Tag Archives: Shetland sheep

Lambie and his Flower and his Biscuits

2 Replies

OH and I were at a party tonight and have just come home.  Therefore, I was late giving out the ponies’ haynets as well as late getting the sheep in. Everyone was standing at their gates waiting and disaprovingly tapping their watches.

However, I noticed Lambie came in wearing a flower – a delightful marsh marigold.  So beautiful.

I gave the sheep their goodnight ginger biccie and then returned with my camera to try and capture the magic of Lambie wearing a flower.  I think this was possibly my only good photo.

Upon reflection, I can see it is rather a manky flower.

But Lambie was more interested in trying to get another biscuit than the flower he had acquired.

He totally ignored my demands to turn around and look pretty and stomped off into the house.

No biscuits in evidence (quietly hidden by me), he came back outside looking like a devil sheep.

At this stage, I gave up but I will admit I located my carefully hidden biscuit packet and nipped out and gave him a secret biccie because Lambie is my special boy and I luffs him most.  Tell no one.

Mostly Lambie

3 Replies

A few evenings back, I went outside to find Lambie sitting close to the house, albeit in another field – you can see the gap behind him where all the sheep, except ‘Ster and Dahlia, elegantly crawl under!  I don’t mind. It saves me opening gates.

So I went to see if I could capture the famous Winning Smile.

It is Lambie’s best feature.

The next day was nice and I was on a rest break after mucking out the shed, so I went with my big camera and sat on a rock.  The ponies were miles away on their track.

But again there were sheep around so I peacefully snapped away trying to capture their personalities while they came up to chat, or not.

‘Ster who is feeling a bit better, thank you for asking.

‘Bert – he has a very good fleece this year.

Harrel-the-Barrel – read thug, a total opportunist who steals chicken food.

And my little Lambie.  Always enchanting.

Possibly a diva.

And an equilateral triangle.

He nodded off while I was taking photos.

And lastly, Gus-Gus.  No words just Gussie.

A Lovely Present

3 Replies

This beautiful peg-loom rug arrived in the post today and I cried when I saw it.

Many years ago, 2020 to be precise, I sent Wendy Thompson from Maison d’Ouessant Style three fleeces – a selection of Lambie’s from a few years and one of ‘Bert, I think.

And the other day, when I mentioned that Lambie was getting old now, my friend offered to give me the peg-loom rug that she’d made from Lambie.  I couldn’t say no, it was such a generous offer and the rug is even more beautiful than I could’ve possibly imagined.

To celebrate this amazing gift, I went down to the bottom field armed with my big camera to take some photos of the sheep himself, who was snoozing about as far away as possible.

Lambie woke up when he heard me but he didn’t bother to get up.

However, he did manage one of his world famous “Winning Smiles” and that’s exactly how I feel about my rug too plus Wendy’s incredible talent and generosity.

You can find Wendy’s shop here – when you see her website, you will see she totally gets sheep.  She really does understand them (I love her photos).

Anyway, I’ve placed the rug by my bedside and can comfortably tread on Lambie every morning and evening.  I also sit on him every day too.

This wonderful seat saver was made for my birthday last year by Monika from Collaster Croft (we went to see the film together yesterday for obvious sheep reasons).  We even have one from the much-loved and missed Edna too.

And that’s the beauty of having wool presents that are created from sheep without hurting them, who are loved and have names, made by incredibly talented folk.

 

 

Different From My Usual Day

9 Replies

This morning, after chores, we jump-started the Eggbox (Suzuki Jimny and my friend and I went to Lerwick to see a film – The Sheep Detectives.

I have been curious about this film and was assured by a friend who had already seen it that no one apart from the protagonist dies.  This is not true and my friend and I sobbed our way through the film but, even so, it was a very good film and I am sure I saw all my sheep within the cast of sheepie characters.  All I can say is someone really understands sheep.

Home mid-morning and I went into my shed with the dogs to finish off a sheep that has been in the making a few days.  White ones seem to be selling well at the moment, so I am trying to make more.

Then I poo-picked the track, saying hello to the Shetland ponies as I whisked past with bucket and gloves.  Afterwards, feeling benevolent and assuring myself that, if I were murdered, they would instantly be on the case, I went out with a couple of shortbread biccies for ‘Ster and Dahlia – the only two around.

This morning I had been worried about ‘Ster as he refused to eat anything after I drenched him with his Ammonium Chloride but he came running up and ate his piece of shortbread.  I also noticed in the film that one of the sheep farmers lured a sheep out of the house with the biscuit tin!  Like I said, someone knows sheep.

‘Ster seems fine now. I think he just hated the taste of the drench, which is disgusting, I will admit.

Anyway I believe Dahlia would find the perpetrator on my behalf if I am murdered.

Just possibly not with her friend ‘Ster who can be a bit of a flake.

Wall of Primroses 2026

8 Replies

It was rugs off again this morning and I heaved them into the shed to hang up and dry.

I have realised that I must wean myself off the rugs as the horses and ponies don’t need to be wearing them in the sunshine and the temperature has gone up a little.  I am the one with the problem. I admit it and I need to tell myself that no one will actually melt if it rains.

So, after giving myself a stiff talking to about my rug problem, I took the dogs down to the stream, which is very peaceful.

Whenever a therapist tells me to think of quiet place, this is where I always go.  There is absolutely nowhere better.

  

And I know I was whingeing on about how the wild primroses weren’t really very good this year, well now I take it all back.  They have suddenly gone mad and are everywhere.

They grow like scrambled eggs on both sides of the burn’s banks, in huge voluptuous clumps.

They seem to compete happily with the celandine too.

So, a very good effort this year from both celandine and wild primroses. I am very impressed and love the fact that this abundance of colour is in my field totally unaided by anyone.  Nature at its best.

Meanwhile, in sheep-land, ‘Ster’s medicine has finally arrived, though he has been living off my homemade version while we waited.

I am encouraged that he is a bit brighter now – he has had two doses of antibiotics and the homemade drench daily.

Tomorrow ‘Ster will get his measured dose of the packet stuff syringed down and let’s hope it breaks up the renal calculi.  I did also note that he is now peeing ok (ish) and seems much less miserable so, please God, that he is on the mend.