We have had two consecutive nights of thunderstorms with some fairly determined lightning.  BeAnne hates it and with the first crack, she jumps onto the bed, shaking, panting and looking wild.  Nothing we do makes her better so she just stays next to me and eventually falls asleep.  It is very exhausting for us all.  We look a bit bleary eyed the next morning after her panic attacks.

Loki is coming along leaps and bounds.  He is much happier now the worry of Jack is no more.  He even almost plays with BeAnne until she ruins it.  We have him 2 years now and he is a very different dog from the one Daisy and I collected from Elgin.

Dare I say it, he is even more obedient than BeAnne (which is not particularly difficult since she is a Patterdale terrier and never comes when she is called but just happens to “be in the area”.)

It is very hot today, and the Shetland ponies hate it.  Waffle is miserable (being black, he absorbs the heat) and I commiserated with him. I hate it too.

Storm and Tiddles have sunscreen and Sudocreme on their noses.

Tiddles is changing.  His face is much narrower and he is turning into a proper pony – not a “fluffy” anymore.

So this afternoon I walked the dogs in the long grass and then sat with the Lambs for a while.  They are still very sweet and tame.  Their main aim is to be with us at all times.  The dogs are much better behaved – long may that last.

(Lambie is still my special little boy and always will be.)

A downside, though is that Lambie is rather lazy and wants to be fetched if Lambert leaves him to come and talk to us!)

As it was a beautiful sunny afternoon yesterday, we went to see Little Himself and Hetja.

I apologise in advance, as a token gesture, for the huge photo overload of our new lad but this is the first real opportunity I have had to see him properly with a halfway decent camera.

If you are not an Icelandic horse colt foal fan, perhaps skip this blog today (and possibly many others in the future).

Look, look, look at his tufty squirrel hair-do between the huge ears! I am loving the eyelashes too.

And he stands very squarely, with solid front legs and real presence.

All the time, he is looking and thinking…..

At one stage, Hetja jumped the burn (stream) to eat and Little Himself was nearer to us than she was so he used this opportunity to come and investigate us further.

Hetja, in an instant, jumped back over and rounded him up trying to get him to give up these subversive thoughts.

In the end, she went up to Daisy and generously accepted the proffered carrot (we came prepared this time).

Little Himself looked on with interest.

Once Hetja had decided that Daisy may, if she was nice, be allowed to talk, then First Contact was made.

Daisy is sensible and very good around mares.  She reads their body language and lets the mare make the moves.  She does not sit down but squats on her haunches ready to move quickly should she have to.

Look at Hetja’s eyes.  She watches everything and everyone (we had left the dogs in the car).

So that’s it.  We are all officially in love with the most darling little boy.

Now to find a suitable Icelandic name……..

(I like Huginn)

Anyone missing the Minions?

These past few weeks, they have mostly been left to their own devices, so we called them down and put them two at a time in the school to be brushed.

The first two “volunteers” were Tiddles and Storm.  Tiddles is still determinedly keeping his winter foal coat on.  It refuses to budge so we attacked him with BeAnne’s coat stripping comb and a brush that was bought to refluff sheepskin rugs!

Everyone was looking very good, fit, the right weight and happy.

It is a relief especially after this grotty winter, which took its toll on both Storm and Tiddles.

Anyway, the Minions enjoy their pampering session.  They are such sweeties and, as always, very easy to work with.

I am just waiting for a phone call from the vet à propos Tiddles’ castration. It needs to be done, the weather is nice and they are coming off!

Sorry Tiddles. It is for your own good.  Everyone else will thank me especially Storm who is fed up of being jumped on!

(Storm has a sunburned nosey so I put Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream on it – only the best for my special soldier.  He may still be a bit of a Mummy’s boy).

I was asked to go to see and photograph some of last year’s fillies from Bergli Stud.

They were enchanting, grubby, tatty, wild but beautiful.

Everyone was in a mad gallopy spring (I just can’t say it is summer yet) mood.

They happily hassled and barged each other.

At one stage one filly walked into a small pond in the field to stand up to her belly water.  We looked on in astonishment.

And then she jumped out and off they galloped again.

Anywho, I am feeling a bit grot today so I won’t rattle on but please enjoy the photos of these lovely little girls.

As usual, I fell in love and met a very special girl – Dimma.  She had the most hypnotic eyes and perfectly sculpted face.

Suddenly we looked at the time and it was way past what either of us had thought and so we had to leave.

The Sheepie boys (Lambert and Lambie) are doing very well.  They remain the best of friends and the same size.

Lambert’s wool is very tight curls while Lambie looks rather unravelled.  I don’t know why.  They are also both growing horns.  We are trying to wean them which is not easy.  The lunchtime feed has been dropped and the boys complain very loudly about this.

The lads have been moved into a small garden shed attached to the house so they can come and go as they please.  There is an old vegetable garden attached which they have the run of.  We let them out to go anywhere they like during the day.  Mostly they try to come into the house or Lambert takes Lambie on adventures!

Lambert is an excellent friend for Lambie.  He has taught him to eat grass and they are still very tame and loving.

I love my boys.  Lambert uses the Land Rover to scratch his back and is the comedian.  He plays with BeAnne and she is very happy chasing him around while he butts her in return.  Hours of entertainment, though there is always an eye kept on BeAnne.

Lambie is a bit of a wet and a weed and still wants his cuddles from his Mum.  He would really like to be carried about everywhere.

They are both a wonderful addition to my little crofting life and even though they do not behave as real sheep, they are very loved (if you sit down outside and read a book, they always sit beside you).

Tomorrow, I will tell you about these lovely ladies.  Scruffy, wonderful and beautiful.  I have not give up on Shetland ponies – there is always a place in my heart.

(I just thought you would like an update on Lambie and Lambert!)