Cupboard Love – [British] the insincere affection shown by children or animals towards someone who they think will give them something that they want. – Collins Dictionary.

When I arrived at the Minion’s field, I found little ears sticking up over the drystone wall.

I knew what they wanted.

They made it very obvious.

Something to do with the contents of my pocketses.

And so I duly distributed kissing smiley noses as I went (I adore Waffle’s cheesey grin!)

It was the same when I got home too.  This time I was collecting the haynets and filling them.  I was shouted at by Sóley while I was in the stable. I told her to wait until after lunch – when we put out their second haynet.

Meanwhile, indoors, these two have not stopped all morning.  I look on benignly saying things like “they will sleep well tonight”!

Please come back if the film hasn’t loaded – we just have very slow broadband (sorry).

Today everyone was wormed with a nuclear attack wormer and then, when we came back from the Minions, I found everyone lying down, except for Lilja.  So I had a quick worried panic.  Obviously they all had colic and were now going to die because I had wormed them.

As I walked towards them, they started to stand up. Phew!

First up were Sóley and Lilja.

They were so good about having wormer. It is never pleasant but they all behaved beautifully.

The old men were enjoying their morning sitting down like a matching pair of Victorian cream jugs.

Once Haakon was up, I went and had a chat. It was then I knew he suffered no ill effects from the wormer as he thoroughly frisked me for carrots.

Iacs didn’t feel like moving.

He just smiled sweetly at me. So I took his photo and sent it to Daisy who she texted back “Such a moose!”

And a smiley one.  He was fine and got up moments later.

And again, I was frisked.  So that’s everyone wormed and I shall stop worrying.

Having been blown away talking to the Minions, I came home to find someone “all alone in the world”.

So I clambered over the fence (there is never an easy gate when you want one) and went up to say hello, as well as take a few pics.

Today has been a steady Force 8 which makes for lovely hair-styles as well as being thoroughly annoying when it comes to trying to put out haynets (twice a day).

But Floss and I soldier on because a) everyone needs feeding and b) everyone stands around waiting to be fed shouting “we are in a routine!”  There is no let up until the Spring grass appears.

Even the sheep get two haynets in their bedroom for snacks.

Still, it was a good day for arty-farty photos which is not difficult if you are really, really, really ridiculously good-looking!

This morning I put out a mineral lick bucket for the sheep.

Everyone wanted a shot and I like them to have access to it this time of year when there is little grass around.  They have unlimited hay.

Edna had first dibs (she has one tooth now) and was instantly in her happy place. She adores a lick bucket and ‘Bert soon gave up trying to have any. He would come back later.

And then Madge, who spent a good long time with it too.

Leaving them to it, I drove over to the Minions who were equally hopeful about having a mineral lick bucket.

They don’t need one.

While the ponies don’t believe me, I am standing firm.  Lick buckets for Shetland ponies are made of molasses and no one needs the sugar.  Absolutely no one.

I might get them a salt lick, though (they had run out at the feed merchant when I looked last week).

Everyone was very chatty and I spent some time talking to them all.

Every Saturday afternoon, I play flute duets with a friend.  Lambie usually turns up to listen.  He likes classical music, even flute duets.

He stands listening and then eventually falls asleep.

Luckily my flute partner doesn’t mind the faint smell of sheep pee while we play. To me, having a sheep listen to music is perfectly normal. The rest of the world might not agree, though.

I knew today was going to be a busy day so I had my Cunning Plan all ready which was basically to feed everyone and get them where I wanted them as quickly and painlessly as possible.

I even managed to herd all the sheep (and that included Lambie) into the small field to keep them out of the way of traffic.  Amongst other things, we had BT arriving first thing to look at our terrible phone line which sounds like everyone is talking through a thick towel.

It is nice when a plan comes together…. ie when everyone participates.

My clever little Lambie and yes, it took a whole packet of ginger biscuits to achieve but I’m not proud. Whatever it takes, I say.

Meanwhile indoors, Floss was trying to eat her breakfast and described this as the “Holy Trinity”!  Crumpets and marmite are apparently Food of the Gods.  Scroungers, the lot of ’em.

Later, when I came home this afternoon, having achieved all I needed to including Minions, I was greeted with huge enthusiasm.  Pepper and Ted were having an excellent game of crocodiles which involved much gnashing of teeth.

Apart from the odd battle, they all seem to get on fairly well these days which is a huge relief.

Monster knows where it is safest to be as you can’t see him, right?  Cat, what cat?