Ok, well, yes, I have managed Chapter 2 of the Idiot’s Guide to my camera!  I have learned how to turn off the annoying green light that shines in everyone’s eyes so all is good.  Onwards, ever onwards….. But slowly, in bite-size chunks.

And meanwhile, in the real world, this morning everyone was fast a-bye-byes in their field – even Sóley and Lilja were lying down, snoring. They got up the minute they me. Ever hopeful.

And yes, I had carrots about my person which I duly distributed.  Fairly.

Lilja and Sóley were not nice young ladies and we had words about going up to the Old Men and biting them so they could barge in and eat their carrots. Big words. Unnecessarily rude. Very rude.

I think they got the message.

They have to learn this is unacceptable.

I think the Old Men were grateful.

They looked very happy in the sun and later I took Klængur out for a lovely ride with Daisy (on Kappi). It was perfect.  He was a dream, we were one and therefore had the best fun.

It has taken a while but Klængur has turned into my perfect horse and I have stopped minding about retiring Haakon.  He is enjoying his retirement and is content – all I ever wanted.

Yes, you guessed it, more fun with my camera.

In the garden….

And then out into the fields.

We have carpets of marsh-marigolds.

The wild primroses are the best they’ve been in years.

They look like mad scrambled egg on the steep sides of the burn.

A little dog-violet.

And a small smattering of spring squill – the first I’ve seen this year.

Into the next field and of course Efstur came wandering up.

He posed.

Likewise his bro – Dreki Dragon.

Taktur was lovely.

I could take photos of him all day.

I clambered over a fence and found little Harry was my best friend.  This is the first time he has really come over to be chatty. I sat on a rock and had the best hugging time ever.

We are best friends forever now.

Right, now, and I mean it today, I am going to watch Chapter 2 of how to use the camera!  I still haven’t managed – my excuses are I went riding this morning, Minions, washing and filling duck-ponds, clothes washing, irate email writing (admin), wandering around the fields…….

This morning got off to a difficult start – tons of admin stuff to do and it couldn’t wait so I had to put off Chapter 2 of camera tuition for another day. These days, I find that I learn more in the morning and by the evening am fit for nothing that involves an actual brain.

But, after firing off some fairly hefty emails, I went outside for a breath of fresh air with my camera telling myself practice, practice, practice.

Daisy was just finishing up with Taktur.  Ears pricked for his bucket of grub!

And the sheeple were mooching around too.

Lambie was particularly keen on my new camera.

He offered himself as a test subject everywhere I went.

I call this montage “His Winning Smiles”.

The Minions were checked after lunch, before we started work on packing vegetables.

It is still very cold – Spring seems to have given up, and the grass is barely growing, so Daisy opened the gate for them into the next field. They didn’t need asking twice.

The camera is very different to what I am used to but I like the results very much.  So much to learn, though.

This morning I have been learning all about my new camera.  This was all I could achieve yesterday evening.

I am trying hard not to tell myself that I am punching well above my weight, but I will admit I googled “an Idiot’s Guide” to my camera!  Luckily, there is one and I watched Chapter 1 this morning.  I learn best in bite-sized chunks.  After lunch, I stuck the camera on Manual (no Auto for me until I know everything this bad-boy can do) and went out for a very windy walk.

Daisy and I also did a little work with Sóley and Lilja.

Sóley is going through her gangly-giraffe growing phase at the moment.

Lilja was introduced to “Mr Saddle-Cloth”. Her first time of anything.  She is the same age as Dreki but not as far along as he is.

On and off it went and Lilja was totally unphased by this.

Both sides because you never know.

And that was that.  All good, all very calm and boring (as it should be).

We kept it short and put the girls back out in their field.

Sóley took everything in.

And now I am off to learn Chapter 2.  Her Maj is not very enthusiastic about my new camera. She keeps looking away.  Still, you can see I brushed her for her photographic debut.

Daisy had gone to work this morning. Later, we had a phone call asking if the vet could come earlier than booked (when Daisy would’ve been back) to give Efstur his booster injection (equine flu) and would we be around for this? I said yes and Floss, who wanted a break from her work, came out to help me get Efstur, and his friends, into the closest field ready for the vet.

After some not-very-strenuous gate opening and closing, a headcollar on Efstur, the rope put somewhere close at hand, and water buckets filled (note small black lamb “helping”), we waited.

As the sun was out, and it was a nice day all round, we decided to wait with our woolly friends.

They do love it when we sit down with them.

They were all especially huggy.

Edna sat down next to me.  She just wanted to have her nose kissed and to be stroked.  She is a very affectionate lady.

Even Madge was almost part of the family.  She does try so hard but…… run away!

And little Harry pitched up too.

Maggie was not sure about this sort of thing and called him away.

But he ignored his Mum and quickly returned.

Apart from being with horses, I honestly think sheep are the best therapy.

You know where you are with a sheep – very loved and surrounded by a faint smell of pee!