My morning started with a superb rainbow over the big shed.  I shall obviously be looking at both ends for the pots of gold, though I fear that I am hardly going to find much in the feed shed.

And Lambie’s field is not really a likely place, either.

Anyway, clutching my three buckets, I went to feed the Icelandic horses.  Everyone has their own spot and Kolka eats around the corner.  But she quickly appeared having wolfed down her breakfast on a mission to steal Iacs’ food.  I said she couldn’t.  She said she could and we went on like that.

I don’t like thieves (or liars for that matter) and luckily Kolka was content to talk to me rather than pursue her ambition.

I also wanted to protect Haakon who had arrived late to his bucket and had some catching up to do.  Luckily, he had the small hoover attachment with him who “helped”.

Meanwhile Kolka worked her charm.  She does enjoy a chat.

Kolka is quite the character and rarely any trouble. However, I keep away from her back end and tell her when I am walking round her, praying to the Gods she doesn’t kick – she has form and it isn’t pretty.  But as long as she knows where I am and where I am going she is ok with me.

I think by now we’ve reached an understanding and she is not stupid.

Little Fivla was enjoying the almost-spring sunshine.

The old ladies like being around the house and try and mug me when I’m outside for extra buckets of food because basically I offer a waitress service 24/7 apparently.

This morning saw Tiddles and Waffle go to the vet for their two weekly (Tiddles) and monthly (Waffle) non-fasting resting insulin blood test. 

While waiting, Waffle somehow managed to slip his headcollar off.  It’s his party trick.  So I put on a smaller one and did it up tightly.

They both loaded and travelled like pros.  Once we’d arrived (we, as in I asked OH to come too to help as it was a two pony job), we had to wait a little while.  Tiddles got more and more anxious, threatening to rear (all 2″ off the floor).

OH tried talking to him.

In the end Tiddles gave up and just looked utterly miserable.

The vet finally was free and while he got his stuff and himself ready, OH walked Waffle around the car park, while I tried to keep Tiddles on this planet.

It wasn’t too difficult as Tiddles had now adopted his most miserable expression.

Tiddles was first up and I am fearful he will become needle-phobic as he always jumps at the initial pin-prick. He does hate this procedure very much but I told him what a brave soldier he was being and we got through it.

(could Tiddles look anymore pathetic? – I think not).

Waffle was the perfect little chap.  He had to have blood taken twice (vet error) and didn’t even mention it.  A quick chat (ok, rant about hidden sugar and alfalfa in everything) and we loaded up and went home.

As you can see, no one had missed them much and once back, I noticed there was lots of playing and running around this afternoon but obviously not when I had a camera to hand. Tiddles has stopped being depresssed now.

So, where were we?

Ah, yes, Molly took her big fish and left.

We waited for a while wondering if she had swum away.

Then I decided to see if I could find Molly.  She wasn’t far away – just under the pontoon – apparently a favourite spot.

She knew we were looking for her.

Fish quickly eaten and Molly was deciding if she could eat another…..

I love her watching her think.

She didn’t exactly beg but she patiently waited.  I didn’t want to get in her way so stayed on the sidelines taking photos.

And then Molly was gone.  She swam away after eating her second fish, which was fine. I felt like I had been visited by someone magical.  What a perfect morning.

Oh yes, I also got to see my first shalder (oyster-catcher) this year.  I knew I had heard them earlier screeching away that spring is on it’s way….. eventually.

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.