Category Archives: Sheep

Lots of Help

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I gave Floss my phone this morning to take photos for me in my usual routine.

So, I rustled up the troops and, clutching my bowl of sheep food, we all walked around to their shed for breakfast.

The sheep are all used to this routine and so know to follow me and my bowl of food.

I thought this routine was pretty fool proof except for one fool ….. Lambie, of course.

He decided that “Things Were Different” so he had to be different too and refused to go inside the shed like he always has done all his life.

Luckily the others wanted their food in their usual bowls.

Dahlia also slipped out because she got pushed off her bowl so I fed those two out of the shed, shutting everyone else in.  We will stick to my routine, even when we don’t. It’s the law.

Meanwhile, Daisy had an easy job and fed the Shetland ponies. She took this gorgeous photo.

Next, it was time for the old horses and ponies – we each grabbed a bucket of food and off we went across the hill.  It is so nice having all this help.

We were finished in half the time and then it was our time for breakfast.

Home for Christmas

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Daisy came home yesterday but she didn’t see the sheep as they had already gone out into their field for the day and then straight to bed when it got dark.

So, this morning Daisy came outside to help with the morning chores – it took half the time.  All the sheep came up to meet her.

Especially Lambie.  He came running, all smiles and got a fuss from Daisy.

And then he deliberately turned and gave me this look!  Like I was now redundant as his Muzzah.

Flossie came home later this morning and now my house is beginning to feel Christmassy.  It is lovely to have them both home and something I really do appreciate.

The tree is up and the house is decorated.  I am happy.

Where Do They Go?

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Most mornings (except when the weather is beastly), I lead the sheep out to their field of choice.

Currently, they all want to go into the same field as the Shetland ponies, which is absolutely fine.  Less grass for fat little ponies then.

But I do wonder where the sheep all go for the day.  It is a large field (26.26 acres or 10.63 hectare to be precise) and, once they are out of eyesight, they could be anywhere, even out of the gate at the back which has a nasty habit of breaking it’s manky rope during a good gale……

As I was on dog-walk duty today, I decided to find out where the sheep went during the day.  I found them right at the back of the field, somewhat near that gate I mentioned (luckily still shut).

This part of the field is fenced in apportionment (ie, hill) so it is rough grazing which is perfect for everyone.  No rich lush grass for fat little ponies or sheep.

Everyone was nearby.

All except for Gussie and Maggie, who seem to be a couple at the moment.

‘Tis the season when the boys are going around asking “do you have a boyfriend?”  ‘Bert was trying his luck with Dahlia who ignored him completely.

So I had to content myself with taking photos of the ones who were close by.

‘Ster

And ‘Ster not looking quite normal.

Dear ‘Bert

He has a very honest face.

Barrel trying his best.

And Dahlia who originally came rushing over and then decided as I had no food, I was not worth talking to.

Still, it was nice to know where they spend their day.

I also went over to talk to Gussie and Maggie but they were too busy looking for the hill ram to drool over.

The weather was beginning to turn, so I called the dogs and we walked home.  The sheep all followed when it got dark and went to bed.

 

Asking for a Friend

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This morning’s entertainment.

And this evening’s (Isn’t Lambie the most handsome sheep in the sunset?)

Dreich

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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!)