Oh crikey, where to begin.

Last night I received a message asking me if I wanted to come over to photograph Molly, the otter featured in the National Geographic film “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story”.

I said yes please, set my alarm an hour early to get horse/pony/sheep chores done and was there like a shot, big camera at the ready.

I parked my car on the shoreline and waited…..

and waited……

and waited – though I saw two beautiful swans fly past.

And waited and was beginning to think, 3 hours later, that perhaps this wasn’t Molly’s morning.  Apparently she was becoming increasingly sporadic with her visits.  I honestly didn’t mind, though, I had a lovely time just enjoying the scenery.

I took a few photos of my surroundings, getting ready to go home.

And then two beautiful swans pitched up so I contented myself with photos of them, thinking to myself that they would do.

But then a little someone appeared.

And we were off…..

Warning, Warning – total photo dump ahead!  I make no apologies. This was a very special time.

Molly came out from under the pontoon and sped over to her house/bedroom.

I sighed, thinking this would be the last I saw of her and it was brief, but well, at least I had seen her.

But no, Molly came out again.

And then she was a lady about her toilette (so important).

Molly is beautiful and very special.

Billy brought Molly some pieces of fresh fish which she quickly devoured.

(I love the way she holds it in her paws)

But little pieces of fish are not as good as the whole fish, Molly told him and Billy duly brought out the big fish.

And off Molly went with her prize. More photos tomorrow…….

(best morning ever!)

Throughout the day, the weather deteriorated from quite windy to utterly gross.  Feeding the ponies in the morning was uneventful and everyone went out.

After lunch, as it had started raining with some force, I went out to find Vitamin and Fivla trotting towards me asking to go inside.  While I was getting them sorted, I heard more shouting only to find Tiddles standing by the gate wanting in as well.  So I decided that was it – the end of the day at 1pm. I fed everyone, dished out extra haynets to ponies and sheep and told the ducks food was inside their house.

It was too disgusting to take photos – more a matter of survival than taking my time.

I came in, soaked and feeling wretched so I made myself a hot chocolate as a reward for all my hard work.

As I didn’t want to go out again, I decided to look at a camera I bought a few years back that I have been meaning to sell, but I can’t quite make my mind up.  It is a camera for the purist who knows how cameras work – well, that’s not me. I put everything on auto, point and shoot!

My jury is still out. This camera is not really designed for my world but I hate giving up on something just because I am the idiot (but don’t ask me to read the manual).  I did, however, watch some YouTube videos about it in the hope I would feel inspired.

And this is my desk which, now I look at it, I really should tidy.  It looks a bit like a hobbit hole.

And now I am beginning to like this camera.  Oh, fer cryin’ out loud.  I was about to sell it.

At last I have worked out who I am.  I am a Shetland pony servant.  It is official.

I led the Old Ladies into the big field as these days there is probably more grass than around the house.

Vitamin was not impressed.

But Fivla, bless her, set off to go and stare at the horses (she has a not-very-secret crush on Haakon and Iacs).

Vitamin watched Fivla go and followed me back to the gate in disgust.

I left them to it and hoped Vitamin would find some grass and settle in her new field.

Then I went with my bucket to poo-pick the Minions’ field because I hadn’t managed it yesterday in a Force 10 .

Once finished, I sat on a rock and was “appreciated” or eaten, depending on your perspective.

A little later, I returned to see if Fivla and Vitamin had moved off, only to find Fivla had taken up residence in the sheep shed…..

…. while Vitamin was grazing close by. I threw them both a Turriefield swede.

The swedes were appreciated.

And then the Old Ladies said they hated living in a field full of new grass and could they come back to mooch around the house.  I gave in, opened the gate and that was that.  I tried, I failed and they are content.

I think the sheep are finally a flock.  In this photo, (L-R) ‘Ster, Edna, Maggie, Lambie, Dahlia, ‘Bert and Madge.

They are all happily eating supermarket own-brand cereal hoops, which are my bribery to get them to go out every morning into a field of my choosing for the day.

I actually think this integration is all thanks to Gussie.  He really has no fear of anyone, or anything – and he still looks like a hay bale.

Maybe that’s why everyone likes him – he is a very friendly walking snack!

Meanwhile, Barrel had taken up residence in the wee shed where the nicest of the mineral licks lives. He is also not a huge fan of the mud or the potential rugger scrum for cereal loops so I gave him his own private handful.

Lambie is rather smitten with Dahlia and followed her out of the field while the others polished off everything they could find.

So, my method of integration?  Tesco’s Multigrain Hoops scattered in a field far away from the gate, so I can make a run for it while they are eating and close the gate very quickly, only stopping to give Harrel is quick handful too!

Today has not been a good day for doing much outside.  Pepper came with me as usual and braved the elements.  Nothing stops her.

She would hate to not be included.  She sees it as Her Job.

We both sat on the outside step waiting for everyone to finish their breakfast buckets.  It was very windy (F9) and the minute Iacs lifted his head, his bucket blew away.  I eventually tracked it down and brought it back to wash and put away feeling annoyed with myself that I hadn’t grabbed it as it went whistling past my head at 50 mph.

The little Shetland pony boys seemed oblivious to the weather.  They were out into their grotty field, eating whatever they can find, and I saw them running around playing too, which was lovely.

But Albie was missing because he had snuck back into the container to stand with Fivla and Vitamin, who had asked to be let back into the field for some strange reason.

I think they wanted some peace and quiet from the battering they were getting from the weather.  I let them go into their night-time stall a bit early as they were obviously fed up of today.  I don’t blame them.