This morning was spent at Turriefield sewing seeds like squash, courgette, salad leaves….. oh, yes and sweetcorn (those were interesting seeds).

And then we took them all down to the polytunnel to place them in better growing conditions – under lights, mats and heat, though it was already very hot in the polytunnel and everything else was taking off.

Then we did some rearranging and relocating previous already-growing seedlings – there is a strict rotation to cater for their every requirement based on the stage they have reached.  That makes sense.  I am learning.

I brought home with me a large amount of thyme which was being cleared to make space for something to grow – I will dry it and store it for later.  Such a pretty plant and the divine smell too.

While I can see the glories of a polytunnel (or crub – -the Shetland variety), I am wary of the hard work required.  My back is pretty much at a shouty stage if I do anything too heavy and I really don’t want to aggravate it mroe.  I am also waiting on the results of the MRI to know what is actually going on – ie are the bulging discs bulging more, is the stenosis worst and the osteophyte thingies too.  Meh, to all of them.  All I know is that mostly I hurt in degrees of constantly awful to that’s-it-I-need-to-lie-down-and-stop!  I get no let up.

Anyway, home and I was met by Monster who was also enjoying the sunshine. He is a chap with no problems.

Today was Water Day just because the sun was shining and, once I make a decision of what I am going to devote my morning to, I like to stick to it.

First I did the ponies’ water, then the water buckets and sink by the shed.  The latter are used by the ducks.

Next up I tackled the filthy duck pond, which was desperately in need of a good clean.

Then, Pepper and sat in the sunshine getting a good dose of Vitamin D waiting for the pond to fill.

It took ages but we didn’t mind.  We deserved a break from all that hard work.  My back hurts afterwards.

Eventually, I wrapped up the hose and came back to see that my clean sink was being used.

One very happy duck.

I noticed the water level had gone down, so I popped the hose back in to refill. She didn’t mind.

I think everyone is now keen to get clean.  There’s been a lot of fighting recently in the muddy ditches which has not been good.  Maybe if they feel all clean and happy, they will stop that and concentrate on being friends.

On my way to do the horses’ water bucket, I noticed some “dead ponies”.  Oh well, I thought. A few less.

I love seeing them totally flat out and almost snoring.

Vitamin had Newt next to her again.

He was totally blissed out and those little teefs – ooof!

The clean pony water was appreciated.

The rest were busy stuffing their faces with hay.

And look, a duck swimming in my clean pond.

All that hard work, emptying and scrubbing, was well worth it even if my back is now shouting at me.

Last night, just before I went to bed, I looked out of an upstairs window to see Fivla all by herself. The others had left her relocating on the other side of the track.  In her head, it was miles away and she looked very lonely.  She could either walk through a mire or up a steep hill and she didn’t want to do either.  But being alone is also a miserable place to be.

So I put some outside clothes back on and went to rescue her, urging her round to go round the track to eventually find them.  She went, albeit grudgingly and really struggled with the muddy bit.

I didn’t like that.  The mud is still very deep and unhelpful.  My track hasn’t made it any better either as they have no way round.

So, this afternoon, armed with more fence posts and electric fence wire, I made a sort of lay-by to circumnavigate the mud.

And then, after a bit of a discussion (Fivla went one way, I went the other), I showed her what I had done – she agreed that this was a good thing and thank you very much. I think the new grass was an incentive too.

Quickly followed by Albie, who follows Fivla everywhere – she is his surrogate Mum.

I went to gather the other troops and I know that Newt will also appreciate my efforts. He hates the mud as it is a struggle with litttle short legs.

To town today as we have visitors next month and I want to be all efficient and have everything ready in the freezer so I can do minimal cooking at the time.

First I stopped off at the feed merchants and bought animal supplies, and then went into town to get supplies for cocktails (Eurovision is looming too – hurrah!)

As I drove into the car park, which is next to the pier, I saw this magnificent ship.

Well, obviously I had to go and have a look, even though there was a sign saying I couldn’t. So I ignored that and crept in past the barriers, hoping no one would stop or ask me to go away.

It was the Dar Młodzieży, a Polish sail training ship owned by the Gdynia Maritime Academy.

Wow, just wow.  Later I saw plenty of young men wandering around the town (looking slightly bored and lost at the same time) wearing their very smart uniform.

According to the “interweb”,  the Dar Młodzieży (Polish: Gift of the Youth) is a school ship for soon-to-be merchant officers”.

Anyway, I wasn’t caught and asked to leave and all I did was wonder around on the pier, with my finger mostly over the camera lens (how do I do this?) taking photos happy in the knowledge I would never, ever have to go on the ship (I am allergic to boats).

However, I quite like photographing them.

There is the Lerwick lifeboat in this photo somewhere.

And then onwards to Tesco’s to buy my weight in Graham Norton wine. Tis Eurovision, after all.

The ponies get called up to the wee paddock for teatime as there is not much on their track and I feel bad for them worrying that they will all now get ulcers from the hunger eating them inside.  (And if it rains, I worry they will all melt).

So I dish out soaked ad-lib fibre-block which they quite like.

The old ladies like it most and that’s most important. I am trying to keep the weight on them while getting the others to lose it.

Previously, when I served the fibre block dry and unsoaked (which it said on the packet you can), Storm ate it until he got colic and it was a vet job so now I soak the blocks in a bucket of water for 12 hours first.

Vitamin is a huge fan and the old ladies also get a bucket in the morning, after breakfast, as they can’t manage the daily haynets very well, if at all (no teeth).  I tell myself that this time last year, most of the younger ponies were heading towards the laminitis misery-paddock and this is better for them.  So this year it is lots of fibre and exercise for everyone, including the Old Ladies.  Remember, Vitamin got laminitis and Fivla has Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

I’m not going to lie, this juggling act is a nightmare.