Tag Archives: MyShetland

To the Clickimin Craft Fair 2025

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My Saturday afternoon is usually spent playing flute duets with Mandy so we went to the Clickimin Craft Fair instead, which is another of our annual traditions. We both like a good craft fair, we do.

Although nicely busy, we easily wandered around looking at all stalls.  I did some Christmas shopping, took photographs, saw old friends and generally had a very good time. I had to keep reminding myself I was buying for friends and family and not myself.

I am a bit craft fair’ed out now, read exhausted, so I think I will just leave all these photos here and you can enjoy the craft fair too.

And what I take away from going today, apart from buying Lovely Things, is that the amount of creative talent in Shetland is absolutely outstanding. For such a small place, there is a wealth of innovation and artistry.

Buy local is my Christmas motto (and also I need a cup of tea, please!)

   

Buckets and More Buckets

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My day started as it meant to go on mostly with many buckets.

While I fed the others at the top of the field, Haakon was still struggling to walk, so I broke the habit of a lifetime and took his breakfast bucket to him.  I walked him over the stream and then I put his bucket down so he had to eat with his hooves in the running water.

Haakon accepted my idea as doable and proceeded to eat his brekkie while his poorly hoof soaked in the clean cold water.

Later, I went on a dog walk. I was looking for some sheep therapy.

Dahlia immediately came up for a chat.

She is always very inquisitive and I regretted that I hadn’t brought any carrots with me for everyone.

Dahlia’s son, Gussie, is not dissimilar either.  Food is also important to him.

It was so nice to see that they are very happily integrated with the others now, even to the point of going into the shed to be fed if they want to. It only took just over a year!

Lambie had little to say on the matter.

But Maggie came up for a lovely chat.

Later, in the afternoon, just before it got dark, I went down to the field with hot water in a thermos, two buckets and various bits of necessary kit.

Luckily, only the Shetland ponies were close by which meant they wouldn’t try to steal Haakon’s food.  They wouldn’t dare.

If Bibble and Kolka had been closer, it would’ve been a battle. I know that.  I can’t say Haakon is any better but at least he is not worse.  He is getting around the field in his own way. If he decides not to walk much, then it doesn’t matter as there is long grass everywhere and company.  I think, at the moment, I was rather he was outside pottering gently.  He is happier with his friends.

Day from Hell – Vet Called

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My morning started with Tiddles who didn’t want his breakfast. Instead he lay down in front of me and said he would like to die, please. Please, no!

I got him up and he did an enormous sloppy poo, then each one was more watery.  I immediately put him in a stall, gave him a small bucket of soaked sugar beet to tempt and phoned the vet.

While we waited I dosed him up (talked it over with vet first) – Kaolin, probiotic, slippery elm, gut-bind. He was very good and had eaten his bucket.  His stall was awash with many more watery poos.

Then over the hill to feed the others and I noticed Haakon could barely walk.  He was hobbling. So I led him home with the others following.

I phoned the vet again and extended my list, adding Iacs on as well because his eye infection is not responding to treatment.

While we waited for the vet, OH and I soaked Haakon’s hoof to see if that helped.

Tiddles was a bit brighter now, so he rejoined his friends with haynets and, yes, he ate, not very enthusiastically, but he ate.

The big ones were around the house.

I went back to check on Tiddles every minute, secretly.

When I looked again at Haakon’s poorly hoof, I found a deep stone chip embedded at the front.  It left a hole when I eventually prised it out.

His hoof went back into the bucket to draw out any nasties.  At least I now knew why Haakon was hopping lame.

The vet came and, after thoroughly examining Tiddles, said he was much better.

I opened up a bit more of their track.

I left him stuffing his face.

Iacs’ eye – nothing was found so keep going with the ointment.  He may have developed a blocked tear duct.  He was a good boy.

Haakon needs his hoof soaked regularly.  He is on painkillers too and I put them all in the field near the house as it makes it easier for me to treat him.

My last job this afternoon was to give Haakon a bucket of his favourite food, mixed with Bosmerix (boswellia supplement), while soaking his hoof and spraying it with antibiotic spray.  He was such a good boy.  Kolka is furious at all the food and attention he’s getting.

So that was my day. I need a lie down and now I shall worry about Haakon and Tiddles and possibly Iacs.

Out of Sorts

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I woke up late. I never wake up late.  But, apparently, my alarm didn’t make a sound (always set on phone and has been acting funny) but the radio came on (my belt and braces) and I didn’t hear that either.  Too fast asleep.

So I went out 45 minutes late to some very disgruntled animals who were near death due to a late breakfast.  Luckily they rallied and will live to see another day.

I know this because I went back later armed with a bucketful of tubes of wormer and wormed everyone  (and possibly myself, when biting off the tops of the tubes – that stuff tastes disgusting. I can vouch for that.)

I also took my very useful weights and measurements chart, though it was a rather out-of-date one despite having a newer one which I never looked for – odd.  I tell myself that as I always over-estimate wormer, so hopefully I will have given them enough. I was not at my best today, thinking-wise.

And the rest of my day has been spent making a hash of everything I went near.  There are some days I honestly wonder why I am on this planet.  It’s a complete mystery to me.  Maybe changing our broadband and the resulting rearrangement of everything has discombobulated me.  I feel very out of sorts today.

A Change of Scenery

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I had a change of scenery today.  No going through photos and making sheep for me.

Obviously, I had to do all my morning chores first.

But, as I had lots to do, I decided to go without breakfast and drove off.  I also didn’t take Pepper. Too much like hard work.

But I did remember my shopping list – ✅ (as well as photographing it in case I lost the original!)

And off I went to Lerwick to meet up with a friend who was having her car windscreen sorted.

We did some Christmas shopping – I know, I know, I am very early but I like to work like this, chipping away in little bits rather than one huge shock to the system.

I can’t say I was in a very festive mood and the shop windows were still in autumn bonfire/Halloween mood.  Great knitted pumpkins, though.

More of my felted sheep were needed at Jamieson’s, so I dropped off a bag and rearranged their field as well.  Apparently there’s a cruise ship in tomorrow so hopefully some of these little chaps will find new homes.

And then my friend and I went to Pete’s Café for lunch.  Yum. It was very good and very welcome. I was hungry by then (no breakfast, remember).

I managed to do all my messages and even bought a few stocking fillers and one Christmas present.

Suddenly a switch flipped in my head and I realised I was suddenly fed up with “city life”, and wanted to get home.

I drove home to take up my usual late afternoon chores – poo pick, hens and ducks to bed, sheep coming home.

I love the thought of going to town and then suddenly I don’t and I want to be at home.