Now for the pigs

Why should the cows get all the attention?

Our three little pigs are growing up fast. Yesterday, we opened up the two unused pig pens to them, so they could enjoy the tasty foliage that had grown up. I wish I had video to show how fast their tails were wagging (spinning, actually) for the excitement of it all. Here you can see their current enclosure -- bare ground -- with the unused area -- all greens -- in the foreground.

Soon enough it will all be bare ground. Pigs do that.

Pig in a ditch:

Just add water:

And you will, eventually, have a wallow. If you can wait that long.

The formerly skittish piggies will now submit to backrubs if they are distracted by copious greenery.

Milo doesn't care for pork that much.

A happy pig is a beautiful thing.

******

It's been a tough week on the poultry front. As it stands right now, the fox is winning.

In a series of afternoon attacks, we've lost a bunch of turkeys, including our two biggest toms (40 pounds each, or close) and several chickens. One of the young, horny, annoying roosters is gone, but so is one of my three egg-farm veterans. we are currently down to three turkeys (plus one hen nesting somewhere secret), two roosters and six hens. And it's likely the fox will keep coming back. It's tough during my daughter's softball season, as we're not home on game nights during prime fox attack hours.

And yes, it is a fox, not a weasel or coyote. We've seen it, and it is huge.

This is only our second go-around with a fox in six years, so I guess we should count ourselves lucky to this point. But I miss my birds.

*****

We have a big puddle in our driveway that is very popular with pigeons and starlings taking baths throughout the day. I love the splashy noises they make and the commotion they cause, so I decided to try to snap a picture.

Until I looked through the camera lens, I didn't notice the newcomer.

We have several bluebird boxes on our property, handmade birthday gifts from my husband, but no nesting bluebirds in them (swallows, mostly). This bird, like the starlings, likes to make a splash.

I hope we see more of it.

Milo apparently prefers his birds unwashed, at the feeder.

This look apparently means "Stop taking my picture or I will shred you."

As he wishes.

Comments

[Jennifer]

I'm so sorry to hear about your turkeys and chickens. I hope you get him soon!

[A Guyra Girl]

Really sorry to hear about the destruction caused by the fox - hopefully you will be able to get rid of it somehow. The pigs, however, look wonderfully happy in their green pen!

[Kitten]

Boo fox. Sweet piggies, though.

[donna lee]

But then, Milo doesn't like much of anything, does he? My last cat died in October and I miss him still. What I don't understand is why I miss him so much. He was the least sociable animal I have ever owned but I miss him most of all.

I had no idea foxes got that large. To take down a turkey of that size!

[Kristen]

Nothing like happy, tail-twirling pigs!
How lucky you are to have bluebirds; I've never seen them around here.
We are down to a single, lonely chicken. Two died of natural causes, but I believe all the rest were done in by domestic dogs on the loose.

[janna]

Sorry about the fox - I guess he's just doing as nature designed him, but it's still too bad.

Hi, Milo!

[Norma]

I love happy-pig pictures.
(Ps...you've been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award...see my blog for more info.)
N