If Lambie and Ster had their way, they would be living in the house.

If I lived by myself, I would probably let them but I don’t so I can’t and folk would judge me as even odder than they do already.

I also like airing the house as often as I can.  To do this, I open the front door and the back door thus creating a good draught.

Since the arrival of Lambie, this has not been very achievable because if he spies the front door open, he comes running in to tell me he is here.

So I invented my new Anti-Lambies Barricade (patent pending).  It’s previous life was as a concertina clothes airers (I had broken it putting wet heavy horse rugs to dry) but it now makes a superb gate which even Lambie has not worked out how to get through.

The boys were intrigued to start with.

There was a small committee meeting about the best way to tackle this obstacle.

Agreement was reached.

The plan was for Lambie to stare it into submission while Ster prayed to his Gods.

No result, so Lambie had one of his woolly tantrums, which are very funny (must never laugh, though as that would hurt his feelings).  He is a thenthitive theep.

Lambie tried his hardest to come in but nope, the rest of him wouldn’t follow.

Then Plan B was executed – the begging and the guilt trip

An offer of kisses but I had to remain resolute.  No Lambies in the house. Apparently it is The Law.  OH says so.

And then, to add insult to injury, BeAnne (and Loki) showed just how easy it was to come in, go out, come in and go out endlessly.

At that stage Lambie and Ster went off in a depression to poo and pee in the silage bale as revenge.

I have started feeding “Golden Paste” to Iacs and Haakon.

(you may be aware that Delia has been eating this for a while now and I think I can see a difference in her gait – she is far less stiff.)

“Golden Paste” is a mixture of turmeric powder, coconut oil and freshly ground black pepper.  I make up a batch every few days.

Click here for the Recipe (it is very easy to make – only takes a few minutes.)  There is a human and other animals’ version too.

So why is Iacs having Golden Paste?

I am giving it to him because he is stiff in his front legs and he is in a constant dwaam these days.  Could he be doitin‘?  I hope not. He is turns 21 this year..  Anywho, turmeric is good for humans who are suffering from brain disfunction and arthritis, so I thought it could only help.  Iacs loves turmeric and sports the best golden moustache.

(it may help his silly-frilly too!)

s

Haakon has been on turmeric for a few months now.  He is not a huge fan of eating it but, if Iacs is after his bucket, then he makes more of an effort (Circling Vulture Syndrome).  As Haakon is an older gent and in full work. I don’t want him to stiffen up and all I can say is that his tölt has never been better.  We black-and-decker all over the place at varying speeds and he goes like a train.  I love my boy and want him to live forever.

Klængur loves Golden Paste in huge chunks and will eat it “raw” from my hand (the others have it mixed with chaff).  He doesn’t need it but he likes it so why not.

So, we have golden noseys and I think (ever the sceptic) that Golden Paste actually does help my old boys.  For as long as they want to eat it, I will make it.

As I said, it is really very little bother.

Here are a few photos on my way home after the weekly flute lesson.  I took OH’s 4×4 eggbox-on-an-elastic-band, or Fiat Panda 4×4 as it is known.

IT IS NOT A LAND ROVER DEFENDER!

(I may never get over my loss)

Anyway, I was blown away by the views – the snow coming in over Weisdale Voe.

Grass Water, looking north west, totally solid – I had a very brief urge to go skating until I remembered I hate skating.

A panoramic view of Grass Water and Hulma Water.

The sea at the Bridge of Walls was nearly completey frozen over.

There was only a thin stream of water from the current.

Where the sea stops, the ice starts.

It was hypnotising and very eerie.

The bladderwrack seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) and the ice are not something I see together much.

Tonight’s sunset was pink and it made everything pink as well, reflecting off the snow.

So, with this incredible backdrop, I fed and watered all the animals.  Les Grandes Dames were fed up of being in the field and barged past me, totally ignored Taktur who was screaming at them to come and “talk”.  They ran into their stable, complained about the quality of the hay and demanded a new bale was opened.  I did as I was told – they were both on the warpath.

It will all go soon. The weather is going to warm up.

(apparently)

This is my view from the front door – four fuzzy bottoms.

Although the snow is not very visible, the ground is rock solid and frozen.

Yesterday, feeling sorry for Storm (he fell over in the field) and Tiddles (he got himself stuck and in a witter), they spent 24 hours with Les Grandes Dames.

(Since taking the blog photos, I have evicted everyone as certain Minions raided the small silage bales and bit holes – FFS, they have a huge silage bale to themselves – so everyone is out in the field causing no more evil or destruction.)

I went amongst my little house herd with my camera seeing what silly photos I could take.

Apparently lots!

Tiddles – he was very keen to be kissed more than photographed.

  

Delia – who was very un-Delia looking but she is happy and doing her best to ignore the Minions.

(she is such a lovely old lady)

Then there is Vitamin (you can tell it is Vitamin by her hairy whiskers and Indy, her son and our stallion, looked just like her – same eyes)

And then there is Storm, ever the comedian.

Though, this is Storm’s face after he had a telling off from Delia.  It does not last long.

Before he puts on his “I-don’t-care” face!

Lambie was looking seriously handsome today.

As was Ster.

They both have lovely smiley faces with very expressive eyes.  I don’t know why folk don’t see this in sheep.

These two could run a garage selling used cars – they look so honest, the pair of them!

Storm and Tiddles, on the other hand, could not.  They would lie through their teeth and sell you a three-wheeled car promising the fourth wheel would grow later!

These boys are NOT to be trusted, ever.  Remember my silage bales.  Wrecked, I tell you, absolutely wrecked and these little lads are totally responsible.

My bad, I trusted them.  Stupid, stupid me.

 

We are all tired.

The mud has frozen over and is solid now, which scares the horses and ponies.  They don’t trust it to hold their weight and would rather just stay where they are.  They won’t walk anywhere.

I managed to call everyone up to be fed but Tiddles got in a panic and Storm fell over on the ice/mud.  Both were very upset and minded hugely so I let them into the bit around the house, with Les Grandes Dames and where the silage bale is.  There is no mud there and they were hugely relieved.

I have put out endless silage and everyone is happily eating or standing in their food bowls (like you do, if you are Hjalti).

The sun was shining but, boy, is it cold.  Full of silage and a good hard feed, I left everyone to nod off.

    

The horses like this weather, in as much as they are not wet and freezing, but they find it very difficult to walk about in.  The fear of falling through the mud is too much so they stand and eat and stand.  I went about with buckets of water (Hetja drank a whole one) as it is important they remain hydrated.  There is small stream in the corner of the field, but I doubt they will move to find it.

Hjalti is now King of the Fuzzy Butts.  He is happy to have this title.

There is ice everywhere – sheet ice on our track – and I managed to fall over on my bum.  I screamed so BeAnne instantly attacked Lambie (awful and wrong).

It may be beautiful but it is very hard work keeping 15 horses happy.