Shetland dialect for snow is “snaa” and we have snaa.  Lots of it.

This morning, I felt sorry for Haakon who had waded through a freezing stream to get to his bucket but refused to walk up the hill. So I took it to him along with some hay.

After breakfast, I put all the Shetland ponies outside and Vitamin stoically took them out to graze. I wondered how long it would be before Fivla brought them all back home.

And then it got worse.  Really worse.  All the sheep were present and correct except for Dahlia and Gussie who were last seen at the back fence gazing at the hill ram so Floss and I went out in the blizzard to find them and to give them some food.  I needed to know they were ok.

Once sighted bloomin’ miles away, Dahlia and Gussie ran over and thankfully followed us home.

I took them into their shed where there is a haynet and a lick, and gave them a huge pile of food.  They ate it and left again and are probably back at the far fence but at least I know they are ok.

The containers are doing their job.

Newt has his own.  He doesn’t share apparently.

I made sure everyone has access to a haynet.

The snow got worse and worse all afternoon and Vitamin, Fivla and Tiddles came inside. Later, Floss fed the Icelandics a big bucket of hay replacer to keep them going through the night. I had sent her down to them with the remit that if they were wet, she should catch Haakon and bring him up to the shed.  The others would follow.  So she decided that as their rugs were soaked almost completely through and they were not particularly happy, that she would bring Haakon back.  They all trotted into the big shed.

So that’s us, hunkered down for the duration with more snow and a bitter wind forecast.

The weather is going to disintegrate tomorrow and snow and a fierce gale are forecast, plus windchill of -12 Celsius.  Not fun.

I don’t want to bring the Icelandics inside as they hate it (whites of eyes and endless panic), so I put rugs on them all to keep off the worst of the weather.

And then I drove swiftly to Lerwick to get another round bale of hay because it is always useful.

Home, and everyone was happily eating, wearing what looks like their school uniform!  At least they are easy to spot in their field.

Wish us all luck!  The next few days may not be much fun.

While I was feeding the Ancients in their field, I looked at Haakon, my aged friend of nearly 30 years, and felt incredibly thankful he is still with me.

You get one horse in life and he is mine.  Yes, there are others around but there is only really The One.

Some might say that Haakon and I are like an old married couple. We know each other incredible well. I know what’s he’s thinking and he would probably say the same about me.  We are also not very dissimilar in character.

And possibly even the same hair-colour at times!

Haakon is my constant, my rock, my One who also looks up when I shout for him, knows his many names – Piggy, Pignut, Porky …… and even knows left and right too.  Clever horse.  I have ridden him ill, not 100%, after three lots of spinal surgery, ankle surgery and even as a total passenger with my hands in my pockets and each time he’s known and looked after me like I was made of glass.

So, I’m thankful Haakon’s still with me because even though he is retired, I still need to know he’s here.

Today was a day in Lerwick showing our visitor the sights.

We left for town straight after breakfast, stopping for any pretty photo opportunities.

Lerwick was, as usual, empty.

But it was nice to show our visitor the shops (a few were open) and the favourite tourist spots.

Including DI Jimmy Perez’s house from the TV series, Shetland.

Haggis and chips for lunch plus a quick trawl around a suprisingly busy Tesco (so that’s where everyone was) for various ingredients – this is the beauty of a visitor who says “would you like me to cook supper?”

YES, PLEASE!!!!

We were home in time to do the afternoon chores while the light was disappearing.

No visit is complete without a trip to the beach.  Our favourite is Sandness beach.

I lugged my big camera with me so I could take nice shots of the dogs, etc.

Pepper met a pack of collies and was a very good girl, if slightly overwhelmed.  There’s a wee dug in there, somewhere.  Eventually everyone split up and went their separate ways.

Ted even got his feet wet – a far cry from his Berkshire home with my Mum.  I think he was telling me this!

Pepper was like a small otter running over the seaweed.

It was a good walk.

The dogs enjoyed themselves and were thoroughly exercised.

And, as promised, this is my new improved muck-heap.  Plenty more room now.