The bidding for SilWaffStormie or WaffSilStorbie has been incredible and all I can say is thank you very much to everyone who put in a bid.  Your support means a great deal.

There is, of course, only one winner – Carol Espinosa.  So, little SilWaffStormie or WaffSilStorbie is off to California.

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Anywho, today, Floss and I went to see Vitamin in her Fat Fighters’ field.  I have been feeling guilty for a while, now, as I haven’t seen Vitamin for a while.  I hate dumping horses on anyone but Vitamin was happy in her new environment and didn’t really need me to check up on her.

I would love to say she was thrilled to see us, but I would be lying (probably because of my own neglect).

Vitamin managed some vague indifference (to be honest, her two field-friends were more pleased to see us).

But, I wormed her and told her she was looking slightly, yes very slightly, thinner.  She has less of a bull neck.

Poor love, Vitamin, since Spring, shes has spent the last few months in a hill field with nothing, even less than nothing.

She seems happy enough and I think Vitamin is classed as a “good doer” or Fat Cow.

While we were there, we visited the resident foals.

They were delightful.

The mares were beautiful too.

Flossie taught both foals their most important life lesson.

The nose-kissey.

It is welcome in every home.

Ok, now I love ducks and I miss my “safe“ of ducks (the terminology on land).  We used to have lots of ducks but when I broke my ankle, time and time again, the numbers dwindled down to nothing.

Ducks remind me of politicians!  One way and then the other.

It is that time of year, when I spend my afternoon trying to find out where the silage is being cut.

I need to find the silage cutters and point them in the direction of my field(s) as soon as I can, before them move off to their next location.

A summer tradition for many of us.

My rented hay park supplies the vast majority of Thordale stud’s winter feed.  It has been left empty for as long as possible and has been growing well all year.  I always try to keep an eye on it.

Once located, and booked, I can breathe again, knowing that a good number of unchopped silage bales will be delivered to Thordale.  We will have buns for tea and the horses will have food that will hopefully see them through the majority of the winter, once the grass has gone. It is not that long now – winter is coming.

I also spent the morning meeting a new Handsome Prince.

Meet Melliver Magnum.

A 6 year old standard registered and licensed bay and white Shetland pony stallion who belongs to Schiehallion Stud.

By Sam of Quimper
Out of Matlilda of Quimper

Anyhow, the most important part is that Magnum is a dude.

A nice boy who has the wow factor, while being utterly charming.

Some days, you meet a friend.  Today was that day.

Lambie is still the most handsome beast ever?

Or is it ‘Ster?

‘Ster is good in a photo whilst it is impossible to capture Lambie’s winning smile!

I love my Boysensberries.  They always make me smile.

Anywho, so how is little Brisk getting on?

He is fine and doing well with the unusual family group.

He knows his name – his new name – Albie – originally Brisk, then Little B, then Albie. It suits him.

Albie drinks 2.5 litres of Multimilk divided between the day – 10:00, 15:00 and 21:00.

Camus would love to have buckets of milk offered to him but he is not allowed.  This is Daisy pointing “the finger” that tells him to back off and leave little Albie alone.

Albie still puts his front hooves in the bucket.  We don’t let him tip his bucket up.

Camus never stops asking.

But he is always gently told no.

Camus’ mother, Tor, stays well out of Multimilk argument!  Sensible lady.

Darling Albie loves his milk.  He has as much as he wants and we are always offering him more, as well as a daily scoop of Foal Creep Pellets/Mare and Youngstock hard feed.  He seems to be doing well on this.

Don’t feel sorry for Camus – he gets to wash up plus lots of scratches and hugs, too.

For an orphan foal, Albie is doing very well – physically.  He is the same size as Camus and easily keeps up.

Mentally, Albie loves his Mums (Me, Daisy, Flossie and Tor).  We spend a lot of time with them all and encourage Albie to be a foal rather than a Mummy’s boy.

I have assurances from Tor’s breeder that she won’t leave Albie for at least a year.  I don’t want Albie to have anymore shocks.  He has been through hell.

One last trip north (south yesterday with OH).

First stop a takeaway lunch from Britain’s most northerly fish and chip shop, Frankie’s, The No.1 Fish & Chip Shop in the UK  (National Fish & Chip Awards 2015) – serious food that requires a wonderful view.    How we suffer.

Then off to look at Mavis Grind – a narrow isthmus where the North Sea (right) is 33m away from the Atlantic Ocean (left).

The heather tussocks smelled divine.

Then northwards, past Urafirth Voe.

The Drongs – a series of thin granite pinnacles, up to 30m high – Slender Drong, Slim Drong. Main Drong, and Stumpy Drong.

The Heads of Groken.

Dore Holm – Shetland’s ‘drinking horse’.

Finally, Eshaness – (and I never knew this), one of the highest energy coastlines in the world as it is blasted by the full force of the North Atlantic.

Spectacular cliffs that cut right through the flank of what was the Eshaness volcano. It has been described as ‘the best section through the flank of a volcano in the British Isles’. (and I didn’t know that).  I still see faces, though.

Now this is odd – Daisy, my elder daughter,  pointed it out to me.

It is the “spume” from the sea but it looks very strange.  Again, anyone know why/what/how?

The lovely transparent sea water at Calder’s Geo.

There is a cave on the north side of the geo that is the largest natural chamber in Britain – (oooh, get us!)

A seagull with bebbie.

Layers, lots of layers.

And at last, with massive threats and pain of death, Flossie and Daisy managed to stand near each other without a) strangling each other or b) shoving each other over a cliff.

A day of achievements, indeed – I may have had wine!

Ok, so they may not be actual real brothers but there is definitely a connection.

(sometimes)

Little Efstur loves being stroked, tickled and scratched.

He has lots of lovely faces of total bliss.

Daisy is today’s slave.

We all luffs his little foaliness.

A darling little boy.

His “brother”, on the other hand, does not have the same sense of humour.

If Efstur had a song, it would be…..

“I know a song that will get on your nerves, 

Get on your nerves,

Get on your nerves.

i know a song that’ll get on your nerves and this is how it goes …..

I know a song that’ll get on your nerves

get on your nerves

get on your nerves

i know a song that’ll get on your nerves and this is how it goes …..

get on your nerves

get on your nerves

Can you hear it?  We can!