Some, possibly not all, folk think I am mad for worrying about my sheep.

But I do. They are family and, if they are not home, then I worry, especially for Edna who is, I think, quite old now.  I have to know that all seven have come home in the evening.  Whether they go to bed in their shed is up to them, though.

A few days back, when I was talking to someone about my sheep, I could see him give me a look of total disbelief when I said my sheep followed me around like dogs.  To him sheep live in a field, and you round them up occasionally with a dog, but they are not pets.

Today, my lot spent their daylight hours around the house (outside). This was the view from the kitchen window.  The weather was beyond vile (a thrashing Force 10 with rain) and even though the field gate was open, the sheep chose not to leave.

I spent my day away from the croft and when I came home, OH was busy feeding the ducks their supper before bed.

I rode shotgun on the food bowl and to be fair, no one tried to steal it – they wanted to, mind.

And then I was followed back to the house.  Note old Edna in the background.

Not for long!

She barged straight into the porch demanding a treat.  It seemed only fair as they had been good about the duck food situation.

And that was the other thing…… folk don’t understand why they are allowed into the house.  Because they are family!  I can’t say that enough.

The alarm went off this morning and it was still dark outside, getting darker each day.  I found Monster asleep on my feet and I didn’t want to get out of bed.

The morning started off optimistically, weather-wise.  As I write this, it has since disintegrated into a gale accompanied by heavy rain which I think will stop next year some time (I jest you not).

But everyone was helpful, which makes a nice change and the sheep were encouraged to go outside into the field. I was thinking it might be the last time in a while.  The horses and ponies are all living in sheltered well-stocked fields so I don’t worry about them.

There was a lovely sunrise.

But now it is blowing a hoolie outside, the front door is locked in case it blows in, and the sheep haven’t come home. I left the field gate open for them and will now spent my night worrying (I will go and check on them after supper and that’s the best I can do).

Pepper and Ted practiced their Christmas card poses.

But none of us are feeling very Christmassy until Daisy and Flossie get home ((19th and 21st).

(Apologies for boring blog – it was one of those days)

Edited: 7p.m.

Everyone is home – phew.

Today was the last day I was prepared to drag my Christmas-shopping sledge into town.

I left straight after doing the ponies, sheep, ducks/hens, horses, Ted’s eye ointment…… determined to get in early to avoid the crowds.

I popped into Jamieson’s Knitwear on the Street to find my field was a bit sparse, so I added two more “curlies” and arranged the display a bit more evenly in colour.

A quick look of admiration for the full range of wool colours on the wall.

And then on down Commercial Street to look at Christmas windows and pick up my last minute presents.

Jamieson’s window

The Opticians – (I love this eye chart).

The Shetland Soap Company Christmas tree made from sheets of The Shetland Times – inspirational.

But I needn’t have worried about avoiding the crowds……  Although the car parks were all pretty full, there was barely a soul around.  I can only think they are revving up for Late Night Shopping.

Meanwhile, me and my trusty sledge went to Tescos where I discovered somewhere along my travels I had a) lost my shopping list and b) forgotten my shopping bags.  So I resorted to buying everything I could think of including all the ingredients for Mojitos and Nachos and just loading it all into the back of the car in a hopeful fashion.

I even bought the fresh mint!  I am having a slight panic as the boats are being cancelled due to daily bad weather forecasts.

And so, after my last stop of paying the feed bill and buying dog chews to entertain Pepper and Ted through Christmas so they will leave the tree alone, I drove home.

When I got back, I had to feed the ducks before they took themselves to bed and OH kindly unloaded the car but he missed someone and the bag of dog chews.  She hadn’t even touched them!

Lambie, talk to me, please….. Or at least say hello.

Ok, well bad light (end of the day), so bad photo.

(then he walked off with the others while I was left to shut the gate and put the ducky-wuckies to bed.  Thanks, guys, don’t wait for me. I’ll just catch up later!)

Attempt #2.

Hi Lambie. Is that a Winning Smile for me?

Hang on, let me just put the flash on the camera…… faff, faff ….. but, no.  Fail.  Typical Lambie and possibly typical me too.

Ok, let’s go for natural light from the house’s outside lights and you can look like the majestic sheep you are and I am at a distance (Anyone want him for a Nativity Play – he looks like he is listening to the Angel Gabriel annoucing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds).

And there it is…. Lambie’s Winning Smile.   But, to be completely truthful, this was taken on a different day while I was holding a large box of treats!  I am very well trained.

Today we had lots going on.

Monika came from Sandness Equine Services with her weigh scales so she could weigh all the Shetland ponies for me.

Fivla and I were hopeful that she had lost loads of her summer weight.  We were corrected – 3 whole kg was all that had gone!  We tell each other that at least she hasn’t got any fatter.

Vitamin had lost 6 kg and she’s not even on a diet!

Meanwhile Stephen was busy trimming hooves, pony after pony.

Some behaved better than others.  Some were utterly appalling – that would mostly be Storm and Tiddles who would not be caught.  Tiddles even barged through the field gate when I took Storm out and then trotted in circles around me giggling and refusing to be caught.  I was deeply ashamed.  Whoever says animals have no sense of humour has not owned Shetland ponies. That’s all I am saying.

Monika weighed everyone.  The actual Minions have all put on weight – 6kg to 25kg (thank you, Waffle) but winter is coming and they have shelter, old grass and can shiver it off gradually before they go back on the track in the spring.

Of course it might be by adding Pepper that’s piled on those extra kilos for Waffle.

Some of you might remember, we used to do this with BeAnne who was a keen equestrian.

So it only seems right that Pepper continues the tradition and Waffle was very happy to let her onboard.

A huge thank you to Monika.  Her help was invaluable and without her, I would probably still be running round the field after 8 sniggering little ponies.