We are off south tomorrow on the boat for the IHSGB British Championships & Summer Festival 2015 in West Linton, Tarf, Scotland with Bjørn riding Taktur and Daisy riding Kappi.

So muchos packing, lists and organising to do.

Before we go on tomorrow’s boat, we went to check on the mares and collect the trailer.

Lyra, of course, came racing over to see her best friend.

I just stood there and took a few photos of the Mutual Appreciation Society, lest they never see each other again.

Vitamin and I looked on with disbelief at this ridiculous show of affection.

Very sweet, but really?  We will be back in a week.

A few things to do, including Daisy’s graduation from St Snotter’s to fit in as well.  Did I mention Daisy did good and achieved a 2:1 degree in Biology?  So now her name is Daisy Taylor-Bsc Hons (my clever girl, so proud, sniff).  Cameras at the ready.

I will try and keep you posted but I promise nothing.  OH is left full in charge of Lambie and Lambert, BeAnne and Loki and a field full of Minions and old Fogeys, plus his fan club of chickens.  He will be busy and I hope he spends time bonding with the woolly boys.  I secretly see him playing the guitar outside surrounded by adoring animals gazing up at him (I need more gin).

This has become our regular walk nowadays.

Everyone goes – Loki is around, out of shot, hoping no one will recognise him.

Poor little Lambert seems to have an eye infection, so we cleaned his eyes with cold tea and popped some Orbenin in to see if that will help.  Failing that, to the vet we will go.

While Lambert is very enthusiastic about participating in everything, Lambie has turned into a fluffy slug.

Lambert was paddling back and forth over the stream that runs through the fields but Lambie went on strike.

So Daisy, being the nice person that she is, went back to pick him up and carry him over.

On the way home, however, Lambie had to sort it out for himself.

And, after a bit of cajoling, he managed.

They are a funny little bunch but, still, they are my family and I love them all.

We were trying to show Lambert and Lambie that there was more land to explore than trying to get into the house all the time.

Lambert loves sucking Daisy’s hair. He doesn’t eat it, just likes the taste.  Most odd.

A quick stop for a photoshoot with Lambie. He does look lovely with the pink campion.  When there are more flowers, I will take some better photos.  I see Lambert with autumn colours.

This afternoon, we left the sheepie-boys in the garden to bask in the sun.  I looked out of the window to find them fast asleep together in my OH’s sheep head graveyard which is gruesome (he collects the skulls on the his dogwalks).  I think it makes us look very dodgy and they may have to accidentally-on-purpose disappear.

Anyway, the main thing is that Lambie and Lambert didn’t care at all.

Yup, my weird family!

This is my idea of the best fun!  Sometimes you just have to race and it is even better if I win!

(and I know you are not supposed to gallop your horse home)

Anywho, it is rare and we are usually very sedate on our rides – passengers, even.

Ok:  Change of topic and a true story.

When we were children, my sister and I were always told to kiss our grandfather goodnight when we were staying there.

To us, he was scary but we dutifully did as we were told.  My mother, later, told me that a friend of her’s used to have to kiss her grandfather goodnight but he was blind.  So instead of bringing herself to be kissed, she would pick up the family Pekinese dog and he would, unknowingly, kiss that goodnight on the top of its head!

This photo reminded me of that scenario.

I spent a lovely few hours at Bergli Stud taking photos of their foals as my computer has just died eating all the previous ones I took.

Here are some of the out-takes that made me smile (my definition of a good photo, by the way).

Such a perfect pose, but with all the potential to go horribly wrong!

The little foals were flying about being enchanting.

I could’ve watched them all for hours.  I loved the way they went off in gangs looking for trouble.

The more ponies, the more mischief!

At one stage four foals galloped at me, so I stood my ground and they all swerved at the last minute.

Foal Watching (and photographing) is probably my second best sport.

Meet Lambert!

He arrived last night and we put the boys together in their pen, fed them, kissed them goodnight and left them to it.  There is no such thing as the silence of the lambs.

This morning, feeling rather apprehensive, we put Lambie and Lambert in the back garden together whereupon Lambert instantly escaped to be with us *** sigh ***.  So we all ended up sitting outside together – Daisy, Lambie, Lambert, BeAnne, Loki and me in the garden getting to know each other.

Lambert has a similar background to Lambie.  He was one of a twin whose mother and twin died.  He is also small, like Lambie, and they are almost the same age so that will mean joint birthday parties then.

Lambert is bottle fed, although he is on only two bottles a day as opposed to Lambie who is on 4.  Lambert has also lived in a herd of sheep so vaguely knows what is expected, like eating grass and playing.

So that is us welcoming a new member to our family.  BeAnne is dubious but has been told that Lambert is friend not food.  Also, for once, OH approves of this addition as he thinks this will keep Lambie out of the house!

We are all hoping Lambert will fit in well at Thordale.  He is happy to follow and loves everyone, so that is a good start.

Lambie looks a bit bewildered as he has never seen a sheep up close before but, as the day progresses, they are learning to communicate.

One of the chaps already, I hope.

This afternoon, all was quiet and I think I could hear some snoring!

Zzzzzzz……..

Blissful inactivity on a June afternoon with fat tummies full of grass and the faint glimmer of warmth on their backs.

Little boys behaving, at last.  A rare time for everyone in the herd.

The flowers were growing and the birds tweeting. All was good – (just setting the scene here).

Suddenly a little Someone woke up!

Within seconds of waking, he had the Evil Thought, but decided to sort himself out first!

The Evil Thought was plain – to make a dear little chap’s life a misery by hanging onto his lug (ear) while he was sleeping.

Yes, that is poor Waffle’s ear in his mouth and yes, Tiddles is still hanging on!

Poor Waffle was unamused but tolerant of this nasty little boy and he managed to wake everyone else up too.  Once they had all stood up, had a quick cuddle and chat with me, I shooed them off to continue with their horrid games.

The life of a Minion is never peaceful.  They like it like that (mostly!)