This morning’s breakfast scene – OH staying with Kolka (in the corner), Klængur and Iacs.

I was further up the field with Haakon.

And then I was joined by a small ginger doglet.  Quelle surprise!

Pepper was there for one reason and one reason only ….

…. to clear up any dropped food.  To, as we say in our house, “scrushle” – it means clean up.

Wee One loves this job and I trust Haakon 100% to be nice about her involvement too.  Kolka did have a go, the other day, so Pepper learned her lesson and now stays away from the old dragon. A wise move. But Haakon, he don’t care.

No stone remained unturned.  Pepper is nothing but thorough.  She knows her job.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field….

…. the others were finishing up and OH, armed with his carrots (one each, thank you), was busy too.

It was very sweet to see. I will make a horseman out of him yet!

The little boys who have, or had (please, God), laminitis are still inside and they are not minding it one bit.  The farrier is coming next week and only then, after he has seen them and trimmed, etc will we make a decision as to the next phase of their treatment.  Despite their hooves needing a trim, they are actually moving very well and are happy.  I feel they have turned a proper corner but I want my farrier’s opinion first.

Recently the big doors have had to be shut because of the unceasing wind and rain and I feel bad about that.

I like them to be able to see outside and watch the day go past. There is some light from the roof panels but it is not the same.

I tell myself that the boys are actually very glad not to be out in this weather and mud.  They can hear the rain pounding and wind howling outside and know they are safe, warm and dry.

Pepper visits her best friends.

She is very interested in everything and the boys reciprocate – never a mean word – I am very proud of them for that.  Other’s would be less kind (cough *** Vitamin ***).

The hay-boxes are a life-saving game changer for us.  They work brilliantly and do exactly what I need them to do – keep the hay off the sand (oh, the worry of sand-colic).

So that’s where we are.  The farrier’s opinion is needed and I hope he can see an improvement.

The weather is still fairly terrible (understatement of the year – it is ghastly), so having done all my crofting chores, I sat down in the sheep’s stable.  ‘Ster and ‘Bert, who have now rejoined their friends, have not really forgiven me for the eye treatment and I wanted to see if they would talk to me again.

Lambie was up like a shot giving me his best Winning Smile.

And his Greta!

He is so handsome.  What a dude!

Barrel is still perfecting his art, which is very sweet. He is Lambie’s BFF, even though it is totally unreciprocated.  Barrel knows if he follows Lambie everywhere, he is in with a chance for any secret treats.

While I sat down, Edna was one side. She wanted me to kiss her nose constantly.

And ‘Ster was on my other side.  His eyes are much better now.  We did hugging.

‘Bert and ‘Ster were indoors together for a week, and had two injections. I gave up on the eye ointment as it just made Ster hysterical and did nothing. He hated me. Bert never had the ointment and recovered just as quickly with just the injections, which didn’t go well.  Interestingly, when they rejoined their flock, there was an almighty battle between Bert and Barrel.  Thankfully, they’ve sorted themselves out now and, touch wood, no one else has caught it.

Zombie sheep! I am never alone.

It was blowing a “moderate gale from west” this morning (thank you yr.no) but I am lucky to have OH to help me take the buckets out to Icelandics in Clothie (which is a bit of a walk across the hill).

We take a pair of horses each.  OH was looking after Kolka and Klaengur.

While I was further up the hill keeping an eye on these two – Haakon and Iacs.

Luckily everyone is sensible.  Lift your head and you will lose your bucket – them’s are the rules.  We all know that and no one lifts their head.

The silly-frilly was in full frillédness in the brisk wind.

Turn the sound up if you want to hear it – the wind, not the frillédness!

And, once finished, we dished out a carrot each and OH and I struggled our way back home, washing the buckets in the small hill stream we have to cross, which always makes me think of that last scene in the Jungle Book, then I start humming the girl’s song and have that earworm for the rest of the day.

My job, at the moment, amongst many, is to walk the dogs and possibly the cat.

So off we set, Monster, Pepper and Ted.

Everyone wearing their hi-viz!

Nothing to see here. Move along!

Stealth cat.

Monster clambered through the fence, whining.

He got a bog-brush tail from the surprise of it all (we haven’t been this way for a while).

And complained bitterly about getting his paws dirty.

The rest of us just got on with it.

Because we are used to mud (oh, yes, we have mud.  Much mud at the moment).