It is a beautiful sunny day and everyone is out and about.

Winter seems a long time ago. It is funny how quickly we forget wondering when, or even if, the grass will ever grow again.

The Minions are turning into fat little pigs and that is fine.

In fact everyone is looking very well, perhaps a bit too “well” in some cases.

I tried to get the tats off Tiddles but, once he had worked out why I wanted him, he was off.

In a huff, never to be caught again!

So I left him to it and reckoned there would be other days to get that fluff off him.

Taktur was being Greta Garbo.

Who was it who said “the grass is always greener on the other side”?

The boys really just wanted to be left to eat so I went off to find someone else to amuse me and my camera.

I think this is a skylark.  It made a beautiful noise and was nearly impossible to photograph – very quick in the sky and didn’t hang about.

Lambie and Lambert are enjoying the Summer too.  Lambie was particularly bouncy on the dogwalk (yes all four of us went!)  He was all Skippety Doo-Dah until he fell over.

Last night I was asked to go over to a friend’s house with my camera(s) in the morning to see if I could photograph a bird that was not meant to be in Shetland.

So I duly popped over with my long lens to sit in the sunshine in their kitchen, being fed homemade cake and coffee – always a chore!

They have a beautiful garden, so the view was perfect and so was the cake.

And so we sat and sat, and chatted and sat, and waited for the rare-bird-to-Shetland to arrive.

Um…… it didn’t.  No rare bird.  It had obviously gone somewhere else.

So I took some photos of a mouse that made an appearance.

And went on enjoying the cake and coffee!

I never got to see the bird,  Ho-hum, probably just as well.

(this photo is to prove that Wu goes outside, by the way!)

Anywho, it is not the rare bird that is important – it is the fact that I almost saw one!

Btw, The Minions are fine, in case anyone is missing Shetland pony input!

I will see what I can do tomorrow on that front.

I met the nicest prettiest little grey mare today.  She was enchanting, like a fairy-tale pony.

A little shy to start with but it didn’t take long.

Once the mare had her headcollar taken off, I found myself sitting on the ground waiting for the next contestant to be photographed.

It was then that the little mare decided to investigate me.

I turned away, avoided direct eye contact and put my hand out to feel her gentle snuffling muzzle sussing me out.

And then we were friends.  If I had a mare field (yes, yes, I know I have the black ones), I would buy this little girl.  There was a connection.  She is such a gentle sweet soul and she desperately wanted to be friends.  Every time there was a gap in my photography, she would sneak back over for a quiet chat.

I love it when you can hear them whisper to you.

Meanwhile, Esja was busy trying to hog all the limelight.

As I was mostly sitting or lying down, my photos had a wonderful nothing background to distract.

Icelandic horses and Shetland ponies make the best of friends.

They are so similar in very many ways and I am sure they speak the same language too.

And if you are wondering about Lamb-Bie and Lamb-Bert, they are both fine and full of life and enthusiasm to follow me everywhere.

I wrote this blog over two years ago – https://myshetland.co.uk/dogs-own-country/

I remember being upset and furious at being refused the chance to rescue a lurcher because I said that I would let any lurcher chase rabbits on my property.  We were labelled “a Hunting Home” and refused any dog.

So, via a different route, we rescued Loki – he had been found wandering the streets of Elgin and was unclaimed from the pound.

We have come a long way in those two years.  Loki is a different dog now. He has curbed his temper, learned to play, wag his tail and transformed himself into an invaluable member of the family.

While I was feeding Taktur this afternoon, just before our dog walk, Loki appeared with a large rabbit he had just caught.

So, as “a Hunting Home”, I told him well done and we were now going on our dog walk.

Bunny came too.  There and back.

We walked along the single-track road on an old route, as my back is giving me alarming twinges at the moment.

Loki shone with pride and happiness at his latest achievement.  His whole life has changed these past two years and he enjoys being a dog with a purpose rather than a dog not allowed to do what he was bred for.

When we got home, OH too had returned  from work, so Loki said hello, then raced off into the garden to bring bunny in and laid it OH’s feet!

Guess what’s for supper tonight?

Herring!

I am exhausted.

I have had a long day – riding, photographing, stuff, walking miles because I have no car, etc….

So here is the easy way out.  Some photographs I took today of beautiful Shetland pony mares and their itty-bitty foals.  I won’t rattle on as I have not got much to say.  I am too tired.

The ponies were enchanting.  Their change of coats makes them look peculiar – neither woolly nor sleek but always beautiful in their own lovely way.

And if anyone says to you Shetland ponies can’t move, then please repy “you should see this post”.

Wow!

Perfection, elevation and such grace.  Like mini dressage horses.

It was a hot day by Shetland standards, so BeAnne, who had been helping to get the foals trotting, took herself off for a little swim to cool down.

I am going to bed now.  It was a lovely day, if exhausting for me and my back is aching.

(I guess I secretly miss my Shetland pony foals)