These two didn’t turn up for their breakfast this morning and of course I was worried.  Everyone always turns up for breakfast.  Them’s The Rules.

I swithered about letting Dahlia and Gussie stay out or going to look for them and decided that the others would eventually find them and that was better than me interfering.

Later, after flute duets, I went out to the field with three carrots for the old Icelandic horses and found all the sheep together, which made me happy.  They are, at last, getting along better, I thought to myself.

Spotting me, Dahlia and Gussie immediately came running over.

I fed the horses their carrots and watched their interaction with the new sheep.  Usually the whole flock steer well clear of the horses and run if they see them. This is possibly due to heinous behaviour by small Shetland ponies when Lambie was small and vulnerable.

You can almost hear what Gussie and Haakon are thinking.

The one who is most interested is Gussie. He is fascinated by the horses.

“What is this small woolly creature, Mum?”

“Haakon, allow me to introduce Gussie Fink-Nottle!”

(when we next get the sheep in to drench, I will cut out the vile piece of baler twine from Dahlia’s ears – I don’t want to do it without help as it could end badly).

So I sat on a rock and enjoyed the rare autumn sunshine.

They followed me back home and I gave them their breakfast 8 hours late, which they happily scoffed down.

I am so pleased they’ve come to live with me – dear Dahlia and darling Gussie.  Such sweethearts.

Tis the carrot season and I was sent home from Transition Turriefield (my veg box volunteering work on a Wednesday and Thursday for a couple of hours) with a paper bag full of carrots that were deemed unsellable.  The bag was marked “Lambie” as they have been donated to livestock and I usually hand them out to the sheep.

Anyway, as Lambie had long gone into the hill park along with his friends, I thought I would introduce Gussie to carrots.  He had never seen one of those.

He sniffed the carrot for a long time.

His mother, Dahlia, likes carrots and was happily scoffing away and so Gussie decided he would like to try one.  Crunch, crunch.  And then he decided that he really liked carrots and could he please have a lot more. I duly gave him a few – one at a time.  These little carrots are the perfect size for Gussie. It’s like they were grown for him.

I wanted the sheep to go out into the field too, and join the flock, so rustling my paper bag of carrots, the sheep duly followed me.  Mission accomplished and another carrot as a reward for understanding that fields are for sheep during the daytime.  I leave the gate open so they can come in at night, if they want to.

It’s been a glorious day in Shetland.

I think we are finally having our summer.

It has taken it’s time in coming.

I’m just looking at my phone, trying to find today’s blog idea when I realised I have many photos of Monster on our Persian rug.  I think it is because it makes the perfect background for his beautiful physique.

Some pictures are more flattering than others but Monster does look very good against the vibrant Persian patterns and colour.

(a lovely waistline but rather stubby chubby little legs – that’s all I am saying!)

Sometimes, Pepper is added to the mix.

As an almost invisible cat, Monster features a lot in my life.

Mostly, he wants to join in with whatever I am doing.

Or likes to drape himself all over my iPad while I am having breakfast, trying to catch up with various forums and websites.  The little-kitten look melts my heart, every time and I give up all thoughts of anything but tickling Monster’s dangerous tummy.

And then I will be biffed by a paw.  Resistance is useless.

Monster also does a very good sulk as well, especially when I have shouted “enough” because it all gets a bit much.

I dropped Ted off at his dog groomers first thing this morning, only to discover I was an hour early for his 3 monthly appointment. Of course I felt guilty for him but as the dog groomer mentioned, he does whine a lot, so I wanted rid quickly.

Then I drove to town to drop off more sheep.  My field was severely diminished so it was good to refill and rearrange it.  The sheep are selling slowly but steadily.

I had left OH for the day dog-sitting Pepper who hates being on her own.  Luckily, as he thought it was going to rain (he is painting outside), he was happy to stay at home until I returned.  Apparently, they went on a very nice walk so I stopped worrying about Pepper.  Anyway, she has Monster.

No cruise ships in today, which made the town quiet.

I did a few messages and had some good chats with long lost friends.

And then I went to collect Ted, who was his usual abominable self at the dog-groomers (I feel so sorry for her) and took him home.  To Ted’s credit, though, there was only minimal whining in the car on the drive back so that’s a slight improvement.  Ted is a creature of habit. Anything out of the ordinary is unthinkable.

Ted looks very handsome.  I knoww Mum would not approve – she hated seeing him with a short coat but it is my choice now and I think he looks so much better when he is not a greasy muppet.

This is Kolka’s house now.  She’s made it her own.  It is official.

And everyone else is not allowed in.

Kolka makes a point of going and standing in Her Shed every morning after breakfast. She also leaves me a present, which I clear up later.

(btw, I love this photo – Kolka is very photogenic, unlike others).

I don’t think the old men mind too much about not being allowed in the shed.  Haakon would barge his way in if he felt he must.  No, is not a word he cares for very much in his life.

And Iacs has bigger fish (carrots) to fry.

He was on the rampage, trying to follow me for more carrots – I had very kindly taken out three on my dog walk to feed them en route.  I like to check they haven’t got colic or laminitis, ie show me you can eat and walk.

And when I said out loud “that’s it, Iacs. No more”, he made this face!  Silly old thing.