Knitting retreat day 3

Friday morning and the sun is shining. Sandra, Sue and I take the dogs for a walk after breakfast, Bix is on good form and makes it all the way around the block. Sue and Sandra collect more walnuts and some conkers, there was talk of sitting down and drawing them, but I think they are confusing this with my plans for painting courses next year.

We spend the rest of the morning with our knitting and after lunch set off for the Alpaca Farm. Farrlacey Alpagas are based in the Charente near Ruffec, the lovely owners Trevor and Dick are very welcoming.

Trevor talks us through the breeding process of Alpacas, they are true romantics, singing (known as orgling) to each other during mating (a long slow process that takes at least an hour), then after an 11 month gestation period the female gives birth to a single baby. Twins are very rare and hardly ever make it to full term. We meet Ted the most prolific stud on the farm and visit the mums and newborns. After tea and a quick fix in the shop buying yarn and beautiful warm alpaca insoles we take the scenic route home. Driving through the beautiful town of Vertuil sur Charente I take a wrong turning, after a few renditions of lost in France we make it back onto the main road and arrive home just as it is getting dark. Culli has cooked us provencal beef stew for supper followed by lemon cheesecake.