I had to go in to Lerwick today to get my hair cut.  I am trying to remember when I last went in and I can only think it was probably the end of March (for the last of our hay supply), so possibly nearly 6 months ago, which is shocking now I’ve worked it out.

And if the place was empty before, it was beyond deserted.

The only thing missing was tumbleweed and some haunting music.

Ok, I was there fairly early and even so, by the time my haircut was finished, most of the shops should’ve been open but they weren’t.

It was all rather depressing but I did my other messages – went into the wool shop to see if they needed more sheeple for their field.  Nope.

And took a few photos just because I was somewhere different.

I thought the whole ordeal was very stressful.  I even had to complete a government form requiring a witness for my signature just to get a hair cut!

So I quickly finished up, told myself I didn’t want anything else (I have to go back on Wednesday anyway for an NHS appointment) and rushed home to play with the ponies which was far more fun.

I think these days Lerwick will be emergencies only.  I can’t face it.

Ever since he has been little, Storm has always had a streak of naughtiness. He is the typical little boy who wears a school cap a bit too small for him and put frogs in your satchel.

So today Floss and I, taking my big camera, went to brush all the Minions as we had noticed their manes and tails could do with a good sorting out.

We were hard at work, on a relatively nice morning, when we noticed a dark grey cloud approaching.  It started to spit and then to rain as we finished Nos 5 and 6 (Fivla and Vitamin).  All who were left were Silver and Storm.  We decided to keep going as the rain increased telling ourselves it was “just a shower”.  I easily caught Silver and handed him over to Flossie to start and then went off to get Storm.

But no. Storm would have none of it, looked me in the eyes, kicked up his heels and very prettily cantered off down the field, giggling as he went.  The thought of “just leave him” passed through my brain, but Storm had his wicked look.  That was it, I had to catch him.  I walked round and round that field with my piece of carrot and headcollar and of course eventually he gave up and I caught him. But it was not easy and it was a battle of wills between us.  We both knew it.

By now I was soaking, but I duly led Storm back to the gate, tied him up and brushed him while Floss finished Silver.  Once finished, we let them go and, totally bedraggled and soaked, we returned home.

There are no photos of beautifully groomed Minions because my camera had to be protected under my coat!  These photos are old ones.

Why does Klængur do this?

It’s his thing.  First he eats his food and then he picks up his bucket and waves it around the place.

Most odd.  No one else does but him.  Always.  Anyway, we went for a lovely ride, very fast now we have four feet shod.  And then we rode the oldies and went very fast all over again.  Obviously it was a speedy day.

In the afternoon, I popped over to my neighbour to pick gooseberries and blackcurrants.

They grow in a square walled garden in the middle of her pony field and sensibly my neighbour had put nets over the fruit bushes early on so there was plenty to pick.

Afterwards, we sat outside, had a cup of tea and looked at the lovely croft.

There is a sundial that needs re-setting.

It is truly a beautiful place.

The an old water-mill.

We also went and picked the wild mint that grows by the stream. It makes the best tea.

This burn starts in the hill (Stourbrough) behind us and then trickles down through Thordale and then down through this one (Finniegert) ending up shortly at the sea.  We had lots of rain last night so it was fairly high.

Finniegert is a old place – there are fiddle tunes about it too by a previous resident, Peter Fraser.  He wrote The Burn o’ Finnigirt, the Hill o’ Finnigirt, the Yard o’ Finnigirt, Da muckle reel o’ Finniegirt……

A good day doing nice stuff.

Visitors are rare these days but when we do see folk, everyone likes to join in.

Today Helen came to see our set up.  Based in Yell, Helen is recreating Viking life – she makes those beautiful rugs out of sheep fleece, (Instagram: @hart_of_shetland) I showed you a few weeks back.  She took away ‘Bert and ‘Ster’s fleeces……. I am so excited.

Anyway, first I introduced Helen to the Sheeple but forgot to take my camera.  And then the Icelandic horses.  A huge success.

Haakon and Iacs did come over for a frisking.

I explained about the unique traits of the Icelandic horse and Iacs showed off his “prehistoric” pliohippus stripes.

Then we drove over to meet the Minions.

And Newt was very taken with our visitor.

Dammit: I forgot to say that Newt real name is “Viking” – this is most definitely an omen.

And Helen’s beautiful necklace.

He so wanted the necklace.

And then Albie wanted it too.

Waffle was next in line in the wanting of the necklace.

And in there is our visitor, apparently.

I think she had a nice time.

And it was lovely to meet Helen and to show her our way of life too (and thank you so much for the wonderfully sticky gooey chocccy cake and essential dog treats).  Come again!

It has taken me two whole days to set up a MacBook Air (not mine sadly) and get it to talk to a printer, wirelessly.  I don’t want to discuss it but suffice it to say it now works.

It has also been no weather for riding either and I haven’t had time to take my camera out and about with me because I haven’t been out and about.  If I get given a task, I cannot deviate or do anything else until it is complete.

In the meantime, Daisy has taken these photos on her travels, which are enchanting in their own right.

She found BeAnne and Mr Ducky-Wucky together under the horsevan.

When Daisy was checking the Minions, she found a small hippo was living in the field.

Luckily for Daisy the small hippo ignored her and continued eating.

Vampire cat or Monster. You decide.

I am off to sit in a dark room now.  Tomorrow is another day.