This morning I heard outside shouting, baaing, barking and roaring (quads).

A neighbour rang my doorbell to ask if my sheep were the three (fat, though he didn’t actually say it but probably thought it) ones in my field.  I said they were and moved them into a small paddock which they can’t escape from.  They get very agitated or over-excited and silly on days like these.

My neighbours were ‘caaing‘ in the hill sheep to sort, shear and drench.

Armed with chocolate bars, I popped over to where everyone was working to ask if they would just run round my field with the quad and dogs as ‘Bert’s hill girlfriend had been living there for a few months.  She needed to go back to her hill flock.  I also picked their brains for some sheeple husbandry advice.

They kindly agreed and I left them to their very hard work.  I wandered about a bit taking photos.

Shearing the hill sheep in Shetland is done yearly.

All hill sheep are pure Shetlands.

No other sheep (including crosses) are allowed to graze in the scattald (open hill).

The sheep were sorted according to their age, sex and, I guess, their future.

Anway, it was a nice day for shearing.

I didn’t stay long – there was work to be done and I would just get in the way.

Today we had a visitor so once I had collected her from the bus, I dragged her round to meet the Minions.

The Minions love new people and are always very keen on their close-ups.

Perhaps a bit too keen.

Kisses were duly requested, distributed and accepted.

Obviously the #shetlandponiesinsweaters were introduced.  First Fivla.

And then Vitamin.  Both love meeting their fans.  Never a chore, always a pleasure.

We quickly checked the Icelandic laydees and then headed off home for a quick cup of tea.  Out again, and first up, of course, was Hjalti.

My visitor had admitted to being Taktur’s biggest fan and so he duly looked interested and beautiful.

Taktur was doing well until his son tried to get in on the act.

Words were said.

Hjalti is ever the photo-bomber!

The three youngsters were like a Hydra or Cerberus.  I have yet to decide.

Everyone said hello and I felt very proud of them all.

My visitor was staying for the day and, as an avid blog reader, she offered to come on my physio walk.

Obviously, we had company of the woolly and furry variety.

And everyone was on their best behaviour.

We all enjoyed meeting our visitor and I hope she enjoyed her day out.

Taktur’s “Laydee-Girls”, Hetja and Brá, have finally been moved from Thordale.  They don’t need to be here as they are hopefully pregnant.

So, we easily caught and loaded them into the van.  These two always travel very well together.

Once in their new field – the haypark a few fields away from the Minions – Daisy and I put in water buckets for a daily fresh water supply.  Like the Minions, these girls will be checked daily.

The haypark was cut for silage a few weeks’ back and it is perfect for two fat potentially preggie ladies.

They also have neighbours – some Shetland pony mares.

Hetja soon spied the locals and instantly loathed them.  She has an irrational hatred for Shetland ponies so we are hoping she won’t bother herself with these “little people”.

They, on the other hoof, want to be bothered with Hetja and Brá.   Hopefully they will soon get bored.

Both Hetja and Brá have not come back into season so maybe there will be the clip-clop of tiny hooves next year in June sometime.  I have written down all the details in the diary so I can work it out nearer the time.

Exciting times ahead.  They do both have the loveliest foals.

So I was inspired, after yesterday, and made a movie on my desk with my model Lambie, who is looking a bit worse for wear by travelling home wrapped in some tin foil in my handbag.

I need to re-think my model Lambie.  Any ideas?  Any volunteers?  I want to use real wool fleece (I can supply this)

It is a steep learning curve (ie, don’t turn something sepia as there is no undo button I could find to put it right!).

But it was fun to play with.

Meanwhile, in my real life world, I saw the “swimming” sheep again!

As you can see she has been sheared now and is perfectly happy eating the bogbean.

She even looks carefully for the best plants.

I think she is one happy hill sheep.

Once she had enough, she walked out of the loch.

She shook the water off, like a dog.

And then trotted off on her merry little way.

She is one cool sheep, in every way!

I have always wanted to learn animation.  So today I did.  Best afternoon ever!

I went into Lerwick to attend a workshop at Mareel, Shetland’s music, cinema and creative industries centre.  It was brilliant fun. I arrived at 14:00 feeling a bit apprehensive, nervous and lost but I sat at my table and waited for instruciton.

In there room there was some scenerios already set up.

Each place had of plasticine, wire and molding tools (Note:  plasticine does not have the same smell like I remember as a child a billion years ago).

We were asked to build the figure that we wanted to animate as well as being given some tips for the best result.  I created a wire base shape to work on.

And then I added some plasticine.  Can you tell what it is, yet?

Some ears, googly eyes and a tail.

My neighbour, Chris, (aka Wallace) was making a seal called Flappy.

Once we had created our creations,  our table made a bee-line for the separate studio environments.  Let the filming commence.

We all quickly decided which background/studio suited us best.

There were some wonderfully imaginative animals too.

It was great because we had a good supply of materials to work with and lots of help available.

Anywho, Lambie was taking shape.  His ears and tail were his point d’interest. They moved.

We were all working very hard with our individual projects.  They evolved and grew along with our boundless imaginations.

I have not had such a great afternoon for ages.  Lambie is home now but it was the best fun and an  adventure into the possibilities of animation, which I certainly want to pursue.

This if the film that Chris, Katie, Benji and I made.  It is called “Animal Circus” I think.  It will be featured in the Shetland Film Festival 2018, along with others.  I hope the general public enjoy Lambie’s debut into the animlation world.

Now for my Oscar acceptance speech….. something to work on in the long dark winter nights.  I think I need to work on his ears.