Category Archives: Icelandic horses and Shetland Ponies

Dreich

I don’t think it is actually going to stop raining until next year. It was dreich (a great word for today).

And it was just getting light when I went outside serving up breakfast to everyone, hence the dismal photos. Tis the way, this time of year.

So, armed with my extensive shopping list, I headed to Lerwick stopping off first at the feed merchant for provisions for all things ovine, equine and poultry.

And then a quick swoop around Tesco with my trolley and I drove home while it was still daylight. I hate driving in the dark.

In the last of the quickly fading light of early afternoon (now around 2.30 p.m.; how pathetic is that?), Skippy and I unloaded the car and I made bedding a bit fresher for the chucks and ducks and the sheep too.

Obviously, I had my little follower. She never left my side though her determination to be run over by Skippy was admirable (if I had a pound for every time I tell her to get out from under the wheels, I could probably pay my feed bill!)

With the ducks and hens now comfortable and the sheep bedroom slightly fresher, I saw the sheep had all come home from their day out in the field. Even Gussie and Dahlia had turned up – a routine I want them to get into.

You can see just how wet everyone was but doesn’t Gussie-Dustbin look handsome? He’s quite the sheep these days.

I got out my statutory biscuit tin and gave everyone one ginger biccie each. Them’s are the rations. I think there was muttering about bigger rations, though. I didn’t listen as I shut the front door for the end of the day – at 3 p.m., (fer cryin’ out loud!)

Dull Days Please

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You know me, I hate change. I like my days to be dull, preferably with absolutely no unexpected excitement.

Everyone and everything should always be the same.

I rely on those around me to know this and, to be fair, I think they approach life pretty similarly too.

Part of our morning routine – Breakfast buckets, clean out Vitamin’s teeth with the dental woosher thingy, clean Fivla’s eyes of any caked gunk (her tear ducts have never worked), kiss her nosey for being a good girl and off I go to do the next thing, which is to wash the buckets out in the stream on my way home.

Then I grab the leftover soaked sugar beet to feed ‘Ster (in his bowl) and ‘Bert (he cleans up the bucket like a good boy), give Lambie his special portion of TurmerAid in his private dining room, taming training with Madge (I will win even if she grunts) using TurmerAid, and also a bit for Maggie and Dahlia. Then all the sheep follow me to the field and go out for the day.

And this is always the same but just a little part of our morning routine. There is also feeding the other Shetland ponies, and letting the ducks and hens out for the day. It is always the same and as long as it all goes smoothly, I am very happy pottering around doing my crofting chores.

Bad weather can be a trial, though and that is on its way…… Ugh.

Anyway, I hate excitement and I hate change because then I can’t cope.

Pot of Gold, Please

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This is another quick blog and I’m sorry. Just circumstances are still out of my control.

But I have managed to get all my outside chores done in the allotted daylight hours – which are albeit becoming very brief – 8.30 a.m. to about 3.30 p.m. at the moment.

The dog walk is also rather a lick and a promise as the weather’s not great and no one is very enthusiastic, including me.

But, it is lovely to see the Shetland ponies in a huge field being completely free of track life and routine. They turn up for their breakfast and then go off for the rest of the day bothering no one. I am not important to them anymore, which is actually a huge relief and very nice.

I liken their massive field to being about the same standard of grazing as if they were on the open hill (scattald). Maybe slightly better, but not much.

They will stay there for as long as they remain healthy and happy. Hopefully, for the winter if I have my way.

So we are all going along ok. I am feeling slightly less stressed.

Just off to look for my pot of gold. Please make it a big one. That would help.

Give me Strength!

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Apologies for radio silence yesterday. There was an unexpected hospital-type emergency which is still ongoing.

Anyway, my morning started as it meant to …… ie, badly.

I could only find 5 sheep – Maggie was missing. Dahlia and Gussie had vanished too.
‘Bert and Barrell were at war and wouldn’t go into the sheep shed for breakfast as they were too busy beating the crap out of each other.
Pepper vanished.

So I ignored all of that and continued as normal hoping I wouldn’t find any other awful messes along my way.

I decided I would find Maggie et al on the dog walk later.
I gave Bert and Barrell their breakfast anyway and noticed someone ate it as the bowls were empty later. I also gave both of them free-rein with the TurmerAid box in the hope they would be too drugged/relaxed up to fight! I hate it when there are arguments in the flock.
Pepper turned up, just I was about to find the car keys and go round all the neighbours apologising.

My day continued in this disastrous theme when I broke the washing machine and Monster’s timer bowl (for his very early morning snack). At that stage I just decided I would not react to anything the world was going to throw at me.

Later, on the dog walk, I found Maggie who was in the wrong field (just why?) I brought her home and she very gratefully rejoined the others. Dahlia and Gussie were at the furthest point of the field possibly gazing at a newly arrived hill-ram. I gave them the breakfast I had brought so I knew they were moving and eating fine. Oh, yes and then it started to rain and I got home totally soaked through to the skin.

And then I discovered my Advent Calendar, which I thought I had been so clever about was showing all the pictures despite me trying to only show the one for the right date like a paper advent calendar. Hopefully I’ve put a stop to that and I hope no one’s peaked.

Give me strength!

Advent Calendar 2025

23 Replies

Here is my 2025 Advent Calendar (we haven’t had one for ages so I think it is time).

Click on the appropriate date number and up pops one of my photos. It may take slightly longer to show because it is a larger picture (1280 x 1024 pixels) but it is given with my love free to you for your own personal use.

Thank you for all your support this year. You have no idea just how much it has meant. xx

I will try and add this as a page on the top bar but will probably make a mess of that. If I fail I will just keep doing a link to the appropriate advent window (if I remember, hopefully – no promises!)