This Face

Cutie Pig (This Face!) – Photo: L. Weikel

A few days ago I made a discovery that literally made me yelp with joy. Our local farmer is raising pigs again. Seriously: just look at this face!

It seems like it’s been a very long time since our walks were last graced with these curious creatures. A search of my posts indicates it’s been a good two years since I wrote about them. So it’s no wonder my heart skipped a beat when I beheld their adorable faces again.

It’s been a very long time since any animals have resided within the fencing surrounding this gorgeous tract of land. With the absence of the four-leggeds that used to live there, the grasses have grown tall, thick, and lush. When I first detected movement on the far side of the small pen within the vast enclosure, I dismissed it as wishful thinking.

Definitely Sentient

I think what bowls me over the most about pigs is their friendliness. While I adore the sheep that have grown up within these confines, their personalities overall pale in comparison to the pigs’. It’s undeniable.

The first time I spotted them last week and realized Teddy-the-Farmer was raising pigs again, I called out in my customary sing-song voice that I reserve for babies and small animals. (OK, I’ll admit, I use the voice on toddlers and not-so-small animals, too.) I could see them reacting. The largest seemed to lift her head and grunted, “Huh? What’s that? You talkin’ to me?” She immediately headed over toward me, not caring one whit that Spartacus was with me.

I saw a second one peek at us from around the corner of the pen. A third rambled out of the pen as if awakened from a long winter’s nap.

The three of them chatted with us for a few minutes. I felt bad that I had nothing to give them in that moment and hoped they wouldn’t hold it against us.

Prancing Passel

They didn’t. The next time we saw them, which was a few days later, I couldn’t see any of them as we climbed the hill. I called out to them in my usual way and didn’t the three of them come tearing out of their pen?

Honestly, they appeared to prance as they made their way happily over to see us. The joy they bring is almost too much to bear.

I need to remember to bring carrots tomorrow.