When pigs fly...

All growing up my Grandpa and my brother played each other in chess. It was a tradition each summer: play in the pool for a bit and then head inside for a chess game. Time and again Grandpa would win... I am actually not sure if Michael ever won...? I will have to check on that... But Michael would get so close to winning and Grandpa would pull it out for the winning move and tell him: "when pigs fly." Poor Michael. I think he even got a flying pig ornament one year!

Well so, I grew up with the understanding that pigs flying would probably never happen.

Let me just say, we have seen it happen.

The story begins... With the piggies loving their pasture and their little 3 sided barn. They were so content eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day and snacking on the roots and goodies they found in the pasture while rooting around. However, the time came last Saturday for Daniel to build the fence around their new land and home in the back woods. Their little spot of land is right near the chickens, close enough that we can keep an eye on them, and full of amazing soil that will keep their noses dirty for the rest of their days.

Daniel did an amazing job building the fence, tight as tight can be so hopefully these two piggies will never get out again. We even built a little lean-to for their newest shelter, cozily laid with a bale of hay. Piggy Perfection. Now all we need to do is get them there.

From our previous experience of moving these pigs, we knew it was to be a tough job. And the piggies could sense that we were after them: so jumpy and staying so far away from Daniel! The time came: we had to make the move.

Piggies had just had lunch and were taking their afternoon snooze in the back of their shelter. Daniel quickly placed a large piece of plywood over the opening of their barn and jumped inside. My job was to simply push against that plywood with all my might and main so that those piggies wouldn't be able to nose their way out and get away. So the pursuit began and my were they banging hard against that wood! Wilbur, the larger of the two pigs, and the male, was the first to go. Daniel got him by the hind legs and that most awful of noises began ringing across the neighborhood. Daniel carried Wilbur to the backyard and then began to do the "wheelbarrow" with him again... Anything to stop that squealing!! Well, pigs are very smart animals and so Wilbur decided that if he just stopped walking, he wouldn't have to play this game anymore. So there they were, man and pig, standing in the middle of the yard at a standstill. At this time, neighbor boys are out and sitting with a bag of potato chips... Staring. Well they waited there for several seconds and then Daniel simply scooped him up and carried him the rest of the way to the new home. I needed earplugs for that stretch. Didn't I see some 4H thing where you lead and guide a pig with a stick? Yeah right.

Poor Charlotte. She knew what was coming. All the while while Wilbur was being taken, she must have gone to the bathroom 3 times in her nervousness. Her time came: Daniel returned to the barn and she began scurrying away. He went to make a grab and all I saw was this pink thing flying through the air in my direction! Like slow motion, that pig took off and flew 3 feet in the air and flew right into the middle of that plywood. The wood hit me square in the face and knocked me back a little bit, but I was not about to lose my hold! Daniel said I looked up and the look on my face was like a deer in headlights: completely stunned! He said," Fawn! That was a flying pig!" And we both started laughing hysterically (which I am doing right now as I remember!) Oh my. Well after that, Charlotte gave up and didn't even squeal as Daniel carried her all the way to their new home.

Whew!

And now everyone is settled and we won't ever again, hopefully!, have to move them! At least someone was looking pretty and loving the show... Sweet Tirzah in all her farm glory!

So if anyone says to you, When Pigs Fly...
Don't lose hope. It's possible.