Horsing Around

I sat on the bench this morning, coffee in hand, soaking up the morning sun as I took in the sea views. It feels like we are basking on a Mediterranean island just now, the weather is gorgeous. It is in total contrast to the torrential rain we had at the weekend, and it is hard to imagine the gales and storms that battered our house during the winter months. I think that is one of the wonders of living in the Hebrides, it is quite common to experience all four seasons of weather in one day sometimes. Last night as I looked out across to the Paps of Jura, there was a layer of sea mist encircling the lower levels of the hills, it looked quite magical.

Dribbles, one of our pet lambs is very ill just now, I don’t know whether he is going to survive. He has got a very bloated and gassy tummy and wouldn’t take his milk last night. The children are quite devastated, now if you are familiar with my previous blogs you will be well aware that we have had to nag those children to feed the lambs. I have often been left balancing three bottles, one clutched between my knees as I juggle to feed three hungry lambs alone, because they are all too busy at other things. Of course the first sign of tragedy though and their love for their pets is renewed once again. Suddenly they are very concerned and I fear we will be going through the whole grieving process soon, unless of course poor Dribbles, who has already cost the happy farmer a tidy sum in powdered lambs’ milk and cake, makes a dramatic recovery!

My eldest daughter has fallen head over heels in love too, but no need to panic, she hasn’t brought home a long haired spotty teenager….. Yet, no her love is for Hansel, her horse. She even caught the early bus home the other night, skiving her band practice, feigning to have forgotten her saxophone, so she could get home to go for a ride. I was not too impressed, but then as I watched her tenderly grooming and fussing over Hansel I did forgive her. What a carry on though. My cod liver oil capsules are disappearing from the cupboard, good for the horses coat don’t you know. My sponge from the kitchen sink went AWOL, he needed to be sponged down after the ride. Apples and carrots are getting chopped up, polo mints disappearing from my handbag; he even got treated to a slice of my birthday clootie dumpling last night. With his hooves all oiled and his coat well brushed she saddled up and took off at a rate of knots through the fields. At this point I tend to hide my eyes, but you can’t escape the thundering noise of hooves on dry ground as the two of them fly across the field.

Until next time…