Today I hate my ponies.

They had “the wind up their tails” and I couldn’t get near them. I did try. Having distributed my carrots (two each), I wanted to catch Fivla first to clean her eyes. She thought long and hard about evading me but, having known me all of her life, she realised that was a bad idea.

Vitamin, on the other hoof, was a different matter. I needed to catch her to flush her teeth/gums with water.  Usually this is a small, simple and uncomplicated job but no, today, Vitamin was having none of it and I have to admit that, after trying for a while to catch her, I could see the job was a bad ‘un and I was going to fail.  I hate failure especially with Shetland ponies.  They remember and exploit.

So I gave my catching-Vitamin carrot to Fivla while Vitamin watched on, looking petulant. I told Fivla to munch loudly and enthusiastically so that Vitamin would know that I hadn’t given up (which I had) and that she most definitely hadn’t won this battle.

For an old lady, Vitamin can move when she wants to.  She had a mad look in her eyes and there was no point going on trying. I told them all just how ungrateful they were, packed up my things and went home.  They neither looked back or cared!

Me:  Monster, your Daddy’s home!
Monster: Daddy, what Daddy. I have no Daddy. He left me!  He didn’t even say good-bye!

It’s true. OH snuck out after breakfast earlier this week to work off-island hoping the cat would not notice but he did.

(By now Monster is yowling refusing to even glance at his purple-socked absentee parent)

Daisy (now watching slightly amazed at Monster’s behaviour): Go on, he’s over there.
Monster (to himself): I must appear aloof and not even interested.  Oh, ok, I need to investigate this.

OH:  Hello, Monster.
Monster:  Hmmm, who are you?  Do I know you? I probably don’t.

Not even three seconds later……

The biggest and loudest purrs ever.

Monster: Dammit, I can’t be cross with you for long!

The rest of us are now “chopped liver”.  We were there when Monster had no one and now…… nothing.

Anywho, it is nice to have OH home, if only for a few days.  The weather is deteriorating but once it settles down again, he will be off.  No one tell the cat.

This is my first year of growing flowers.  I bought (or was kindly given) many ceramic Belfast sinks, filled them up with compost and off I went determined to have some colour this summer in our garden.

Things I have learned – height.  Some plants are taller than others, over-shadow and I have definite successes and failures.

But, overall, I love the colour.

My artichhokes are huge, totally dwarfing everything else. I ended saving the flowering pinks by picking them.  They smell beautiful and remind me of my grandmother.

The tatties, of which I possibly have a cash-crop, are going along nicely.  The strawberry plants have produced a handful of the most delicious strawberries. It took me a while to learn about the function of placing straw around each plant so some rotted before I could save them.  Learning, I am always learning.

Another cash-crop is the ragwort which continues to plague us.  We have nearly cleared this field.  I say that every day and then spend another hour and fill another bag.  We all chip away at this never-ending problem.

Monster is still pining for his “Dad”.

His appetite has not been affected, however. Phew.

Over to Turriefield, this afternoon to pack veg – our Thursday volunteer job.  Now they can grow veg!  Puts my handful of strawberries to shame.

Daisy and I weigh, bag and label.

And then there is the banter!

We always ‘ave a larf!  In my humble opinion that sign behind should read “free to a good home”! (I was dared not to put up this photo so obviously I had to)

Daisy and I were trimming Iacs’ feet and everyone else came up to watch, and probably tell us we were doing it wrong!

These two are such nosey parkers.

Haakon was keeping his own counsel. He’s not stupid.

Well, actually he is. Nothing good will come of this sniff.  I tried to tell him.

These two are very close.  I guess it is a sister thing.

“Ears back everyone, Mother’s taking a photo” – I honestly don’t know why I bother.

Good old Haakon – ever the weirdo.

The little ducky-wuckies are still with us – for me, this is a record. I feel sorry that they can’t go outside but the bigger birds would pick them off one at a time and that would be a disaster after all our hard work.

OH is working off island for two weeks.  Monster is bereft.

He looks for OH everywhere and is inconsolable – except at breakfast, lunch, tea, before-bed, and snack-time, etc…!

When we go to count Minion legs and kiss noseys, we have other jobs to do too.

Fivla has her eyes cleaned daily as they are prone to “goobyness”.  It is a combination of the length of her beautiful forelock and the constant wind.  Drops make no difference and it is not an infection, just Fivla.

Perfection attained.

Then Vitamin has to have her mouth drench – she collects carrot bits in her ancient toothipegs and gums so they need to be washed out.

This method actually does work very well and, as no grassy bits come out, that is a good sign and means what she eats in the field stays down. I see no signs of quidding.

Newt likes to play in the water. The string attached to the extremely useful old TurmerAid bucket is for gathering water Jungle Book style from the nearby stream. I have perfected this method.

Then it is time for the pink noseys!

First up is Tiddles.

He knows the drill.

Done!

And then it is Albie’s turn – he has a tiny dot of pink on his nosey.

And he would hate to be left out.

Next up, if we can catch him is Storm. He has his moments and sometimes prances about. I don’t let him get away with this.

Then hands are wiped on anyone close.  Today it was Vitamin who acquiesced.

Once the barrier cream or sunblock (depending on the weather forecast) is applied, we hop over the fence PDQ (pretty damn quickly)!

Both creams are very white and easily worn for the rest of the day on everyone and everything.

The last to of the kisses – they are expected, no demanded!

And off we go, to ragwort for a bagful.

And that is what we do each morning.