Sulky pig
Lots of farmy pictures today.
Tane was pleased I was home. One piece of sorry business. Tima was her usual chubby happy self though she had had another miscarriage sometime during the night I arrived home. Only one baby, barely formed, as big as half my thumb. But I would not have known if I had not seen the evidence in her bed later in the morning. She was busy and loud and hungry – even arrived up on the verandah for her carrots – just her usual self. I am beginning to think that this couple will not be having piglets of their own. Now it is warmer I can separate them for a while to give her a break from it all. Poor wee doll.
But there you are, sometimes our plans do not work out the way we want. This is just life. I will take a leaf out of Tima’s book and just roll with it. Though I will try to keep her from getting pregnant again for a while. Although they are not paying their way they will live out their lives on the farm. I cannot bear to sell either of them and start again – I will let the plan of raising and selling kunekune go. These two are such loving well trained creatures and they don’t take up too much room so they have pet status.
Talking of pets – Sheila sulked for much of the morning yesterday,
.. until just before lunch then she decided that sulking can get a bit boring and with much sighing she thought maybe she would forgive me my absence and so hauled herself up and lumbered over to where I was working and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked – non stop. I have never had such a long talk with her. All I had to say was “really?” and “oh no,” and “oh, darling”, or “hmm mm.” The twin piggies came in and went back out being unusually quiet and a bit sheepish. And Sheila talked some more. I have a feeling Sheila was telling me tales of much naughtiness.
The two Old Maids had no such problems – the moment the turkeys saw me they ran at speed across the quad, rowing at the air with their outstretched wings,big clod hopping feet tearing across the grass, rushing towards me jostling to take up their customary position, third and fourth in line behind me after the dogs and before the cats, ducking to avoid Geraldine who literally took flight and flew straight at my head. That peahen can fly but her aim is terrible.
Naomi literally bawled at me all day.
Demanding scratches and attention.
I am sure I saw Lady Astor’s baby move today. She was very affectionate with me too. I brushed her until my arms ached and she just stood enjoying it. She is a different cow when she is pregnant.
I would like to think Naomi missed me but actually I think she is coming into heat so I have marked this date on her calendar. She is a darling little heifer.
Alex the little Dexter was happy on the inside.
Aunty Del and Carlos IV (also known as Carlos the Tiny) stood and stared. She looks bigger but he looks smaller. If she is pregnant she is not due until July, so that is not a pregnant belly you are seeing it is a belly full of hay.
Poppy the Hereford sow was definitely happy to see me. During my absence she has shown no signs of coming back into heat so Manu may have bred her at last.
Hugo’s chickens who live in the West barn have started to lay – I have found three full nests of eggs so far. Probably about thirty eggs. As I have no way of determining the age of the eggs, though they were not there when I left for Australia, I have boiled them all and today I will mash them up with apple cider vinegar and feed them to the big flock of layers and the pigs. The big flock will get a jar of crushed dried chillis too, they are being slow to start laying well. The chilli flakes sometimes get them going (orange yolks too). Ch0oks have no taste buds so the chilli dose not make them cry and race for a glass of milk.
Good morning. Yesterday I pottered about yawning, cleaning out waters, packing up the water heaters, putting down more bedding, hauling hay and straw from one barn to the other and generally tidying. BooBoo was glued to my side the entire time and Ton who has been staying with John’s mother while I was away, launched himself about the farm at speed. He is an animal dog. TonTon is a determined herder and it is easy for him to get into bad habits if he is on the farm without me to manage him. Border Collies are hard to break of bad habits so it is best he does not make them in the first place. So off to town he goes when I am away. He has put on some weight during his holiday in town, it is good for him.
Boo stayed with John and Jake.
There now.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
51 Comments on “Sulky pig”
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Sp nice to see the overview, sorry about the wee babe but glad the rest are good
Poor Tima! I’m sure Sheila is telling you how much she needs to accompany you next time.
Those turkeys are starting to look big 😉
So sorry about Tima and Tane. That’s a lot of work dealing with jetlag and time zone changes. So good to be back on the farmy again 🙂 Laura
Just spotted ‘this way up’ luminous arrows on Mr Flowers tail, who knew 🙂 Laura
The animals look fab. Welcome home from your adventures. Tomorrow, you should tell Sheila all about your trip. I’m sure she will listen raptly just as you did to her.
waiting for the farmy climbing wall…
A lovely crop of photos this morning, and thank you for catching us up on the farmy.
Everyone is so thrilled you are back but so happy you got to go on your adventure. Thanks for all the lovely pics today.
I have to say, I really missed all the animals! Glad you are home 🙂
Glad you are back safe and sound. Sounds like you had quite a welcoming committee! Poor little Tima what will be will be I suppose. I am in Barbados at the mo, sun and warmth yea! 😀 so I will have just one sulky dog to put up with when I get home, not that she’s anywhere nasty, she’s at my daughters. Have a great day ☺️
It’s nice to be so loved by so many, I’m sure. Getting back into a routine always feels good . Wonderful photos and so sorry to hear about the miscarriage . 😥
Thank you for the update! It is wonderful to see everyone again. I have missed Sheila, and I can imagine she was tattling on the naughty girls. I am sorry for Tima’s miscarriage. Do pigs get brucellosis? Can you have her tested for it if they do? It causes spontaneous miscarriage.
Yes, pigs can get brucellosis. It would be an idea to have them all tested, maybe the cows too. I know it’s an expense, but in the long run it would be better to be sure.
The tissue was already too old to be tested. The only effective treatment for brucellosis in pigs is slaughter (usually of the whole herd) so lets hope this is not the problem. They are looking into it but would have to draw blood from the whole herd. c
I would want to have the blood tested if I could, I certainly wouldn’t want to have to go as far as slaughter. I suspect it’s something else, maybe a genetic thing or Tima just isn’t a breeder. You’ve had healthy piglets and calves which would indicate that it’s something other than brucellosis. It could even have been something Tima ate while you were gone or that is around that she ate the last time too. I know how careful you are with your creatures so I know you’re thinking about the whole business. Keeping the farmy and every one there in my prayers.
They must all be so pleased to have you home.
So good to see the gang on the farmy again! All seems well! I suppose piglets are just not meant to be for Tima and Tane, but they sure are an adorable pair, and are great pets! I’m thinking that Poppy and the twin piggies will provide lots of piglets for the farmy. Isn’t it exciting to put away some of the ‘winter gear’ we’ve used for the past months?! I can’t even believe that Spring just might be here!!! xo
I know this sounds mean to your family, but I’m so glad you’re back on the Farmy: all those lovely pictures of the flerd have been greatly missed. I’ve pinched one pic for a poem – later.
Glad to have you back:)
Wonderful photos today, and loads of them too — thank you!
The eggs, I was wondering if those chickens might be laying up in the rafters and that’s maybe why you don’t find them?
That is sad about Tima, although she doesn’t seem to even know it happened so I guess that’s the good part. And it does sound as though Molly and Tahiti do have some wrongdoings to atone for; keep a low profile for a bit, that was always my MO…. lol
And sounds like everyone else is just as happy to see you again as they are to see the milder weather! Lovely post. You have a lovely day too! ~ Mame 🙂
So good to see all those faces again, and glad that Sheila has forgiven you.
Seeing pictures of the farmy always makes me smile. Seeing Naomi and Astor makes my smile even wider since I have a Naomi Aster. Of course she only has two legs 🙂
Oh such a beautiful look around. Thank you. Everyone looks normal and happy and healthy. That much be a huge relief to you Celi. Welcome back home suntanned girl. 😀
Welcome back Miss C. I’m glad that all seems considerably well.
Nice to have you back fully charged. It sounds like you had a good break. Tane has a good attitude and I really like Alex”happy on the inside”. Welcome home.
What a massive update!! But of course we all needed to catch up on that, and tomorrow you can start fresh with the daily news. I love updates that catapult us to the moment at hand – we can move forth now. I imagine your day was long and oh the conversations you must have had… are you worn out? Ha ha!!
Great photos! Glad you had a wonderful trip! Sorry to hear about your little piggies’ loss. : ( I just put my boar and gilt together last week. They will stay together until I can guess that she is pregnant. I’m nervous now that it may never happen but time will tell! Thanks for your stories and giving me the confidence to add a boar to my farm and try this whole breeding thing out!
Oh it feels so good to be back at the farm! I was lonesome for everybody. I’m so sorry about little TIma. Disappointing there may not be tiny Tima’s and Tane’s zipping about the farmy, but they are so darling themselves it doesn’t matter so much. Very funny about Sheila the Gossip.
And I’m especially happy for Boo and Ton.
I’m sad that Tima will not be producing a string of Tiny Timas and Tanes for us to enjoy, but what will be, will be. What a lovely roundup of all the Farmy news, gossip (thank you, Sheila) and personnel reports. I think the dogs must be delirious to have you back, very nearly as much as the rest of us. The Farmy is back on an even keel again. Now you just have to get your jetlag sorted and all will be well…
So happy to have you back.
Welcome home! I hope your day is just wonderful!
Linda
It sounds as though you are happy to be home.
It’s just so heartwarming how attached your animals are to you. They’re aware how good you are to them and return your kindness with love. As you so well know, spending quality time with them really pays off in the end ’cause they ‘let you in’!!
Really enjoyed reading about your fabulous holiday and equally enjoying all the new news at the ‘farmy’!! ; o )
Great that everyone is happy! All looks and all look so well – Farmy reunited!
So nice to see everyone and to read your very entertaining narrative. xx
So happy that Tane and Tima will remain on the farmy- too bad about no babes. Welcome home!
What a wonderful (and noisy!) welcome home for you! It’s got to feel good to know they all missed you. Even if Geraldine barely missed you!
Your critters are soo beautiful! Thank you for sharing their pics! Welcome home (what a great thing to see when you come home!)
Poor Tima, though I do like how she deals with disappointment – ‘Life happens… or does not in this case, so get up, show up and get on with it’! I did enjoy tagging along with you on your travels, but is great to be back at the farmy and see everyone again. I hope the jet-lag settles quickly, celi.
“Get up. Show up”. I like that.
So happy you are home again jiggedy jig and am THRILLED at the animals’ reception of you, you lovingly lucky duck, you exclamation mark. Much love, Gayle
‘There Mom, you are NOT allowed to go away or we’ll sulk and growl and scream and be difficult in every possible way so that you do not ever, and we mean ever, go away again!’ Hope you had a microphone near Sheila’s tales to put down in the ‘Farmy Book’ to be printed once upon a time . . . She is likely to be your best source of what REALLY goes on when you are not looking !!! [sorry about the kunekune misadventure: you tried!]
Isn’t it GOOD to be home! 🙂
Aye.. c
What a heart-warming homecoming!
Had to laugh at it all. ” rowing at the air with their outstretched wings,big clod hopping feet tearing across the grass, rushing towards me jostling to take up their customary position, third and fourth in line behind me after the dogs and before the cats, ” You describe things so well and catch all the characters being characters.
Nice to me so missed and so welcomed home.
Many smiles to you!
Sheila wasn’t about to let your absence go without letting you know that it wasn’t at all appreciated. She’s a smart pig, however, and knows it isn’t in her best interests to harbor a grudge agains the “hand that feeds” her. Max acted much the same wa when I came home from Italy in ’14 and retrieved him from the kennel. I expect another cold shoulder this time around, too. Good to have you back home, Celi. 🙂
Hey Celi .. Bet it’s good being home. I read somewhere that chillies don’t effect birds .. But I didn’t realise it was their taste buds. I think they either have a great sense of smell or their eyesight is amazing .. As they know very quickly what they will and won’t eat! Hugs
Throw a jar full to your chooks – the yolks are amazing!
Really … gulp! LOL
It’s good to see all the farmy faces again! I know they missed you. I wonder if they have a small storage locker in their brains to keep thoughts of you.