Little bar-stewards.  Look what I found in the Minions’ field this morning – a 25 litre water container eaten!

I guess they just couldn’t help themselves but, honestly, I wish they wouldn’t.  My bad, I suppose, for leaving the containers in their field. I should never have trusted the Shetland ponies.

I moved the containers outwith.  I have learned my lesson.

Feeling a bit disgruntled about this (I hate needless vandalism), I went back armed with a bucket of brushes and conditioner to try and brush out the rain “clags” from the ponies’ coats.  Of course, the bucket and its contents were dismantled many times.  I never seem to learn.

Before.

After.

I am hoping this will help the ponies’ coats to fluff up in the low temperatures and offer better protection in the snow – eta Sunday now.

I gave everyone a good brush which they all enjoyed, even Tiddles who usually walks away. I even removed a wind knot from his mane, which means “a witch will borrow the horse (or pony) at night and ride it, leaving a “braid” in its mane by morning“ – good luck with that – Tiddles won’t load, tends to run away when you want to catch him and God alone know what he would do if you got on his back!  Anyway, please return him when you find out all of this.

Anyway, it was lovely to spend time with my little boys and girls and I managed to take a few snappity-snaps too.

Aww, you would almost think Newt was a nice pony rather than a wee  💩.  Proof that photos do lie.

It was another lovely calm morning today and OH and I got on with our chores.

As snow is forecast at the weekend and well into next week, I asked OH to come with me to move the Shetland ponies’ water bucket.  The water containers are too heavy for me to lug over the fence.

OH placed the big red bucket near where I feed the ponies and I like to think that although there is a stream that flows through both fields, they always have easy access to water.  The stream has steep sides in places and I know the old ladies would struggle with that and give up the idea of drinking rather than make the effort.

I can’t sleep at night if I think anyone hasn’t had a good drink of water and if the ground freezes, everyone will be reluctant to walk much.  But if the water bucket is where their breakfast is served, then it is a bit easier for all.  They all immediately helped themselves so they know where to find it.

Everyone is making the most of the calm days.  I stood in the field and there was total silence except for the sea rumbling in the background.

A magical morning.  I won’t lie, I could do without the snow, though.

It was a quiet day, which is the best kind for me.  I love quiet days.

In the afternoon, I went into my shed and was easily distracted taking pretty pictures of Little Herself.

I particularly love the little black whiskers on both sides of Pepper’s mouth – like dragon whiskers.

She is a dear wee dug with a very forceful personality.

Talking of forceful personalities, there I was stabbing happily away making a sheep when I saw out of the corner of my eye, a white flash wobbling his way along with the whining accompaniment.

So of course Monster then spent his afternoon getting in the way while I removed all the sharp needles that he was determined to sit on.

And then there was the prodding me sharply, endlessly to get my attention.

In the end I gave Monster a dog dental chew to entertain himself with.  It seemed to do the trick.

And he happily alternated between eating it and dropping it on the floor.

Obviously, I had to have some undying gratitude.

It was brief, though.

Then Monster wanted to go outside and off he went.

During all this, I managed to make these two.  As well as Shetland wool, there’s probably some cat hair in them too.

In my head I have a winter plan and I told the Shetland ponies that this new field would be their January field.

They didn’t need asking twice and I have left the adjoining gate open so I can feed them in their old field, which is easier to reach.

Every morning, I put out the buckets and the ponies canter up, eat it, have a quick row, clean up and then canter off back to their new field again without looking back or even saying thank you

You can guess who always starts the row.

I feed Vitamin and Fivla a little away from the rabble.

But this adjoining field has lots of shelter and old grass complete with some ditches of fresh flowing water.  Everything a small pony could need.

Fivla seems much happier this winter.  Ok, the weight is not dropping off but she is keeping up, walking, trotting and cantering along giving as good as she gets.  That’s all I want for her.

The ponies’ backs are all completely soaked to the skin and hopefully the next few dry days should help them.

And surprisingly, in a planticrub (a small square, circular or rectangular enclosure used for growing root crops, usually without an entrance.  – Canmore) in the field is a monkey puzzle tree.

We didn’t plant it – it was there when we bought the croft years ago and it goes along growing, something threatening to die, but mostly it is alive through nothing we have done.

It is not something you see often in Shetland and luckily the ponies can’t get to it.

We were quite excited to see a smidge of blue skies this morning.  The six day gale had finally blown itself out.

It’s been tough on everyone.  They all deserved a good rest.

And today was the day Floss went back home so I did the airport run down to Sumburgh.  Again, another “busy” day and her flight was only delayed by 3 3/4 hours.  Poor thing. I had to leave her there as a) her meal voucher was only usable at the cafe on the other side in departures, and b) I was dropping off a chair at the upholsterer and wanted to find her house in daylight as I had never been there before.

I drove off to Ireland, Bigton and when I got out of the Eggbox, my jaw dropped at the view.  Wow. Just wow.

I was looking south over the St Ninian’s tombolo – the largest active tombolo in the UK.  It was mesmerising.

After giving the chair to the upholsterer, I drove over to the look at St Ninian’s tombolo.

I remembered riding Haakon along this sandy stretch at a flat gallop in a race. It was magical and many years ago after working for NRK on their tv programme Himmelblå.

This is the episode and our kitchen is featured (yellow walls at 23.28) and the horses were at the end (36;09).  I was off-shot riding Haakon ready to grab anyone who went past too fast or out of control.