Yesterday the gentle mid summer Lull continued. All the calves ate their meals like good little calves. Little is a tiny maybe little bit better but at least holding his own. He still smells bad and the flies are at him the way they always pick on animals who are sickly.
I was watching him yesterday morning as he closed and opened his eyes, sleeping under a particularly tall weed. I was trying to work out why he has not decided whether or not to fight yet. He is so ambivalent about his life. His eyes do not see anything – they do not follow the movements of cats or respond to danger. He just wanders to a fro from his water then slides back to the ground and lays there for hours. He is eating, the antibiotics are clearing up the sounds in his lungs but still he has not engaged. The others calves are recovered for the most part and are playing and fighting each other for food and bashing me in the bum if I don’t watch out but here Little Bobby sits.
It occurred to me yesterday morning that he acts like an animal in shock. Deep shock. Baby animals are actually pretty resilient, tough. Physically anyway. But many animals and birds can die of shock. I suddenly had an image of him being pulled out of his mother, due to trauma probably, and set to the side while the farmers turned their attention to saving the mother, he was tiny and still, struggling already, then he was taken away and maybe a truck was leaving right then and off he went to the sale yards.
These animals live in the moment so if he decides to wink out then that is fair really. He is drinking now, and moving slowly about, his stool is firming, his lungs are settling but still he waits. He is not here yet.
Talking of waiting here are Tima and Tane.
They do this every evening at milking time. They are watching their show. Their own personal soap opera. There is a little barn door between their bedroom and the milking shed, it sits high so two little fat pigs, if they so choose- and they do, can peer under it to observe the milking. I took these pictures so fast that I forgot to change the settings on the camera for the light.
And here they are from the point of view of the milking shed. (I will take these again soon with the camera in order)
Sometimes they get a little rowdy and I have to narrow my eyes at them from under the cow and tell them sternly as I am milking to “Stop that noise immediately Timatanga Moana you fat thing or I will put you outside. And don’t think that does not include you Tane Mahuta you filthy little pig.”
And they do. They go quiet. For a minute. They would hate for someone to turn the Tele off!
I have to look in my diary and see how old these piglets are – we must be getting close to weaning.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love your friend on the farm
celi
P.S Did you see how Aunty Del is almost as tall as Lady Astor.
The Kitchen's Garden 
46 responses to “Pig television”
I was wondering if Little was dragged off so quickly to market that he doesn’t really know which way up life is. Perhaps in a few more days he’ll start to believe the reality of someone being kind to him and start fighting.
Those Kunekunes made me LOL. I bet they are trying to work out how to steal the milk. I’m sure they’d try to sneak in with Poppy’s babies if she’d let them 😉
if the flies are bothering Little , can’t you lay an old sheet over him to keep the flies away…like they do with horses
He has a blanket over him but he does move about and it is VERY HOT! c
a sheet that is thin…even net curtains
I was wondering if Little misses the other little Bobby’s? I suppose it is too early to know if those two Ladies are pregnant yet. Peaceful weekend to you. Laura
Oh Little, please come out of the woods, Naomi is waiting for her playmate, and living the farmy with Miss C and all the others is a good thing!. Poppy’s 5 little firecrackers are 5 weeks old today I believe. She is such a good mama!. Not sure when Aunty Del grew up, right in front of us. Love piggy television, probably chatting on how soon you will share the milk!
Poor Little! It’s sad to think of him in a sale barn. I have a horror of those places myself. I love to think of him in your side yard under the tree.
I love your affectionate piggy insults. It sounds like conversation in our family. Insults were reserved for those we loved, and strict politeness for strangers and those we did not care for… Whakahihi koe, Timatanga Moana!
St Blaise’s candle is burning and sending its silent supplication to heaven. Did I tell you it was a wonderful mulberry colour?
There is a Bach flower remedy for shock. Could Little try that? Love the two watching their “show”!
Yes Susan, it’s called Rescue Remedy and definitely works for situations like this. Brought my poor Kitty back after she went into deep mourning for our elderly Labrador… Totally amazing❤️
I’m so interested in your observations about animals and life and death and shock and will and being here and not being here. Somehow it all makes me feel better about dying. Maybe when it’s my time, I’ll just pick the right metaphorical weed and let my eyes wander where they need to vaguely be. And then, shhhh. Basta. Finito. Over. And it won’t be so bad at all.
An excellent philosophy, which I too shall adopt.
Please stay with us, Little – you’ve no idea the hundreds of folk who are willing you on to recover and enjoy your young life.
Piggy television: I reckon you could ake a fortune selling a Farmy Soap Opera to one of the TV channels. Every bit of every post would make great episodes.
Big John: put your feet up on your one day off, and don’t get inveigled into working!
Lots of love,
ViV xox
Little is definitely going between living and not. He has been so ill, do you think he knows he is a cow?
Best wishes for a calm day.
It’s sad that Little has to be alone because of his illness, because a friend might be just the thing to perk him up. I hope you have a happy day!
Boo is probably the nearest to a friend – Little probably thinks he is either a dog or a Celie!
I cannot risk him infecting another animal – already boo has had a few bouts of the scours from being with this wee bobby. He has a different illness from the others and must stay in quarantine. Imagine if he infected the pigs or naomi.. When he is completely well he will go back with his herd. But I cannot risk it.
and you are quite right. All are too precious to risk cross infections. The consequences could be catastrophic.
Already we have separate boots for each barn and pen and trays to wash them going in and out. Gloves. I sterilise everything but still it might get out.c
Would you consider giving Little one of the Bach flower remedies Star of Bethlehem it’s used for grief and loss
Those pigs! Such an adorable picture of the peep show. Still crossing fingers for Little.
I laughed right out loud at Tane and Tima. Great capture!
heh heh — Me too! That was a delightful episode of an episode
Yesssssss, can you possibly try music for Little? It is a remedy for many things and, as he can’t have a buddy too close till he recovers, the music may just be the ‘companion’ that will give him hope — poor baby.
I am so attracted to your descriptions of events with the animals. You do it so well.
Hope your day is a great one too! ~ Mame 🙂
He is surrounded in singing birds and singing crickets – the original music.
Perhaps a good rub down would help. Calves are licked by their mothers, he hasn’t had that. It helps stimulate their circulation and just like hugs for humans, it helps them feel better.
Yes i do that often, with all the calves, always have, naomi as well and they go very still.. it is so sweet. c
I hope he rallies. It’s got to be hard for the poor little things. Amazing what magic touch can work.
I wonder if Little is lonely for the other bobbies?
Little needs a buddy to nudge him and be comfy with him but I know that isn’t possible since he’s so sick…. would music in his space help him ? Prayers for Little all the way from Upper Northern California.
He is right next to the grape vines where I am working and can actually hear the msic from the kitchen but you are right about him being sick, I am living in terror of it reaching the pigs.. c