Tag Archives: Shetland

No Electricity

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We had a planned power outage today – new power lines were being put up in our area, I think. We all knew it was coming weeks ago, but, still, it is never much fun.  I spent my day having those ridiculous quick thoughts like “well, I’ll just switch the light on” or “I’ll put a wash on” only to realise it was not possible so I vaguely polished furniture instead while OH went to town for supplies.

It was my turn to walk the dogs and the weather was not great – windy F8, a moderate gale.  I found all the horses and ponies in the sharp cut of the valley which has lots of shelter and grass.

Iacs thought I had brought carrots. I told him I had nothing and got this rather stern stare in response.

Vitamin was close-by too and I noticed she is suddenly looking even grayer. I guess it is her winter fur coming out and the new summer coat arriving with increasing white hairs.

I found a rock to sit on out of the wind – the dogs were happily doing their own thing – hoping Fivla would have a chat but she walked off.  Humph.

Fivla needs a good brush – they all do.  Maybe tomorrow – I have visitors coming over.

Bored with no electricity, I went into my shed with the now-hopefully-worn-out dogs to make a hand-felted Shetland sheep.

And the electric came back on, as they said it would, around tea-time.  It is amazing just how much we rely on it and now I can turn on lights, and put the washing on.

A Lovely Present

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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

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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.

Gosh, They Were Fat!

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This is going to be one of those even more boring blog posts because I am exhausted and lying on my bed trying to gather up some energy for the next thing.

All is well in the land-of-nothing-to-eat.  Apart from a bucket of breakfast, the Shetland ponies only get a bit of hay in the evening and yet seem to be surviving.

I find it hard not to feed them all chocolate cake 24/7 but that little voice in my head says we are not going back to fat ponies.  No, not never, ever again.  I found some old photos of the herd the other day and thought to myself, wow, they were enormous!

Seeing those photos from 2022, I feel ashamed that I let them get like that.  It was a slippery slope.  I had forgotten just how bad they were.

Meanwhile, in the land of vans, OH got the pressure washer out to give my horse-van a quick once over as it is hopefully now sold and then started on his van too.  I tried to put the Suzuki “Eggbox” in the to-be-cleaned queue but it wouldn’t start.  I am beginning to hate all machinery now.

So that’s me – currently summoning up some strength to go and cremate supper (no, never the duck, but it’s a nice pic).

Them’s the Breaks

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I’m not really how sure to describe my day.  Mostly waiting. The weather’s not been great (cold, occasionally wet and very, very windy) and I’ve been expecting to hear about the horsevan’s fate too.

I wasn’t brave enough to phone the garage so I procrastinated beautifully by doing other things instead to keep myself busy.

I didn’t want to hear the inevitable.

So, I picked some rhubarb out of the garden and made a rhubarb and ginger cake, which is not bad, even for me – cakes are not really my thing but I was trying to use up eggs, of which we have loads.

Then I pickled some duck eggs – the ducks are in full laying mode at the moment – and tried one from my previous batch – not bad, if I don’t say so myself.  I am very partial to a pickled egg.

Then with some more eggs, I made a quiche, which we ate for lunch. Again, I’ve eaten worse!  We are now down to only 6 eggs and that is quite an achievement.

Then into my shed to make another hand-felted Shetland sheep while trying very hard not to think about the van.

After that, I went poo-picking in the continuing “moderate gale from the north”, which is becoming increasingly irksome to all.

And then I finally phoned the garage.  Unsurprisingly, the van had failed, and deemed unfit to go again.  Dammit.  A little part of me was surprised since it had driven into town very easily but the other part of me was not surprised since it is over 14 years old and was rather “pasta la besta”.  Ho hum, them’s the breaks.