I was busy in my shed making a sheeple for the shops when Daisy popped her head in and said “I am doing something with Lilja…. can you give me a hand for a few minutes?”. I finished my sheeple, while she put Taktur (Lilja’s Dad) back into his field and we met up with Daisy leading Lilja out of her field ready for work.

Tied up, a quick brush and then Daisy sorted out her saddle.  Lilja watched, interested.

Saddlecloth on.

(Lilja is a beautiful mare – so like her Dad).

Next the saddle on.

More gorgeousness.

Then Daisy led her around the school with the saddle on so she could get reacquainted with the feeling of it on her back with the girth done up.

This is to see and train Lilja to stand still – yes, she does, like a rock.

Well done, Lilja.  A carroty reward facing forwards and not asking.

Then Daisy bounced up and down each side.  There was absolutely no reaction.

Flapping about on each side – again, nothing.

Hat on and then Daisy lay across the saddle from each side and then slipped her leg over and got on.

Meanwhile, I am holding the lead-rope and giving Lilja a small pieces of carrot as a reward for each specific desired behaviour.

So, that’s Lilja lightly backed then. What a good girl – totally calm, listening and interested. Perfect.  I do like this mare.

Me: Haakon, where’s your forelock?

Does anyone know where it’s gone?

This is awful – Haakon’s forelock has just vanished (possibly overnight) while other’s remain silly and frilly!   I am very jealous now on his behalf.

I found Daisy brushing Iacs’ mane and tail so afterwards I picked up the brush and did Lilja’s mane and tail. She was a good girl and just stood there.

And then Sóley, who also was much calmer about it all. Last time, a few months’ back, it had been a bit of a fight.

Living with the old men has done Sóley the world of good.

And lastly Klængur.

Afterwards, Sóley helped Daisy clean out the water buckets.

As did Lilja. They are both very nosey girls.

I am not sure about Haakon without his forelock. He looks a bit Przewalski-ish.

But he’s still my handsome boy, though and looking good this summer.

Home chores done and off we (my friend and I) drove to Laxo – the pier for the ferry to Whalsay.

We hadn’t booked the car on and had decided to risk it.  Luckily there was room for us – though I am always nervous sitting in the “unbooked car” lane wondering if there will be space.

And so to Whalsay – a 30 minute sea journey.  It was calm.

My friend had to pop into “the office” and once the job was done, the rest of the day was our’s.

As this was her first trip, I decided to drive around and show her Whalsay.

Whalsay is Shetland’s sixth largest island.

It is also known as “The Bonnie Isle” and we could see why. The heather was sumptious and the smell….. like honey.

The drive was not arduous as the island is only 7.6 square miles.

No ferry so we sat for two hours again in the unbooked car lane (must book next time). This merited a quick trip for pies and other chocolatey-cakey-type provisions from the one and only shop. The ferry appeared and then they squished the cars in to take us back to what we call “the mainland”, leaving two large lorries behind.  No space.

Today the Minions had visitors.

And jolly nice it was too.

I have been holding off from letting the public, ie tourists and visitors to the Islands, meet the ponies, mostly due to Covid reasons.  I can’t get my head around seeing strangers yet.  Family friends, however, are different.  I am happy to introduce them to the ponies.

There was lots of love, hugs and kisses for eight happy little Minions.

Vitamin was keeping an eye on the proceedings.

She is not really the huggy type but wanted to be around in case large amounts of cake was dropped on the floor!  There wasn’t so she had a carrot and her mouth rinsed out instead.

Newt was very “newty”.

As was Tiddles.  He, of course, gave the best kisses.

I took this photo a few days ago.  Can you guess who it is from the shape?

So, it was nice to see folk and even better, the ponies behaved beautifully, though Storm did have a secret “zip” moment!

Yesterday evening, while the rain chucked down, led by Mother-Duck, all the duckies made a bid for freedom so we rushed out, caught them and shoved them quickly into the duck-house (along with food and water) closing the door quickly behind them.  There may have been swearing.

So much for duck participation, gratitude and helpfulness.  Meh!

Today was a new day and luckily slightly drier.  OH has now gone again working off-island (poor, poor Monster!), and it was down to Daisy and I to solve the duck problem.  We decided to fit wide boards along the side of the run because last night, the ducks had managed to squeeze between the net and the hurdles and then firmly stuck.

We “borrowed” OH’s tools and various bits and pieces from his shed.

And while Daisy drilled, I tied the boards firmly together with bale string.  We even did sawing (well, Daisy did. I looked on in wonder!)

Then into OH’s shed to make a proper duck staircase so everyone can go in and out a bit easier.  The plank I had originally supplied was slippy in the rain and they were reluctant to use it.

Ta dah!

We also supplied two swimming pools and a breakfast tray.

The ducks have spent the rest of the day pottering up and down their little staircase, going in and out of their house, swimming and eating.  Mother-Duck is still looking for an escape route but I think it is all a bit more secure now and hopefully she won’t succeed.

If she does, at this stage, I give up!