Tag Archives: Shetland

Haynets at Night

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Really crap photos today and I’m sorry – it has barely been light all day and the weather has not improved (still freezing wind and rain).

Daisy has now seen the set up and agrees with me that the Shetland ponies need something or else they just stand around all day looking rather bleak and miserable in a muddy spot.

So the new regime is to give them three haynets hung on the gate for to share.

The ponies came racing up when they heard of this new plan.

Note how Newt has to have a cheeky nip at Waffle as he catches up in the race to the gate.

Tiddles and Albie brought up the rear with enthusiasm.

Clever Silver had already taken up pole position and was tucking in trying to shovel as much down as fast as possible before the others arrived.

I thought it was very sweet (or optimistic) that Newt would rather come and talk to me than eat his hay.

I told him to hurry back and go and get his ration before it vanished.  I know I said I didn’t want to give out hay and I know the ponies are rotund, but they don’t get a lot of hay (Daisy sized portions, so small), but I can sleep better knowing everyone had a little something to keep them warm at night.  Temperatures are going down to around – 8℃ tonight (windchill) which is not much fun, as well as the the wind and rain.

Bed Wars (2)

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The arguments continue and I am supposedly the referee – albeit an unwilling one.

Monster decided that all this arguing was beneath him and he will take over the world at a later date.  This morning, he contented himself with lying on the kitchen table (behaviour I try not to condone) while I made inedible soup for lunch.

This left Ted to reclaim his rightful bed.  Ted’s bed – look, it even rhymes beautifully.

Ted settled himself down for the day (you can almost hear him praying to his Gods that no one wants to take him on a dog walk but they did).

Later Monster continued to plot from his Fortress of Solitude located under the piano – he already has quite the property portfolio.

After lunch, Pepper decided enough was enough.  Having not ever been near the bed since its arrival, she picked it up and moved it around the room, like a professional Feng Shui Master trying to harmonize Chi for our improved health, prosperity, and well-being.

So the bed now has a new location – in front of the sofa, next to OH’s spot and Ted is very happy with this (mostly because he quickly reclaimed it) – and he’s even brought his much-beloved Christmas present too.  Love, indeed.

New problem, though, because now Pepper, having dragged the bed around the room, quite fancies it too,

And every time I look at this bed, I seriously wonder how it would fit a Border collie – the original intended recipient.

(Goes off to look at website wondering if I must seriously buy two more.)

Escape for the Day

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As Flossie hasn’t left the house since last year – just after Christmas to be precise – I thought we should have a day out.  It would do us both good. And I am also panicking about any potential snow dump that might happen.  After all, if there is a life-threatening snow storm about to hit the USA (please, all stay safe everyone) and mega-snow in Russia (Kamchatka peninsula), then I have to worry.

So I got the horsevan out (first offering up a prayer to the Gods of starting vans) and off we drove to Lerwick, sadly leaving Pepperpot behind.

It was cold, windy with occasional biting rain.  There’ve been no boats for many days so I couldn’t get some of the animal feed I wanted.   Never mind, we have enough for a while, no one is going to starve.  I did, however, get a big bale of hay so now we are well stocked with hay.

Everyone in town is gearing up for Up Helly Aa – held on the last Tuesday of the month.

 

I checked the sheep field in Jamieson’s and kicked myself for forgetting to bring any one. Never mind. OH will go in on Monday and I can send them in with him ready for the cruise ship full of tourists arriving specifically for Up Helly Aa.

We had a nice lunch – our reward for all our recent hard work – and then a quick nip around Tesco’s.  It was very obvious there had been no boats.

Apparently no one likes watermelon.

Or beetroot.

I think (but I could be wrong) the only local produce Tesco will sell here is milk from Shetland Farm Dairies.  There was absolutely no bread in the aisles – which is disappointing because there are at least 8 – 10 local bakeries scattered all over Shetland.  At least the local shops are well stocked with bread.

We went home feeling full (delicious lunch) and with a good supply of hay too.

Barrel vs. Bert

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When I went to feed the sheep their breakfast, I found Bert and Barrel knocking seven bells out of each other (fighting). It was serious.  Bert was almost unconcious, wobbly on his legs, his sides heaving while Barrel kept having another go, refusing to give up.  I separated them by pushing Bert into Lambie’s private diningroom (oh, the vapours from Lambie) and gave him a bowl of food.  Even then, Barrel was waiting by the gate trying to get in.

So I shut the door on them all and went to help Floss feed the horses and ponies.  We are currently in the middle of a three day gale with lashing rain and lowering temperatures.  I needed to think what was the best thing to do next.

I decided to separate them.  My plan was to keep Bert, Lambie and Ster back around the house/stable. They could have a Duvet Day with haynets while the others went outside to enjoy the revolting weather and Barrel could calm down a bit.

I took my bribery (rattly food box) and the rest of the sheep followed me into their field. Hastily shutting the gate, I shouted at Barrel to “cool down or you’re outside for life!”

Lambie, Bert and Ster now had free run of the place all day.

Later I went to visit them.

I sat down but Bert wouldn’t come and chat. But that was ok. He was happily eating the haynet.

Ster never left my side and Lambie came past for a scratch.

After a nice chat with Lambie and Ster, I gave them all a second breakfast which was received gratefully.

Bert happily tucked in.

The others have just come home, the weather is vile now and I watched Bert and Barrel in the shed together.  Nothing.  Apparently, they are now good friends. I think I will go out later to double check, though.

 

A Glorious Day

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It has been one of those rare calm Shetland winter days.  Even the sun made an appearance and everyone just breathed out and relaxed.

I am trying to get out more now, doing little things, but definitely doing.

 

When my sciatica sneaks back in, I then rest up until it’s gone again.  I am learning my triggers and also realising I am going to have to avoid them for the time-being.

I am also trying to get my brain working again, so I brought one of my Great-Great Aunt Kate’s tiny weeny diaries (1947) up to work on.  As it is not easy to read and type while lying on my bed, I tried dictating the diary entries one day at a time.  It did not go to plan. Talk about random words! One month’s entries usually takes me just over an hour of fast typing.  I managed one week in one hour, left feeling pretty exasperated but it is something I want to keep doing.  I need a better microphone, I think. And the computer doesn’t understand the words “Full stop” or “Brackets”.  Humpf.

My afternoon walk was much longer today too and Pepper and I enjoyed the quiet calm scenery.

Listening to the Hobbits traipsing along helps too.  They’ve just been caught by the Barrow-Wights and are about to sing out for Tom Bombadil (who I find incredibly annoying).

So that’s my day.  Slowly getting there.