Animals
- Moving Day
It was a big weekend for Gracie and the twins, as well as Ginger and MaryAnn. Gracie and the girls spent their first day in their new enclosure...as neighbors to the pigs. With dogs safely and temporarily stowed behind the garden fence...I worried that...
- A Tale Of Two Piggies
So sorry....we were late today!!! It's Thursday already, and for the life of me...I don't know how this week has slipped by so quickly! How about some more answers to your wonderful questions.I cannot tell you how helpful those questions were...
- The Donkeys Have Their Wooly Bangs Again!
There is absolutely nothing new happening on the farm.Nadda.And that's just how we like it this time of year! We've been hit with a wintry blast of weather.Early morning chores are done in 20+ degrees.Yesterday morning brought a light dusting...
- Sammy Tries Again
It was afternoon feeding time and Sam was ready to play. "Come on, Sally...don't you want to play with me?" "Go away, Sam...can't you see I'm eating," replied Sally. "Hi Mom, no one wants to play. I'm thirsty, anyway." "Can't...
- Playtime And An Announcement
Today's post is short on words,and long on pictures.The past two days have been warm (50 degrees)and so the snow is melting quickly. Weather like this means outdoor playtime.And when we play outside, the species always mingle...giving me the best...
Animals
Dog Play, Pig Play
The sun rose yesterday morning with the promise of another
Spring-like day.
Blue sky, bright light, birds singing in the tree tops...
the only thing snapping me quickly back into reality was the crunch of frozen snow beneath
my cleated muck boots.
I wasn't the only one out enjoying the early morning light.
Ginger and MaryAnn had also ventured out...
tired of spending countless hours in their stall.
You see, pigs have little feet that make them look like their walking on stilettos.
They walk on their tippy toes, with part of their hoof supporting the back of their foot,
like a high heel.
Hooves like this are not optimal for ice and snow-walking...
and so they spend most of their time indoors once the good earth has
disappeared underneath the white stuff.
With thousands of hours of observation behind me,
I have come to the conclusion that our pigs are perhaps the most intelligent of all our animals.
They are certainly the most social!
They will spend as much time as possible interacting with their human and animal visitors.
And when there is any sort of activity happening on the farm, they are there
watching...taking mental notes and formulating ideas and opinions.
Don't ask me how I know.... I just know!
Yesterday they stood there transfixed watching as Sam and Annie did their typical dog-play.
You know the game.... each one growling and gnashing teeth at the other
as if they would tear each other apart.
But of course it is all canine play-acting.
These two adore each other.
Their play, though, is hard play, serious play, energy-expending, endless, all-out play!
And as they wrestled and tussled, the pigs just watched...
and watched...
When the play ended and the dogs left the pig yard,
I noticed that the pigs began a sort of dance...
each slowing chasing after the other's hind feet....
making circle after circle, grunts and squeals.
(you'll have to take my word for it....I got no pictures at that moment.)
To me, it seemed they were imitating the dogs.
But, unlike dogs who always push the limits,
these two took it a little too far,
until one perceived she had been maligned....
and we had a quick pig spat
(a rare occurrence that happens only between these two and never directed towards any other being).
And as quick as it began, it ended.
The message had been received and understood.
Ginger and MaryAnn, though a little snarky with each other at times,
have never shown an aggressive nature towards any of their visitors.
They are kind and gentle... the sweetest girls ever!
But you know how sisters can be....
- Moving Day
It was a big weekend for Gracie and the twins, as well as Ginger and MaryAnn. Gracie and the girls spent their first day in their new enclosure...as neighbors to the pigs. With dogs safely and temporarily stowed behind the garden fence...I worried that...
- A Tale Of Two Piggies
So sorry....we were late today!!! It's Thursday already, and for the life of me...I don't know how this week has slipped by so quickly! How about some more answers to your wonderful questions.I cannot tell you how helpful those questions were...
- The Donkeys Have Their Wooly Bangs Again!
There is absolutely nothing new happening on the farm.Nadda.And that's just how we like it this time of year! We've been hit with a wintry blast of weather.Early morning chores are done in 20+ degrees.Yesterday morning brought a light dusting...
- Sammy Tries Again
It was afternoon feeding time and Sam was ready to play. "Come on, Sally...don't you want to play with me?" "Go away, Sam...can't you see I'm eating," replied Sally. "Hi Mom, no one wants to play. I'm thirsty, anyway." "Can't...
- Playtime And An Announcement
Today's post is short on words,and long on pictures.The past two days have been warm (50 degrees)and so the snow is melting quickly. Weather like this means outdoor playtime.And when we play outside, the species always mingle...giving me the best...