Well aware of my inadequate indigenous floral and ornithological knowledge (ie, what’s that called? I dunno), I was recommended these two books. Once purchased, they arrived today:-

Shetland Flowers

And
Discover Shetland’s Birds

I highly recommend and they should fill a huge hole in my knowledge, hopefully.

Ribwort Plantain, anyone?

Common Butterwort, I think.

Common Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil

Bogbean

Spring Squill

Northern Marsh Orchid.

Common Milkwort (I think).

Not sure what this one is. Isn’t it too early for heather?  Help, please.

Common Spotted Orchid

Marsh Marigold

Common Mouse-Ear.

Red Campion (more pink, if you ask me).

And bluebells, which aren’t indigenous to Shetland. I did not know this.

And Tiddles, who is!

Heath Spotted Orchid

And Mr Blackbird who “is a common breeding resident, migrant and wintor visitor.”

So here is all this knowledge for me to learn from my two new books.  I shall enjoy this. It is interesting to see what is growing where too. Each field is very different and now the Minions are living in Leradale all year round, I am seeing new-to-me plants because I never used to visit Leradale in Spring or Summer.  Everyone lived elsewhere.

This is the face of the utter gem (aka Bibble) who is happy to have his bottom washed daily and even volunteers.  Sweet boy.

(there may be a calorific incentive involved, though, and he may know that but I don’t care – family motto – “whatever it takes”).

And this is the face of the hairiest fairiest about to go and have his cut n’ blow dry this afternoon.

And now a vision afterwards. According to my dog groomer, he was a good boy and so I forgive him biting my ankles when we were leaving the house to set off.

And this is the face (and possibly body) of a large white cat who rolled around in the dirt like a chicken having a dust bath and is now less than white.

Isn’t he revolting?

I was shocked. I have never seen Monster not bother to wash himself.  This is the dirtiest I have ever seen him. Has he no pride in his appearance?  Scruffy little Herbert.  And now, 24 hours later, he is gleaming again.

And these are the faces of my dearest oldies who were all snoozing when I came across them during my dog/cat walk.

 

My friend, Monika – Sandness Equine Services, has a portable weighbridge for horses and she kindly offered to come over to weigh specifically Iacs (aka Bibble) before his surgery next week so his medication and anaesthesia can be calculated accurately.

I have never accurately weighed anyone (cat and dogs included) using pure guesswork as my science, which I realise is not ideal or even remotely accurate, as I found out today.

Bibble, of course, walked straight on, pausing on the way to sniff the new-rubber mat smell.  He also quickly found Monika’s treat pocket.  The best incentive.

In like a ferret up a drainpipe!

Haakon was up next. He, of course, went all stupid about the whole thing, snorting and trying to evade the whole incredibly dangerous process of standing on a NEW black rubber mat like he has done all his life.  Eventually, he gave up and walked onto it.

Honestly, Haakon. The shame.

Kolka was of course perfect. No questions. Just walked straight on.

And stood there calmly like the lady she is.

And here are the results. I had them all down in my head as “around the 350kg mark” and, boy, was I way off!

Afterwards, I weigh-taped this three to see just how accurate that method is:-
Iacs – 417kg
Kolka – 411kg
Haakon – 423kg
Conclusion: Not very accurate but a rough indication.

Monika is returning some time soon to weigh the Minions for me. Now, that should be interesting. Knowing the horses and ponies real accurate weights helps hugely with wormer doses.

So thank you to Sandness Equine Services.  This was very informative and yes, I did ask if Monika would weigh the sheep, though the Gods alone know how we go about achieving  this!

Recently, I’ve been noticing that Iacs’ (aka Bibble) front bottom has something odd going on.  He is, in no way, showing discomfort or difficulty in pee’ing, but something is not right. There is a wonky very wierd growth thing going on.

So I called for a vet visit, showing photos in an email as well as my interpretation of things, beforehand.

Knowing the visit was happening today, Bibble was around the house waiting for the vet to arrive.

He was fine on his own, investigating and he knew the others were about too.

While waiting for the vet, I used my time wisely and tidied up the shed (indoor school) while Bibble “helped”.

In fact he found and ate his après front-bottom examination carrot early!  I found the evidence.  A chicken told me.

Bibble looked totally unashamedly guilty, if there is such a thing.

The vet was running late so Bibble enjoyed exploring his old haunts.  A little known fact – he actually managed to shut his owner, Daisy, into this container a few years ago.  I won’t say I didn’t laugh….. a lot …. as I let her out!

While we waited, I decided to put Bibble back with his friends in the wee small paddock.  There were water buckets but Bibble made sure there weren’t.

The vet arrived and did a thorough examination in the stable.

Pepper, obviously, was on stand-by because you just might need a small unhelpful Patterdale terrier for just this sort of thing.

Bibble was lightly sedated for examination and the vet and I made some decisions as to his immediately treatment – antibiotics, painkillers, and then surgery of the nasty bit.  It is a tough one. Bibble is 27 so any treatment is really to try and sort this in Shetland. Needs must, he will go south but we haven’t reached that decision yet.

Bibble liked the idea of a bucket full of antibiotics!  Best day ever, if you’re him.

Farrier day yesterday and those who needed it, had their hooves trimmed.

Along with some “expert” advice.

Our farrier, Stephen, said the Minion’s hooves were growing straight and the laminitis damage was growing out so I am hopeful.

And I smugly, but hesitantly, congratulated myself that everyone was looking good.  We might to be getting through Spring without any reoccurrence of laminitis.

There is noticeable weight-loss from some….

…. though Albie seems to photograph as a lump.  He isn’t in real life.  Most odd.

The daily food, ie the minerals and vitamins, although not much loved, is eaten.

And they go to the four corners of their hill to find very sparse amounts of grass during the day.

(they share bowls, once they’ve finished their own).

So I am hopeful, if nervous of the rest of this year.

We are not going back to most of them having laminitis. Not now, not never.