So yesterday on my rounds I took the piggies out into pats paddock to have a munch on the grass. They love good long grass and there was a little out there.
Then with no warning, Charlotte, aka Miss Naughty, went for a walk outside the fences. I had opened the gate to fix the latch, she was behind me and out that gap before I knew it. Everyone was shocked. 
If you do not recognise that eye, it is Hairy MacLairy, he has to stand close to the camera every single time. Sheila ran up and down the fence line screeching how come she gets to go out. I never get to go out. She gets everything. I hate her, -raising her voice, – I hate you Charlotte, you are ruining my life. 
Charlotte was on an accelerated taste tour. Around she ran, with Ton and I in hot pursuit. When she left the field she ran straight for the ditch and as she began to totter down the bank I shouted (puffily as I caught up), that she was a VERY NAUGHTY PIG and if she went down to the creek I would get quite cranky. And she did the strangest thing. She stopped, turned her head to try and see me, but her double chins got in the way, and then reversed back up the bank. Walked backwards all the way.
Then galloped back into the field again. Shocking behaviour. Queenie was shocked too, but on the inside. 
Then Charlotte the ungrateful pig trotted back to the gate and was let back in. 
Once she got back to her own wee paddock she threw herself face down and lay quietly for quite some time. Sheila continued the tour of the animals with me, all huffily and vocally, leaving Charlotte behind to recuperate.
The Daily View. 
Temps are about the same.
Good morning. We are a bit worried about Daisy as her milk production is steadily dropping over the last week or so. I am only getting a gallon, each milking, now. Even less last night. There is no fields of grass left but she is eating piles of very good alfalfa hay. Plus beet-shreds, and alfalfa cubes, soaked in water and molasses and oats at every milking. She should milk well for months yet. What am I going to do if she dries herself up?
I will see what she does this morning then consult with the breeder.
It would be one less worry while I am away but if everything goes to plan, which does not always happen, I hoped she would calve and milk again in the spring of 2014. This is an awfully long time to go without good milk. I shall begin to seriously look for a little Jersey cow for this spring. Or, maybe, she will get used to her dry feed and start giving more milk again.
Ah well. Thats OK. We will work it out. At least if she is not milking I can cut down on her feed a bit and the hay supply will last a wee bit longer.
Have a lovely day.
celi
Oh and look what I found.. a piece of writing from last November that we should not ignore, because it is right. This little essay explains some of why we live like we do.
The Kitchen's Garden 
40 responses to “Charlotte makes a run for it – ungrateful pig.”
Pretty kitty. I’d like to invite him for a sleepover with Bandit 🙂
Silly Charlotte! Loving the close up on Hairy McLairy…what lovely eyes he has!
Good morning! You gave me a good giggle this morning. Love Hairy’s eye. The kitty is perched in the tree just like many pictures of Cougars we see in Washington state. 🙂
And this little piggy went,
weee weeee weeee all the way home
I adore Charlotte!
I suppose I shouldn´t have laughed – but I did! Let´s hope it was just a naightly moment. Daisy is a bit of a worry now…
Love the comparison of the shape of Hairy’s pupil and the Cats’. Charlotte’s leg is better then? 🙂 Did Daisy hear you discussing getting another milk Cow perhaps? Laura
That Charlotte is naughty, Miss C. (You are probably in love with her, having an inner Naughty Girl yourself, biter of strange men on planes). Nice dialog for Sheila.
All that naughtiness with a gamey leg? Sounds like she’s feeling much better, indeed! But, wow…what a way to flaunt your misbehavior! (I have to love her though. We have the same name? Do you think maybe all Charlottes are the same?)
I wish I could give you some advice about Daisy’s milk.. but I have none, no cows wander in this home, no straying pigs, except in my imagination now, thanks to your fun post:) xx
Charlotte is clearly giving you a run for your money C. Naturally you can guess my favourite shot is of kitty in the tree!
You have to be on your toes all the time with the farmy and what must happen when and how and for how long and then when things don’t go as planned to have another few variable lined up – I do hope that you can get all the milk that you need right up to when you need it from our dear Daisy.
Have a super weekend.
🙂 Mandy
I think you are proving the lack of truth in”oh it’s just a farm animal”
The personalities of these creatures, who interact with you on a daily basis, speak volumes. You share their stories well.
Your post a year ago was real food for thought (no pun intended) We eat few processed foods but my daughter will bring home a box of honey nut Cheerios and I think in my head horror and that’s not a fight I choose.
There has been a recent thrashing of these documentaries. They are very scary but I think a wake up call to a lot of Americans who just have no idea. And they are necessary.
I think it’s hard when we feel there is a need to justify the time spent on growing one’s own food when it’s not necessarily a money making venture. It’s having to look at the value, worth and return in a much deeper
sense.
Children (aka Charlotte) are not always obedient. Seems she was acting out a bit.
I think she was simply indicating that pigs DO have minds of their own, after all. And she thinks, with all the politic talk, that she also has free speech and free choice.
Lol, I had this Dr Doolittle moment reading about your piggy escapade. There was Charlotte running in circles thru the muddy field, there was you running around bent over hands wide trying to corral her in, there was Sheila squealing, Daisy mooing, the peacocks shrieking, TonTon barking. And it all ended up with you slipping sideways, into the mud and Charlotte slowly trotting back where she belongs with her little curly tail held high, sniggering to herself. I know, what am I like? 🙂