Capturing our Inner Derp

2 Replies

I know life here can look all glitz and glam, but believe me when I say it isn’t.  We are not The Beautiful People all the time.  No, honestly, we aren’t. I realise that’s difficult to believe.

Anyway, for every good photo, there are many that just don’t quite capture the moment.

I think Iacs is particularly good at finding his Inner Derp. It’s his skill.

Obviously there are no bad photos of Haakon. I couldn’t take one even if I tried.

↓ ↓ ↓ still Iacs ↓ ↓ ↓

Kolka is a close second.  She loves making faces the minute she sees me and my camera.

Pepper also  has moments of true revoltingness – the tideline of mud and the thing she is sniffing/thrown up. I refuse to investigate and I don’t want to know.

‘Ster is good value too on the derp front.

It is Monster obviously who gets the prize.

Sometimes I think my animal-family is revolting in their own unique way.  All except for Haakon.  Like I said, he is perfect, of course.

And possibly Lambie (because I am being kind as it was his birthday). Dear little boy.

11 Today!

13 Replies

Happy birthday to Lambie.  Today he is 11 years old.

Lambie was born prematurely in a filthy storm during the night and found, along with his twin sister in the field, having been abandoned by their mother, who wanted little to do with them. She had no milk and was not well either.

Things were not great to start with. Lambie’s sister promptly died and then his mother.  Lambie was bottle fed, which he did very badly and unenthusiastically.  Then he got joint ill and couldn’t walk.  I fashioned a small coat to keep him warm out of a sock (and, yes, I still have it!). There were numerous vet visits and injections.  He was very good about everything. A dear little chap.

Lambie had two mothers – our wee dog, BeAnne Duvet who he adored.

And me, who he tolerated.

To begin with, Lambie lived under the stairs in the kitchen and had regular bottles which he hated and drank very little from.

He was part of the family and my neighbour, who babysat him when I went to town for supplies, managed to house-train him, which was quite the achievement.  There was also the prescribed physiotherapy to get him walking as the joint ill took its toll and did much damage – he has awful arthritis.

Lambie obviously moved out of our house when we brought him ‘Bert to be his bestie and then ‘Ster and then others……

So, happy birthday to Lambie.  How he got to this great age, I will never know.  It has been uphill all the way.

 

 

I Have No Dog

3 Replies

It started well.  Bored of no one returning my phone calls, I decided to get some fresh air and set off over the hill with Pepper by my side to take some nice photos of the old horses and ponies, while they are still in their winter coats.

Pepper was all nice and clean(ish) for her too.

En route I took a few pics of Gussie and Dahlia who were around.

And also saw my first Common Butterwort (or it is a dog violet – anyone?) of Spring and that was more evidence to validate my claim that spring is really here.

Anywho, the girls were unavailable for photographs.

So I concentrated on the Icelandic horses.

After I topped up their water and threw everyone some carrots, I called up Pepper and went back home, but she never appeared.  So, I shouted and eventually a small Bog Creature came racing home.

Ugh.

Even Dahlia was appalled.

My little clean dog is not so clean anymore.

Pepper knew and I knew she needed a bath and, to be fair, she was very good about it.  A one-man bath is never easy and my back is fairly screaming at me.

But now Pepper is feeling hard done by and a bit put upon.  My heart is hardened. Tough.  If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime!

Still, the photos came out well.

*** snigger ***

The Spectacular Shetland Scenery

3 Replies

To town for two hospital out-patients appointments.  I was in and out in under half an hour so rather than pootle about, I got straight back in the car and drove home. I just couldn’t be bothered with being around folk, etc. and there was a cruise ship moored in the harbour so I knew the Street would be humming.  I hope someone bought a sheep or ten.  That would be helpful.

But, on my home, I did take the time to stop off at a couple of viewing spots to get out of the car and take photos of the marvellous view.

This is Weisdale Voe.  Apparently (according to Wikipedia) it is 4 1/2 miles end to end and contains several small islands and islets – Greena, Flotta, Hoy, North Havra, Junk and the Hoggs of Hoy.  I cannot tell you which is which as I have only just found out their names.

Still it is a breathtaking view and I always maintain that when I am bored of this view, I will be bored of Shetland and must leave. But here, there is beautiful jaw-dropping scenery around every corner and I never cease to be amazed by it.

Another Voe, sitting just next to Weisdale Voe is Whiteness Voe. This is one of my lunchtime parking spots and also where all the cruise-ship coaches patiently wait so folk can get out and take photos of their fleeting time in Shetland before being whisked off to see another pile of historical rocks.

It was almost hot today (11°C) so I didnt take Pepper, much to her rage.  She and Ted had already been brought back home this morning by a rather furious OH who was on his way to work.

Obviously, I got the pathetic face treatment so I would feel guilty about leaving them all to fend for themselves.

But they got their tea instead so I am now forgiven.

Glorious Spring Day

1 Reply

It’s been a glorious spring day.  Seeing the sun shine and beautiful blue sky really lifted my spirits. I think we can all agree, it has been a long difficult winter and it is a good feeling to be finally coming out of it.

The dogs and I all appreciated the fine weather as we went on our daily walk around the fields.

I saw my very first “Blugga flooer” (marsh marigold or kingcup) and soon the wet bits in my fields will be carpeted in them. They are quite a determined plant here and no one seems to eat them.

As I wanted to make the most of the sunshine, I went into the sheep’s field to sit down on a rock.  Pepper immediately jumped on my lap and Gussie wandered up for a chat.

It must be coming up to Gussie’s birthday too (well, in fact everyone’s birthdays).  The only date I actually know is Lambie’s.  Gussie is 2 years old now and probably the biggest sheep we have.  Not fat, just tall. There is a lot of Gussie.

He is one big sheep and for a sheep born on the hill, he is the tamest.

And when I went inside, I got shouted at. Monster could’ve come too, I told him.  Maybe next time.