These are the photos from yesterday and are for illustration purposes only!

T’other day, Daisy and I arrived at Leradale to check everyone and to feed Delia (this was before she moved back home) only to find Dreki outwith his field.

The others were standing supportively in their field nearby, but Dreki had got over the fence.

I have no idea how he did it or where he got over but he did and he seemed pretty unphased about it.

But how to get him back?

We didn’t have any carrots or a headcollar  (stupid, stupid me) but we did have Delia’s pink bucket.

Dreki has never been fed from a bucket in his life.  I doubt he actually knows what one is.

But he does know that everyone wants it.

So I showed him the bucket and called him over to follow me.

I didn’t expect this method to work.

Why should it?

But Dreki was happy to leave the others, his Mum, his step-Mum and his sister and dutifully follow me.

I was very surprised (and happy).

Daisy opened the field gate nice and wide and Dreki walked through, and then ran down to talk to the Minions to tell them all about his Big Adventure.

All Daisy and I could think was thank the Gods it wasn’t Lilja because she would’ve been a complete and utter twunt!

I guess all that Mr Headcollar training has sunk in, even if we didn’t have one when we actually needed it.

Well done Dreki.  Boy done good.

Even though Delia has come home, I still go over every day to check each horse or pony at Leradale.

Today I took Flossie and a bag of carrots.

The ponies all came stomping over.

Each taking their time and in no particular rush (you can almost hear Tiddles humming his happy tune to himself).

Everyone knows they will all get their fair share of carrots.  That is a given.

While I was happy pottering about taking photos, Flossie was busy being everyone’s best friend.

I love it the way my daughters understand the importance of going round to each pony to talk to them (or nose kissey).

Fivla was Flossie’s Shetland pony when she was little – they have always been very happy in each other’s company.

Leradale is a huge field.  There is grass if you look for it.  It is interesting to see that now Delia has left, the herd are keener on wandering around.  I expect she slowed them down sometimes.

I kept hearing this scratching noise and found it was the Shetland ponies digging for their food.

They all did it – using a front hoof to scrape the snow away revealing the grass underneath.

This is how ponies survive the winter.

Clever ponios.

We left them to it – digging away in the Shetland winter sunshine.  The scenery may look pretty but the ground is frozen.

While there is snow on the ground, we are feeding the ponies at Thordale twice and day.

So this means all everyone stands about waiting for the dessert trolley to appear (that would be one of us pushing the wheelbarrow carrying three haynets full of silage).

Inevitably, there is lots of waiting.  No one ever seems to move.

As the sun was shining this morning, we took off the rugs.  There is no wind and there is no better feeling than the sun on your back.

Everyone is always very pleased to see me – but that could be the carrots in my pockets.

Daisy rode Taktur and I met this happy little scene as I wandering around with my camera.

The snow makes everything and everyone look beautiful.

A nice change from the eternal mud.

I spent a little while taking photos of some lovely faces!

I am convinced that Lambie practices his Look in front of a mirror.

He is just so damn gorgeous.

Just like his dad!

Actually, they all are my handsome little Boyzenberries.

Shetland in winter is very beautiful.

We had a sprinkling of snow.  Nothing much to write home about but still, snow is snow.

The food (big piles of silage) was out and everyone was doing what we call in our house “lovely sharing”.

In fact, when I see the boys play together, I know they are coping very well for this time of year and are happy.

And so I went carefully outside with my camera to make the most of the light.  Snow also makes everything look far less grotty and muddy until it melts and then we are back to square one again.

Newt’s eyes are responding to treatment and I am pleased with their progress.

The old goob has left behind a nasty trail but it will soon disappear.  I clean them regularly with cold tea.

Albie and Newt now stay in the field at the top by themselves.

The endless mud makes them very miserable and at least when they are in this field, they can always get away from it.

Delia will join them tomorrow and then this three will be moved to a small paddock around the back – far away from Efstur and Taktur’s loving gaze and/or lecherous thoughts.

When I watch Delia move, I am starting to suck my teeth.  This is a bad sign.  She is deteriorating now.

Delia spent last winter with Albie and Newt so she knows them well and I will see if having her home helps.

Meanwhile, wherever I go, eyes follow me.

In the kitchen I keep a box for kitchen veg scraps and peelings.  I dish them out fairly.  Today Haakon had a banana skin, Iacs had a cauliflower stalk and the rest had carrots pieces.

They are handsome eyes, though.