Channeling his Inner Edna

Leave a Reply

Some of you may remember Edna.  A hobbit-like ewe who enjoyed her many breakfasts.

Always, Edna would follow me back after breakfast to have another one.  It was her routine and we duly obliged because she was very old, had no teeth and asked politely.  Edna was the only sheep ever allowed legitimately in the feed shed.  Others are not encouraged.

But now Lambie has decided to channel his inner Edna and, instead of following everyone else out into their field, like he has always done all his life since time began ….

….. he now doubles back and today I found him by the feed shed, looking hopeful.

That little face – how can I say no?  No one could be that mean, surely.

So, because Lambie is now the oldest of the sheep, and because he asked so nicely and because I think he looking a little thin, and because I have the word MUG tattooed on my forehead, I fed him another breakfast and he got fresh water too, because he is drinking more, I’ve noticed.

I can see this becoming a routine.  Edna would’ve approved.

Every morning, when I go back thinking my work here is done, and put the empty buckets back in the feed shed, there will be a not-so-little Lambie waiting for me looking hopeful.  I know it.

And just as Lambie was finishing up his second breakfast, ‘Ster appeared out of nowhere.

And then ‘Bert quickly followed behind him and Lambie left them to finish up the last crumbs.  I told them all to go back to the field like I had originally planned, please and they ignored me.

Primroses Are Here!

2 Replies

Spring is almost here…..Our “wall of primroses” is beginning to appear on both sides of the burn (stream) that runs through the fields.  The primroses are a most welcome sight and I was worried that the sheep and ponies were probably eating them as there is not much in that field and food is food.

But as the flowers are growing on a sheer cliff, they seem to be ok, if a bit wind-blown.

These days, we are all a bit wind-blown.

It was blowing a hoolie when I went out with the dogs this morning.

As you can see by Newt’s very bouffant mane.

Newt is used to his wild hair.

On my walk, I went to see if the sheep had finally gone outside into their field – these days I just leave the field gate open and let them make their own choices.

I found that they had chosen to use the lee of the big shed and the bank for shelter.  All eight of them – quite the flock.  I do like seeing them all together.

Oooh, Lambie.

Pepper and Gussie – aww.

(so you know, this is an eating day – fingers crossed).  However, Guss is always eating.  He wears snacks.

Madge looked, err, triangular.

And Maggie was most disapproving.

So I went inside and made a disapproving sheep, as well.

Last Night

4 Replies

I felt bad but it had to be done.

Despite it being a glorious sunny and still evening, everyone who is rugged had to have their rugs put on because tomorrow was going to be a day of shite (that is actual meteorological terminology used frequently in Shetland).

So, I went out in the Eggbox (Suzuki Jimny), like I was going on safari with the boot stuffed full of  rugs, water containers and headcollars.  But first I threw carrots at the little boys and they came galloping over.  Tiddles was easy, standing still, and putting his own rug on if he could.  Then I drove over the open grazing (scattald) to see the old folk.  Diff on, low-range and we off-roaded into the hill.

Again, they galloped down to see me and no one needed asking to stand still or needed a headcollar. I wonder if horses and ponies have a barometer built in, or know when bad weather is imminent? I could feel the appreciation, though and I was right – today is a shitty day – all wind and rain. But I know their rugs are doing their jobs.

Even little FIvla said I could take her rug off possibly in August, but not a minute before!

When I got home, I found Monster had worked out his new bed and was very happy in it too – it’s his Man Cave.  So, win, win.

Scorned

3 Replies

I appear to have tonsillitis so all bets are off and all plans cancelled.  I am just doing the bare minimum, ie feeding the horses, ponies and sheep and about to put rugs on everyone because winter is returning for the weekend. Meh.

Lambie is being a bit strange. Well, stranger than usual.  He followed me back from his field while everyone else was going out for the day and I ended up giving him two more breakfasts because I felt sorry for him.  He did look very pathetic all alone in the world.

Later, when I was on my way out to feed a friend’s cat, I found Lambie all by himself.  He didn’t seem to mind, though, and I offered him another breafkast, which he refused and I even told him that if he were around later, he could come and doss down in my shed while I worked.  We could watch “The Other Bennet Sister” together.

With that thought, Lambie got up and left to find his real friends.  A part of me was pleased he wanted to rejoin his flock and a bit of me feels somewhat scorned.

So much for my kind offer of company.  I think I will go back to feeling ill again.

More Beds

8 Replies

And we return to the Bed Saga…..

Now this ancient bed has been greatly improved, according to Monster, by the self-heating mat.  He loves that and spends many hours inside snoring.

The replacement bed for the tiny furry bed that Monster couldn’t actually fit in, has now arrived.  It’s not very big either (the words “total crap” spring to mind if I am being perfectly honest but I can’t be arsed to send it back again).

And no one is particularly keen to go near this new bed so I am trying to show everyone how to use it properly, other wise they just sit on top, crushing the neat little roof that won’t stay up on its own (I told you it’s crap).

Anyway, I arranged Pepper in it and she looked thoughtful about the bed’s possibilities.  She does like a cave and has been known to squish herself into Monster’s original Fortress of Solitude but it is a tight squeeze and she only does it to annoy him.

I told Pepper that she liked this sort of bed.  We will see, was her reply.

And I am now officially giving up on this new dog-bed scene, unless someone can recommend a lovely large dog cave that has a roof which stays up on its own, like a large cat cave, but a cheap one. How difficult can that be?

Asking for a friend…… (please ignore my rubbish).