It was sunny, if still very windy, this morning and I walked the track with the dogs looking for possible escape routes and any problems.  The ponies are in the field next door where there’s better shelter for them.

The equinoctial gales are giving it their best – we are currently on Day 3 with no let up until  maybe Monday) and it is all a bit meh outside.

For those asking, this is the shelter – an old tattie rig (potato field) that has lovely high drystone walls.  Perfect shelter for small ponies from every angle as it is also at the bottom a steep sided valley.

The ponies use this garden for shelter and then suddenly all come out to eat.

All except for Fivla, who had forgotten how to cross the burn and I can testify that down the bottom, here, there was not a breath of wind so I could see why she had stayed.

I looked around to see guess-who approaching.

And off we went to rescue blown over daffodils for the house.

It’s been a funny old day.

I got up for 6 a.m. (two and a half hours ahead of my usual time) when I spotted a brief lull in the wind and rain.  Everyone was very surprised to see us bearing buckets so early but appreciated the effort, I think.

Monster channelling his inner Winston Churchill

Pepper “smizing”

Later on, while the weather was heftily throwing itself at us, I got a text from my shearer, Morgan, saying he was coming to drench my sheep.  Of course they were all outside, so I had to lure them into their stable with crunchy-munchies and quickly shut the door, returning later with some haynets to keep them entertained until Morgan arrived.

The crunchy-munchy jar which was busy hynotising Maggie.

Now I see this photo, I think I have found my family crest. I was toying with having a signet ring (melting down two old ones I have lying around) created and I was deliberating which family crest and motto to use but I think I actually this is my inspiration.  Two sheep and a haynet or maybe a sheep, a haynet, and a Shetland pony!

Morgan arrived and quickly drenched everyone. Note-to-self, I must write this in the Farm Book so I remember the date.

He said they all looked very well.

Madge still a bit too well.  She remains ever the heiffer.  The very definition of a leg in each corner.

And I’m glad we’ve got that done. It’s been a wet winter so a wise decision.  I am deliberating whether to drench all the horses and ponies too – for liverfluke.  These days, it is on the up.

After yesterday’s excitement, I spent the morning with a stonking migraine.  I am not surprised at this.  The stress over Monster’s absence was too huge for me and my imagination to cope with.

A massive four day gale (with sheet rain in the morning) has also begun and everyone was happy enough indoors in the morning, though OH took the dogs out later for a walk as Pepper started climbing off the walls.  Luckily, the rain had stopped by then.  Ted would’ve happily never moved from his bed again but he did go, if grudgingly.

Ditto Monster – he hasn’t moved all day either and I am secretly pleased.

With my migraine, I had a quiet morning and then into my shed to make a sheep.  Afterwards, I went over with an apple to check on the Ancients who all came racing down.  A quarter each and the last bit bitten into two pieces for the old men.  Sorry, Kolka.

The gale will continue for days.  Tomorrow is blowier (gusting F11 – 64-72mph) with more rain so that won’t be fun. The old ladies have their rain-sheets on and are nice and dry.  After breakfast this morning, I opened the gate and moved all the ponies into their old field where there is better shelter for a few days.  It really is very fierce outside and not much fun, especially when it rains.

Oh, what a night…… it was awful.

Monster didn’t come home.  He left at around 6.00 p.m. while I was cooking supper last night and was never seen again.  OH and I were very worried.  This was absolutely not normal behaviour for Monster whose tummy is akin to the atomic clock.  He has never knowingly missed a meal – ever.  And he missed his crunchy-munchies (Ted’s snack time for his eye-drops before bed), his ten o’clocks, his 3-a.m. o’clocks, and then his 7.30 a.m. breakfast.

I was awake all night praying that the cat flap would go and I would hear the noise of a hungry cat coming home.  But nothing. There was a eerie hush all night and I know, because I did not sleep much. I had terrible dreams that involved Monster – one was him walking towards the light, and one was him coming home covered in blood, the vet passed out, came round and shaved him only to find that Monster had stripes under the white fur!!!

Anyway, back to reality…… I got up early, fed up of not sleeping and went outside to feed the sheep.  While I was flipping their bowls over in the stable, I heard a plaintive mewing coming from somewhere so I quickly distributed the food and went in search of Monster.

I eventually found him in an upturned empty old kitchen cupboard that I was going to use to store rugs in, which must’ve flipped over somehow.  He was very happy to be free and appeared completely unharmed after his 12 hour experience.  I was crying with relief.

(I don’t think he lost any weight from his ordeal).

And Monster has steadily been making up for missing his meals throughout the day.

He has had a few quiet naps in his Fortress of Solitude.

I thank the Gods Monster is home again.  Me and my imagination were working over-time.

A calm and easy breakfast for everyone equine (I am loving the new “dining area”) and off I went to Turriefield, a community vegetable growing project 7miles away where I have volunteered for years.  Their core aim is for “as many folk as possible in Shetland to be able to access healthy, fresh, chemical free produce.”

And I have a new job!  I am learning how to sow seeds, which I find very interesting.

I learn best by being told what to do with the reason for it and then off I hopefully go doing it correctly.

I filled seed pots with compost.

Today I planted broadbeans, leeks, kohlrabi and possibly celery (so many tiny tiddly seeds and one or two (depending on instructions) in each pot which was very fiddly).

Then we took all our hard work down in wheelbarrows to the polytunnel where the heated mats and light enclosures are.

“Here’s one I made earlier”.  Well, actually lots and look, look, they’re growing!

I was ridiculously excited about this.

So that was the morning and in the afternoon, I made the middle sheep, while chatting on the phone.  The dark wool is Harrel-the-Barrel’s.  Such a cutey.

FInishing early, as a lamb is easier to make than a sheep (fewer legs), I took a portrait photo of Pepperpot looking very noble.