Long and boring – sorry – I am trying to work out what is best by writing it down.

BeAnne is hard work at the moment.  In her mind, she is slowly wandering away from us. I also think she is almost totally blind too.

Having found Her Maj fast asleep outside in the garden a few times today (and it is not warm), I wonder if she knows where she is.  While she wants to wander about the enclosed yard around our house, she can’t because of Maggie – who butts first and thinks afterwards. Maggie goes where she wants because I don’t want her stressed this late in her pregnancy and she refuses to be with the others. Our garden is nice and big but she wants to visit her old haunts.

This afternoon I took BeAnne to Clothie (my five acre field) so she could have fun “hunting” like the old days.

She enjoyed that.

On the way home, BeAnne headed off on a mission to peruse the old-sheep-shed (a favourite place) but I was terrified Maggie would get her in a corner and pound her.

So I followed to keep her safe.

I watched BeAnne find a little escape route that she thinks I don’t know about as she set off again.

Feeling that BeAnne obviously wanted to potter and exercise is good for her, we went into the big field, where the old men are currently living.  I lifted her over the fence and off she motored at quite some speed.  She can’t half shift when she wants to.

I watched BeAnne find some little rabbit holes.

And then she fell, there was a leg in each and she was stuck. I gently lifted her out.

And off BeAnne trundled, determinedly walking towards the steep cliff-like sides of the stream oblivious to me trying to head her off at the pass.  In the end I grabbed her, put my coat sleeve through her coat like a lead but giving up half way and carried her home. She is very heavy!

I spend my day trying to keep her safe and worrying while she lives in her own world.  Today it was too much.

Daisy and I came home this morning from our daily Minion Rugby Match, to see Iacs by himself – always a bad sign.

Iacs shares his field with his cousin, Haakon, as well as Klængur.  They were within eyesight but not exactly close by. They were having their mid-morning snooze.

So, armed with a headcollar, a big bag of yesterday’s carrots as well as the all-important-never-leaving-my-side small black sheep, I went to free Iacs from where he had managed to get himself stuck.

Luckily, Iacs put his head over the wall and, with his headcollar on, I led him to a part where the wall had rumbled. He carefully walked over it to rejoin his friends.  It didn’t dawn on him to do this himself – he has only lived in this field for over 20 years.

(note – the stupendous silly-frilly hair-do!)

The carrots were shared out.  Everyone was very pleased to see them.

And me and my small black sheep, the headcollar and a now-empty bag of carrots went back home safe in the knowledge that everyone was where they should be – except possibly for the small black sheep, aka Maggie, who refuses to be with the other sheep and just trails round after me all day!

Yesterday, at Transition Turriefield, where Daisy and I were working, we were given two crates of carrots that were deemed unsellable.  Happy days.  Never say no as someone will eat it.

Today’s someone(s) were firstly everyone in the Minion field.  After the buckets, which most don’t get, I left them all munching away on lots of carrots.  At this stage, the carrots go off quickly so it is better to get them eaten quickly.

After that, I went home and started my Project of the Day – to rid my car of every damn piece of hay.  It took 5 hours hard graft with Henry Hoover and all his different attachments/brushes.

And Maggie kept me company (the others had gone down the hill and she wouldn’t follow).  She loves people and likes to watch whatever they are doing.  She is always about.

I emptied the car, putting my two crates of carrots out as well as everything else.

Yesterday afternoon, when we came home, I did offer carrots to the sheep but Maggie stayed well away.

So it was nice to see her take an interest in something other than biscuits and hard feed.

She was really enjoying herself.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

The interior of my car is now spotless. No hay will ever go in my car again – or I am thinking of buying a boot liner to keep it clean.  I have even banned muddy wellie boots. Today I have standards.

Daisy ran into the kitchen this morning yelling “The dog’s gone!” and then raced out again.  I dropped what I was doing – having a well-earned rest with a cup of coffee while texting a friend many miles away – and dashed out after her.

Into the big field.

And there she was. Her Maj “roomba-ing” (a little robot vacuum) the field.

Thank the Gods for the wee hi-viz tankini is all we thought as we went after her.

Someone had been busy, though she was quite pleased to see us!

And she was duly escorted home.

Halfway, we stopped off to say hi to ‘Bert and BeAnne was off again, “listening to her own voices”, as my old neighbour used to say.

At that stage, knowing full well just how nippy BeAnne can be when she wants, she was picked up and carried home.

As BeAnne is a bit of a heft (10kg+ – it’s the steroids), Daisy lifted her over the fence, and gave her the benefit of the doubt that she would now go back.

Monster was very disapproving of everything.

And BeAnne snuck off once more.  This time there was no benefit of the doubt.  That ship had sailed.

Someone is now exhausted.

But I’m glad she’s still got it!

Tis the time of year.  Them baby bunny rabbitses talk to her.

I received an email from an old friend late yesterday….

“Fiv and Vitamin were on ‘telly in their sweaters this evening (BBC Scot channel 9 21.00 hrs “Greetings from Scotland” about 20 mins into programme),  I felt very proud to know such mild-mannered international film stars.

Hope all’s well and grass is growing at Thordale,

love to all”

This friend has known Fivla since I bought her from her breeder 25 years ago!  Fivla was a little black filly in those days.  Hard to believe, I know.

I call this photo “Floss is going to kill me!” but you must agree dearest Fivla was the sweetest little pony in the world.

So I hunted down the programme – it was interesting to watch – and found “our” bit.

BBC Scotland – Greetings from Scotland (the whole episode)

Here they are today.  Fivla is in the middle of the field, between Newt and Tiddles.

While Vitamin was striking a pose (nice beard).

It’s always nice to know they are still remembered and yes, the grass is just beginning to grow now.