It was a bright morning so I went out with the big camera to see who I could see. These three were enjoying the Spring sunshine. Dear old Haakon – he’s 30 this year.  His birthday is 10th May 1994. I have the notes from my original phone call with his breeder all those years ago (27) – it says “Haakon Stallion 1 year”. And then there’s his cousin, Iacs who is two year’s younger. A 1996 baby. (so that means, if Iacs is younger, Haakon can boss him around!) Anyway, Haakon was looking relaxed and peaceful as he sat enjoying the sun on his back. My little prehistoric horse. We’ve been t ..read more

I am learning so much at Turriefield, where I volunteer when they need me to help. These are “my” tomato plants that we transplanted from their little starter pots to bigger pots yesterday. Once we had repotted nearly 100 plants, we took them down to the polytunnel and put them under a light on top of a heated blanket, which they need because it is very cold here at the moment – minus 9 degrees tonight (windchill temperature). The aubergine seeds are growing too. I am enjoying the learning curve too. I find out why stuff is done not just doing it because. I don’t learn like that. I always n ..read more

So now we have a new breakfast area because of the endless mud that is everywhere. Bowls ready for the Vandals and the Visigoths. Yesterday, while waiting for the farrier, I built a damned gorgeous electric fence from the track up to the breakfast area.  Straight lines everywhere.  I feel very proud of my achievement. My track is full electrified too.  Zappity zap!  Oh yes, they know I mean business. It worked a treat.  The Minions wandered up there to find their breakfast. And the two old ladies stayed behind, because they couldn’t be arsed with the arguments and ..read more

Continuing on with the theme of visiting equine professionals, today our farrier came to trim those that needed a trim. This is Pepper’s favourite day – she loves it when the farrier visits.  Obviously, he adores here and then there is the supply of endless hooves to eat as well as getting in the way.  The perfect combination. Haakon was dismissed as being fine, but Iacs and Kolka were trimemd.   Then it was time for the little ones.  I had herded them all into a small paddock so I could easily catch and bring them out one at a time. Albie was done. One scruffy Newt next ..read more

This afternoon found us back in the recording studio for Part the Two of our stab at making a cd for Mandy’s Dad (because he wanted to hear us – I am reluctant to say “Oh, the fool”, but honestly “why, just why?”) Of course, Monster was hugely involved but unceremoniously picked up and carried outside again. We did plead with our record producer to let him stay but it was not to be. This was our half time break and all the animals piled onto Mandy. And so, after playing and recording all afternoon, I went outside for a breath of fresh air and also fed the ducks and chickens their tea. The ..read more

Today was our visiting equine dentist’s day (it’s all go here, I can tell you). Stuart was mostly here to see Vitamin because of her no-eating misery scare a few months’ back and I added Fivla onto the list as well, just because it could do no harm. As I had Fivla’s rope in my hands, when Stuart arrived, he saw her first.  I don’t think he did anything and said her teeth weren’t bad for her age (28yo). Then it was Vitamin’s turn and again, he did very little saying he could find no evidence of infection/toothrot or anything that would’ve made her stop eating.  So that episode will ..read more

While we have a general veterinary practice on the islands, I was thrilled to hear that an equine vet from Ardene House Vet Practice was coming up to Shetland.  These are the folk who operated on Iacs’ penile squamous cell carcinomas last year, so I booked a visit. Iacs started with a thorough examination and then light let-down sedation. Pepper was official Moral Support Officer. And Iacs “let down” allowing the vet to see what was going on. She washed everything thoroughly and found, while there were no more obvious growths around inside, there was one small one on the tip. For that ..read more

There is nothing worse than a tyre on a trailer that goes backwards fine but won’t go forwards. We tried everything. OH hit it with a hammer, jacked up the horsebox, took the wheel off, more hitting with a hammer, greased bits, put the wheel back, and yay, it worked briefly forwards and then jammed again.  It does reverse ok, though.  Most odd. Anywho, a mechanic friend is popping by tomorrow and we’ll see if he can hit the wheel more correctly with his hammer.  Failing that, to the garage with three wheels on my wagon. After messing around for too long with the trailer, with ..read more

I thought this blog should be about Ted, just in case you’re wondering if he’s vanished. He’s fine, thank you for asking. Ted’s days are spent trying to be “a proper dog”. He goes out in the morning with us to feed all the animals and is a good boy, staying within the boundaries doing his own thing.  Occasionally, he will shut himself in a shed and then say nothing when anyone goes to look for him, but that is pretty rare. Pepper is of course his best friend, Nemesis and leader into all things terrible.  As she doesn’t suffer from any anxiety at all, she doesn’t tolerate it in Ted ..read more

There had been a request from my flute duet partner, Mandy, that we record a few flute pieces together for her father, who wanted to hear us play. Now, we first thought we could just do it on our phones but then, as there is a recording studio in the house, plus a pretty expert sound engineer/record producer, it seemed silly not to put it all to use. And then there are the fans to think of….. Monster under the piano. Ted, who whinged incessantly.  He was quickly banished. And Pepper, who annoyed intermittently. Once we started, Monster left his bed to give us his judgement. You can p ..read more