Every year I wait and wait for the first signs of spring and this is the photo I love the most – the primroses are starting to flower on the banks of the burn (stream).  Soon, the bank will be completely covered and I will have my wall of wild primroses.

But it is still jolly cold and I stupidly took off Fivla and Vitamin’s rugs this morning – and of course it rained sporadically all morning and there were some vicious little showers.

I felt very bad for Fivla, who spent her morning in her shelter spot refusing to budge, all bare-nekkid without her rug so after lunch, I grabbed a dry one with slight fill and popped it on her.  Instantly her eyes lit up and she was off grazing.  I must remember that ponies with Equine Metabolic Syndrome feel the cold more and Fivla is no exception.

Meanwhile, while putting the sheep out into their field, I found Pepperpot swinging off Maggie’s head in what she told me was a game, apparently.  I am not talking to Pepper despite all her efforts to win me round.

Uncool, Pepper, uncool.  We don’t swing off sheep, not ever, even if they weren’t being that nice first.

Tomorrow there will be no blog as I am off at the crack of sparrows to Aberdeen (weather, plane and God-willing) for an MRI scan on my spine.  OH will kindly dish out all the morning buckets and I have left him strict instructions on who gets what and where.

I have even done a Day 2 version too in case I get stuck. Snow is forecast in Aberdeen so I cannot tell you how much I am not looking forward to this trip.

It was sunny, if still very windy, this morning and I walked the track with the dogs looking for possible escape routes and any problems.  The ponies are in the field next door where there’s better shelter for them.

The equinoctial gales are giving it their best – we are currently on Day 3 with no let up until  maybe Monday) and it is all a bit meh outside.

For those asking, this is the shelter – an old tattie rig (potato field) that has lovely high drystone walls.  Perfect shelter for small ponies from every angle as it is also at the bottom a steep sided valley.

The ponies use this garden for shelter and then suddenly all come out to eat.

All except for Fivla, who had forgotten how to cross the burn and I can testify that down the bottom, here, there was not a breath of wind so I could see why she had stayed.

I looked around to see guess-who approaching.

And off we went to rescue blown over daffodils for the house.

It’s been a funny old day.

I got up for 6 a.m. (two and a half hours ahead of my usual time) when I spotted a brief lull in the wind and rain.  Everyone was very surprised to see us bearing buckets so early but appreciated the effort, I think.

Monster channelling his inner Winston Churchill

Pepper “smizing”

Later on, while the weather was heftily throwing itself at us, I got a text from my shearer, Morgan, saying he was coming to drench my sheep.  Of course they were all outside, so I had to lure them into their stable with crunchy-munchies and quickly shut the door, returning later with some haynets to keep them entertained until Morgan arrived.

The crunchy-munchy jar which was busy hynotising Maggie.

Now I see this photo, I think I have found my family crest. I was toying with having a signet ring (melting down two old ones I have lying around) created and I was deliberating which family crest and motto to use but I think I actually this is my inspiration.  Two sheep and a haynet or maybe a sheep, a haynet, and a Shetland pony!

Morgan arrived and quickly drenched everyone. Note-to-self, I must write this in the Farm Book so I remember the date.

He said they all looked very well.

Madge still a bit too well.  She remains ever the heiffer.  The very definition of a leg in each corner.

And I’m glad we’ve got that done. It’s been a wet winter so a wise decision.  I am deliberating whether to drench all the horses and ponies too – for liverfluke.  These days, it is on the up.

After yesterday’s excitement, I spent the morning with a stonking migraine.  I am not surprised at this.  The stress over Monster’s absence was too huge for me and my imagination to cope with.

A massive four day gale (with sheet rain in the morning) has also begun and everyone was happy enough indoors in the morning, though OH took the dogs out later for a walk as Pepper started climbing off the walls.  Luckily, the rain had stopped by then.  Ted would’ve happily never moved from his bed again but he did go, if grudgingly.

Ditto Monster – he hasn’t moved all day either and I am secretly pleased.

With my migraine, I had a quiet morning and then into my shed to make a sheep.  Afterwards, I went over with an apple to check on the Ancients who all came racing down.  A quarter each and the last bit bitten into two pieces for the old men.  Sorry, Kolka.

The gale will continue for days.  Tomorrow is blowier (gusting F11 – 64-72mph) with more rain so that won’t be fun. The old ladies have their rain-sheets on and are nice and dry.  After breakfast this morning, I opened the gate and moved all the ponies into their old field where there is better shelter for a few days.  It really is very fierce outside and not much fun, especially when it rains.

Oh, what a night…… it was awful.

Monster didn’t come home.  He left at around 6.00 p.m. while I was cooking supper last night and was never seen again.  OH and I were very worried.  This was absolutely not normal behaviour for Monster whose tummy is akin to the atomic clock.  He has never knowingly missed a meal – ever.  And he missed his crunchy-munchies (Ted’s snack time for his eye-drops before bed), his ten o’clocks, his 3-a.m. o’clocks, and then his 7.30 a.m. breakfast.

I was awake all night praying that the cat flap would go and I would hear the noise of a hungry cat coming home.  But nothing. There was a eerie hush all night and I know, because I did not sleep much. I had terrible dreams that involved Monster – one was him walking towards the light, and one was him coming home covered in blood, the vet passed out, came round and shaved him only to find that Monster had stripes under the white fur!!!

Anyway, back to reality…… I got up early, fed up of not sleeping and went outside to feed the sheep.  While I was flipping their bowls over in the stable, I heard a plaintive mewing coming from somewhere so I quickly distributed the food and went in search of Monster.

I eventually found him in an upturned empty old kitchen cupboard that I was going to use to store rugs in, which must’ve flipped over somehow.  He was very happy to be free and appeared completely unharmed after his 12 hour experience.  I was crying with relief.

(I don’t think he lost any weight from his ordeal).

And Monster has steadily been making up for missing his meals throughout the day.

He has had a few quiet naps in his Fortress of Solitude.

I thank the Gods Monster is home again.  Me and my imagination were working over-time.