PUTTING PIGS TO BED
Tane, the old cripple KuneKune boar has terrible arthritis – though he is looking fatter and shinier than ever this winter – needs to be snuggled down into a deep bed of straw with his blankie and more straw on top.
Of course our big problem is Fat Tima – I tell my co-worker to stop feeding her grain but still she remains a chubby chops – anyway I leave a little pile of carrots or apples for Tima then call Tane to his bed by making scratching sounds with my hands in the straw like a mother pig making a nest. Calling to him softly so as not to distract Her Royal Fatness. He lurches over at his top speed which is not very speedy at all with his bad back and almost immediately lies down into the center of the nest I am making. It always makes me smile how he knows it is bed time.
I cover him with straw until just his nose and tusks are poking out, feeding his carrots straight into his big mouth then cover the straw with his big blanket – people give me old blankets every now and then for the pigs, sometimes I use them on my own bed you know how I get cold, but mostly I do give them to the pigs – then I cover the blankets with more straw. By this time Mrs Belly Wobble has tottered over and has laid out beside Tanes mound of bed so I cover her with straw too – she does not like blankets. Tane says thank you, Tima says don’t forget my breakfast and WaiWai calls plaintively from down the hallway ‘Are you coming to tuck me in, now?. So I do.
WaiWai is always already in bed, after having spent half his afternoon scraping his straw up into a high mound, bed is his top priority. By the time I have put the ducks to bed and shut the chickens door and covered Tane, Wai is already tunneled as far as he can into his straw, all set for the night, waiting for his bottom half to be covered up. Which I do, spreading his big red blankets on top of the whole hill of straw and pig.
Have you ever heard a chorus of good nights from pigs? I get this every night and it is lovely.
Sheila is sleeping with Poppy so there is no way to tuck Sheila in now but those two big hogs generate a lot of heat – she will be alright. I miss her though.
This morning I have begun to test bake with our new freshly milled Einkorn. Einkorn is an ancient wheat. Low in gluten – well the gluten is a different strand- much easier to digest they say. It is VERY different to work with. The flour itself is almost golden and when fermenting the dough is a rich amber hue. It is very beautiful. I have a loaf baking in the oven now and I am fairly sure it will be a delicious brick. It did not rise much during its proving period and seemed to over proof really fast. And it did not show the usual signs of being ready to bake. But all my research said to expect this.
It really is a special flour. It will be a good challenge. The house is suffused with its scent, though. The air is thick with mellow ancient morning bouquets of hot bread fragrance.
The taste test will be the key! Of course! I find bread making so enjoyable. I find bread eating divine! Lucky me.
I will come back and add a picture to this post later this morning. Best I let the cool a little before I cut it. ( plus I need light).
No pictures of farm animals this morning- you know why! Dark then dark then dark. Which is why I am only here for pigs bed time in the week nights.
Love, love
Celi
28 Comments on “PUTTING PIGS TO BED”
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The dear little pigs!
I wish Tane could have a hot spring with warm volcanic mud – I’m not sure that volcanic mud has curative powers, but I know he’d like the warmth.
I bet they’d all love a Jacuzzi for Christmas, with the snow coming down around them.
Now THERE’s a picture, Mad Dog!
I love your loving rituals with your creatures big and small
Me too…..Beth
Imagination is a wonderful thing that needs to be exercised, so don’t chafe about the photos, C.♥️ Besides, I can smell the loaves better without distraction; )
I shall have to keep checking back for the einkorn bread… And I favour pig style sleeping, too, burrowed down under the bedclothes, even if it’s just a single sheet in this very hot weather.
Such sweet bedtimes stories. Does anyone tuck them in when you are away?
I’d absolutely love to hear the pigs’ night-time chorus sometime C.!♥️
Such a lovely account of pigs’ bedtime. Would love to hear all those “conversations”. Lucky lucky pigs being cared for so lovingly.
Happy piggy-wiggies, indeed! That is loving care for you.
Would love to hear the piggies saying goodnight to you!
It’s so interesting how you know what each of them needs like they are your children. I’m sure they know how much they are loved. I know nothing about farm animals but would love to hear them saying goodnight to you.
“Goodnight pigs”. There’s a children’s story with lovely sketches of pigs in blankets in there! I can see the bread and imagine the aroma. Thank you!
Moonwatcher- my thoughts also- Goodnight Pigs is a perfect title for a lovely book with sweet photos! and wouldn’t it be fun to have a little recording of the bedtime routines! Read the book and push a little button in the book to hear the piggies and C talking!
By very very popular demand we need to hear a true Christmas chorus of the pigs singing Good Night, Celi! Please pretty please with sugar on top.
This gives a new, sweet meaning to Pigs in a Blanket! ♥️
Beautifully descriptive, lovingly penned picture of nigh night pigs ♡ I too would find it hard to resist the old blankets; there are no new blankets in our house, only old blankets already soft, comfy and loved.
The story of putting the pigs to bed would make a wonderful children’s book. Kind of makes me want to spread some hay around our bed…. xx
What a sweet night time ritual for your piggies. As the earlier comment said it would make a lovely children’s book for the photos transformed into illustrations.
I love the way you tuck them in. Such descriptions and their personalities. Children’s book material there – a sweet story they would identify with and love
felt as if I were kneeling in the straw next to you going, “aww,” all the while my tummy and heart exuding warmth!
When I had my house pig, Roosevelt, he would spend most of the late afternoon dragging his rags (he loved to shred blankets) to and fro until he had them ‘just so’. At bedtime he would burrow himself under them with just his nose sticking out. I would take him his treat (a graham cracker) and cover up any spots he missed. He’d heave a big sign and give me a soft little grunt. How I enjoyed that ritual!
Yes. That’s exactly how it is. Bless . The little graham cracker sounds like a sweet treat.
Reading all the lovely comments put added sweetness to your post. I am caught somewhere between “visions of sugar plums dance in their heads” and “away in their mangers”.
I love our lounge of comments .
I grow more and more to the realization I should have been a pig farmer.
I think so too!
I dream of coming to the farm and hearing some these sounds and smelling these smells with you. One day…