The midges are awful at the moment.  Yesterday was bad so we all sought refuge in my shed to play flute trios.  Lambie arrived to give his opinion on our playing and then spent the rest of the time knocking our music stands over.  He likes our playing but can be a bit destructive and attention seeking.  Of course we forgive him and his Winning Smile works every time.

The evening was more than anyone could stand so I let Lambie into the house. He immediately flopped down on BeAnne’s old bed and went to sleep, exhausted from being consistently plagued.  OH tolerated Lambie’s presence on the grounds that he was truly suffering.

And Lambie did behave himself, standing by the front door when he wanted to go outside for pee.  Luckily there was a bit of a breeze so he went off to join his sheepie friends.

This morning was not much better. Again, everyone was very tired from it all. We sprayed all the horses (and I did the sheep when they had their breakfast) and I hope that gave them some reprieve.

However, this afternoon, I was in my shed making a small Sheeple when Lambie arrived.  He just wanted to escape.  It’s been a very trying day for all of us.  Bloody midges!

Tomorrow might be better.

Today was the day so first we made a plan.  We always have a plan. We like plans. Plans are good.

We began by moving our duckpond.

We did this before everyone was allowed out of their house.

There was forethought needed for the construction and building.

The great release. Ta da!

We kept as much of their old stuff around so they it wouldn’t all be new, unfamiliar and smell wrong.

There was some initial exploring.

Later on, I found Mother Duck sitting happily watching her brood. She has done so well and still won’t leave them.  She had a little fly around us which made us smile.

Our chickens are taking full advantage of the unlimited food.  Total blaggers. I am ashamed of them. Apparently Mother Duck had a row with a chicken.  It was wings at dawn.

The little ones are relucant to go anywhere without Mother.  They like the familiarity of their old shed but have moved back into the original one (much bigger) so hopefully they will sleep there at night. It is much easier to shut them in.

So all is good on the ducky-wucky front and I am pleased (if not a bit relieved too).

I am just feeling a bit meh at the moment.  I can’t ride. I watch Daisy and I want to go out riding with her on my horse.  Klængur’s hoof is growing out and he is resting. Saturday brings the equine physio and then later on in the month, our farrier.  I don’t want to rush Klængur’s recovery at all but it would be nice to know whether it is hoof that hurts him or something else.  I would completely understand if it was his hoof. It looks nasty.  My poor boy.  We miss our fun together.  I don’t even want to take him out for walks like this.

However, Klængur is enjoying his rest (photo from yesterday).

So I spent this morning putting books on Ebay to sell that need a new home and I need the cash.  Nothing spectacular – all about wine. In fact, every known book about French wine.  I have piles of them to flog.

Anyway, I still love my wee shed. It is a perfect refuge.

I adore everything in here and I love the fact that it is my space, just for me (and anyone else who pitches up!)

The view is pretty spectacular too.

The ducklings are now almost ducks – all 11 of them.

They are feeling pretty meh too.  I think tomorrow is Duck Day. We will open the gates and they can explore the outside world and let’s all pray they don’t get eaten, can find their way into a shed at bedtime and leave peacefully with their relations.

My reason for feeling meh – I read the news today, oh boy. It was awful. I cried and thought there seems to be nothing good in the world.  It was all a bit too much.

I was on my way out the door off to see the Minions when I saw this lot fast asleep in the never-ending fog we seem to be plagued with.

As I approached, Haakon stood up and I was greeted with even less forelock than last time I looked properly.

He doesn’t look like Haakon anymore.

I can’t get my head around my de-forelocked horse that is meant to be my beloved old boy.

Especially when he makes these kinds of faces.

A feeble forelock makes Haakon’s ears look much bigger too.  A too bit donkey-like.

Meanwhile, everyone else is flashing their magnificent hair at us.

And Haakon has this miserable little affair.

Poor old lad. He has never looked so bad.

He used to be so beautiful.  I shall now scan the internet for forelock growth products.

I left them all to it and walked back over the field to clamber over the fence.

Obviously I was followed by the girls, while Haakon grumbled about his male-pattern baldness problems.

Edited to add if you can recommend any product you have used successfully on your horse, please let me know. x

These three were waiting for me at the gate – from left to right, Newt, Vitamin and Fivla.

Every step I took was being watched.  Sadly, minimal carrots (we’re running very low until someone goes to town) were dished out.

Meanwhile, the other 5 were fast a-bye-byes at the far end of this field.  They now have two fields to play in.

As I walked nearer, Waffle spied me and immediately got up.

Silver was flat out.  Dead to the world.  Dreaming his dreams oblivious of the world.

I didn’t want to disturb him but he soon realised I was around. I gave him his carrot while he sat like this. He happily accepted.

Storm woke up as well.  I got the feeling of the Kraken wakes!

He was like a toddler who has just been in a very deep sleep – boggly-eyed and disorientated but possibly in a filthy mood.

He did his “Tang horse” stretch and yawned.  I shoved his carrot in.

Dear old Waffle. So cool and very endearing.

And then I walked back leaving the “sleeping beauties” behind and back at the gate little Newt was waiting for me.  Always waiting.  And yes, I took his nosey in both hands and gave him a big kiss, which was all he really wanted, apart from the hopeful expectation of more carrots if he smiled hard enough!