My morning was spent getting ready for the mother of all weathers. According to the weather forecast, the temperature is going to dip hugely so I filled every container I could find with water for when the tap freezes, which it always does.
The stalls all have fresh water buckets, forage licks and haynets (except for Fivla and Vitamin’s – no hay eating teeth).
And Skippy is charged up, ready to go.
The sheep have haynets hanging, a lick bucket available and fresh water too. I even cleaned out their feed bowls just because.
Later on at 2.30 p.m., the weather started to disintegrate and I don’t mind telling you that no one needed asking twice when I opened the gates.
They all, to a horse/pony, rushed into their stalls, almost taking off their own rugs without rolling first and started to eat looking very relieved that they were not having to stay outside anymore.
So now I am going to spend my entire night lying awake thinking “thank the Gods everyone is inside tonight” while the weather rages around us.
But will I sleep? Probably not, because Gussie and Dahlia are the only ones outside – I didn’t see them come home. I’ve wedged their field gate open just in case they remember.
update: they’re all home now. Phew!
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I will be thinking of all of you tonight and hoping the storm isn’t as bad as expected. What a way to start the New Year!! Hoping 2026 is filled with joy, peace and good health for you and everybody.
From the Santa Cruz Mountains in the western edge of California, half way across this beautiful planet to your cold and wintery Shetlands. Happy New Year, Francis and family, including all the two legged, four legged and winged folk. Thank you for giving a solid touchstone to each of my days in a world that too often seems unfathomable.
I just love the Assistant Manager Pepper who seems to be right in the middle of all preparations. However, now I’ll worry about Dahlia & Gussie out in wretched weather. Who knew that on New Year’s Eve 2025 I’d be worrying about two sheep on a hill 6,900 km from my home. Batten down the hatches (in this case, sheds) & Happy New Year!
They’re all home now! Xx