Tag Archives: snow

Duvet Day Inside

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Today, weather-wise, has been unspeakable – sleet, a freezing gale force wind, and we are all very miserable and bored of this.  Apparently Shetland has been stuck in a bad weather system for a while now.

So, Daisy and I decided to get everyone inside for a rest from this.  A Duvet Day, if you will.

No one needed asking twice.  The Shetland ponies were straight in and with no mucking around either about which stall to go in.  Oh, no. In they went and waited quietly while Daisy took Tiddles’ rug off.

Silver was a white/grey pony before he rolled.

But the ponies are happy and eating unlimited hay to their hearts’ content.

Then it was the turn of the old folk.  Straight in, no questions asked and, again, waiting patiently while I undid all their rugs without rolling first, which grosses me out (I have a thing about wet sand).

It is the first time anyone has had their rug off for many weeks and it was good to see a) how well they looked and b) how perfectly dry they all were.

And lastly, the old ladies trotted enthusaistically in, once Daisy had been to catch them because they were determined to wait by their bowls rather than follow the others like they should’ve.

Again, nice and dry and also looking rather good for the time of year. I am pleased.

The sheep are also having a Duvet Day.

They don’t believe in going outside and quite honestly, I don’t blame them.

Daisy and I went back to the big shed after lunch to find everyone was just fine (and had poo’ed a lot).  Seeing Waffle having a snooze was exactly what I wanted.  It is important that everyone has a rest from the weather and relaxes for 24 hours.

I am intending to throw them all out tomorrow as it should’ve thawed considerably by then and normal service can then resume.

Snow Here (Again)

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We woke up to snow…. again.  Ugh.  I’m not a fan.

Also, we found Iacs had managed to get stuck in the not-working electric fence.  From the look of it, he had only been there a few minutes from when he saw us arriving with our buckets.  We lifted his legs out and I led him by his chin hairs back through the gate and gave him his breakfast.  At least Iacs never panics.  Just stands there looking hopeful or embarrassed.

The little ones had long finished their breakfast and raced down to gaze longingly at everyone else eating their’s.  I told them they could always go back onto the track again if they wanted.  They said no thank you.

The rugs are proving a great success.  No one feels cold or wet underneath and they seem pretty oblivious to the bad weather with them on.

And, luckily, there’s not enough snow to actually stop anyone from eating.

Currently, I am liking the high-necked rug on Haakon best and thinking of increasing my extensive (yes, it may well be an addiction) rug library by getting some high-necked rugs for Iacs and Kolka too.

They don’t make high-neck rugs for ponies that I can find, much to Fivla’s disgust.  I don’t like full-necks, though.

So that’s us at the moment.  Daisy and OH are doing all the lugging while I flit about doing sheep and ducks/hens.  We may give in tomorrow, depending on how it looks, and get everyone inside (again). I am trying hard to hold off on that decision as much as I can as that is actually the kiss of death for my back.

Hopefully the snow won’t stay long.  Please.

To The Doctor

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As OH managed to get up our track and escape to town yesterday, I decided to make an appointment with our GP to talk about my dreadful sciatica.  Things are no better and I am getting very depressed with it.

Of course the Jimny (our 4×4) had a flat battery out of nowhere having gone to town the day before.  IT HAD ONE JOB!  (I could’ve seriously undone the handbrake by a cliff today and watched it roll off).

So OH kindly took his van up to the road (not the best in snow/ice) spending a good 45 minutes digging it out every time it got stuck on our track – now slush and ice.  I walked up and off we went.  The actual road was fine.

The GP was kind.  She could see and understand my predicament and we talked about a plan of action with regard to a regular painkiller regimen rather than me trying to stay off them, which is what everyone always advises.

Home, and I went to bed and slept all afternoon feeling a bit happier that a) it is now thawing, b) I have a painkiller dr-approved plan and c) the grass is beginning to appear and we can hopefully feed everyone less, though they are all hanging around expecting waitress service still.

I haven’t the heart to tell them they broke the waitress!

I’m Still Standing

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Well, surprise, surprise, I’m now pretty much back on my feet again and I am not sure quite how but maybe it was a mixture of pills, potions, ointments, unguents and exercise.

Last night, before bed, I whizzed up a smoothie of banana, turmeric powder, milk, fresh ginger, honey and black pepper.  I knocked it back – it wasn’t too bad, I’ve tasted worse – and went to bed. I slept the sleep of the dead.  Lovely.

This morning, I thought I would get in there first on the pain front and took some painkillers before the sciatica set in to see if that would keep everything at bay.  And it did, which was a huge relief.

Here’s something I didn’t think I would see – Haakon sharing with anyone, even Newt.

Haakon doesn’t share and has been going around like the chief dinosaur in Jurassic Park 1-V1 hating everyone, even Iacs, which is sad.

On a roll, so to speak with my back, I drove the Suzuki up our track, through some major dug out snowdrifts (well done OH) and onto the road.

As the road was not great, we then decided to leave the car up there for the time being.

It is living with our neighbour’s now.

We walked home and I managed it fine.

(neighbour’s garden fence)

Since then, I have been out a few times gently exercising, walking with two poles trying to get my back working again.  There have been a few twinges but nothing like the previous days and Floss and OH are all helping hugely with the lugging side of things.  That has made a major difference.  And the water is back on in the shed so we are all happy about that.

More Snow Pictures

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My back is still giving me problems so, while I have Flossie here, I am making the most of it and lying in bed all day getting up only to feed the animals.

As Floss was going out to lug water (apparently it is called the “Farmer’s Carry” in the gym), I gave her my phone and asked her to take some photos of her surroundings and anyone else she happened upon.  I stayed lying on my bed.

The horses and ponies have had two fields to dig for grass in.  This is the stream which is completely covered over – something I have never seen before.

The drifts are pretty good too.

Everyone is pleased to be outside.

 

Except for Fivla and Vitamin who have taken up residence in their container.  I did show Haakon, Iacs and Kolka the containers.  Haakon thought I was actually mad expecting anyone to go inside.  Iacs and Kolka went in and came straight out.  Still, they know where they are if they want shelter.

Anyway, tonight we have left everyone outside having had two suppers, along with copious haynets hanging everywhere and fresh water.  The wind has died down and those that need have rugs.  Floss and I decided everyone needed to stop seeing us as their servants and start being horses and ponies again.