On the dog-walk, I could see the horses and ponies in the distance so I went over to talk to them hoping I could get some nice photos.

Vitamin strolled towards me. I have no idea why. I wasn’t carrying food but she is nosey at the best of times.

She was looking gorgeous. I always think Vitamin is very photogenic.  Possibly one of the most beautiful mares I have ever owned.

Not bad for 31 years old.  Such presence and she always stands very upright.  Her trot is jaw-droppingly incredible too.

Vitamin has always been beautiful.

I think this is the best photograph of any horse or pony I have ever taken – it was Vitamin in her youth.  I think it’s her eyes.  Definitely her eyes.  They have such emotion and clarity.  I remember so clearly taking that photo knowing at the time it would be a good one.

It’s nice to look back sometimes.

Today was Stephen, our farrier’s day to visit to check and trim the horses and ponies’ hooves.

Earlier, I got everyone into a paddock so they were easy to get to and work with.  I don’t enjoy trying to find ponies last minute.

Pepper waited for Stephen’s arrival with huge excitement and anticipation.  She always knows when he is going to arrive and even left her recently killed latest rabbit to “help”.

Stephen is possibly Pepper’s most favourite person ever.  When he is here, I am relegated to “nothing” status.

In the end, only 4 1/2 equines needed a trim (Newt, Tiddles, Silver plus Iacs and Haakon (only fronts)) and so we finished early, which gave me time to drive to Turriefield and pack veg too.

The horses and ponies were easy and behaved which is always good.  There was also no sign of laminitis and all feet were declared healthy.

When I took this photo, I did ask Stephen if he wanted me to move Waffle, but he said it was fine.

I spent my afternoon making the two white sheep – I have been told white is the most popular colour and sells well, but I like the coloured ones best.

Coloured sheep are best – I am a huge fan.

Everyone was fed and possibly in their correct(ish) fields and off I went to Lerwick.

There was a big boat in – AIDAsol, bringing 2,500 passengers to Lerwick.

The majority of whom were wandering up and down Commercial Street with a slightly bemused look on their faces.

My main mission was to fill up my field in Jamieson’s Knitwear on the Street.  I had been told it was looking a bit bleak.

And now it is less empty and I will be back to work tonight in my shed making more sheep for my little field.

Outside and I braved more people wandering around taking photos of anything that moved.

Or didnt.

I did a quick nip round with my supermarket trolley for provisions and I went home to my family.

Oh, and Pepper started eating last night and ran away again this morning while we all searched frantically, only to come home on her own refusing to say where she had been.  Wee turd!  OH thinks it is the lure of the bunny rabbitses.  Everyone else is keeping very quiet.

My little starling friend is still around.  I am pretty sure it is the food she wants, not me.  Particularly the sheep food. That’s her favourite.  She usually appears when I feed Gussie and Dahlia their breakfast.

The way I see it, is she’s just another mouth to feed.  I have many mouths.  They always want feeding.

Still, it’s nice to have company.

Meanwhile, Pepper is loathing her walks-on-a-lead-only though she is doing better on the not-pulling-so-much front.  We have better lead manners at last.

I feel so sorry for Pepper but them’s the rules. Having said that, she managed to bugger off first thing this morning and was found almost 1/2 a mile away at our next door neighbour’s.  Pepper departed when backs were turned and had only been put in the garden because she was spewing.  And now she’s not eating and slightly limping so that’s a new combo today.

**** sigh ****

So Pepper spent the rest of her day with the heat-pad on her shoulder as well as grounded possibly for the rest of her life.  I can’t give her pain-killers because she is spewing and not eating.  This is not a great situation.

But she only has herself to blame.  I still feel awful for her, though.

The ducklings are almost all grown up now.  They are still very sweet and not afraid of me at all, though they are not keen on being picked up and cuddled (their little legs go ten to a dozen and they hysterically shout for their mother, who has pretty much given up being protective of them when I’m around).

The ducklings like to try out everything and I found the little girl sitting in the drinking water bowl.  It’s a case of if it fits, I sits.  I laughed.

And it’s definitely a girl and a boy. I am almost 100% certain.  One is bigger, larger legs and is more masculine in shape.

And, when I am doing evening chores, I am diligently followed around. Nowhere is safe.  This is my porch to the house where I went to change into wellies before getting on with the evening work.

It is lovely to have such an enthusiastic fan club.  Sadly, I know it is not because anyone loves me but because I open the food buckets and distribute food twice a day.

Cupboard love  – affection that is feigned in order to obtain something.

And Monster has left the ducklings well alone which is kind of him and possibly sensible too.  My money would still be on Mother Duck even if she’s given up hating me.