Huzzah – the snow has almost all gone so everyone went down to the bottom field after filling their bellies with silage.

It was lovely watching them gallop down to the hill to the stream.  This is a favourite field.

Iacs and Efstur started to play.

It was sweet to watch.

Efstur, who is our 2 year old colt, wanted to play with Iacs, who is 23 years old this May.

May 10th is International Bimble Day – we will celebrate with cake, cake and possibly even more cake.

So, while those two were having the best fun, Hjalti decided he wanted his own little friend – someone to make their life a living torture.

And who better to jump on but the herd leader, Haakon.

So now we have Hjalti, a 3 year old gelding, playing with Haakon, a 24 year grumpy old man.

They all happily pranced about like foals.  All happily initiating the games.  No one bullied or trying to run away or feeling picked on.

And I shall look at these photos whenever I think Haakon or Iacs are looking old because they certainly doesn’t act their age.

These young whippersnappers have to be kept in their place by the old guys.

It does my heart good to see this.

In our little micro-climate, it seems we are the only property that is still sitting in snow.  We are an island.  Everywhere else is melting fast except, of course, us.

The snow is staying on the west-north-west facing hills  – OH have just spent a good 10 minutes discussing where north is, like you do.

Anywho, the horses are fed twice on days like these.  Based on last night’s revolting forecast of freezing rain, they spent the night inside.   The ones at Leradale have far more shelter and food so were fine.  Apparently there is no snow there either.

Piles of silage are distributed everywhere, including in my house, car, wellies and possibly knickers!

For the next few days, Iacs and Haakon are back with the herd.  They came over last night.

So, that’s us.  Still in snow while the rest of the world has none.

Roll on the thaw and Spring impending arrival.  I am bored of this now.

I have not strayed far from home as I am still not feeling very strong, but I did remember we have two little Shetland ponies somewhere around the premises.

It took a while to find them.

They popped their heads up when I shouted (I think Newt must’ve been standing on a hill as he, for once, appears to be the same height as Albie).

During the day, their stable door is shut otherwise the little boys would just hang out in there and never move.  Every morning they are evicted and so have found a new place to live – that would be behind a large drystone wall.

They climbed over it to chat.

Albie, particularly, wants a chat and a hug.  He will always be my little boy.  Albie is very special to us.s

Don’t get me wrong, Newt is a sweetie, but he is not little Albie.  Newt is strong. Newt likes people but he doesn’t need them.

Albie is not strong.  He needs his Mum.  He always has since he came to us as an orphan.  He hasn’t changed just grown bigger.  Still my little Albie.  He adores us and we adore him.

Apparently we have a micro-climate around Thordale.  Only us.  We are sitting in snow.  Nowhere else is according to my OH, who made a break for the shops today in town.

Anywho, there is one little person who loves the snow very much and, as I was pottering about with my camera outside, taking it gently, I promise, I took some photos of her.

As well as swimming and digging, snow is BeAnne’s thing.

It makes her smile.

She plays.

She bounces.

She runs.

She never gets cold.

I luffs watching my little girl in the snow.  She is a snow-hund.

Update on The Cough – I went to the doctor and he gave me a steroid inhaler which should calm it down.

This morning, I was feeling a little better (though, if this cough continues, I think a visit to the doctor may be on the cards) so I climbed out of my pit and have been pottering round the house all day.

After lunch, I went outside to see how everyone was getting on.

We have a bit of snow, apparently more than anywhere else.  Why us? Are we a special catchment area?

The boys are doing fine.

They all look well-fed and content.

Those that need their rugs, have them.  The rest don’t.  Fat and furry.

It was lovely to see everyone, if cold, which made me cough more.

It was obvious that the girls and OH had been working very hard.  Snow makes every task twice as difficult and long.

The sheeple, as ever, were about.

They have, as well as daily hard feed, unlimited silage rations which ‘Ster mostly wears about his person.

Lambie was pleased to see his BeAnne (his mini-Muzzah).

I had a long chat with Puzzah who I think genuinely missed me not being around.

The sheep are good at tidying up the silage that falls out of the fishboxes.  In this weather, everyone is fed twice a day, so a good cleaning-up crew is useful.  I hate waste.

BeAnne loves snow but, having been stuck to my duvet this past week, she has missed out this winter.

And then it clouded over and started to snow again.

So me and my camera went indoors and I took photos from the shelter of the back door.

It was nice to be outside for a change.  Still ruddy coughing, though.