We’re making the most of the slightly calmer days at the moment even going out for a rather fast ride.  It was wonderful.

The daily visits to Leradale mean everyone has to be given a carrot.

They love the old vegetable garden at the moment.

Since Dreki moved to Leradale, he has changed – a more mature outlook.

From being a rather jumpy berk who would stand behind his sister resisting most contact, Dreki is now first up.

Everyday I put on a headcollar and hold it together so I can let it go quickly if necessary.  Dreki is very brave about this and even today, when they all had the wind in their tails, he was a good boy.

Unlike his sister.  Lilja will tell you she has a note from her mother saying she doesn’t have to do this because she is a Princess.

I am not forcing the issue.  Instead I changed the game.

I catch her by her chin hairs and she is not allowed to pull away from me.  That’s it.  I hold her by her chin for a few seconds and she has to bear it and be big and brave.  Having a huge winter coat helps greatly.  Something to grab!

For Lilja, this is an achievement in itself and she rushes off afterwards to stand behind any mother who will indulge her. Yesterday, it was Brá. Today it was Hetja who just looked rather embarrassed about her little girl’s behaviour.

We will work on this Speshul Skill and move onto Mr Headcollar later when Lilja is calmer about things. It is very early days.  I usually don’t start this until after the New Year.

But the words prima donna and little madam spring to mind. 

However, I am very proud of Dreki.  He is turning into a dude – His father’s son.

This is today’s Shetland winter morning.  The sun made a brief appearance first thing and then vanished.  At the moment, we have less than six hours of daylight so chores are done quickly.

In the afternoon, we went into Lerwick for the last trudge of Father Christmas’ sledge.  The shop windows were fabulous.

This is the Shetland Times Bookshop’s window.

And this is one of Jamieson’s of Shetland‘s windows.

I love the snow wool mountain.

The wool mill is based in Sandness (4 miles down the road from me) and they have a shop in Lerwick specialising in yarn and Fair Isle sweaters.

Brilliant candy canes too.

From one of our local opticians, Kelly’s, an excellent Christmas tree made of spectacles.  It caught my eye – see what I did there, geddit!

A rock n’ roll Father Christmas at High Level Music.

Moving on down Commercial Street (or “da Street” as it is known) – Ninian, a very wonderful gift shop for all things Shetland.

Their shop is double-fronted and their windows were, as always, inspirational.

I loved the clouds.

But, best of all, I loved the woolly mammoth on his boat.

I only managed to get half way down the street before I had to leave (another appointment beckoned) but I managed to nip to the public toilets where, yes, they have a Christmas window.

I wonder if there is anywhere else in the world where they do this plus their opening hours over the Christmas period.

Lerwick is a very special town full of character and charm.  I strongly recommend you visit and don’t forget to give me a shout too!

‘Bert has been home for just over a year now.  Happy days. I hated it when he left to live in the scattald with the hill sheep – he left because he fought with little ‘Ster when he arrived.

‘Bert was my second sheep and he found us when I advertised locally looking for another caddie (bottle-fed) lamb to keep Lambie company.

They were instantly best friends.

‘Bert has a little monkey smile – his nickname is ‘Monkey’.

Perhaps not the most forthcoming of the sheeples, but ‘Bert and I have special times together.

He likes to sit on things.  Height is important.

‘Bert’s fleece is moorit (brown) in colour and this year’s was a Grade II in quality.  I gave it to friends who live in Shetland to say thank you for taking me to see the otters in the summer and today, they popped over with this……

A bit of ‘Bert for me to wear!  It has been beautifully spun into yarn, some was dyed and then woven into this lovely scarf.  I am thrilled and most impressed.  I really am.  Look how wonderfully ‘Bert has has been transformed into something so useful and essential.  The wool is soft and warm.  The colours are amazing and varied.  I never noticed that when ‘Bert was wearing his wool.  Apparently there is lots of grey in there.   ‘Bert is beautiful and my friends are very talented.  Thank you very much.  As I type, I am wearing my scarf.

The photos do not do the scarf and the stunning colours justice.

I have really enjoyed writing the blog today – seeing the little boys together when they were little lambs playing makes me smile!  My scarf makes me warm and I have a happy comfy feeling knowing my little monkey is close.

It has Rained – with a capital R.  The fields are totally waterlogged.

The sheeple have taken refuge in the “old goat shed” – an old knackered shed that has refused to blow down despite looking like it is about to go for many years.

Anywho, the sheep and hens love this shed – and there is straw down on a peat floor, a feed bucket plus silage in there, (but no wifi – sorry Lambie!)

The boys came out to say hello and then quickly went back in again.  I don’t blame them.  I don’t want to be out in this rain but we have to.  Chores to be done.

Daisy and I went over to Leradale, distributed carrots and fed Delia.

Their field is not much better though it is dry on the hilly side bits.

You can see just how miserable it all is and we are!

After feeding Delia, I put a headcollar on her and we moved everyone safely to the other side of the flooding and fast-running burn (stream).  They all managed to jump over and we showed them (again) the better grass.

As we were already soaking, it made sense to keep going, so we got Taktur and Efstur in for their buckets of food.

Efstur has moved on to Delia’s bigger and thicker rug.  It fits him perfectly.  Delia never liked it much.  She couldn’t move in it and today she happily jumped that flooded burn like a youthful stag.

Efstur is evidently a bucket-player.

I am sorry for the quality of the photos but there is no way I am taking any halfway decent camera out in this.

Anyone remember summer?

Nothing is ever written in stone.

I spend many hours thinking about what is best for my animals’ welfare and worry about them being too thin or too fat but rarely just right!

I tend to think aloud and discuss my plans with Daisy.  Her horse knowledge is good and science-based so she is the perfect person to bounce ideas off.

Yesterday, I looked carefully at the Shetlands at Leradale to see if they were surviving this winter without extra food.  They tend to stay in one spot of their huge field – fer cryin’ out loud.

I will admit that, as well as being worried about Delia (I am always worrying about Delia), Tiddles was on my list too – if I poked I could feel his spine.

Daisy had a prod and agreed but she could also feel a good fat layer.

So I stopped worrying about Tiddles.

He is fine.

I love these two photos!

So we decided that, as the ponies are not moving much around this field, we will take a headcollar and herd them all up to the grass so they get used to looking for food rather than staying in the same place.

I think it is partially the lure of their neighbours.

So I led Delia and Daisy moved the stragglers on to keep up.

You can see there is plenty of grass – they just have to cross a small stream to find it.

It is not difficult.

So we will do this for a week and see if this helps Delia maintain her weight (as well as hard feed).  Failing that, we will put Plan B into action – ie move Delia and if the others want to stand and starve, well, they will have to do that by themselves.

That will be their choice.