Tag Archives: Shetland Islands

Cantering Old Fools

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Everyone else had come up the hill for their breakfast, except for the Icelandic horses – Kolka, Haakon and Iacs. They were still on the other side of the stream expecting me to lug their buckets down to them.  Think again, I told them.

In the end Kolka crossed over and cantered up the hill to her bucket.  She knows I am more stubborn than she is.  I don’t offer waitress service in this field.

Meanwhile Haakon and Iacs eventually crossed the stream walking very slowly and then Iacs pushed Haakon up the hill.

At one stage, Haakon turned around to tell Iacs off while I was standing at the top of the hill with their buckets thinking to myself that I might put Haakon back on his very expensive boswellia supplement if he was finding walking so difficult.  Poor old man.

And then I turned my back to put their buckets in their usual spot, only to find Haakon and Iacs cantering up the hill, moving perfectly well for all their old age complaints.  So the boswellia thought quickly vanished and I realised they are absolutely fine.

After chores, I went into to town to get a big bale of hay.  I did a few messages on the Street and stopped off to see if my little town field needed filling.

It was in a bit of a mess so I tidied up the stock and breathed a sigh of relief that I have now reached a less frantic time of the year on the sheep-making front, though I will still keep going through the winter to build up stock.

Then home and I made another sheep, happy in the knowledge there is no mad rush anymore.

Dark and Dismal

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It’s been a dark and dismal day with constant wind and rain.

Ugh!

None of us wanted to go outside – there are days I would gladly swap lives with Monster.

Still, I donned my full wet-weather gear and plodded outside with buckets for all.  I honestly think there is nothing more depressing than trying to complete Wordle in a driving wind and drizzle (got it in 4, thank you for asking).

Later in the morning, on my way out (to see a friend and work on her website (Squarespace)), I went via the sheep shed to see who was hunkering down.

Surprisingly, they were all outside on the long-side of the big shed which was offering full shelter from everything.  Sensible sheeps.

I had a quick chat with Lambie.

And immediately I could understand the advantages of this well-chosen spot.   Everyone was there, except for Gussie and Dahlia who were long gone into their hill field, either eating or resting.

Of course all the Minions had shovelled themselves into one of their containers.  When I went inside, it was warm and dry.  I think they spent the day there – their choice – and I hung up some haynets when I got home later.

And so Pepper and I set off on our expedition to the other side of the island to build this website, which we did with a modicum of success and Pepper behaved beautifully.  Ted stayed at home with OH as he would’ve only let the side down.

Moved Them

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This morning Vitamoobag and her not-much-of-a-friend Kolka escaped and went walkabout around the croft.  It was all my fault. I didn’t secure the gate when I brought the breakfast buckets and it swung open in the wind offering a lovely escape route.  Obviously, they took it.

Kolka was easy to catch (with a dog-lead attached to the world’s smallest Shetland pony/foal headcollar (so shoot me, it’s all I could grab) around her neck like a necklace) and I returned her quickly to her field before she had another independant thought.

Vitamoobag was not so helpful and had wandered to the house. She had no intention of being caught ever again but using the old “I’m not holding a headcollar and I don’t want to catch you” ruse, I got her and put her back too.

While we did the slow walk back to the field, I mused that as the weather was going to disintegrate, perhaps this herd would be better off in a more sheltered field, as well as having more grass to eat.

So using the now successful method (patent pending) of leading a horse/pony without the right equipment, I put  my teensy tiny headcollar/dog lead contraption around Haakon’s neck and told him to come with me, which of course he did (such a well brought up chap).

Everyone else followed.

And now this lot are happy in a field with lots of grass and shelter.

One problem, though, three of them are pretty much the same colour as their background.  Spot three horses!

There you go.  Two….

Plus one.

But at least I can see Fivla and Vitamoobag still.

Poor Little Newt

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“Poor little Newt” is not a phrase I thought I would ever be saying but today was that day.

This afternoon, we were down to one haybox (the other is being repaired by OH) and so I stupidly thought everyone would share nicely.

I was wrong.  I should’v known.

I hung my second haynet in one of the containers and showed it to Newt so he could get his fair share.  He was being bullied off.

Newt quickly got the message and I smiled to myself when I saw him clamber into the container to have a good go at the hanging haynet.  And it also left space outside if anyone else wanted to share, like Silver.

So I was disappointed to return to find Tiddles in the container with sole ownership of the haynet.

I guessed where Newt was and I could sense his misery.  Tiddles had no intention of letting Newt have any haynet.  These days, these two don’t get on well.  Tiddles is the bully.

Poor little Newt!

So I went back and filled up another haynet for Newt and hung it in the inside back corner.

So Tiddles wanted it too.  Of course he did!

I told him to go away, and leave Newt alone. His behaviour was unbecoming.

Tiddles left Newt to his food (for once, he listened to me – a good idea!)

And then I left everyone to it.  I had things to do – poo to pick around the track, water to fill up, etc.  I also moved another haybox into the paddock – probably something I should’ve done in the first place now I think about it.  Duh!

A Lovely Day

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FIrst thing and I was out with my usual buckets to my usual ungrateful lot of animals.

I title this photo “Good luck with that!”

Breakfast for me and then off I went for a day out.

First, I had to drop off my car for its annual MOT and was picked up by Kerry in her car. She was taking me to Bressay for the day.

Bressay is the island next to Lerwick – 11 square miles (28 km2) and it is the fifth-largest island in Shetland. Population – 350 people.

We turned right off the ferry and went to see the lighthouse first, which is currently for sale.  Details here.

But the gates were locked so we couldn’t have a look around like we always used to (sadly).

But the views were nice and interesting.

Definitely worth the effort.

We decided to drive around a bit before lunch and went to see the memorial cairn to honor Bressay fishermen lost at sea between 1880 and 1912.

Local history is always interesting.

And there were the excellent views looking over the southern approach of Bressay Sound to Lerwick.  It’s strange to see my usual world from a completely different angle.

A delicious lunch at the Speldiburn Cafe (which had been the island’s Primary School) – great cake and a sublime hot chocolate – and off we drove to the far side of the island to see the island of Noss.

Separated by the narrow Noss Sound, Noss lies off the east coast of Bressay and is famed for its spectacular seabird colonies.  I have been round it once in a boat and can attest there were birds clinging to the cliffs.

And then we drove around for a bit.  I found some seals basking in the afternoon sun in the shelter of the Bressay Marina.

  

And then it was time to catch the ferry to go home again.

My car failed its MOT and subsequently had to remain in Lerwick so I cadged a lift home off Kerry.

A great day though, apart from the MOT failure.  Thank you Kerry for the change of scenery.  I needed that.

And thank you for all your kind words of support, encouragement and advice – I have taken it all onboard.