Adventures of Pig-Pig

I would be remiss in mentioning one of our most interesting adventures this summer, the Adventures of Pig-pig.

Aragorn went to an animal auction hoping to find some good beef since our cattle count for eating-readiness was pretty scant. Instead of bringing home the beef he brought home what they say was a pig. This pig weighing in at a mere 75 lbs (what should have been about 200 pounds) cost us 2c per pound. So for $1.50, we received quite the adventure. And I might add, I had never in my life seen a skinny pig or a pig with long lanky legs.

I have a friend who resorted to naming their family's fine eating after various names like "Pork Chop" and "Bacon" and other such "Remember I will be on your plate eventually, do not get too attached to me" type names. So as I tried to think of a name, Aragorn blurted out "Lean Cuisine" so Lean Cuisine he was for a very short while.

Lean Cuisine's name soon changed when he began his wild antics. This pig was an escape artist. His first escapes began with rootin' away under the edges of the shed. We had heard once that pigs don't jump, however, this is a mere wives tale as this pig jumped... or perhaps flew afterall he did have rather large floppy ears.

As you can see we did not have a short fence to keep this pig in.
Every day we would go down and visit him, usually a couple times a day and I kid not, he was NEVER in his pen! He had either crawled under the edge of the building or climbed/jumped/flew (?) over the fence! But Aragorn simply would go out to the top of the little hill and start calling "Pig-pig....pig-pig pig-pig, herrrre pig-pig" and suddenly the snorting would begin (by the pig that is, not Aragorn) off in the distance and along comes what was formerly Lean Cuisine and now simply "Pig-pig" afterall if you have a pig who comes when he's called, you'll stick with that!

One evening I actually got to witness this affair. Per usual Pig-pig was not in the pen. I asked how on earth we would get him, let alone get him into the cornered off area of the pen inside the shed. I just stood there as Aragorn called "pig-pig" and the pig came trotting along but everytime Sam and I would stop, so would the pig. He would only go in if we ALL went into the pen. There is nothing like being pushed around by a pig! So in the building goes Sam and me followed by Pig-pig. Aragorn bent the bottom of his pen fencing up to keep Pig-pig contained. However, if you can believe this, the pig went snorting around the edge of the pen until he found a slightly raised part and then squeezed right under.

I kid you not when I say that this pig even went so far as to bite the fencing and bend it back creating a nice even square for him to hop on through. There really can't possibly be anything more humbling than being outwitted by a pig.

The boys had the job of bringing the slop buckets down to Pig-pig. One fine day I look out and see that Frodo is racing at top speed bellering at the top of his lungs with Pig-pig racing right at his heals. It was such a funny sight I had to run and grab my camera first and get a few shots.

Then I ran back for my phone to call Aragorn to find out what I was suppose to do with a pig on my front yard.

With a pig, that is, who found the front yard quite comfortable.

It was quite a hot day but I'm still not sure why he chose to lie down next to the shovel...

I will admit I did think he was a bit cute that day.

Pippin thought this the neatest thing.

Thinking Pig-Pig was a bit warm, we turned on the sprinkler which he went in under and enjoyed.

So what became of Pig-pig? There were several more adventures and visits from Pig-pig (about 2 weeks-worth) til we finally had the fencing up about 5 feet and had 3 weeks of peace. Then one day, one very hotter than hot day, I might add, the boys did not return from bringing down the slop buckets. Naturally my mind was racing... thinking the worst of course. Finally I drove down, the boys weren't there. I drove back up and the boys had just gotten back to the house via the path across the field. Pig-pig had *flown* out of the pen... (remember pigs don't jump say the old wives). So we head back down to the other end of the property and wrestle with this pig. Said pig had no desire to ever go back in his pen. After 1/2 hour in dripping sweat I called it quits.... but sadly we never saw Pig-pig again. So, if you see a lanky pig that flies.... email me.