Tag Archives: Spring Flowers

Meanwhile in Shetland

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Back to my weather obsession.  This is today in the UK.  A heatwave, apparently.  A bonkers hot one.

Meanwhile, in Shetland……

Weatherwise, it’s not great to be honest and seeing photos of folk enjoying the sunshine is a little galling while we are still wandering around in our big coats and wellies.

I even had to put the fire on in my shed for Pepper this afternoon while I made another hand-felted Shetland sheep.  She absorbed all the heat generated.  I could feel nothing.

Never mind, apparently the sun might arrive tomorrow, though not the high temperatures (which is good for the sheep as they really struggle with heat and their big fleeces).

I think we are all looking forward to seeing that yellow thing in the sky for more than an occasional glimpse, which is all we have had recently.

On a plus today, though, it has been an excellent spring for our bluebells.

And I now know where we planted the wild garlic – it was lost it for a while.  I shall now look forward to a Shetland heatwave – my definition being two consecutive days when it doesn’t rain!

 

 

Wall of Primroses 2026

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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.

Spring Day

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This is the usual start to my morning.  Breakfast was over and Monster doesn’t like the word “no”.

When he sat on my iPad, I had to make sure he didn’t fall off (note the widge hanging over the table – not pretty).

Then I went around the Shetland pony track with my bucket and gloves to clear up. I am just coming to the end of Lord of the Rings – the ring is in Mount Doom with Gollum and the hobbits are just traipsing back to find Bilbo who is waiting for Frodo at the Grey Havens.  It’s been a long haul, I won’t deny it, but still it’s a good book to listen to while poo-picking.  One of the greats.

Anyway, I deserved a reward and the weather was nice, so I sat down on a rock and waited to see who wanted to chat.

Waffle

Tiddles close by

For a second, I thought Silver would come up but ….

Tiddles said he couldn’t.

Albie snuck around behind and gave me a kiss.

While Newt was far away and not in a chatty mood.

The ground is finally beginning to dry up.  We haven’t had proper rain for a while and the weather is very spring-like now.

I went into my shed after lunch and there was meowing outside so I let Monster in and, again, he made himself comfortable exactly where I wanted to work.  Of course.

Sometimes things are never easy.  I ended up picking him up and putting him outside.

Pepper is now grounded forever. She has taken to going out in the middle of the night to go hunting probably with Monster.  We have resorted to desperate measures and hopefully we can get break this habit.

Spring!  It has its good and bad sides.  Lovely flowers and bunny rabbits everywhere.

Spring Birds

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This time of year, the Dawn Chorus is very loud and tuneful.  So, I did a little experiment today – I decided to record all the birds I could hear in my garden by putting my phone on the bird table and leaving it there for 15 minutes.  Usually when I try to record and identify every bird, they all vanish, hence leaving the phone on the bird-table and walking away (hiding).

My first attempt I have decided to ignore on the grounds of a carrion crow being in Shetland are pretty much nil.  They are rare (and I would love one).

Screenshot

Screenshot

We do try to encourage birds in our garden. There is also a massive bird table above.

But there is also a massive cat below, though to be fair, I have never seen him bother with a bird – he prefers bigger prey like whitterit (stoats), rabbits and our neighbours (who I, funnily enough, haven’t seen recently).

I had a wander around the garden to admire plants actually growing.  A wonderful sight after such a god-awful winter.  We favour the wild garden look rather than cultivation.

After my wander on this gorgeous calm spring day, I had another shot at trying to record the birds.

With 12 breed of birds in just the garden and its environs, you can see why our Dawn Chorus is a loud experience, with everyone shouting their heads off trying to be heard!  It is very beautiful, though.

(is it just me, or do these two pigeons look like they are walking to work!)