Yesterday afternoon, while my Wool Week friend and I were chatting to the sheep in the field, the Icelandic horses came up to join us too.

We turned to go home for a well-earned cup of tea and looked back to see this…..

Kolka sniffing ‘Ster, who was looking straight at me, as if to say “what do I do?”

So I told him to do nothing and just go with it.

But Kolka went too far and ‘Ster made it very clear.  Sniffing only please, madam.

And she understood, determined to find out what these woolly creatures are that she shares a field with during the daytime.

I don’t think ‘Ster minded.  He decided he could trust her and obviously Kolka loves the smell of slightly damp wool.

What’s not to love? ‘Ster smells like a lovely brand new pure wool sweater.

And then ‘Ster decided he’d had enough and I understand that but it was nice to see them both communicating with each other.  Some horses and ponies will kill sheep if they share a field, but I actually know and trust that my lot won’t.  Well, certainly the big lot.  I’m not that convinced by the Minions, though.  They can go about with a gang mentality and I remember them making a point of chasing Lambie when he was very little.

Ponies, sheep, horses, dogs, ducks were all fed quickly this morning.  I threw their buckets at them and then in a made rush I drove to Lerwick for the 2023 Shetland Wool Week Makers’ Market, where I was meeting an old friend from New Mexico, USA.  We were going to shop!

There were two large rooms full of lovely things and today I am not ashamed to say I started my Christmas shopping.

The Market was in two rooms and we wandered around looking at all the amazing wool-related items.  I saw some friends too and stopped for a chat.

And this was my absolute most favourite stall, for obvious reasons – possibly all things sheep related.

The ease of which I spent money was positively scary but I tell myself this is for Christmas and I am just getting in early and being efficient. Yer, go me!

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We had a nice lunch and then onwards home where I put my friend to work!  So, all good and Christmas is on its way to being sorted.  There’s a lot of talent in Shetland I didn’t know about.

Every Friday in our local village Walls, about 4 miles away, the Methodist Church plays host to a lunch time café.

It is a great place to see folk, meet up and have a natter accompanied with delicious soup, the best bacon roll I have ever had, along with a selection of excellent homemade cake.  Apparently they serve other things, but that’s always my go to, along with a pot of tea.  Today I dragged OH with me.  I try to go most Fridays just because I always see friends and enjoy myself.  It makes a change.

After a very nice lunch, we drove home and I was back in my shed making sheeple.  I am going into town tomorrow so want to take in as many as I can.

All day the rain has been on and off – the rule is if I leave the big shed door open, then the rain is torrential and soaks everything, and if I shut it, the sun shines and I then regret my decisions for the whole day.

I can’t win.

I know that.

It’s been a quiet day for me today, which is just how I like it.

This morning, though, the Oldies demanded waitress service – they couldn’t be bothered to walk – so I had to take their buckets out into their field to them.

When I took the dogs out later, I retrieved the now-empty buckets and cursed everyone’s laziness.

Was anyone grateful?

Well, a bit. Most days the horses pretty much do their own thing, coming down to the gate for breakfast (except for today) and then they wander off again.  I only saw them again because I was walking the dogs in their field.

The Minions, on the other hoof, are very needy, constantly trying to get my attention in the hope I will bring hay or food.

And sometimes I do.

The sheep are pretty self-sufficient at the moment, too which is good. They get their breakfast and then wander off somewhere for the rest of the day. Perfect.

I just go about delivering food to everyone.  It’s that time of year.

This morning, I opened up a small part of the field for the Minions.  Their track is inevitably turning to mud and they are becoming fed up.

The boys were all very happy at the thought of a bit of grass.

All except Waffle, who stayed behind to eat the Old Ladies’ last night leftovers.

Old soaked hay is apparently better than a new piece of grazing.

Enjoy Waffle!

The track set-up is mostly working. My one strand of electric fence is doing its job, though I am not optimistic it won’t be breached soon by a certain small someone, who I think is looking a little bit thinner.

Newt was in a wicked giggly trotty mood this morning.  He was very pleased with himself about something. I ignored him.

And there’s less of Silver too, which is encouraging.  I have upped everyone’s hay ration as the weather is deteriorating again over the next few days.