It was Sunday yesterday.
A busily quiet day – Sunday is a set up day really. As we set up for the week.
Manu the Hereford Boar. Isn’t he a lovely boy – he is growing into his eyes. And still friendly and well mannered.
Tima is definitely not having piglets in Five days. Tane just never made it. Tane still sits more often, his leg slightly splayed out to the side. He still has trouble with that hip. He does not limp anymore but he certainly puts his feet up more than not. What I do not understand is this – Tane and Tima are on the same diet (pasture) yet she is a right fattie and he is lean and well, not mean but definitely lean. Maybe she is too fat. But I cannot slim her down. There is nothing to take away when all she eats is grass.
Beautiful Sheila. She is not fat. She is so lovely. I said to John last night, I could sleep with that pig. Well, he said, you’d be doing that on your own. I thought about this for a while as Sheila and I were taking our afternoon rest together. She grunt and shifts slightly so I can lean closer to her. I thought to myself that I could probably fall asleep next to Sheila but it would be Hop and Pop Poppy that would be the worry. She would want to play. She would come in out of the fields, find Sheila and I fast asleep and play tricks on us, like snorting in our ears or giving our toes little nips or playing the sandwich game with me in the middle!!. I know she would!
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
38 responses to “Pigs and Birds”
Have a wonderful week ahead C.
🙂 Mandy xo
Seeing them side by side, you can certainly see that Tima’s a Big Girl – that tummy’s practically brushing the daisies. I can see that you can’t reduce her diet, but can you increase the exercise? Can she come for a walk with you, is she sufficiently obedient to come when you call? And failing Tane’s hip getting better, can he become a donor? Presumably there’s nothing wrong with the equipment…
You made me laugh, Kate. So nice thoughts and expression…
You will remember what Tima does when she get out of her gate at the moment? – head for the fields and 100’s of acres of maize – so until they clear the field she is on Lock UP! But she does have a big field, so she has plenty of space to move around in. c
So maybe there is yet a tiny little bit of pregnancy? On the other hand I sometimes think that they’re maybe brothers and sisters – so no-no to babies? Or do animals play by different rules?
animals know nothing of such niceties! but no they are not brother and sister or they would NOT be in the same field. c
Looking forward to next spring’s progeny from Manu and Poppy. Like katechiconi suggests maybe exercise will be the best bet for Tima, I assume you can’t feel movement like you did for Poppy? We are sweltering here today – 34*C. Laura
Also curious why Tima hasn’t come into heat again – if she isn’t pregnant? Laura
It is impossible to tell when Tima IS in heat. c
When our Welsh pony got to fat, on nothing but grass, we had to shut her indoors with an empty manger for an hour or two each day. Would that make Tima miserable?
Have a good week.
love,
ViV
Too. Grrr!
Tima would be quite happy – she would just lie down and sleep but what IF she is pregnant and due in maybe three weeks – on the off chance, it might be a bad idea to put her on a Slimming Diet! c
Grass can’t do her much harm. You can put her on a diet when all hope is gone. If she’s fatter than Tane, could it be a lot of little pigglies suggled up inside?
Maybe but her next date is in just over three weeks so maybe then.. c c
The boys can always eat what they want and not gain weight. I could be grass fed and I’d still gain pounds : )
I think Tima may be with babies – but we don’t have the correct date. I’m thinking we ‘missed’ seeing the ‘luv’…. November…… I’m saying November.
heh heh You are hilarious… speaking to us about the possibility of snoozing with Sheila, and seemingly only discarding the idea once the subject of Poppy playing sandwich is raised…. LOL
I am wondering why you feel so certain about Tima not giving birth when her tummy is so huge and even so much bigger than Tane’s… who lives under the exact conditions that Tima does. You don’t think that extra weight is somehow hiding babies?
Manu is a fine looking beast, for sure. It will be interesting to see if he maintains his good manners when one of ‘his’ girls comes into heat.
Oh, and I think I am seeing those wind turbines for the first time. I don’t recall noticing them ever before… are they a recent addition to your background? Or have I simply been too entranced by foregrounds to look deep into the background?
Hope you have a lovely day too! ~ Mame 🙂
How beautiful. My friend, I would gladly let you sleep in my toddler bed with me. Mommy sometimes lays with me at night when I have bad dreams. 🙂 XOXO – Bacon
I understand the desire to lay next to Sheila. Deer do not cuddle or sleep together, instead they bed down a few feet from each other, facing different directions to catch scent and watch for predators or danger. I often laid on an old cushion near Daisy deer when she was little. One time FD took photos of me fast asleep in the afternoon shade (I was so tired back then) with Daisy bedded down a few feet from me, keeping watch over her mama. Those are some of my favorite photographs. Every once in a while when Daisy is bedded down in the evening, I take a blanket out and either sit or lay near her. One night after a storm, I sat with her for an hour in the dark watching distant lightning. Those are the best times… just being together, in silence.
Oh yes, that sounds just glorious.. watching the night with your wild friend – lucky for me pigs love to cuddle up.. c
Isn’t that true of men and women? We can eat the same thing and the women will get fat and the men look starved. It’s just not fair. :))
Not in my household though here it is the opposite! c
Ah, but you work like a man. 🙂
I’m enjoying visiting you at your farm. Who knew there were Hereford pigs. Certainly a handsome fellow. Such gentle companionship with an animal friend is a treasure I hope you and your reading community have an enjoyable day.
and you – we all hope you have an enjoyable day too
Laughing at John’s comment. It’s good to hear from him.
Manu impresses me as always…
I’m sure that Manu is absolutely delighted to have gone on permanent holiday to the farmy 🙂
There’s something uncanny about Mr. Manu, like he’s saying, “heh,heh.” he IS a lovely boy. I think it’s his coloring, the subtle brown about his mouth, besides his eyes.
As Minnesota Roots said, it’s good to hear from John. But I’m with you: I’d choose animals over people any day.