I'm Calling Shotgun Now

If there's one thing I've learned about living on a farm, it's that springtime means babies. Already we have played foster mama to a fledgling barred owl and four cottontail rabbits. And that owl sure made me nervous, the way he was watching those buns, so we made sure nobody went hungry until they were released (far apart from each other, I made sure of that). But the biggest surprise of all was when My Boy's show heifer, Ruby Tuesday, had her baby last week. Lookee here!

I'm a bit jealous that he has more spots than me. He even has a heart on his forehead. So far we can't decide on a name for him, but it has to be a special one because he will be My Boy's show calf next year. Isn't he a lucky one? We think so.

My new best bud weighs four times as much as me and is growing bigger every day. I have to watch where he steps so he doesn't mash my head in the ground. My Boy is teaching him to lead right now while he's small enough to handle. I just hope that when we all ride in the pickup, he knows I like to sit by the window.

~Tell

Wire Fox Duck

It's been raining so much here in Oklahoma that I'm begining to feel a bit waterlogged. I can swim laps in the backyard if I want, and we don't even have a pool. Good thing I know how to dog paddle like a puddleduck. Yesterday Mom and Dad went to Tulsa to see a friend in the hospital, and they got caught in a storm that drenched poor T-town in five inches of rain. Yeah, I'm glad I wasn't riding in the pickup on that trip. Thunderstorms, darkness, floods and white-knuckle driving is not my idea of fun. Still, I am hoping that all the rain will make the fall leaves prettier this year. It seems to make a difference.

We've been busy here on the farm, what with pigs having babies and the fall show season starting. My Boy took his cow Ruby Tuesday to the fair and won a blue ribbon. She seems to love My Boy almost as much as I do. Well, you just keep head-bumping him Ruby, but you'll never fit on his lap.

Dad picked up another rescue pup. She's an adult Boxer but only weighs thirty-three pounds. She's very thin and had some parasites, but nothing a little TLC won't cure, the vet said. She is eating well, and should gain a lot of weight over the next few weeks.

Just look at those beautiful eyes! And her tail wags almost as much as mine. She's such a sweetheart. We've yet to come up with a good name for her. A name's got to be perfect, you know. Gotta put some thought into it. A bit of class for this lady, because I know behind the neglect and thinness is a gorgeous gal!

~Tell

Retired Show Girls

All our heavy snow is gone now. It lasted a little more than a day, and now it seems like spring again. The cold was a bit hard on the grape hyacinths in the yard. They are looking straggly this morning.


But the American Beauty wildflowers are springing up everywhere! Grandma-Great used to call them Good Morning Spring flowers.


It's been a bit tearful on the farm this week as we say goodbye to some of our piggies. It's time to send them to Uncle P's farm for breeding so we'll have some fall show babies. The pigs look on this adventure as a trip to the spa because they get very spoiled and pampered at Uncle P's place. Since My Girl is a senior in high school, this was her last show season. She is retiring from the show ring, and when our sows come back to us this fall, My Girl will be away at college and won't see them much. She is giving Happy the Hamp a hug. Happy wasn't worried, though, she's been through this trip before and she likes to travel.


Twiggy is very anxious to load in the trailer and is squealing to be turned out. She will run and hop in, just like she did in her show days. My Girl is telling her to be patient and let the other girls load first. All of our sows are retired show pigs and are very gentle and sweet.

Okay, My Girl, we're ready. Release the hounds! (I don't know what that means, but I always wanted to say it.)

Asta the cow is looking on. She can't believe pigs go to a spa and wonders if there is room in the trailer for her, too. Oh, that's right. We have a cow named Asta (no offense, Asta NY and Asta Down Under, she's a very nice cow).

It will be quiet on the farm now, with no squealing to be fed in the morning. Pigs are a bit noisy. Now, if I could just sneak that pesky rooster onto the trailer, too, I can sleep late in the morning...

~Tell

And the Winner Is...?

My Boy and My Girl went to an FFA livestock show yesterday. This was the big show that they have been looking forward to for months. All that special feeding, walking, bathing and shining up those piggies was a lot of hard work.

My Girl sat down in the pen and gave Tammy Faye the bluebutt pig a little pep talk before the show. It's funny, but those pigs actually like riding in the trailer (like I ride in the pickup) and have a great time at the shows. They're really not so different from dogs, when you get to know them. Tammy Faye was a little nervous at this big show, but she likes My Girl so she calmed right down and the butterflies went away.

When the kids and pigs got home, they had three Reserve Breed Champion trophies! All that hard work and exercise paid off well. Everyone came home tired and smelling funny, which was rather interesting to me. The pigs admitted that with this kind of success, they can't wait to load up and go to the next competition.

As long as they understand that pigs ride in the trailer. Riding shotgun beside Mom is MY spot!

~Tell