Tag Archives: Shetland ponies

Eplekake

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Making cakes is not really my thing but the ducks have been laying well and we have a lot of eggs to use up.

So I made my variation of a Norwegian Eplekake (apple cake).

Leftovers were the mixing bowl to clean, which OH duly obliged, and some peel/cores plus a rogue banana skin I added as it needed eating up.

So, while the cake was cooling, I went out with my bowl to find someone(s) who might like it.

Apparently Haakon doesn’t like cooking apple cores anymore.

Luckily Kolka, Iacs and Fivla do.

Vitamin wasn’t interested. She probably couldn’t hear what was going on behind her.

On my way back to the house, I met a Shetland bumblebee (Bombus muscorum agricolae) or “drummie bee”, as they are known here.  My first for this year.

And finally, here is my Eplekake of which I am rather proud.  A firm favourite in this house.

Recipe: (if anyone is interested and it is incredibly easy).

4 apples
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp allspice or you can use cinnamon.

200g caster sugar
200g butter
170g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
4 eggs

Oven 180 °C or Gas 4/5

1. Peel and core the apples and chop them into 1cm chunks into a clean empty ice cream carton with lid.  Add brown sugar and allspice. Put lid on and mix it all up.

2. Blend caster sugar and butter until creamy.

3.  Break eggs into jug and add slowly to butter/sugar mix in one at a time.  Blend well.

4.  Sieve flour and baking powder into big mixing bowl.  Add sugar/butter/egg mix – fold in thoroughly.

5.  Add apples and fold well again.

Quickly pour mixture into large baking tray that is already lined with greaseproof paper.

Put in middle of oven for 50 minutes.  Stick a knife in and see if it is done. If not, give it a few more minutes.  It can take an hour.  The knife must come out clear with no cake batter on it.

When done, put tin on cooling rack. Delicious warm or cold.

It doesn’t have to be just apple – sometimes I add crystallized ginger because I love it or if I have no apples, I use blueberries or rhubarb or anything you like really in cake. Be warned, all the blueberries sink to the bottom but it is still delicious and you can call it an upside down cake at that stage!

A New Trick

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I learned a new photographic trick today and I tried it out on the Shetland ponies (and even Lambie), who were around alternating between eating their afternoon haynets and sheltering from the sudden and  heavy rain showers.

It was a rather good trick.

It worked on almost everyone, though Albie was unhelpful following me around trying to mug me so I couldn’t get him to stand still.

This is my most favourite photograph of the day.

I like all my photos of horses and ponies to have ears forward.  Ears back always looks so miserable.

Like I said, the trick mostly worked except for Newt who was having none of it.  Of course, he wouldn’t.

Waffle, again, so handsome.

This trick even worked on Lambie who was busy guarding his bedroom/shed because of the heavy rain.

And he even left his bedroom to show me his ever-Winning Smile and bat his beautiful eyelashes at me. I was, of course, smitten.

And the trick?  Always carry in one hand a brand new crunchy packet of Vetwrap (stretchy, self-adherent bandage) while you’re taking photos of disobliging animals. I had to fetch a new one from my stores in the shed for Pepper’s poorly paw and was carrying it around in my coat pocket to get it to the house.

Albie and Tiddles heard the crinkly noise and instantly pricked up their ears!

“Follow me for more tips!”

A Few Odd Ones

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Nothing much to say today as in absolutely nothing has happened except for the weird photos I found that I took throughout the day.

This was Monster first thing in the morning telling me all about his night out and how he worked hard protecting the homestead. Those borders don’t repel themselves, you know.

So he went to sleep.

The old Icelandic horses were all lined up.  A lesson in perspective.

And back inside with me trying to eat my breakfast while catching up on stuff or not. Monster had finished his morning nap.

There was no moving him now. He was settled for the rest of his morning.

Tiddles and Albie.

Silver with glorious windy hair.

Lambie’s rather gruesome Winning Smile.

Lambie told me he wanted to go inside the house now, thank you, please.  I followed him.

And I honestly think he would’ve gone straight in and made himself at home if it wasn’t for the dastardly (but prettily painted) door.

But there was absolutely no way, no how that Lambie was going to let Gussie inside.  If it is anyone’s house, it is Lambie’s (apparently).

Doing Everything Early

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I’m going into town for a meal later so have had to do everything early. It is raining so that is helping too. The sheep also wanted in at lunchtime and the Shetland ponies were in their containers sheltering.

I generously filled two small-hole double haynets and tied them into their boxes.

That should keep everyone occupied for a while and hopefully fill them up.

Pepper obviously was my constant three-legged companion.  She is managing suprisingly well on three, sometimes four, legs.  The slice off her front pad is healing nicely and she has day dressings and at night, when she can’t escape, a baby’s sock to keep the wound dry and clean while airing.  So far, this method is working. Her stitches are booked to come out on Monday, all being well.  Pepper is also grounded and not going on walks – only allowed outside with me doing chores.  Ted still has to go on dog-walks which he hates and runs straight home the minute he can.

The other support team is helpful to the extreme.

Not!

But he’s around and shouty if someone (him) might be starving.

In the big field, the horses and ponies are rotating the use of the shed.  Mostly it is a battle of wills between Kolka and Fivla and Vitamin, though I have seen Haakon briefly standing in there.  Iacs, never.  He is not that kind of wuss.

The never-ending feed machine continues, just earlier today.  Everyone probably thought it was their birthday!

 

Trigger Happy

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I am a great believer that sleep is when your body does its best healing so when Pepper finally switched off this afternoon, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

But mostly she is awake, trigger happy and desperate to be off. Anywhere.

And then at about 3.30 p.m., the trigger arrived in the form of Monster who was looking for someone to give him his tea (tea-time is 4 o’clock and not a minute sooner – he knows this).  I opened the shed door to his pathetic scratchings and Ted rushed off into the house. Pepper was now awake and rather wishing she had gone off with Ted because she could go hunting, which I am trying to discourage what with her poorly paw.

Anyway, I tried to ignore Monster but the paw was out, the prodding adding to the pathetic mewing.

Shouting in case I hadn’t got the message. The very loud message.

Wanting just a few more moments of peace, I picked up Monster and dumped him on the chaise-longue (read dog bed).

I can so no to Monster very easily but not that enchanting little Pepper face with the pink bandage (pink really suits her).

I went into the house and gave everyone their tea.  Phew. Monster will live to see another day.  I think we are all thrilled there.

Out again, I fed the ducks/hens and gave the ponies their hay but this time in piles so they could enjoy it rather than spend hours fighting it out strand by strand from their very small haynets.

I just thought they might like to have an afternoon treat.

As you can see, they’re not exactly fading away either.  All I do is give out food, I think. That’s my job.