Up and at ’em this morning only to find there had been snow last night…..

and a large quantity of rain too.  Everywhere is soaked, saturated, sodden and revolting.

I am not sure what the official meterological term for this is – sludge comes to mind.

The horses were all looking hopeful and waiting by the gate and their feed bowls.  Everyone was shivering except for Haakon, Iacs, Hetja and Hjalti.

I hate seeing horses shiver.  It worries me.  They looked so depressed, wet-through and miserable.  The weather had got to them and, after giving them a nice hard feed, I opened up the stable, put out some hay and also let them finish off the remains of the silage bale outside.

They soon perked up and the shivering quickly stopped.

Lambie and Ster are not too keen on this weather either.  On the dog walk, Lambie and I met a dying hill sheep. Lambie didn’t understand at all.  He was trying to make it react but it wouldn’t so I called him away.  Poor thing had laid down to die – it was beyond help.  Horrid.  This kind of weather kills animals.  Snow is fine – it lies on the tops of coats and is insulating but sleet and a north wind (with a high wind chill factor) is the killer – soaks right down to the skin.

Tonight the horses have access to their stable and the field if they want.

(Taktur has the Wug of Wugs (Rambo high neck) and Kappi has a waterproof rug.  They also have 3 bags of silage, endless carrots and lots of buildings to shelter behind.  They were not shivering this morning and seemed oblivious of the weather when I lugged their food over.)

BeAnne now sits outside with her two woolly minders.  They go everywhere together – my flock. Ok, it is odd, but, still, it is my little flock of weirdos! (I may take a while to get over being called “odd” – just sayin’).

But better odd than ordinary in my book.  I hate ordinary. So boring.

This afternoon, I brought Taktur over as he was going to be ridden later on.  I tied him up by the silage bale and left him with Haakon and Iacs for company.

They were all pleased to see each other.

Haakon and Iacs were determined to “be the bale”.

Taktur has better manners.

I had left Kappi alone in his field with a feedbag full of silage (all I can carry in one go over my back).  It was interesting watching Kappi decide if he was lonely or whether it was the best food opportunity ever!  He went with the latter and dug in trying to leave nothing behind by the time Taktur returned.

Meanwhile, in the bit around the house, Delia and Vitamin were also lurking.  Vitamin can be a bit of a hussy when she wants to.

I did stay and ride shotgun in case Vitamin was thinking of giving Taktur her “come hither” look.

In retrospect, I think I was there as Taktur’s chaperone!

“Chaperone (social) or chaperon, a person who accompanies or supervises young people on social occasions”

Veterinary (said in a “James Herriot” Yorkshire accent, please) came to Thordale for Esja’s vet inspection as she is sold.

While he was here, I asked him to look at Delia because, you know me, I worry.

Apart from being a bit stiff in her legs (old laminitis many years back before her time at Thordale), he said she was doing well.  I was very relieved as I had asked Floss yesterday whether now was the time and she emphatically shouted at me “no”.

Lambie and Ster showed off by bouncing around the shed – Veterinary (NB: the Herriot voice, please), said they were very funny and good entertainment.  He then said the media would love to hear about an odd woman who kept tame sheep like dogs.

Ahem!  (who is he calling odd?)

I think it is perfectly normal.  More people should have tame dog-like sheep.  Best fun ever.

Btw, this is a true all-four-feet off the ground bounce by Ster.  He can boing along like this with sheer happiness for yards!

As today was a beautiful calm Shetland winter day,  I mooched around the croft taking photos of everyone up round the house.

These days are rare but it was nice to see everyone chillaxing (did I seriously just write that cringeworthy word?)

(look at Hjalti’s little k-nobbly k-nees – he is such a darling).

We tend to wear our food here.

I am still in shock at being called “odd”.  Me?  Who knew?!

The weather has greatly improved today.  The sun is waterily shining and the air is still.  A complete contrast from yesterday’s vileness.  So everyone is outside and happy.

It is also Floss’ last day here as she leaves early tomorrow to go back to her university.

To not celebrate this, we decided to take Klængur and Haakon out for a ride (Flossie riding Klængur) for the first time this holiday.

Last summer, Flossie had a rather unsuccessful ride on Klængur when he took off with her the first time she got on him.  We were outside and he was rude. This time, however, I was not nervous because Flossie has had riding lessons, ridden many horses and has practiced on Klaengur indoors.  She is a competent rider.

Floss was fine.  They went tölting off together while I battled with Haakon and one of his bad moods.   They looked a picture while I had an indignant chicken to argue with.  At one stage, I turned Haakon back and asked him to go back down the track in walk.  Klængur was hoof-perfect and totally unstressed (he didn’t even do one nervous poo – with me, he can be a slurry spreader!)

Flossie was in charge, not Klængur.  A good partnership.

When we got home, I could see, and I must say it has been fairly obvious for a while now,……

that Klaengur really likes Flossie.

They have a connection.  Always have.

Yup, you can guess the next bit.

Klængur frá Lynghaga
IS2003184970  BLUP 107

Sire: Aron frá Strandarhöfði
Dam: Sandra frá Stafholtsveggjum

Owner:  Flossie Taylor

This is me going out to feed the animals.

I am wearing my Fladon two-piece flotation suit – almost national costume here in Shetland. Nearly everyone has one (or something similar) and you would not look out of place shopping in Lerwick Tesco’s wearing one.  I don’t particularly want to flotate, you understand, but I do like the fact that it is waterproof, windproof and insulated.

Today, it was necessity rather than a luxury.  Outside it was vile.  About -5 degrees celsius below when you take into consideration the windchill factor. I hate the windchill factor.

So, dressed for the weather, I went outside optimistically believing that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.

I opened the gate and called Hetja and her herd up – they rushed straight into the shed where I threw some silage at them and quickly shut the door.

Next it was the turn of Taktur and Kappi who are over the hill in Clothie.  I opened the big Thordale gate and their field gate across the hill and shouted.  They cantered straight home without a headcollar or a second thought.

So now the boys are in the big shed and the girls are in the stables with Les Grandes Dames in a separate bit as they hate all the female hassle and politics.  Lambie and Ster spent the day happy in the big shed too munching on silage but are now back in their bedroom field.

This is definitely not a day to be out.  Animals die in this kind of the weather – wet, very cold and very windy.  The snow is not settling but landing in a great sludgy mushy lumps.  Lovely.

This short video does not, in any way, show just how vile it is outside.  I suggest you watch this while throwing lumps of ice and water at yourself with a cold fan on full blast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSaCEfYDn98&feature=youtu.be