I was waiting for Fivla to finish her bucket when Vitamin came up to stand next to me.

This is quite rare as Vitamin is not really a chatty sort of pony.

Having decided that Fivla was obviously not going to share her bucket (Vitamin had already wolfed her own down as quickly as possible), she thought we could have a chat instead.  I felt this was a summons from the Queen.

Vitamin has done very well this winter and the spark for life is still very much in her eyes.  Vitamin certainly takes no prisoners, either.

She is very tough with her small herd of reprobates and in return, they mostly steer well clear!

Today it was Newt’s turn to be irritating.  He also wanted Fivla’s bucket and so spent his time nibbling her back legs.  Fivla was not amused and I don’t blame her.  Once finished, I cleared everything up, rinsed mouths and gave the old ladies a hug.

Snow again tomorrow plus a gale.  Meh.

Today we woke up to slightly less snow and it was a few degrees warmer.  What a difference to everyone’s attitude that made.

We managed to drive to Leradale but en route could see where the gritter went off the road. Scary stuff and I hope no one was hurt.

The Minions were all pleased to see us.

Though that pleasure quickly decreased when they realised I wasn’t putting out hay today.

They could go and dig.

Of course, the Old Ladies had their buckets.

And then Fivla, instead of stopping for her usual chat, left….

… and everyone else followed.

Well, mostly everyone else. Storm and Newt stayed behind to eat Vitamin’s empty bucket.

We walked back to the house.  Interestingly the snow drifts had increased overnight.

I was impressed.

I found Iacs having a rest in his very own snow drift.  He seemed happy enough.

These two have not stopped bickering.

I might’ve had a few words with Kolka about her is-there-anything-better-in-anyone-else’s-bucket routine.  Rude, much.  We have to work on losing this speshul skill.

But the thaw has continued all day.  Drip, drip, drip.

And the best sight was the horses all going down to their proper field to find and eat grass.  I could almost hear their disinterest in my haynets so I didn’t put any out.

The sheep, however, are ever optimistic that I will feed them again, and again, and again.

I have had enough of this snow stuff.

My entire life is spent worrying about making sure everyone has food and water.

(currently, I have two buckets in front of my cooker of soaked but frozen fibre beet trying to thaw)

Meanwhile, in the porch, we have buckets of food for tomorrow morning.  Everything freezes in the shed.

I go out endlessly refilling haynets and water buckets.

Of course everyone is very grateful but there is no let up.

Basically, and it just dawned on me, I am responsible for everything my lot eat and drink. Horse, sheep, duck….. etc.

If I am not there, they get nothing.

Every morning, the snow is deeper, drifted more and I think we are all struggling now.  Bad moods all round.

(sorry, I am having a total whingefest today)

If there is any thaw and dripping, I stick a bucket underneath because water is a very valuable commodity and not to be wasted.

The water is frozen in the shed and stable but, when I can get it going, I fill everything I can find.

I have had enough of this now and so has everyone else.  Today, I didn’t get to see or check on the Minions. The gritter went off the road.  My Leradale neighbour kindly fed and watered them reporting back they were doing ok.  Thank goodness for kind folk.  That is a blessing.

Yesterday evening, having spoken to Daisy (my non-resident expert), I decided to change over my feeding regime for the Old Folk to the small hole haynets.

Iacs refused to talk to me.

In his opinion, this was a terrible decision and one that should never have happened. I told him to “get on with it”.

Kolka was not a huge fan either.  Food comes in huge lumps as far as she is concerned.  She is quite arsey so I am back.  We are working on our truce.

This morning, I found the small-hole haynets empty and no one starving so, after the daily bucket, I refilled them and told everyone to “get on with it”.

They did, albeit grudgingly – note, Iacs’ face!

Snow, snow and more snow all day and night.

They are moving around.

A blizzard this afternoon and I put out the soaked fibre block with secret carrots and another batch of haynets.

Haakon and Iacs did some begging at the fence and I duly did some ignoring.

And, yes, I shouted “get on with it”.

Haakon retaliated by sticking his tongue out!

And I left them all getting on with it.  I tell myself although the weather is harsh, no one is exactly thin.

Snow, no snow, more snow, then sunshine.  That’s the order of the day (actually most days at the moment).

The sheep seem remarkably happy about it. They are coping well.

…. Though, I am followed everywhere.  I can almost hear the words “biscuits, biscuits” as I walk.

Definitely “biscuits”!

Today was a lovely morning so I put the sheep out in their field with some hay and sheepnuts.  And then immediately it snowed. Not a light snowflake type, think blizzard and I asked if anyone wanted to come home.

The little snowy bottoms were out of that field in an instant. I tried. I really did. Other sheep live outside.

So I opened up their shed (stable) and everyone made friends with the newly replenished haynets.

I am doing my best not begrudge the amount of hay we are getting through.

Not an easy feat, to be honest.

But happy faces make it all worth it.

Meanwhile, the Old Men and Lady were on haynets in their wooden boxes.

This lot don’t seem to care about the weather as long as they have food.

When the blizzards strike, they are swift and fast.

And then suddenly it is a beautiful day again.  I am learning to read the weather and live for the moment.

The dogs love it, so that is good.