There’s a bright, golden haze on the meadow

There’s a bright, golden haze on the meadow

The corn (read mud)  is as high as an elephant’s eye

And it looks like it’s climbing clear up to the sky

Oh, what a beautiful mornin’

Oh, what a beautiful day

I’ve got a beautiful feelin’

Everything’s goin’ my way…..

Everyone else was out in the field but Lambie ran back as I was shutting the gate and spent the morning following me around asking for treats as he was all on his own and he was lonely Lambie!

Well played, Lambie, well played.

Another beautiful sunrise this morning. I am a bit obsessed. You can possibly tell.

First glimpse.

Meanwhile, while I was watching this beautiful sight, Storm and Silver were arguing about what was left in Storm’s breakfast bucket. Storm had eaten most of it before Silver waded in.

They lightheartedly bickered over the bucket, taking turns to get some.

Storm would bite Silver’s ear, Silver would lift his head out and Storm would go back in.

And then they both just shared together.

Tiddles was keeping well out of it. Albie and Waffle were staring at their neighbours – cows.  They’ve only always lived in the next door field but the cows’ field is made up of many fields so it is rare to see them come down.

All the boys, except Tiddles, rushed over to stare.  They looked like a boy band fan club who had spied their hearthrobs.

Tiddles galloped off to join the fan club.

And then a cow, who had been ignoring all the ponies, moo’ed and with that every Shetland pony turned and galloped off to the other end of the field! I laughed and laughed.  The old ladies were not impressed by cows but the Minions were hypnotised and turned around to just stand and watch them, possibly with their mouths open.  It was very funny.

And behind me, the sunrise kept going.

Storm is now happily placed himself in the routine of a breakfast bucket.  He gets a handful of chaff, a mention of soaked beet and pink powder – a probiotic for a healthy gut.  I think he looks pretty much back to normal now. Well, Storm’s “normal” and no one really knows what that is.

Vultures were busy circling poor Fivla who was doing her best not to take her head out of the bucket.  One sign of weakness, and Newt would be in.  Fivla knows this and doesn’t even come up for air.

Pepper was on hoovering duty. I love how the ponies don’t mind her at all and she is totally relaxed amongst them too. I don’t think any other dog has ever managed this.

We had a good sunrise this morning too, which makes up the recent heinous weather.

Once I’ve fed everyone, I usually stand outside the feed shed and watch the sun rise and how the light changes.  It is special.

And this is the view of Foula on my way home from packing vegetables at Turriefield.  I had missed the sunset, but even so it was all very dramatic. Shetland is a beautiful place.

It’s been a busy day today.

The weather is still horrible but Storm is feeling much better. I fed him some breakfast, which he wolfed down and made the decision to put him back with his friends without a rug because:-

a) they would chase him ragged for wearing a rug – there is exercise and then there is exercise.
b) he had already escaped into the field to be with his friends and was busy playing happily with them!

And then I moved the whole lot over to Clothie – their original 5 acre field which has tons of shelter and old grass.

I moved them 3 being led at a time with one follower and, guess what, it worked though Waffle  dragged me across the hill – a bit like water-skiing.

I have been up to check on Storm three times today and he is fine, eating and much more relaxed.

And then I went into my shed this afternoon to build sheep.

(I was trying to recreate this famous picture – Study of a cat by Ernest Jackson)

And then inside to try and get near the fire.

There is a bit of a queue, though.

Storm and Newt burst out of their stable this morning full of energy, leaving behind a stable full of poo. OH said while he kindly mucked out that he didn’t think two little ponies could produce so much!

So today has been similar. Painkillers, small meals, regular and often and a 5 minutes trot every two hours all day.

They are living around the house and the weather is pretty mean so, as advised by the vet, I put a rain-sheet on Storm. I thought it fitted quite well but when I looked again, I realised it was a tad snug!

I took it off before another trot around the shed and replaced it with something bigger, and thicker.

I saw Storm yawn while I was deliberating whether to give him a rest, so I bundled him into the school and trotted him around instead. He produced this lovely poo and looked happier. I didn’t put the rug back on as the temperature outside was going up.

The sheep hate me because Storm and Newt love to chase them. They think it’s funny watching them scatter. I put the sheep in their paddock out of harm’s way.

But Storm is feeling and looking much better which is all I want. Newt is a great companion. He jostles Storm along and annoys him into getting better. I am followed everywhere by everyone.

So fingers and toes crossed, we are out of this terrible scare.  My nerves are shreds, my back is aching and I have never walked so far after two Shetland ponies trying to get them to trot (they hide behind my van!)