Letter from Pat
Today we are back on the road to take Pat to the train. As well as her calm support, Pat has helped us enormously, firstly being the farmers wife and secondly being the Piglet Mother while I do chores in the morning and afternoons so Lurch will miss her too.
Yesterday was a day with only a little rain, a lot of heat and lots of good work. The rescue piglets were let out into the barn corridor and this alleviated their cabin fever bickering immediately as they pushed their noses through the planks to sniff at the big group of Molly’s mob who sniffed right back. All are growing faster than I can keep up with.
Lurch is having a growth spurt too and, as well as being unfillable, walked yesterday evening for an even longer time than usual plus (and this is interesting) she has started to get loud and a little bossy! Her leg (or maybe her hip or back we are not sure) still stops her from getting up once she falls and she always falls onto her right side, but she is definitely falling less which is my goal. And the last two nights I have stolen six hours sleep and none of the piglets is any worse for wear. They are almost three weeks old and fattening up – so we can go longer without milk now.
For the record Lurch has never peed inside. She waits until she is carried out to the grass then pees immediately. But she is still being carried – this is the problem.
Molly and Tahiti decided to break into Sheila’s field yesterday (I am not worried as they picked a temporary very weakly constructed fence to go under.) But Sheila smiled her big wide smile and rushed past them into their field and when I could not find her at dinner time I went to Molly and Tahiti’s little tin hut and found Sheila firmly esconced and not giving up her space – so I put her feed in there. Molly and Tahiti have been sent to the root cellar to sleep! She is a clever pig.
Some insect has eaten all the leaves off our autumn seedlings – I suspect the huge grasshoppers. Nick tells me that my grasshoppers are so big I could make a mint selling them because they are actually serving grasshoppers in some New York restaurants. I asked him what they taste like . “Grass”, he said “I suppose that is not surprising.” he added.
Terrible to lose a months growing though and you cannot buy seedlings anywhere here – they stopped selling seeds or fresh plants months ago. I have never understood that. No-one is meant to plant past June apparently. But I will check and see if any punnets of plants have held on through the summer for me. I will plant the little stalks and cover them and hope for the best then resow but it is getting late.
Here is Pat’s letter. See you tomorrow.
Thank you Pat.
Dear Fellowship,
It’s the end of another perfect visit filled with chicken feeding, egg collecting, piglet sitting, cooking, eating and visiting with friends. The time has flown by in a sea mud and incredible humidity (remember I’m from NM & high desert dry). A lot of work got done despite being more difficult in the mire and a lot of caring has gone into keeping everyone healthy.
My favorite thing? The cooking! Even though one person is charged with making dinner, it’s a community effort, a lot of chatter and clatter. You should see the 8 minute dishwashing challenge! Celi is amazing, always doing, thinking and keeping us all straight. She is the most efficient person I know and gets more done in a day for it. 
So till next year I will say my goodbyes to the Farmy, Celi, Mr C, all the pigs, cows, feathered friends and dogs.
Miss you already. Pat
26 Comments on “Letter from Pat”
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Thank you for helping keep the farmy cared for! Until next year, take care care.😊
As usual the naughty pigs are hilarious – no doubt Sheila wanted some peace and quiet.
Crickets are very popular in Oaxaca (Mexico), where they are cooked with lime, chilli and garlic – they taste absolutely delicious, but not of grass. My Mexican friend Carlos tells me that they need to be purged before cooking, like purging snails on oatmeal.
Farewell Pat – see you next year 🙂
That little Lurch is a stubborn wee thing. I reckon she may still surprise us all – or perhaps I should say I hope she will. I feel for you with your giant grasshoppers. I have a similar problem; they cleared my entire vegetable bed in one night, the wretched things. That’s 4 metres of planting… Something about humidity brings out the worst in them.
I applaud your valiant effort, but if Lurch has neurological issues, she will won’t be able to support herself when she grows large.
(smile) I wonder how often Our John gets called MR C. Well done Pat, there were many more of us wishing we could all be there to share the Farmy happenings. Miserable about your autumn seedlings, will it be too late to replant seeds now? Laura
It seems like I have picked up a new MR Ugly, not sure how that happened? Laura
Thank you for all the help you have given
What a great work visit Pat has had. Sad about the rescue piggies, but they are progressing In baby piggy steps. I’m always amazed to read how smart your adult piggies are.
Was that ‘grass’ or ‘gross’?😋😋😋 Celi, if you look on Instagram, I have made a portrait of Naomi. X
Safe travels, Pat! Wonderful that you could break away and have so much fun and also be such a helper on the farm. Everyone will miss you!
Beautiful post, with wonderful pictures, well done 🙂
Sorry, that sounded a bit like a first school teachers marking!
You and the farmy really do attract an extraordinary group of people, Celi. It’s wonderful to witness.
thanks Pat for being there to help! Take care!
Those pigs have quite an attitude!
Rooting for little Lurch.
Keeping positive about little Lurch. Pat is a very special person.
Love Pat’s letter! Someday I hope to come, but for now I will visit daily and send my prayers and hugs from afar.
Linda
The timing of Pats help was critical for little Lurch. Being from NM must have been a shock encountering the ghastly humidity here in Illinois. Just read today monarch butterflies pop. Is dramatically down this year. A bad year all around it seems.
I hate hate hate grasshoppers! But I bet people in your area are a more indomitable about them than I am. Perhaps you can start a new side venture by offering giant grasshopper rides to children?
what a busy life filled with enumerable riches and challenges. The best kind, I dare say.
Hiya Celi and Fellowship! Something you said today, Celi, alerted me to a possible solution for little Lurch. The fact that she is unable to get herself up led me to consider that perhaps an animal chiropractor could be of assistance to her little body. Whaddya think? Is there one nearby? Always hoping for the best and sending tonza love your way, Your Gayle
Celi; you are all wonderful; i knew an animal rolfer in seattle; and he worked on me too; i didn’t even have hoofs, but they fixed me right up
Great idea Gayle, I had one work on my mare and by the time she was done the horse was somnolent with her nose practically on the ground! Helped her sticky stifles it did! Esther, wish I could find a rolfer around here, I could surely use one.
Well, orphan Lurch seems to have taken after her fairy godmother: stubborn as hell! Is she survives I have an idea that practicalities aside she should stay on the farmy and once upon a time take Sheila’s place!! Pat: methinks all have said a big ‘thank you’!! Mr C : surely a common practice in naming – well, I know a Mr NQN and a Mr JOC and other beautiful guys behind the scenes . . .
Hey Celi .. Great news about Lurch. You will miss Pat! Hugs from me
Goodbye Pat! Thanks for helping Ci.
Love the mirror’s image floating in the sky. Rather Dali-ish?
Oh, how I would love to come and stay on the farmy. Pat it is amazing how you make hard work sound like a vacation.