Category Archives: Crafts

A Funny Old Day

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Winter seems to have returned today and we are all grumbling.  It was 12°C with a mean F7 westerly so about 8°C.  Brrrr.

I spent my morning productively taking the internet to bits.  Our whole network had ground to a halt so I repositioned the router upstairs (for better signal), reset all the extenders and re-attached them to the network.  So far, I have tripled the signal strength around the house, and am praying it stays like this.  Our internet signal is my bête noire and in Shetland, without fibre, 22 Mbps is jolly well racing along.

In need of a break from argumentative, yet invisible, technology, I took to my shed after lunch to admire my one sweet pea flower that I have successfully grown from last year’s seeds.

I made another sheep – the white one on the right – to add to my latest bag of stock.

And then it was the turn of the real sheep.  They had spent their day in a field with deep thick grass – everyone’s winter grazing for when it snows.

The grass has really taken off this year.

I could barely find Lambie.

Rattling a packet of ginger biccies, they all agreed to come inside which means all my outside animal chores are done for the day and I need not go outside again.

Even Lambie cooperated.

This is always the tense bit as I can’t double back to close the field gate and the ponies are just around the corner eating their haynets.  They could so easily run into the field.

Once through the main gate, I ran back to shut the field gate so the ponies couldn’t go in.

And then there was my follower. Today it was Barrel doing his best for an extra biscuit but the packet was finished so I had nothing to give him.  Sorry Barrel.

My Day Out

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This morning I did all the things I had to do, like feed animals, put the sheep in their field and walk the dogs.

And then I drove over to a friend’s and we had a lovely day out, away from everyone and everything.

First stop was Scalloway for a quick dog walk around my most favourite little public garden – I think this is Gibblestone House gardens.

I was very slightly obssessed with the trees there – scyamore maple.

A delicious lunch with the statutory extravagantly decorated hot chocolate for me, and onwards to the Burra (a pair of interconnected islands—East Burra and West Burra) to see emus and wallabies at The Outpost, like you do.

This is my first visit.  The wallabies were a bit far away and not very interested in us.  I, on the other hand, was fascinated as they hopped off.

Then there was a shed with a beautifully warm aviary and lots of enthusiastic chirping.

I made good friends with this chap who apparently according to Google is a green-cheeked parakeet. As there was no one around to ask, I spent my time just whistling, which was a great hit and the bird whistled back hopefully happily at my efforts. I used to live with an African grey and seem to remember she loved whistling.

And then the total stars of today – two emus with the best hair do’s.

I have never seen emus up close.  They are very strange in a prehistoric way, especially found living in Shetland.

And then lastly on to the home of Burra Bears.

The bears are very special (made from old Fair Isle jerseys) and there is a long waiting list.

And then home and back to the real world.  It was a lovely much-needed day out for me.

Need a Rest

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I was going along quite well this morning.

Everyone was fed, put in fields where they should be, most home chores done (pickled some eggs and vacuumed) before I drove into town for a physiotherapy appointment.

As I was early, I popped into Jamiesons’s Knitwear to see if they needed more sheep.

I like to have spare with me just in case because a sale is a sale and I hate an empty field.

My field was already well-stocked but no matter my new bag of sheep will keep for another day.

Then my physio appointment which was very helpful, a quick run around with a trolley at Tesco’s trying to remember everything on my shopping list and I finally drove home.

And now I feel absolutely “cream-crackered” and have taken to my bed along with various animals who are hopeful I will get up and feed them their tea.

No chance – it’s an hour early and I need a rest.  So that’s my diary appointments for this week all done and I have absolutely nothing ahead – my idea of heaven.  I shall concentrate on my physio exercises.

No Electricity

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We had a planned power outage today – new power lines were being put up in our area, I think. We all knew it was coming weeks ago, but, still, it is never much fun.  I spent my day having those ridiculous quick thoughts like “well, I’ll just switch the light on” or “I’ll put a wash on” only to realise it was not possible so I vaguely polished furniture instead while OH went to town for supplies.

It was my turn to walk the dogs and the weather was not great – windy F8, a moderate gale.  I found all the horses and ponies in the sharp cut of the valley which has lots of shelter and grass.

Iacs thought I had brought carrots. I told him I had nothing and got this rather stern stare in response.

Vitamin was close-by too and I noticed she is suddenly looking even grayer. I guess it is her winter fur coming out and the new summer coat arriving with increasing white hairs.

I found a rock to sit on out of the wind – the dogs were happily doing their own thing – hoping Fivla would have a chat but she walked off.  Humph.

Fivla needs a good brush – they all do.  Maybe tomorrow – I have visitors coming over.

Bored with no electricity, I went into my shed with the now-hopefully-worn-out dogs to make a hand-felted Shetland sheep.

And the electric came back on, as they said it would, around tea-time.  It is amazing just how much we rely on it and now I can turn on lights, and put the washing on.

A Lovely Present

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This beautiful peg-loom rug arrived in the post today and I cried when I saw it.

Many years ago, 2020 to be precise, I sent Wendy Thompson from Maison d’Ouessant Style three fleeces – a selection of Lambie’s from a few years and one of ‘Bert, I think.

And the other day, when I mentioned that Lambie was getting old now, my friend offered to give me the peg-loom rug that she’d made from Lambie.  I couldn’t say no, it was such a generous offer and the rug is even more beautiful than I could’ve possibly imagined.

To celebrate this amazing gift, I went down to the bottom field armed with my big camera to take some photos of the sheep himself, who was snoozing about as far away as possible.

Lambie woke up when he heard me but he didn’t bother to get up.

However, he did manage one of his world famous “Winning Smiles” and that’s exactly how I feel about my rug too plus Wendy’s incredible talent and generosity.

You can find Wendy’s shop here – when you see her website, you will see she totally gets sheep.  She really does understand them (I love her photos).

Anyway, I’ve placed the rug by my bedside and can comfortably tread on Lambie every morning and evening.  I also sit on him every day too.

This wonderful seat saver was made for my birthday last year by Monika from Collaster Croft (we went to see the film together yesterday for obvious sheep reasons).  We even have one from the much-loved and missed Edna too.

And that’s the beauty of having wool presents that are created from sheep without hurting them, who are loved and have names, made by incredibly talented folk.