Tag Archives: Shetland sheep

Holding The Fort

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The fort is being well and truly held by Flossie.  She is doing admirable work looking after us all, I know, and it’s not easy.

Today Flossie came in from feeding everyone saying Tiddles wasn’t very enthused about his breakfast, so we went out after our breakfast armed with his rug and put it back on.  I think he was struggling with thinking spring is here as it still quite cold.  We’ll see what he is like tomorrow morning.  Hopefully his rug will make the difference.

I am trying to gently mobilise now so helped this afternoon with getting the sheep home.  It was nice to see that Gussie has got over his “stranger danger” and now considers Floss to be one of his best friends.

I think Gussie watches ‘Bert for his inspiration and ‘Bert adores Flossie and Daisy (don’t we all?)

Anyway, Flossie and Gussie had a good conversation.

Something about always travelling with a snack because you just never know.

And it was nice for me to be a little more out and about.

I wonder if Lambie was pleased to see me. Apparently he’s been the model citizen for Flossie (of course he would be).

And then I drove over to our neighbours who, unbeknownst to them, had Pepper.  She had long since vanished into thin air after her tea *** more sighing *** and we found her very much at home around their stables.  Steps will have to be taken now to prevent this wandering as I’m bored of it and all the apologising.

(I think she all knows we hate her – wee turd)

We’re Not Talking to Pepper

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No one is talking to little Miss Pepperpot this evening.

Not even her BFF, Monster.

I know Pepper was with me this morning as she helped me make Flossie’s bed for her return home tomorrow to help me around the place as it’s Daisy’s time to leave.

And Pepper was here to scoff her tea down as fast as she could and then, when Daisy and I went out to put the ducks/hens to bed and let the sheep in, no one had seen her for 30 minutes or so – each thinking she was with the other. She wasn’t anywhere. She had gone.

We asked around.

I checked my phone for any messages, shouted and whistled (two fingers in the mouth kind that gets you a taxi anywhere in London) but nothing.  No little orange dog.

And then I grabbed the car keys and off we both (Daisy and I that is, no sheep) to look for little Miss Pepper.

The first neighbour we saw said he had seen Pepper a few days’ back (really? we didn’t know she had gone) and had sent her home then but no, he hadn’t seen her today.  The next neighbour’s home was quiet and so we tried our third neighbour and guess who came bouncing out.  There she was “helping to fill haynets” along with a kind offer to happily keep her all day.  I won’t lie, at this point I was sorely tempted.

I do wish she wouldn’t do this.  I really do.  We are very lucky with our neighbours who know what a little terror/runaway she is.  She just likes visiting folk and maybe I am just her taxi collection service.

Gussie’s New Friend

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Thank you for all your kind words of understanding, help and support – they mean a lot and today I feel much better about the whole rotten situation. I have decided that, as it is out of my control, I just have to go with the flow with the immense support I have. The animals (touch-wood) are all fine and we will get through this.

(one of my Support Team)

Though he’s fairly dodgy.

It’s been a chilly day. We woke to find there had been a hard frost overnight and now all the water pipes were frozen solid.  Luckily, apart from the sheep, who got a fresh bucket from our store of fresh water, no one else needed water lugging to them.  They are all in fields with streams flowing through them.

Later, when we put the ducks/hens to bed, Daisy let the sheep back in from their field, which they are sharing with the Shetland ponies.  They know the routine and were waiting ready to come home.

‘Bert of course immediately walked up to Daisy for a scratch and then Gussie (who suffers hugely from “Stranger Danger”) thought he could perhaps investigate Daisy too.

I think someone has seen the error of his ways now.

Awww, my boys.  All my children.

But Lambie was unimpressed. Daisy belongs to him so he grumbled a bit (grinds his teeth at you in annoyance) and wouldn’t let me give him a consolation hug.  He is a stroppy sheep.

Meanwhile Gussie was in 7th heaven which probably made Lambie crosser.

And Gussie had brought his snacks along too.  Non-sharing, though, obviously.  They’re for later. Just in case he feels peckish.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day

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I know all I do is complain about the weather but honestly, it hasn’t stopped raining for months now (or at least it feels like that).  We all live in a state of permanent mud, wet clothes/hair and are miserable.

The sheep were hanging around their field gate so I opened it early. I think they possibly never actually left to go and graze and I felt sorry for them.

So straight into their shed they went….

….along with some chickens who were also sheltering.  One even laid an egg!

Later, when I went back in the afternoon to shut up the hens and ducks for the night, Lambie followed me back to the house looking hopeful.

Obviously I let him in and sent Daisy off to find him a biccie.

Lambie knew this or at least hoped….

And I might’ve told him too (note the charming smile of happiness at the thought of the arrival of something nice and, even better, edible).

“Lambie, could you possibly manage a chocolate chip cookie?”

Oh, he thought he could (such beautiful manners too).

Sadly, I had to push Lambie back outside telling him to say nothing when he rejoined his biscuitless friends.  I think OH would have a complete hissy fit if I fed all his supply of elevenses’ biscuits to the sheep!

But I had one happy Lambie and that’s all I want.

(he has his mouth full so he can’t smile!)

Bloomin’ Cold!

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It was my turn to walk the dogs today.  OH had gone to town, shopping, as we were down to our last carrot – apparently it was pandemonium in our two supermarkets.  As fast as the shelves were being filled, they were being emptied again.

Anyway, I was on dog duty so off we went into the hill field, recently vacated by the Shetland ponies and where the sheep like to spend their day, good weather permitting.

I found everyone at the far end of the field sitting in the heather.

A few came running up to see if I had brought chocolate cake with me. I hadn’t.

Dear little Maggie. Always a lovely surprise.

‘Ster, because if anyone is having chocolate cake, he is not going to miss out.

And not-so-small Gussie who is probably now my biggest sheep.  He maintains his figure by travelling with food in case of emergencies.  Somewhat like a woolly St Bernard dog.

Even Dahlia came up to be stroked.  These days, it is more of a case of where Gussie goes, she follows.  I wonder if she is glad he is still with her.  Probably not.   He can be very annoying.

I saw another potential album cover.

And the others were far away refusing to be hospitable so I left them to it.

It was far too cold to be hanging around being nice. I was freezing and my hands were cold despite new gloves (the kind with a second lining that is determined to turn itself inside out the minute you take them off and you can never get them back on properly again – the fingers will always be just that bit too short with a muddle of lining at the tips!)