And now for something completely different…

(The gale has not let up so it has barely been light and we haven’t gone outside except to feed everyone and for me to chase Lambie round and round the shed until he went through the gate into a ruddy field with his friends!)

Anyway, I brought back with me in Mum’s things a picture which I hung on Floss’ bedroom wall.  It has always interested me so today I took it down to have a good look and photograph.

Things I discovered in my morning’s research:
Measurements – 24 x 30 cm inside mount
The subject is a Chinese Bearcat (Binturong) – Arctictis binturong or 熊狸

The painting is, I think, pen and ink on fine paper with slight colour on the tree.

There is an inscription on the back of the frame in, I think, my grandmother’s hand:-

“From Professor W. Yetts
Given to Dr D. Embleton 1934”

Dr D Embleton is my great grandfather – Dennis Embleton  (1881-1944) – a doctor at UCH with a clinic at 47 Wimpole St, London.

Professor W. Yetts is Walter Percival Yetts (1878-1957) who was a British surgeon and lecturer in Chinese art and archaeology. So possibly something an expert on Chinese art and I suppose the two were good friends.

I got my translator (Floss) out of her room and asked her to do her best….

The seal is upside down and she couldn’t read it, but she made great headway into the characters.

It is the last half of a poem by the Tang poet – Han Yu (768-824) and it says:-

新茎未遍半犹枯，高架支离倒复扶。
若欲满盘堆马乳，莫辞添竹引龙须。

Rough Translation by Flossie:-

“Before they are fully grown, new grape sprouts are like dead trees. The tall grape frames become loose and crooked, before being lifted again.

If you wish to have a full plate of delicious Maru grapes in Autumn, do not neglect them. You should reinforce the frame with bamboo poles to guide the dragon whiskers (vines).”

(the bit in bold is the part written on the picture)

So that is all fascinating and I have put out feelers as to any more information especially for the artist.

I’ll keep you posted.

Day 5 of this gale and we are all heartily bored of it.

The animals have had enough.  Everyone is soaked to the skin and alternating between eating or sheltering.  The weather forecast changes hourly so I don’t know when it is likely to stop and give us all a break.

I tell myself that if I brought the horses inside, they would hate it and all rush outside, looking for green grass to eat (while pooing everywhere). So instead, they have their fields with lots of shelter and grass.  The daily breakfast buckets are also bigger with extra treats to keep up spirits.

The sheep refuse to go into any field, so they are around the house (outside, mostly) and follow me everywhere looking very hopeful.

Very hopeful indeed (this is Edna – she of indeterminate age and no teeth who is the biggest scrounge I know, though I did find myself taking off my wellies in the porch with Lambie who had managed to barge his way in looking for something to eat!)

In the miserable dreich afternoons, I sit in my shed with Pepper trying hard not to eat my weight in the last of the Lebkuchen (my favourite biscuits), drinking tea and making a sheep.

This family are made of Harrel-the-Barrel’s Shetland black wool which I recently ran through the drum carder.

I have two curly families too.

And then, after sheep making, I do the evening chores – putting the ducks and chickens to bed and checking the sheep have everything they want for the night.

The huge mineral lick is a huge success and they are ripping large chunks out of it – probably because it is molasses based.  Sugar addicts all.

And then I tell myself that at least it’s not snowing……

I had run out of the extra nice mash (Rowen & Barbary Ready Mash Extra) that I’ve been giving to the ancient Icelandic horses as a treat during this vile weather so, checking it was in stock, Floss and I drove into town to get some more.

After loading up the Eggbox with a treats for all at the local animal feed store, we thought we would nip round Tesco’s to see if they had anything on offer.  There is nothing better than a post-Christmas bargain

Due to the adverse weather, the boats have been sporadic these past few days and the shelves had a few gaps but it actually wasn’t too bad. I was expecting far worse.  Sometimes there is nothing.

The Street, on the other hand, was empty and almost totally closed for business.

There were a few die-hards out but with almost every shop and cafe shut, it was quite bleak.

I tried to see if more sheep were needed, but there was no one at Jamieson’s (opening on the 8th).

Peering through the glass on the shop’s front door, I could make out they have a few sheep, I think, though it’s hard to tell.

So Floss and I, and a friend we met en route in Tesco, had a nice lunch and then made our way home in the now-stalwart Eggbox.  OH held the fort at home all day. I expect he enjoyed the peace.

We recently took possession of this little treasure – introducing the Suzuki 4×4 Eggbox!  I am very happy and feel much safer driving around especially in the winter months.   This will get me across the hill and the four wheel drive has already got me out of a few snowy/black ice scrapes.  We still have Mum’s Jazz, though I have currently lent it to a friend in need.  I can’t bring myself to sell it as it was my Mum’s last car (silly, I know).  It costs almost nothing to run and is less thirsty than the Eggbox.

So today Floss and I set sail in the Eggbox to deliver a late Christmas present that had arrived in the post-Christmas delivery.  After the delivery, we thought we would go and find some spectacular waves to photograph…..

A flat calm at Garderhouse Voe

Barely a wave at Silwick

But I did like the hill there.

And then off to Westerwick.

And Westerwick from the other side.  Note, not a wave to be seen.  We decided the other side of the island had probably the rough seas and there they could stay.  We were going home to lunch.

I spent my afternoon making this little chap to join his Mum.

It is vile outside.

Penthesilea, my Amazonian duck, is single-beakedly digging up the path to my shed.

She did it last year.

It is her constant winter chore and one she takes very seriously.

Luckily, for my last birthday, OH gave me some path tiles laid to my shed so I can walk safely and cleanly along through the mud or wet ground.  They are a god-send.

In my stocking, Father Christmas (though possibly OH) gave me these three beauties and I am pretty convinced they depict Muscovy Ducks as a breed.  They look not dissimilar to my lot.

The perfect sheep garland is a Christmas prezzie from another friend. It makes my shed “very me”. I love it.

While I worked at making a sheeple out of Harrel-the-Barrel’s fleece…..

…… out of the window I could see Penthesilea still at her job working hard.  She is a duck on a mission.

Luckily, for me and my feet, she followed me out to eat her tea.

As did the rest of her family.

And thank you for those who asked – Daisy made it home safely to Glasgow.  Phew.