Things are a bit fraught around here after shearing.  Madge spent the night in the big field. She has taken herself away from everyone and won’t talk.  She was always a bit potty, but this is a new level, even for her.

This morning, I took off Lambie’s and Edna’s rugs.  They were nice and warm and much brighter. Everyone had a big breakfast with a free-for-all of TurmerAid too and then they wandered off into various fields.

After I had done my chores, I went in search of Madge who hadn’t been sighted.  I was worried about her. I hate not knowing where everyone is and how they are.

I took a box of barley rings (nice and loud while very visible) with me.

Harrel came too.

He does like a barley ring or ten.

Off we set into our hill field – it goes back for what feels like miles.

And eventually we sighted Madge all by herself.

I tell myself that by spending the night outside she might lose a few pounds.

I won’t say she was particularly pleased or relieved to see me or Harrel (my now devoted disciple, though it may be the barley rings!)

I pushed Madge back to rejoin the herd.  Harrel helped, worried I would give away the barley rings to just any old passing sheep.

Edna arrived too and I reintroduced her to her ridiculous daughter.

And now this evening, everyone but Madge is home. Lambie went straight to bed and yes, I have more barley rings so I am still loved.

Just not by Madge who remains in the furthest part of the field refusing to talk to anyone ever again – well, that’s what she says.  Her choice. Shiver that fat off, girl!

Everyone was sheared today and please note Lambie’s Winning Smile. Such a suck up.

This was Harrel’s first shearing. His fleece was amazing – blacker than black.

Words were said like “I have actually never sheared a sheep as fat as this!” (for Madge – who now looks like a pink hippo – oh, the shame!)

We looked at teeth, did feet, gave a multi-vitamin, wormer drench, footrot jab…. what didn’t we do?

And then let them all outside.

The weather is not kind. It is far too cold for this time of year but mostly dry.  I thought they would all be fine.

After lunch, I went out to check everyone was ok and to take a few photos too.  Most were standing around or lying down.

But Edna was miles away.  She did not look happy.

I went over to see her and found her shivering.  That would not do.  Oh no.

I got a rope and collar, and then we argued our way back home.   For an old lady, she can pull/drag/be very unhelpful (my poor back).  I put her into the small paddock on her own and  gave her a huge feed of mash to warm her up.

Then I dug out my sheep rugs (I have 3) and fitted one to her. The neck is a bit big but it works ok.

So then, worrying, I went and looked again at everyone else. Lambie had taken himself to bed.

I decided food and TurmerAid would boost all their internal heating as well as make them feel better/happier.

(Harrel had taken to his bed as well and was audibly whinging about the state of everything)

Lambie was shaking with the cold so yes, I gave in and rugged him up as well.

And bunged him in with Edna who, I think, was glad to see that someone else was wearing a rug.

Meanwhile ‘Bert can’t believe his eyes.

Let’s hope it warms up sometime soon. It is not nice out there.  Some are tougher than others.

Yesterday I came home from checking/feeding the Minions and decided to press on with my stable tidy-up, which like everything else in my life, is work-in-progress.

But this job I actually finished and feel proud of. The rugs on the right are for a friend to collect. I swept up all the old hay from last winter and shoved it into the sheep shed as bedding.  I even vacuumed (I actually don’t know myself now!)

This morning, Edna came in to eat her yummy breakfast cereal and I stood with her admiring my hard work while daring her to make a mess. Being Edna, she didn’t.

Other chores these days consist of trying to do at least 30 minutes daily (the most my back can take) of pulling ragwort in the fields that are going to be cut for silage.

A few months’ back, I was talking to our feed-merchant. He was sucking his teeth about whether there would be hay or not this winter in Shetland due to the rising price of fertiliser.  Most of our hay is imported from Scotland and costs a kidney or your first-born anyway.

Knowing we would need some kind of food for the horses this winter, I decided to set aside my usual summer pasture for silage.  I can’t put the Minions here anyway as the grass is too rich, so it makes sense to use it as winter food.  Hence the ragworting then.

So much to do, so little time.

Ted and Pepper had a visitor today.  The totally and utterly gorgeous Harley!

We haven’t had many visitors recently as I have been trying to get Ted into a happy routine where he would feel secure and less anxious about life and anyone popping by.  In his past life, Ted already has an ASBO (anti-social behaviour order) for biting Mum’s postman.  That was then. This is now and he hasn’t to date bitten anyone.

Anywho, Harvey was wonderful. Pepper instantly fell in love and Ted was jealous so there was totally supervised playtime.

To be honest, Ted was not brilliant.  There were words.

But Pepper knew where her heart lay.

And then Monster arrived – we had booted him out earlier as he was one too many.

Harley knows about cats but Monster is not quite in that category.

I ❤️ Pepper for talking to Monster.

A small spat but nothing serious. Some new pups need to be told, is Monster’s view.

And Ted kept making everything weird because that’s what he does.

I hope we can working on this relationship. Pepper suddenly grew up and wasn’t a puppy anymore.  I found that odd.

Our loading skills are coming along swimmingly now.

So for these two (father and son) – I would definitely say HELPFUL!

However, I am not sure if Monster was particularly helpful.  He had to be moved prior to loading.

These two thought they were being helpful, but actually I didn’t want them standing there as the sheep feel intimidated and won’t walk past.

So, Iacs + Haakon = UNHELPFUL

I shoo’ed them away – you can see Maggie waiting.

She was waiting for Lambie. All the rest of the sheep had walked off to their usual spot, way up the hill and Maggie was desperate for Lambie to come too (the Gods alone know what she sees in him!)

Poor Maggie, she was shouting to Lambie telling him to just run through the open gate, while I kept Iacs back who was trying to work out his best route for escape.  Yesterday, when this happened, I grabbed him and shoved him through. Today, he knew!

Maggie = HELPFUL
Lambie = forever UNHELPFUL
Iacs = an annoying idiot who was definitely not HELPING.

And then next to us was Penthesilea on the roof = not particularly HELPFUL but that’s quite an achievement.

Meanwhile, Lambie maintained his obstinate stance and I left him to it. Maggie also gave up and left to join her friends.  To this day, Lambie is probably still standing there or he has spent the whole day by himself. Tomorrow hopefully he will run through the gate with the rest. He only really learns through experience.