Tag Archives: Shetland

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.

Newt (sigh)

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Over the years, Newt has not endeared himself to anyone in his herd and he only has himself to blame.  He can be very mean spirited, especially in winter, and mostly about food, kicking out at anyone in his firing line.  He may be small but that little ginger bottom is very quick and quite powerful.  He likes to wheel round and give out both barrels so therefore nobody wants to be near him.

I think it is Tiddles who gets most cross with Newt and tries to keep him in his place.  I know, Tiddles, who hasn’t a mean bone in his body but the exception is Newt.  He hates him.

Luckily for Newt, Silver will just about tolerate him and share the haynet.  I guess it’s because he is so much bigger and, if Newt starts acting up, he can swiftly put him in his place.

The others swap around with food and buckets and eventually reach some sort of peace.

Just not with Newt.  If he can’t be nice, he can’t be their friend and he only has himself to blame.  I refuse to feel sorry for Newt as I’ve seen his little bottom in action – like a tank turret firing as it goes round and round, regardless of aim, just making his point.

To Town (hay) and Ponies

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I’m not sure what really happened today.  Nothing huge – so really my type of day. I started by going into town in the van (mostly to see if it still ran) and brought home a huge round bale of hay because the Shetland ponies will be eating that all spring and summer now.

The ponies need something because absolutely no grass is growing on their track and they mustn’t starve (apparently).

It’s the unforgiving north wind. Temperatures are right down.

Anyway, the van did start and went fine which was a big phew for me.

I have a headache now which possibly means I was stressing about the van as it is 2012 so 14 years old and can be a bit grumbly at times.

So I drove in, bought the hay, and came straight home, stopping for no one. I took Pepper with me as company and she was very good, saying hello to anyone who wanted to talk to her.

And then I’ve been practising “hairdo’s” on Newt.  None of them work very well, though.  He is difficult to find the right style.  I haven’t nailed it.

Little “bovver” boy…..

There are no words.

And then Jedward?  Oh dear.

I think my headache just got worse.

My Westside Tour

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We had a visitor and I asked her if she would like to go for a drive to see a little of the Westside of Shetland, ie all the places I think are pretty spectacular.  The weather was vile.  Most of our photography was from the warmth and shelter of the car.

So we started with the Dale of Walls beach, which is set in a perfect little cove with Foula in the distance dead centre.

Then to Norby beach in Sandness.

Lots of lovely colours and we had a quick walk and then the weather descended into sleet.

If you think it looks cold, I can confirm that it jolly well was.  We had the beach to ourselves most of the time too.

Sandness hill in the background from Norby beach.

Loch of Norby

Bousta, Sandness

A bird of some description. It was huge – I thought was an otter at first.

Peats stacked, ready to dry out.

Looking over Brindister Voe to the east. Every single wind turbine was switched off.

My favourite kirk – West Burrafirth Chapel

It was sadly closed and slowly falling to bits.

More scenery.

These are Horizontal Mills – there are three of them.

From Canmore – “The Norse, or horizontal, mills ….. are typical examples of a once-common type of water mill found in Shetland, Orkney and Lewis. The mill used one wheel (tirl) with blades mounted on a horizontal plane, driving a single pair of grindstones. This simple design meant that multiple mills could be built on a length of stream, with a family or small partnership each owning their own mill.”

So, if you come and visit and you want to see some of my favourite local places, this is where I will take you.