We have snow, possibly not huge by some’s standards, but good enough for us.

I took this photo two days ago and since then, we’ve had a bit more.

Last night saw a bit of covering.

After feeding every animal, at least twice, possibly more, we took BeAnne up the hill for a little potter.  She loves it when it snows.

And, like Monster, she can be pretty invisible too!

It was a truly beautiful day.  No wind, just snow and silence (ok, the odd bird).

Very special.

Her Maj was enthusiastic too.

Her ears were everywhere as was her fur (she has a frilléd around her face, like a mane which has grown to huge lengths this winter).

Her Maj motored along “looking for the bunny rabbitses”.

She was a joy to watch.

I love days like these. Shetland is perfect and life, despite the extra work, is good.

Our smattering snow has one family member very happy.

We are regularly playing the game of “Spot the Cat”.

Obviously Monster never shuts up so we can hear him (he wails constantly bemoaning the fact he is now invisible to us) all the time.

And he is always there if anyone wants a chat……apparently. I see no cat.

Monster likes to lie in wait for Her Maj who wanders around the croft in her usual doitin’ way.

He has moments of not being very nice to our little old lady (rugby tackles, grabbing her around the neck).  Her revenge, however, is to pretend she doesn’t’ see him and to steal his food. All fair here.  There are no actual fights, just indifference and some weird sniffing.

This is a Monster on the prowl.  The black smudge on his back is possibly from where he has been under my car trying to cut the brakes.

Behold, our white panther.

Although he walks amongst us, he is rarely seen (but only on days when there is snow).

He never shuts up, though!

We had snow last night.  Not a huge amount, but snow none-the-less.

The daily trawl had me going to see the Minions (found them – lucky me!) and on the way home I stopped off to say hello to Brá and Hetja.

They looked gorgeous in the calm winter sunlight.

Meanwhile, over the road, Fönix, my neighbour’s Icelandic horse was trying to have a quiet snooze in his field.

He was doing quite well until his two little field-friends, Ulysses and Festus, arrived. We watched, totally amazed, as they tried pawing him (sadly, I hadn’t got my camera at that stage).

Fönix could bear it not more and gave up his idea of peace and quiet.

Feeling rather “got at” ,he walked over to the fence where we were standing, and trying hard not to laugh.

This is Fönix’s “help me” face.

Butter wouldn’t melt.

And then Ulysses and Festus swiftly dismissed Fönix as a Boring Grown-Up and started playing together.

Hetja looked on from her field.  You can almost hear her say “bloody Shetland ponies”.  She’s not fan and would not have been nearly as tolerant or as nice as Fönix.

I drove home giggling to myself.

Enough was enough.  Today, as it was nice and calm, I asked Floss to walk with her Magic Bag of Carrots into the hill field.

Of course, she was enthusiastically followed, which is what I was anticipating.

Up into the hill they all went with me and my long lens straggling behind.

And then they, to a horse, all walked off and left Floss behind.

Suddenly Newt (and Waffle) remembered why they had been following Flossie and turned round to ask for their carrots.

They are all very lucky Floss has such a good moral compass and sense of fair play, or Flustice as we call it!  She walked up the hill for them.

The carrots were duly dished out.

And then off they all went again, giggling (note Newt’s bouncy bottom)!

I am pleased the herd is now in this field.  It is like they forget it exists as they are always so pleased when they get there.

So, on our way back, Floss and I shut the gate between the two fields – there will be no more lurking in the mud around the house for a while.  Give it a rest.

We turned back around to see where everyone was and they’d vanished.

Floss and I spent a good few minutes looking at the field (we can see 95% of it from the derelict house) and nope, not a horse or pony to be seen.  I am of the opinion (“Expert Alien Scientists say…..”) that this is another branch of the Bermuda Triangle and that there are 10 ponies sitting on a beach in Bermuda now.

Well, good luck with that!

The Minions (plus the two Icelandic girls, Lilja and Sóley) want to live 24/7 in mud. They tell me this every day when I visit.

So, subsequently, they are all revolting.

Obviously, there are degrees of revolting.

But, it is winter, we are in Shetland so ergo, we have mud.

Quod erat demonstrandum, as Vitamin would probably say because she is old and therefore speaks Latin.

These poor little hard-done-by ponies, also happen to live in a 50 acre field that has grass and even a lovely stream trickling prettily through.

But no, the Minions must live in mud. They love mud.  It is their thing.  It drives me mad.

After the daily carrot (and Fivla’s TurmerAid), I tell them to go and find the grass.

And, who knew, there was grass?

Oh the joy!

Oh, the happiness!

I swear this lot have the collective brains of a bunny rabbit!  Yes, they do.

Vitamin.  Go away!

This is my daily winter job. No one actually has to stand in mud when you have 50 acres of grass to eat, stand and poop in! Fer cryin’ out loud – (bangs head against the wall!)