Me:  Ok, ok, I have brought your ruddy buckets. Thank you for walking over the stream rather than coming up the hill and saving me the hike.  You’re welcome.

Old Men:  (muffled as stuffing faces) You’re welcome!

Me: (thinking and definitely not out loud) We are looking “well” for this time of year.  Possibly a bit too “well”, *** cough *** fat!

Me:  Haakon, don’t steal Bibble’s food, please!

Haakon:  Why?

Me: Because then he will steal your’s.  Duh!

Me:  Hey, guys, here’s a thought…. why don’t you walk up the hill for me at breakfast time and save me the trip?

Haakon:  Hey, Bibble, why don’t we?

Bibble: I don’t know (Jeeesus, you can almost see the lightbulb!)

So what do they do?  They both follow me up the hill!

Me:  Seriously, guys, you could’ve just done that in the first place saving me the hike down the hill to give you your buckets.

But then again that’s why I have horses.  So I can walk endlessly around fields with buckets looking for animals to feed!

I took this film yesterday when I went over to Leradale to feed Vitamin. Look out for Newt at the back.  He goes like a baked bean fired out of a canon!

When Newt arrived, he was puffing hard!  I was trying not to laugh. It is a long run for someone so small. Those little legs have to work hard.

Today was a much more sedate affair.  Vitamin couldn’t work out how to cross a 6″ wide stream so I walked over to her with the bucket.  She was very grateful.

I took Pepper and Ted with me, who was much better behaved. Last time he went to Leradale, he ran away with no idea where he was going. I found him heading for the road so much worry. But today, he stayed with Pepper and listened. It is an odd one. Ted is having a good time, he is enjoying himself and then suddenly a switch flicks in his head and he’s off.  He stops listening and just runs.  At home, it doesn’t matter because he just heads for the house.  But at Leradale he doesn’t know where he is.

And then I drove us all back to feed the Old Men who had refused to come up for their bucket earlier. I gave in and took it to them but I did make them walk over the stream as a compromise.

It was a battle of wills with these two and I refuse to be an unpaid servant.

I told them this.

I hate seeing Lambie suffer. Actually I hate to see anyone suffer.

But Lambie hates midges. It’s his one thing. He hates them and he can’t cope. The others don’t mind as much as Lambie does.  He gets hysterical and it is my job to help.

Today the midges were the very definition of hell.

So I let Lambie into my shed – he galloped up when I shouted for him.  He is not wrong. Shetland midges are vile.

I also had both the dogs with me.  OH was working away from home.

So I lit four joss sticks in my Basil seedling pot.

And we all sat in a fog of joss stickery and no midges.

Pepper had her supply of chewy things that she loves.   Lambie was intrigued (please God don’t let any of them be sheep-related!)

Ted is not a fan although he has free rein to help himself.  He doesn’t

And eventually Lambie settled and sat down.

Phew. Together we listened to Ba(aa)-ch! (see what I did there, geddit?)

I got so bored of the sheep stealing the hen/duck food so I came up with a solution and sort-of invented this – a sheep hurdle pen for everyone to eat in safety!

And, best of all, it works!

Everyone of the poultry-type can easily come and go (although for Mr Duckie it is a bit of a struggle but he manages).

And Harrel-the Barrel and all his ovine friends can’t steal the food!

Huzzah!  (I must admit to feeling very smug seeing Harrel’s put-upon little face).

He is always hopeful I will offer him something.

As is ‘Bert and Penthesilea – she refuses to get the plot and wants her own private bowl.

They had a small discussion about the meanness of Muzzah which was kind of sweet.

Meanwhile ‘Ster and Lambie remain too cool to want chicken food.

Though Lambie does secretly love it!

I heard a noise outside and found these two playing.  As Daisy said “she makes him almost move”!

And here are a few photos during my travels these past few days.

Leradale

The Boyzen and Girlzenberries, aka ‘Ster, Lambie, Maggie, Edna, Madge, Barrel and ‘Bert.

Is it a sheep or a hippo?  It is Madge in all her glory.  Just quite a lot of glory, really.  As you can see, the weight is not falling off.  She’s happy, so I am happy.

My wee family!

All I need really.