I am entering two fleeces to our local show’s Shetland Wool classes but to do this they have to be presented properly.

A friend came visiting last week and I mentioned my ambitions to her.  She instantly suggested an expert, Harold Moffatt in Aith, who could do this for me.

So, bearing my two fleeces, I drove round to meet Mr Moffatt.

And expert he was too. It was fascinating and I learned a lot.

He showed me his own sheep’s beautiful white fleeces and what the judges look for in the competition.

I then showed him ‘Ster’s katmoget pile of wool.

Although not in the same league as Mr Moffatt’s fleeces, I am hoping we might have some crimp in there.  Though, to be perfectly honest, I am not sure about ‘Bert’s fleece and there was absolutely no point in mentioning Lambie’s “carpet-quality” wool.

Then on my way home, I went via Sandness to look at the ponies.  They were fine.  It had been raining and the ground desperately needs it.

The swimming sheep was around but in a different place this time.

I had never seen her there before.

When she walked out of the loch, I wanted to see just how wet her fleece was.

It was extraordinary – she didn’t seem to mind one bit and wasn’t particularly wet either.

She was a nice sheep and not afraid of me – more of a girl on a mission!

My back, as I continually whinge on, is deteriorating fast now.  Hospital on Wednesday for my steroid epidural injections cannot come soon enough.

In my head I had vowed to stop riding but in my heart I just wanted one more plod out.  I told Daisy of my plan and she said she would accompany me on Kappi, kindly caught Haakon for me and we tacked up to go out for a walk.  Nothing faster.

Usually when I tell Haakon we are going on a slow ride, he ignores me and takes me for a belter no matter what.

Daisy was happy for Kappi to plod. He has worked hard recently and enjoys a no-pressure ride.

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Long, low and relaxed is encouraged.

So Haakon walked.  Ok, it was his fast strong power-walk but he never broke into any other gait, even when Daisy/Kappi went for a canter up the hill.

What did Haakon do?  He took me to the other side of the road and stopped and waited for Kappi/Daisy to return.  What did I do?  I cried.  Haakon knows I am not feeling well – my legs are weak and my back is clicking and odd.  He cares about me and I could really see that.

If you have met Haakon or have ever been on a ride with us, you would know Haakon never just stops.

So we looked at the nice view.

And then we went on a bit further.

I don’t think I picked up the reins once.

You can keep all the Icelandic horses in the world.  When I ride Haakon, I have everything.

A few days back my OH came home from town telling us magical tales of things he had found.  He even took photos with his phone – and I honestly didn’t know he knew how to do that since his phone is mostly purely ornamental.

OH had found a secondhand Peli case (waterproof hard case) on wheels with a handle.  He had the measurements for us but we didn’t believe it would fit a large Icelandic saddle and poo-pooed his find.

Today, however, I saw Kappi’s saddle and it suddenly looked smaller than I remembered so I made Daisy drag it indoors and we measured it.

I phoned the Shetland Home Co, asked them if they still had the Peli case (they did), if they would to set said case to one side for us (they would) and so Daisy and I drove into town.

We took the saddle with us and IT FITTED!

Being one of our favourite shops, we dumped the saddle and had a quick peruse.

There is an excellent selection of everything – our mahoosive four-speaker stereo that resides in the indoor school came from this shop.

We paid (a total bargain – about a fifth of what they sell for new) and drove home.

The case is now residing in the porch and I have bought OH a bottle of whiskey to watch the World Cup with to apologise for dissing his brilliant find!

I love a bargain and this Peli case will be perfect for carting Kappi’s stuff around Europe with him.  I have  smaller version for my camera.

Me – “Guys, do you want to go into another field where there is a bit more grass?”

Icelandic Horses – “Yes please, yes, most definitely.”

A jump for joy from Kappi to whom food is his life’s pursuit.

And they were off, well some of them were.  Kappi and Klaengur galloped down to the bottom of the hill.

Meanwhile the two old men, Iacs and Haakon, were immediately “heads down and eat”.

On the other side of the fence Hjalti, Efstur and Dreki were following so Kappi and Klaengur ran up and down the hill for fun.

Meanwhile, the two old men kept eating.

More galloping with happiness.  It’s an orange thing, I suppose!

The youngsters on the other side of the fence were caught up in the moment too.

So we asked them if they would like to move fields too and join the others.

They didn’t need asking twice.

And again, much galloping everywhere with happiness.

Eventually Dreki caught up – he could not work out the open gate situation.  To him, it was complicated.

And still the old men ate oblivious to everything going on around them. They never lifted their heads.

More shenanigans.

Having fun with the others.

It was lovely to watch.

Everyone will be fine in this field.

Even the two old boys if they ever look up!

Our garden used to be part of the field where the horses live and, despite my OH’s huge efforts, the garden is putting up quite a fight to remain a field.

When I first lived here with my two small daughters, the horses were allowed everywhere and used to wander about close to the house, knocking on the back door or rattling the snib (thank you Haakon) for a quick perusal of the biscuit tin.  We had no garden.  Just horses and ponies everywhere.  At night, Iacs would loom in the kitchen window and block any tv signal.  It was wonderful and no one minded.

Once my OH moved in, from Englandshire, he had some romantic notion of a garden and the bit of field around the house was duly fenced off.  Since then it has been a constant battle – between my OH and the gradual encroachment of the field trying to return.

Anyway, this time of year the wild flowers in the garden are amazing.  For me, they outshine any cultivated plants.  I am not a gardener.

And the smell.

Oh my goodness, the air is honey-like sweet from the clover that has gone mad and the rosa rugosa.

We also have “seggies”, the beautiful yellow-flag irises (Iris pseudacorus), growing wild by the water, in the fields and therefore the garden. They attract the insects but they are pretty and “very Shetland”.

Wherever I wander I am never alone.

There is always my small retinue of followers.

However, when Lambie and friends were banned from the garden a few years back (Lambie was caught eating the sacred willow trees and there was something about out of control sheep muttered), I gave up sitting there and prefer our outside table and chairs so everyone can be together.

So no one really sits in the garden these days.  Shouldn’t have banned Lambie;   just sayin’.