Tag Archives: Shetland Islands

Goodbye Daisy!

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Today we all said goodbye to Daisy who has been staying here for just over a week. She arrived on my birthday and that was a lovely present.

As OH is out of action for some weeks, Daisy came home to take on his chores and to help me out.

I also think she came home to see the animals too.

It was lovely to see Daisy and we all enjoyed her company very much.  Bibble (on the left) is Daisy’s childhood horse.  She said he was “just the same as ever”.

Daisy’s main task this past week has been to poo-pick the track for me – a heavy and arduous job that my back hates.

Daisy now hands her bucket/gloves/shovel to Flossie who flew in yesterday to take over, like some ghastly relay without the running, though.

Fivla is Floss’ childhood pony and obviously she was thrilled to see her too.

So I spent my day driving Daisy down to the southern most end of the island to the airport (Sumburgh or LSI).

As Wikipedia states Sumburgh “is famous as the only active airport in the world with a public road crossing directly across one of its runways, managed with a level crossing and safety barriers“.

Indeed it is and there is something secretly rather subversive but thrilling about driving across it but we are allowed to if the barriers are not down (and it’s the only way to get to the airport so we really have no choice). If you run the barriers, however, you are breaking the law.

And, yes, the two runways end up at the sea (I took this photo a few years’ back going home after another airport run).

So goodbye to Daisy and a huge thank you. Love Mum xx

Bloody Ragwort

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It’s not all hugging ponies and sheep around here.  Sometimes we have to do real work.

And today it was pulling ragwort, a job I loathe because it hurts my back. I have been putting it off all summer but realised I must just get on and do it.

Daisy was already out there.

She had brought some big bin bags with her so I took one and found a patch and went to work.

We each filled a bag when it started to drizzle.  So we decided to fill one more between us and then call it a day.  There is absolutely nothing less fun than ragworting in drizzle.

Between us, we filled our three bags.

I had brought the Eggbox over so we didn’t have to lug the full bags (to take to the tip later) and I let Daisy drive it home – her first time off-roading with the diff (open differential) on.  I think she enjoyed it.  I love off-roading and that is the Eggbox’s one great talent.

I will probably go back to the field and do some more ragworting another day.  Don’t tell me about the ragwort forks because I don’t get on with them.  God, I hate pulling ragwort. It’s such an evil tenacious plant with no value in my life at all.

Our First Courgette Harvest

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The dogs and I went on a soggy walk in the field. The dogs were looking for bunny rabbitses while I was looking for two errant sheep – Gussie and his mother, Dahlia, who have not turned up for their breakfast two days in a row.  But I have been checking them from a distance.

Edited to say that they turned up tonight and got two biscuits for their trouble.  Phew! I hate it when someone is awol.

The heather has come out now and I need to go for a drive to find the hill heather looking its most dramatic.

We don’t have much around here.

On my home from the soggy walk, I found the old ladies had taken up residence in their shed with no intention of moving…. ever.

And in the other field, the Shetland ponies had come up because it was raining.  According to Albie they might melt.

Ever optimistic Albie. I had nothing for him.

I thought there was only Tiddles and Silver sheltering in one of their containers and was looking around for Newt.

I found him.  I hope Silver/Tiddles weren’t holding him hostage.

It has been known.

And back at home, OH had picked our first courgette harvest (ever). This is quite the achievement for us.  A while back, a friend gave us four healthy plants – so really he had done all the hard work like planting and getting them started.  Apparently there might even be some more courgettes later.

We grewed these – get us!

Damned Midges

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Today was bad, very bad.

Outside was thick with midges because there is no wind, not even a slight breeze anywhere. We all wore full anti-midge gear.  No bare skin anywhere.

Some of the sheep went into their field but the oldest three – Lambie, Bert and Ster refused preferring to find a spot that they could spend their day.

Bert and Ster chose an rickety old shed with a dirt floor.

While Lambie hovered outside his bedroom, where the puddles are, because that’s where the midges congregate most and he could get more sympathy for any passers-by.

The horses were miserable.

The ponies were far away and miserable – trying to find the highest point in their field where they might catch a breeze.

And the dog-walk was short.  We brought back with us Barrel and Madge who joined the midge misery.

Lambie had not left his spot.

Later, when we were going around doing the afternoon feeds, there was a slight wind and everyone had visibly cheered up.

At last Lambie had found a purpose in his life.

And now the midges have all moved to the house!

A Very Busy Morning

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I knew I had a lot to fit in this morning, so I got up an hour early to get the chores over and done with before everything started.

And on the dot of 9 our farrier, Jay arrived.  Punctuality is not a trait we have ever seen in any farrier.  But here he was and he set to work immediately.

As everyone’s hooves grow at different rates, only the horses and ponies that actually need a trim are done.  They are thoroughly checked first  and assessed. If they don’t get trimmed on this visit, then they can wait until the next one.

Today it was Albie….

Tiddles….. (with his very-good-boy face and after the debacle with the dentist, it was good to see).

And Newt.

Then we all walked over to the old horses and ponies’ field.  Kolka was trimmed.

Note wee dug – Pepper.  It is a wonder she was never kicked because she was underneath every horse and pony’s hooves with a death wish.

In the end Daisy distracted Pepper away to keep her out from under everyone’s feet or in Jay’s way.  I’m surprised she hasn’t had her nose shaved off!  It was in everything.

Tempus was fugitting along and I had to leave Daisy in charge for the other two horses (I think Iacs and Haakon were trimmed), while I a) put Pepper in the house where she was safe, and b) drove over to Turriefield for my Saturday morning volunteering job of packing vegetables for 2+ hours.

I’m not going to lie – I am exhausted now. I’m having a lie down before the next thing.