It is funny how when we are focused on a big event, like the birth of the lambs, this event becomes very clear in your head and everything else goes really fuzzy. Now all of a sudden it is Friday morning.
Two piglets are being delivered this evening. We are raising these two with a few neighbours who do not have barns. And I have spent the last two days feeding and playing with lambs. And not enough time getting ready for the next arrivals. 
You will remember that we are working towards an old fashioned farm similar to the farm that was on this property eighty years ago. The poster in this page I wrote last July (when this blog first opened), illustrates our objectives. It lists the stock sold from this farm when John’s Great Grandfather became too ill to manage his property. The pigs who are arriving tonight are next on Bert’s list. We will never be as big as John’s family were. Too many useful buildings are gone. Too much gear has been scrapped. Too much of the land is in corn and beans now. And we are a much smaller family now. There not as many mouths to feed now. So we are working to live a tighter more modern interpretation of that old life. A level that can be easily sustained by the land we are living on. A simple hardworking life. 
Bert the Great Grandfather, did not have one of these mowers! Yesterday I spent almost the whole morning on my flaming chariot. Mowing the lawn. Evidently the flames that John painted on it makes it go faster. I would hate to see it go slowly then! 
But we got the job done. Today TonTon and I are off to see the Old Codger and the other old folks, (the sheep sitter is going to pop in on the new flock). In the afternoon as well as those other chores, I will be planting. 
Ok, one more lambie shot.. but this is the last one.. well the last lamb shot for today anyway. We have to get busy! No leaning on the fence staring at babies all day! Well maybe only a little. 
Good morning. Once again we had a good night. The lambs are all feeding well now. We are all getting used to our new routine. As I write this morning, there is a shower of rain falling gently. Beautiful. Such a lovely sound. Every little drop is welcome at the moment.
Have a wonderful day. We will have a wonderfully busy one! Oops I just remembered I left the mower out last night. Maybe that is why it rained!
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Back to work – Piglets are coming tonight!”
They look so well and happy! And I love your Wheels of Fire…hope all goes well with the piglets this evening. My, so much is happening this week 🙂
I know tanya, if mama had been a good girl and had her lambs at the proper time my plan would have worked out a lot smoother.. i had all the arrivals staggered, ah well.. blest laid plans and all! c
An explosion of baby animals! Lambs and piglets and calves – oh my! What’s next? Don’t get a speeding ticket on that mower. t
Morning Miss T! c
Oh pigs – love pigs! See my pig posts – good luck!
i will hop over and see those pig posts! Might give me some ideas.. c
My pigs were named Mathilda and Vegemite – they were fantastic, but they dug the whole farm almost into a crater (exaggeration!) They now live on a proper pig farm and have had babies. I really miss them but the garden is back!
Well these two will not be allowed in the garden unless we have a break out which I expect at least once!! c
I don’t know how you could not spend all day staring at the lambs! I love the photo of the mama and her babies. So sweet!
morning Kate, your site has an interesting name i must pop over and see what you are up to!
About the mower, a couple of GT stripes on the bonnet may well increase the speed 🙂 Daisy appears to be growing as we look at her. I definately think this is TonTons best disguise yet!!
Ah there is method in his madness after all!c
How long will you have to hand-feed Meadow, Celi? When do lambs get weaned? Good luck with the piglets.
I will hand feed Minty at least 6 weeks. Meadow thankfully has been accepted by her mother and is well on her way! Morning Sharyn! are you still getting rain, or did you send me this bit?.. c
Must have sent it to you, Celi — it was warm and bright here yesterday: I wore a sleeveless dress for the first time in I don’t know when.
Well I am glad you are nice and warm and we are having a lovely drop of rain! morning sharyn! c
Another real treat of a post. But where is Tonton? Has he abandoned Mama now she has other things to think about?
poor old tonton tries to get close but mama becomes very agitated and goes over and shoves him until he moves away, so he is not allowed to visit for the meantime,she is being very protective.. c
Poor Tonton – but I’m glad she’s being protective.
That is the coolest mower I have ever seen!
It moves a bit like a turtle too! c
Always a little time for leaning and watching lambies! (My gear head husband approves the flame job on the mower…wants to know if you are going to start entering the mower races? …and he says that definitely caused the rain.) Small farms using heritage methods and stocks are probably the healthiest for man and beast. So glad you guys are managing. It is not an easy life, but there are rewards. (and you always have supporting energy from here! – my dad’s family were farmers)
Piggies, yay, can’t wait to meet the new members of the family.
Would you look at that mower – very smart! Seems like a fun idea to us but must be quite a bore for you.
I love the shot of the lambs, just too adorable for words – reckon that shot should be held aside for the next set of postcards.
Have a happy full day.
🙂 Mandy
Hold on a sec, when I first opened this post there was only the two shots – the mower and the last one of the lambs – now I see there are lots more – so just to clarify, I reckon you should use the last pic of them in the barn for your postcards. 🙂
That did cross my mind Mandy, i shall put the original in the postcard file. If we both think the same thing we might be onto something… have a great evening.. c
Have a beautiful day!
Morning Jess! c
There can never be too much leaning on the fence staring at babies. That first photo of three-in-a-row is absolutely precious, one for the baby books.
Morning Audrey, they do look cute strung out like that don’t they, and already this morning they are looking a bit fuller and bigger! They grow fast! c
This reminds me so much of my grandparents. They didn’t have any animals on a farm, but they live in the country with a beautiful garden (growing their own food) and like you say, live a hard-working simple life. And that reminds me that I owe them a visit. 🙂 Now I’m going to stare at the little lambs before I get to work. 😉
It is a good life, fraught at times as far as keeping animals alive, but it feels so connected some how.. c