Hello everyone.  We are now back from the Land of No Internet.

I could rant about my service provider but suffice it to say, having had the full gamut of emotions, I am now in a calm place.

What has been going on since my last proper blog?  Quite a bit.

Newt has been castrated – huzzah!  He is now a de-nutted Newt and that is a good way forward for our little boy.  It all went smoothly.

Flossie has been to a horse show (Houlls Horses and Hounds End of Season Show) with her Icelandic orange rocket, Klængur.

They won their first red rosette (1st) too.

First in Any Speed Tölt Class.

The weather started out revolting – wet and windy.

We came prepared and decided it was “a typical Shetland show day”.

It did clear up as the day went on

We were a tad nervous about travelling Klængur by himself but he loaded like a pro, travelled quietly and stood happily munching his hay taking it all in.

Another class – Four Gait – and, apart from no trot because Klængur was very excited and speedy, he managed a very credible canter, another awesome tölt and a good walk.

What can I say? Klængur and Floss made a great team.

Fourth for that effort.

Lunch and then onto the fun stuff.

The Beer Tölt. A traditional Icelandic horse pastime.

Yup, you’ve got it, you have to tölt around the arena carrying a full mug of beer.

This, perhaps, is not Klængur’s strongest class – he bombed round, while Floss giggled helplessly trying to ride him with one-hand and they ended up with no beer.

This is the winner and you may recognise Esja who has belonged to Lauren for a few years now.

Beer Tölt, however, is not all about the riding on both reins with a full glass of beer.

Afterwards the judge calls you in, makes all the drinks the same level and then you have to neck the lot as quickly as possible.

And stick the mug upside down on your head!

So, yes, we have been busy having fun!

(no cheating is allowed!)

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(I will sort out the dvd’s and who sent what.

Postage costs are –

£3.80 to Europe
£5.05 to the Rest of the World)

Sorry for the radio silence.   We are still alive just with no internet.

So far I have wormed all the ponies, brushed them all, learned another language, reconquered the piano.

I am currently working at the veg and blagging a signal off them.

Talk soon. One day.

Fx

I have an offer.

Would anyone like a dvd I made about Shetland in Autumn?

The dvd contains 3 short films that I made a few years back, based on a poem by John J. Graham, containing Shetland dialect and traditional Shetland music set to my photographs

The three films are:-

Whaar’ll I in Hairst Fair – a 3.75 minute film showing photos of the Shetland landscape in the Autumn (one of my favourites and the music is lovely) – yes, there are Shetland ponies!

Scalloway Castle and Scallowa’ – a little film (nearly 5 minutes) around and about Scalloway and its Castle.  The music is very evocative and beautiful.  The photos aren’t bad either!  Scalloway is Shetland’s original capital.

Whin Lizzie pat da coo tae Culswick – Lastly, a film (7:44 mins) of a story told by my neighbour about her sister-in-law, who walked a cow 12 1/2 miles down the road to its new owner.  A beautiful story that illustrates Shetland crofting (farming) life.

All I ask for is a donation plus your address to cover postage plus whatever you feel like giving to The Minions.  The dvd can be played on any computer – it is Region 0.

Please send your donation via Paypal to deftaylor1@gmail.com – and I will post a dvd to you.

The bills for the Minions are arriving.  Newt needs to be gelded.  Winter is coming.

Any donation is wonderful. Nothing huge, please.  Just let me send you, in return, a piece of Shetland life in Autumn.

Like I said previously, everyone has now been moved to their Autumn fields.

The mares and their foals are “taking the top off” Clothie, my 5 acre croft that is a 50 yards across the hill from home.

They seem to have quickly settled there.  The pregnant mothers were in Clothie when they came home this Spring before they were moved down to the Antenatal Unit where they remained because it suited everyone fine.

We easily caught the Brá and Hetja, and their foals Dreki and Lilja followed happily along too.  We walked quietly over the hill with no distractions, waiting for the little ones to catch up and not drift off, and through wide open gates into the field.

Yesterday afternoon, I did my usual thing of sitting on a rock and waiting.  Dreki came and stood behind me.

Of the two foals, he is slightly blacker in colour.

It didn’t take long before Lilja brought herself over for a chat.  She is the nosiest foal alive.

They are two very funny little friends.

They make me smile whenever I spend time with them.  I always wonder if Taktur was like this as a foal.  Did he have the same silly-billy idiotic but vaguely optimistic face?  I hope so.

The foals will both be staying with their Mums this winter.  They are both growing their thick winter woollies.

This is Lilja’s lady chest!

And this is me trying to take a selfie with Dreki.

So, I sat on my rock (a dry if cold bottom, please) admiring my view.

Best view there is, in my opinion.

We have moved everyone to a new place.

The boys are now in a field and I remain hopeful that the late Autumn sunshine will help the grass in the more eaten fields start growing again.  It will be useful for later on in Winter.

This afternoon, I went down with my camera for a little sit and waited to see who came up to talk.

The Shetlands may be small but they are very very cute and much loved. I think they know this.

Newt has grown into a slight bigger Newt.  Perhaps not enormous in stature, he is huge in his head.

There is the same determination.

Suddenly, I was surrounded by small orange little peoples.  A plethora.

Despite this, Newt was trying hard to get through to talk to me.

He really put everything into it and shoved.

Darling Newt.  Every home should have one.

After a huge “orange” cuddle (that would be Klaengur, Newt, Albie (part orange), Efstur and Hjalti), the boys all went to have a drink at the stream.

And then they were back for more gorgeous orange-ness.

Can one person have too much orange?  I think not.

No such thing.