for small animals which is very appropriate .Although the animals and birds did not exactly arrive 'two by two' as in the proverbial saying , arrive they did. Jon as all our guests know is passionate about his birds (the feathered variety) and has been since a young boy living on the edge of The New Forest in Hampshire.A cycle ride away lived an older lady- a wonderful character - called Ailsa Stewart-Craig. She was the housekeeper to Lord and Lady Lucas-Tooth. She had a few aviaried birds in her garden which Jon would hear as he cycled by. Of course curiosity got the better of him and he wandered in to have a look.Mrs.Stewart-Craig encouraged his interest and Jon became involved in both the domestic birds and the huge variety of pheasants and other game kept on the estate. This particular estate was also the first place to breed Australian grass finches in this country.
Jon's passion continued until in latter years he has become more interested in the more unusual breeds of birds and wildlife. A few years ago when we were living at Morwellham Quay in Tavistock he started breeding rheas which are flightless birds of the ostrich family. We were supplied the eggs which we put in the incubator. When the time drew near for the chicks to hatch Jon was constantly on the phone seeking advice from 'the experts' - or anoraks as I affectionately call them ( I call Jon this too!). Just before they hatch the eggs start rolling around in the incubator and 'talking' to each other in high pitched whistles. The shells on these eggs are very hard and usually the parent bird initiates or helps with hatching. With no parent bird available it is up to the breeder to carry out this task. Jon had to break into the egg at exactly the right place at the right time. At first he was terrified and so was I as it's rather a bloody process and one that I tend to refer to as birthing rather than hatching. Throughout this procedure he maintained telephone contact with 'the expert'. It was all rather dramatic at the time although we can laugh about it now. It was a successful birth and we had our first rhea chick but unfortunately all the other chicks were calling to be born so it was an extremaly busy time. After carrying this procedure out around 50-60 times Jon is now an expert himself and gives out advice to others. The birth of a rhea is in fact very reminiscent of the dinosaurs hatching out of their eggs in Jurassic Park
Late last Summer saw the arrival of 6 rhea chicks at Lambriggan Court. They are unusual in that they are white instead of the common or garden grey - and they are growing fast. They wintered in the stable but are now out in the field with the other unusual animals. They have a child's natural curiosity and love to run over to greet visitors and are particularly interested in pecking at anything that shines such as earrings, shiny buttons etc.
As they grow older they will 'see off' any predatory foxes and with a neighbouring village called Calestick (the place of the fox) there are many about.
Now about the other animals....
Jon's passion continued until in latter years he has become more interested in the more unusual breeds of birds and wildlife. A few years ago when we were living at Morwellham Quay in Tavistock he started breeding rheas which are flightless birds of the ostrich family. We were supplied the eggs which we put in the incubator. When the time drew near for the chicks to hatch Jon was constantly on the phone seeking advice from 'the experts' - or anoraks as I affectionately call them ( I call Jon this too!). Just before they hatch the eggs start rolling around in the incubator and 'talking' to each other in high pitched whistles. The shells on these eggs are very hard and usually the parent bird initiates or helps with hatching. With no parent bird available it is up to the breeder to carry out this task. Jon had to break into the egg at exactly the right place at the right time. At first he was terrified and so was I as it's rather a bloody process and one that I tend to refer to as birthing rather than hatching. Throughout this procedure he maintained telephone contact with 'the expert'. It was all rather dramatic at the time although we can laugh about it now. It was a successful birth and we had our first rhea chick but unfortunately all the other chicks were calling to be born so it was an extremaly busy time. After carrying this procedure out around 50-60 times Jon is now an expert himself and gives out advice to others. The birth of a rhea is in fact very reminiscent of the dinosaurs hatching out of their eggs in Jurassic Park
Late last Summer saw the arrival of 6 rhea chicks at Lambriggan Court. They are unusual in that they are white instead of the common or garden grey - and they are growing fast. They wintered in the stable but are now out in the field with the other unusual animals. They have a child's natural curiosity and love to run over to greet visitors and are particularly interested in pecking at anything that shines such as earrings, shiny buttons etc.
As they grow older they will 'see off' any predatory foxes and with a neighbouring village called Calestick (the place of the fox) there are many about.
Now about the other animals....
Tuesday 12 February 2008
LAMBRIGGAN COURT CORNWALL
Ist July 2007 and we were in! Lambriggan Court was ours. It had been 5 weeks of hard work and negotiation between all the parties involved - the vendors ,their solicitor,our solicitor,the estate agents etc.etc. And here we were ,once again standing in the courtyard not quite believing we were now the new owners. Everything had happened so fast. None of our relatives would believe that we had moved yet again but also that we had moved into a home that was actually habitable. One that not only had walls and a roof but had running water and electricity as well. For the first time we did not have to live in the caravan , the woodshed (yes honestly - ask all our friends at Gorran Haven), the tent (we spent two years renovating a property in France) or even the garage when building a house on the edge of Dartmoor .
The property consisted of the main house , 2 cottages which had been let as holiday cottages by the previous owners, a stone tractor shed (at this moment being converted into The Lemon Suite) and another long stone barn - all within a quadrangle forming the courtyard. The centre-piece of the courtyard is the beautiful Italian horse fountain which in Summer is full of the most gorgeous pure-white lillies. I have been told by Betty Miners - a wonderful octagenarian and Chairman of Mithian WI that when she was a young girl the children would collect the cows from the field on the way home from school at Bolingy and would chase them around the dung heap in the middle of the yard. That dung heap is now where the fountain stands.The previous owner had travelled Italy as a buyer of leather for the Clarkes shoe company and had gathered ideas and statues etc. which gives Lambriggan Court it's distinctive Tuscan feel. The shutters or 'les volets' as thay are called in France gives the main house it's French farmhouse look. All the shutters and paintwork are painted in a wonderful shade of blue - now known as Lambriggan Blue . Our new neighbours in the lane , Ade and Sal have painted their woodwork this colour as well so we all blend in delightfully.
We have 7 and a half acres of land with the property including 2 small lakes. Everything was very overgrown when we first moved here but in between renovating barns and bedrooms and with the help of our two very good friends Cath and Ronnie a programme of thinning out has taken place so that all the plants can now 'breathe' again . The upper lake flows down in to the lower lake with a little waterfall (we have ambitious energy plans for this at a later date) and is surrounded by exotic plants and Gunnera (like giant rhubarb). Perching on the edge of the lower lake is The Jungle House. We had this re-thatched in June last year and celebrated with a BBQ one evening with neighbours and friends . The lanterns were lit and it really did feel like we were in the middle of the jungle. Of couse we have the birds and animals here that make it very authentic. Ah but I haven't mentioned those yet have I?!!!
The property consisted of the main house , 2 cottages which had been let as holiday cottages by the previous owners, a stone tractor shed (at this moment being converted into The Lemon Suite) and another long stone barn - all within a quadrangle forming the courtyard. The centre-piece of the courtyard is the beautiful Italian horse fountain which in Summer is full of the most gorgeous pure-white lillies. I have been told by Betty Miners - a wonderful octagenarian and Chairman of Mithian WI that when she was a young girl the children would collect the cows from the field on the way home from school at Bolingy and would chase them around the dung heap in the middle of the yard. That dung heap is now where the fountain stands.The previous owner had travelled Italy as a buyer of leather for the Clarkes shoe company and had gathered ideas and statues etc. which gives Lambriggan Court it's distinctive Tuscan feel. The shutters or 'les volets' as thay are called in France gives the main house it's French farmhouse look. All the shutters and paintwork are painted in a wonderful shade of blue - now known as Lambriggan Blue . Our new neighbours in the lane , Ade and Sal have painted their woodwork this colour as well so we all blend in delightfully.
We have 7 and a half acres of land with the property including 2 small lakes. Everything was very overgrown when we first moved here but in between renovating barns and bedrooms and with the help of our two very good friends Cath and Ronnie a programme of thinning out has taken place so that all the plants can now 'breathe' again . The upper lake flows down in to the lower lake with a little waterfall (we have ambitious energy plans for this at a later date) and is surrounded by exotic plants and Gunnera (like giant rhubarb). Perching on the edge of the lower lake is The Jungle House. We had this re-thatched in June last year and celebrated with a BBQ one evening with neighbours and friends . The lanterns were lit and it really did feel like we were in the middle of the jungle. Of couse we have the birds and animals here that make it very authentic. Ah but I haven't mentioned those yet have I?!!!
Sunday 10 February 2008
LAMBRIGGAN COURT CORNWALL
At 9am the next morning we made enquiries at the estate agents. This set in motion 'a bidding war' which of course kept us and no doubt all the other parties concerned in a state of raised hopes and dashed hopes until close of shop at 5.30pm. Then at last the final call to say Lambriggan Court was ours - with a couple of conditions! The present owners were emigrating and their visas were running out. Could we exchange in 3 weeks ? Could we complete in 5 weeks? Well of course we could . Couldn't we?
Saturday 9 February 2008
LAMBRIGGAN COURT CORNWALL
Welcome to our very first weblog at Lambriggan Court in Cornwall. Lambriggan Court is our home as well as our business. We have 1-bed self-catering cottages and also beautifully appointed bedrooms for bed and breakfast accommodation in a stunning courtyard setting just 2 miles from The Atlantic Coast. When we first saw Lambriggan Court in the warm May sunshine just over 18 months ago , we walked into the courtyard and that was it! It felt as if we had just stumbled into the courtyard of a Tuscan villa or a rustic French farmhouse. It has that certain ambience about it that recreates the sights , sounds , smells and memories of 'an English man abroad'. All this and seven and a half acres of paddocks , lakes and gardens.
How could we say no and what happened next?
How could we say no and what happened next?
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