Yesterday, en route to the Minions, Floss and I dropped in on Brá and her field friends, Kolka and Harvey.

And Brá, without any of her usual hesitation or nervousness, walked up to the Flossie to say hello with ears forward and a lovely smiley face.  This is a first.  It has only taken 3 and a half years but it is a step forward and one I am very pleased with.  I honestly never thought I would see the day she did this.

It is all about trust with Brá.  She doesn’t give it easily, you have to work for it and she really has to think long and hard whether she can trust you at all even.  But yesterday she did and I think she liked the reward.  It wasn’t complicated for her.  Be nice and someone will be nice back.  I wish I had owned Brá earlier and had more of an input into the way she perceives people and life in general.  You just don’t know what she has seen that makes her how she is.

Harvey was the other side of the burn, by himself, looking rather gorgeous.

He is a very handsome lad.  (I may be secretly in love ❤️ with him)

The “Glorious Twelfth” is my birthday as well as being the day the red grouse shooting season starts (I do not approve).  To this day, I have always believed that the Glorious Twelfth was named in honour of my birthday. I have yet to be dissuaded of this fact.

So, to celebrate my Glorious Twelfth, Daisy and I went riding, twice. First up, I rode Klængur, while Daisy rode Kappi. It was lovely and Klængur behaved beautifully (I am wondering whether he has recently been taken over by aliens).  Next up, we went out on Iacs and Hjalti.  All good.  We came home with huge smiles.

After lunch Floss and I went to visit the Minions. I took my big camera and we sat down.  We didn’t have to wait very long.

Tiddles

While Flossie was being loved, I snapped away.

Fivla

Waffle

Newt and Tiddles

Newt

I was trying to take photos of Silver and Albie walking through the little purple flowers.

Silver

Albie

Albie likes to walk towards with me with his ears flat back.  I have no idea why he does this.  It makes him look like he is about to savage me but I know Albie wouldn’t.  It is just his way.

Albie

Vitamin

Storm

Storm

I took a few arty-farty shots as well.  I’m not sure which one I like best – smiling or not smiling?

Fivla

Fivla

Everyone was in a very huggy mood.

Newt

While I was lying down taking photos of Albie and Silver, I looked behind me to find Waffle looming with purpose!

Waffle

We drove home and apparently there is cake!

BeAnne Duvet Soufflé Princess Chantelle Shaznay du Mezzanine

We don’t need telling twice!

Monster

As you know, the best part of any agricultural show for me are the vegetable creations.  There are a number of classes for different aged children to enter.

So here you are.  The creations are all truly wonderful, innovative and artistic inspirations.

There are some great imaginations out there.

The lobster, for me, was utterly ingenious.

I adore the expressions so cleverly captured.

There were classes for every age (children) and maybe even a small bite out of the bread first!

And this is my personal clear winner.  I just love his face  Whoever made this Mr Evil Potato has a career ahead of them making vegetable creations and should study the art of animation!  I see a potential horror film here.

On Wednesday there is another Shetland agricultural show which I am hoping to get to so hopefully I will see if they can match our district’s creativity.  I can’t wait.

We braved the weather to spend a lovely afternoon at our local agricultural show – the 2019 Walls & District Agricultural Show.

To be fair, it didn’t actually rain despite the looming grey clouds, much rain the night before, no breeze on the day with the added potential threat of midges.

So bathing in a DEET and citronella mix first (I found two bottles in the car), we walked around the showground.

I will let the photos do the talking.

Here is the serious bling which all the competitors want to win, obviously.

I started with the sheep – well you know why.

The usual different breeds.

Then up the field to the see the cows.

Pet Tent

Meanwhile, outside there was the annual parade of Up Helly Aa squads from various regions of Shetland.  They walk behind the Show Princess and the Attendants and a band.  It is very impressive and there is lots of cheering and Viking-esque war cries!

This year it was a lad who had been nominated as the Show “Princess”.  Brilliant.  I am so impressed.

Now the Show Hall for the crafts and cakes.

Outside past the lovely lovely tractors (always useful).

Into the nearby Church used on the day for the innovative floral exhibits.  It always smells lovely in there.

And then lastly into the Wool and Vegetables Tent.

I was not exhibiting this year.

And then lastly the Shetland pony ring that was just finishing up after a long day.

Tomorrow……. the Vegetable Creations – my absolute most favourite part of the whole show.

Our daily check of Brá found her at the furthest corner of her field with her two compatriots, Harvey and Kolka (an old Icelandic lady).

Brá is looking well.  She still has the leftover zinc cream (Sudocream) marking her face.  It did help when it was needed.  The midges and flies have gone now.  The wind is back and it is much cooller.  I think that was summer then.

Brá was pleased to see me and my carrot.

Don’t worry – I brought one for each of them.

Despite her neck still being huge and cresty, Brá’s body has changed shape – there seems to be less of it and she is beginning to look more normal.

So we had a little chat and I had little prod at the fat layers to see if there was a rib under there (not very evident yet).

Brá didn’t rush off, which was nice.  Maybe she is mellowing in her old age or too fat to leave quickly.

We walked back up the hill and over the stream knowing Brá is losing weight, if slowly, and that hopefully we have warded off laminitis in time.  A good Shetland winter will slim her down further.  Fivla came home fat a few years back and after one winter she had lost weight.  That is what winter is for.  Bring it on then.