Category Archives: Flowers

Bloody Ragwort

It’s not all hugging ponies and sheep around here. Sometimes we have to do real work.

And today it was pulling ragwort, a job I loathe because it hurts my back. I have been putting it off all summer but realised I must just get on and do it.

Daisy was already out there.

She had brought some big bin bags with her so I took one and found a patch and went to work.

We each filled a bag when it started to drizzle. So we decided to fill one more between us and then call it a day. There is absolutely nothing less fun than ragworting in drizzle.

Between us, we filled our three bags.

I had brought the Eggbox over so we didn’t have to lug the full bags (to take to the tip later) and I let Daisy drive it home – her first time off-roading with the diff (open differential) on. I think she enjoyed it. I love off-roading and that is the Eggbox’s one great talent.

I will probably go back to the field and do some more ragworting another day. Don’t tell me about the ragwort forks because I don’t get on with them. God, I hate pulling ragwort. It’s such an evil tenacious plant with no value in my life at all.

Our First Courgette Harvest

2 Replies

The dogs and I went on a soggy walk in the field. The dogs were looking for bunny rabbitses while I was looking for two errant sheep – Gussie and his mother, Dahlia, who have not turned up for their breakfast two days in a row. But I have been checking them from a distance.

Edited to say that they turned up tonight and got two biscuits for their trouble. Phew! I hate it when someone is awol.

The heather has come out now and I need to go for a drive to find the hill heather looking its most dramatic.

We don’t have much around here.

On my home from the soggy walk, I found the old ladies had taken up residence in their shed with no intention of moving…. ever.

And in the other field, the Shetland ponies had come up because it was raining. According to Albie they might melt.

Ever optimistic Albie. I had nothing for him.

I thought there was only Tiddles and Silver sheltering in one of their containers and was looking around for Newt.

I found him. I hope Silver/Tiddles weren’t holding him hostage.

It has been known.

And back at home, OH had picked our first courgette harvest (ever). This is quite the achievement for us. A while back, a friend gave us four healthy plants – so really he had done all the hard work like planting and getting them started. Apparently there might even be some more courgettes later.

We grewed these – get us!

The Last of the Flowers

3 Replies

Daisy and I went for a lovely walk with the dogs in Clothie – my separate five acre croft land that is a little way into the open hill grazing.

Having climbed the hill, I sat on an old windowsill of the derelict croft house and admired the view, happy that the postman had dropped off an important parcel (for an exciting craft project I am about to start). I watched him driving off back up our track.

The grass is nice and high in places. This is the old horses and ponies’ winter grazing for a few months. The dogs found it hard work to walk through and had to bounce over it to see where they were going – I hoped this would use up lots of energy and tire them nicely out, while we didn’t have to walk very far. It did.

The beautiful abundant summer flowers are now all dying back. Summer is beginnning to feel over here. It has been a very good year for them. So much colour.

I found a good patch of Devil’s-bit scabious which is my favourite. It was competing with the buttercups and hawkweed. Interestingly, the horses and ponies won’t eat it. It always looks delicious.

Daisy and I wandered around our field for a bit while the dogs did their own thing. Last time I was here, Pepper came home with a dead polecat that she had hunted down.

Given any chance at all, Pepper is a keen hunter, always on the look out. I don’t discourage her because a) it is my own land and b) it is one less polecat to try and kill my chickens and ducks.

Back to Dog Walks in the Flowers

3 Replies

As Pepper has now had her two stitches out (and, apparently she was a very brave soldier), I thought she could start going for a walk again, but only short ones and strictly supervised.

So I decided Pepper and Ted should go to Clothie, my 5 acres of long grass and flowers which forms part of the old horses and ponies’ winter grazing.

At times, it was difficult to see the dogs. They were easily lost in the long grass and flowers.

Nearly impossible at times.

Pepper was loving her new freedom.

The two dogs bounded over the grass together, trying to see over the top and where they were going all at the same time.

Meanwhile, having walked to the top of the hill, I sat on a windowsill of the old crofthouse not watching the world not go by. There wasn’t a soul to be seen, just the long grass swaying in the wind to the sound of the curlews shouting.

I think the short walk was a success. The daily bandaging less so, though. She hates that and fidgets horribly.

I still don’t trust her not to go a-visiting – strict supervision, remember!

Now, Ted I mostly trust. He has a good track record and stays around the house.

While Pepper is always looking for the chink in our armour.

Da Gairdins Visit

10 Replies

I spent a lovely, if blowy, morning at Da Gairdins in Sand, 4 miles north of Skeld. A 60 acre site of woodland and gardens open all year round for everyone to visit.

And I had never been before (I have no idea why but I haven’t).

So, apologies for the photo drop but I had the best morning walking around with our visitors enjoying everything. I only managed the first garden – there are three different areas to discover.

From Lonely Planet – “Four miles north of Skeld, a side road leads to Sand, where you’ll find Da Gairdins i Sand, a brave attempt to create a colourful woodland garden amid the bleak moors of western Shetland. Various environments, including grassland, wildflower meadows, rhododendron walks and wildlife ponds, have been created in the lee of conifer shelter belts. Pick up a leaflet at the entrance for a description of the various walks.”

Well, all I can say is that it was a lot more than “a brave attempt”. This patronizing review was written by someone who obviously has never actually tried to cultivate, let alone grow, a brussel sprout in Shetland. This is a true labour of love.

The Shetland weather is unhelpful in the extreme and the love and hard work put into achieving this truly awesome environment is evident at every turn of the peaceful trails.

So here are my photos of the first “gairdin”.

I must go back and explore the other two. And I know I say this and never go back, but I will. I am determined to explore. I had the best morning.

From Da Gairdins’ website – “Come and enjoy a variety of garden walks, discover thousands of trees and plants and appreciate open views across the sea. Watch the wildlife in three large ponds teaming with frogs. Take pleasure eating outdoors at one of the many picnic areas. Stroll through woodland, Pampas plantations and Rhododendron beds. And much, much more! Dogs are welcome on a lead.”