Name the baby
Our Facebook competition last month to name the baby alpaca had a great response. Thanks to everyone who submitted their thoughts.
We had asked for names beginning with ‘A’ (next year it will be ‘B’ – clever hey!). Unfortunately, Aldrich Von Lichtenstein was ruled out as the character in ‘A Knight’s Tale’ is actually Ulrich von Liechtenstein. Adnams was popular but we didn’t want people to think he was bitter, or had a broad side!
‘Alan’ was another great one in honour of the famous YouTube clip and Al Pacino was very popular and almost made it but, the team’s final decision was to opt for Alois (Aloysius Alzheimer was a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist who is credited with identifying the first published case of dementia). It seemed a very apt name. The winners are being invited along to meet the little fellow and to take some of our other boys for a walk.
10 green bottles (plus a few other colours)
Some jobs we do on the farm require hard work, some require real hard work and dedication! None more so than the preparation and research needed for this particular project.
The sensory garden is coming along really well and – as it says on the tin – it stimulates each of the senses. There are so many colours, sounds, smells, textures. There are areas of light and shade. The new pond is full of life with little bugs of all sorts starting to populate the water. The stream and waterfall bring a wonderful depth to the whole experience. You can’t help but feel relaxed and stimulated at the same time… its such a great place to sit and let life go slowly past for a while.
The hard work I mentioned was in collecting and preparing each of the bottles (pictured above). Can you imaging the effort it took to empty every one of those? I doubt if we will ever get enough appreciation for the sacrifices we have to make for true art…
By the way, this wasn’t just a random act of dedicated hard work. There is a plan! The bottles are ‘planted’ over a rope light which is solar powered. When the rope lights up the glass comes alive… that’s the theory – only time (and darkness) will tell… Thanks Tim for your great creativity and sheer craziness.
Stunning in the sunlight
I just had to include this photo. A couple of weeks ago, just after a storm, I was walking around the farm before going home and the sun came out and I was caught up in this scene.
There are some fantastic places on this planet and some great things to see, but at that moment and with that lighting, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be… why not come and see it for yourself sometime.
Nature at its best and its strangest
Isn’t it just so relaxing to sit quietly and watch someone else work really hard. This bumble bee was certainly putting in a stint! I was looking at the sunflowers and taking in the beauty of nature when this guy came buzzing along and working his way around the flower head. He gave me such pleasure to study his continual activity and to know that we had helped create an environment where such life was taking place.
I was then shown one of our latest inventions – hot off the production line. We have been trying to combine different aspects of farm life into one: please feast your eyes on our prototype veggie-duck. We think there may be a market for these little creatures as they look friendly but don’t make as much mess as the quacking variety. What do you think?
Pumpkin overload
Pumpkins. Pumpkins, pumpkins pumpkins. We have been growing (very successfully) some very large, very bright, pumpkins. One of the polytunnels is half full of pumpkins!
I don’t know about you but I really don’t like the practice we seem to have adopted from our friends in the US during late October. This is becoming, more and more, a time when some nice, right living families seem to become absorbed with wearing very ugly looking masks and outfits and trying to give nightmares to young, innocent children… I am keen that we reverse the trend and make this time of year a celebration for nice and beautiful things… We could adopt another, more pleasant festivity from the americans – Thanksgiving. Laughter and happiness will make a much better alternative?
We would therefore like to run another competition. Above are a few sample ideas. We would like to see your designs and creations for the nicest, smiliest, most amusing pumpkins… no more nasty, scary looking sinister faces. We are looking for humour, happy, ‘make the world a better place’ designs.
Please send your photos to info@pathways-care-farm.org.uk or enter via our Facebook page. If you want a pumpkin and you live near the farm, we have quite a few which you can have (for a small donation). Let’s get creative and make the start of winter a nicer, happier time of year.
and finally…
Classic cars. Why is there a photo of classic cars on this update?
The wonderful people who are the Lowestoft Classic Vehicle Club chose us as one of the beneficiaries for the money they raised at their recent rally in July. This wonderful line-up was on show at Parkhill Hotel last week when I was presented with a cheque for £750! We are so grateful for their support and for the very kind words they have said about us.
Watch this space – we are now planning a photo shoot on the farm to provide classic car photos for the club’s next calendar.
The farm is getting better and better (and better). The flowers look great, the vegetable beds are starting to look really healthy and producing some good results… next year should be amazing with the amount of ‘muck’ that has been spread recently! Everywhere is just so lovely. (Just look at these tomatoes – not all ripe yet but getting there – and so sweet and juicy)
Our next work party is on Saturday 2 September anytime between 10am and 4pm. As always, if you can help we would really appreciate it, but you are also welcome to simply have a cuppa and look around. The summer is almost over… grab this chance to pay us a visit (and use those muscles at the same time).
If you haven’t been for a while, now is the time, you won’t regret it.
Geoff
