Lambie was in a pensive mood this morning. I notice these things.

And after I had finished all the chores, I asked if they wanted to go into their field.  Everyone refused and the boys seemed very keen to follow me to the gate.  So I let them out into the Big Bad World, well, the hill actually.  This was Barrel’s first time but I knew the others would look after him.  They all know the hill very well.

The girls had to stay behind because the ram is probably still out and I don’t want them knocked up.

Instead, I fed them biccies and they seemed happy enough with that (Madge was somewhere else).

Later this afternoon, having coming out to feed the duckies/hens, I heard a plaintive wail – Barrel had come home and the other 3 were nowhere to be seen.  I let him back in and told him he was very clever for coming back and he had done just the right thing.

So, as the sun was setting, I shouted a bit into the hill to see if there was any movement.

And over the horizon came Lambie, ‘Bert and ‘Ster, plus a friend, I see.

The friend didn’t come too, which was good, and my lot made their way home.

Lambie did a lovely jump over the stream.  He’s still got it!

And I opened the gate and my sheep came home, joining up with Harrel and the ladies.

Apparently they had a very nice time, thank you very much!

(and if anyone’s getting angsty, I do have a legitimate crofting sheep allocation for the hill)

It’s been a trying morning.

I have been designing a stamp to go on a brown sticker that is under each felted sheep’s belly.  The old one was hand-written and said “By Frances x” but I have decided I want something a bit more professional looking.

I found The Green Stamp Company online and I liked their website, so I thought I would have a shot at designing my ideal stamp.

This company measure in millimetres or centimetres and I am aiming for a round 2.4 cm design.

Question: Big or small sheep in the middle?  Too big and it looks too full. Too small and it is could get lost in the middle due to now being tiny to fit onto the sticker.

Problem:  The brown craft sticker I am buying separately off Amazon is measured in inches!  Why?  Just why?

Plan: I am going to buy the 1″ round stickers on a roll hoping that a 2.4 cm stamp will fit.  1″ apparently is 2.54 cm.

My inal judgment for the sticker is probably the label marked “bigger” or possibly the “3 cm label” which will actually be 2.4 cm on the 1″ label.  To me, this makes sense.  If it’s gibberish to you, then I’m sorry. You are actually listening to my brain working out loud.

A friend mocked up a finished version for me and I like it very much and that really helped my decision making process.  I do not have the skills to make Photoshop do that for me.

My brain is now mush from all this effort.

We haven’t been to the beach in ages and I’ve started to think that the dogs and I are not very good at going out and also the dogs don’t know how to wait nicely in the car.

So, today, I took them to the beach for their dog-walk, en route to taking OH his forgotten packed lunch.

We had the place to ourselves, which is always nice.

Not a soul to be seen.

I tried a new-to-me technique on my camera phone, which was a bit hit and miss, but interesting.

The dogs had a good, if short, runaround because both streams on either side of the beach that are usually wadeable through, were running very fast and full.  We didn’t dare go across though I did wonder whether the intrepid Pepper would have a shot.

Crossing is not for the foolhardy.

I called her off and said if she went, she would be on her own.

They had a good run home and we all enjoyed the change of scenery.

On we drove to deliver the gratefully received lunch-box and I turned the car around at the bottom of the road.

And I saw a pair of Shalders (oyster-catchers) looking very fat and well.  My heart soared.  Spring is on its way.  This is the sign.

When the birds flew off, because they spotted me, their high-pitched shout gave me some hope of being warmer and drier.  We would all love that.

And then just like that overnight the snow vanished and we were straight back to mud again.

I won’t lie, I did groan a little as I clambered over the fence with the breakfast buckets but I honestly think mud is better than snow.  Less work for us hoomans, ie when we have no snow, no haynets because they all have plenty of grass in their fields to eat. They just have to go and find it.

I also took off Fivla’s rug as it at least 3 degrees warmer and, even though it has rained all day, I tell myself that she is well-covered and has her winter coat which has worked fine up until it didn’t.

Anyway, I checked her frequently throughout the day and she was fine – no shaky jitters or being miserable.  When I first left Fivla bare-nekkid, I told her to come and stand by the gate if she wanted inside or anything.  She knows the drill and how to tell me.  In fact, the whole herd slept the entire morning – probably very tired from the last few days of having their every meal served to them.  I know I am bloody exhausted!

So for me, mud is better than snow because the mud is only in a few places and there is grass everywhere else.  Self-service from now on, chaps!  This waitress is having a rest.

No, this isn’t a recipe for duck and pepper.  We are not that kind of page (!!shocked!!).  We don’t eat family ever, not anyone, though sometimes some of us need a bit of reminding.

I guess the ducks are used to Pepper because she was around when they hatched, albeit the other side of a fence looking on completely hypnotised, agonising about how she could best introduce herself while fierce Mother Duckies let her know what would happen if she did.  In this way, Pepper learned respect which is no bad thing.

I trust Pepper pretty much with the ducks and hens.  She likes being with them, and always has.  She spends time sitting amongst them while they either look on bemused or let her steal their food (this is not encouraged).

And I wonder if Pepper think she is just a slightly different version of the ducks.

To totally misquote Joyce Grenfell “You shall be a Muscovy Duck – only do it gently.”

Dear Little Pepperpot.  And to be fair to Ted, he stays well away.