Wet Saturday

Wow did everyone show up early today!! Paula and Jim were headed for the horses at the barn when i caught them tippy toeing around here LOL. AHA!! My sister showed up, Chris(last day) , Susan and Pam we all branched out and attacked our mission.

Speaking of attack, first i have to organize the carport for the big pigs. Nothing can be left on benches , or with in reach of them as they are so strong and a ton taller then the pots so they can reach everything. Buddy is brought back into the house while Roscoe is out and today my cause for concern has been proven. Roscoe a two year old Yorkshire has shown some aggressive behavior towards the dog behind his fence line and no way will i risk injury to either. Anyhow we were trying to empty a huge bin of pumpkins by feeding everyone and when i went into Winnie's yard she grabbed her pumpkin and got passed me and out the gates. So while she ate i had my sister stand blocking Roscoe from entering the carport just in case. We went to work on Roscoe's yard cleaning manure, raking up wet bedding pushed outside his doorway and added a heap more fresh for him. I have watched Roscoe's body language the last year now and have seen him flee from the little pigs , still i didn't trust him out completely with them all. And today Winnie pushed him too far by walking up behind him and chomping him right in the butt. I was already airborne and in the 20 feet separating us he already had attacked her brutally and as i came on top of them both and shoved him off i could see my little pig had been on her side. My sister and i held back emotions and checked on our little Queen and took her right back home. We will see how bad he hurt her tomorrow,thinking how we ache more the day after we have over exerted ourselves. Out later she seems to be okay with a chomp mark on her ear, thankfully she still has it and i had been right there. Roscoe in no circumstances what so ever must ever be allowed to mix with the others again. He is simply no match for the little pots with there massive size and strength.

Now my Winnie i must tell you did the exact same thing last week-end to Rose and got away with it only because Rose is such an exceptional pig and comprehends English at an astounding level. Ever since she was little i told her she would be the one to loose her freedom no matter who started the fight. She is completely trusted as she has shown me over and over again that my warnings to her were understood and she does run from the little ones. And not to worry as i am home when this herd is out and my eyes are everywhere lol.

Every house and shed was filled to the brim with fresh quality straw and there good now for about three weeks. It breaks down and looses its insulating value so i must make sure it is kept up now all threw winter. The pigs need the same temperatures as we do , quality straw acts like an insulator and they retain that heat and are toasty warm when burrowed under .

Today when i switced herds around all the pigs had cookies, thanks to there Grandma who is always on the look out for cheap fun food for the pigs. Every one deserves a little sweetness once in a while. And Nancy my sister refueled the Salad Bar with 8 cases of apples so we are good there. Tomorrow i will be taking a dump run . taking all the rotten pumpkins and then will head down to the Co Op to pick up hay. Please everyone pray for no rain while i am doing this run!

I should climb up the ladder and grab that halogen bulb so i can replace it or i will be feeding in the dark all week again. But it is way up there!!!

The mail box station was broken into this past Thursday night so it is unknown what we have lost inside. ;o(( Cheques can be stopped payment on but things like gift cards are a total loss . Thing is that freinds who send cheques if they don't see if they have been cleared will never know I didn't get it as i would never know they sent it. They will think we didn't send a thank card or appreciated there gift. I wonder how much it costs for a mail box at the post office now? sigh..hate to waste donations that way but we cant' afford to loose any either.

Now where is my ice cream ;o))

EDITED TO ADD: Winnie is fine today ;o))) and all mail appears to be accounted for, looks like they didn't get into mine after all!!

Frosty is out there!

Bits and pieces of the week and I will start with Paula and Jim taking a run to Oliver for the night and came back with enough apples to feed the kids every night this week! Bonus!!!

Baby Jack of Hearts is doing great and i have had him out a few nights this week after work. Although pitch black out here we headed to the barn together to feed the horses. The horses are beautiful inside and out as they patiently allow the little pig to share grain with them in their floor tubs. I bet they all enjoyed there time together having only heard each other threw barn doors when Jack was confined there. Last night I asked him to follow me around the house to see his new world here. He stuck so close and kept stopping in front of me and then he would lean into my leg for comfort. Don't worry Jack i am right here with you i told him, i won't loose you. He is a very clever little pig and tonight he showed me what a good apple cruncher he was. When offered apple pieces he wasn't that interested in them until this week. This tells me his pig mom must have never had the taste of an apple either. I am sorry for her where ever she is. Maybe one day she will arrive at the gates too, and we will feed her lots of apples.

Penny is quite the nest builder and would have every piece of carpet in her bed if i let her. And her potty habits are that of a pig that is far too heavy and goes here and there and pretty well all over the carport lol. And my volunteers will gasp at this had of anyone spilt stuff in there i would of ahd a hairy fit but oh its okay if the pig does it. lol Sorry my friends, the pigs apparently can do no wrong lol

Anyhow the temps are dropping and all the pigs will need there bedding topped up for sure this week-end. Pray it doesn't rain for this grand chore. And the light burnt out on the side of the house, Any one feeling like going up the ladder with a new bulb?? So dark out there without it when i feed. I had to tell the pigs don't worry I will find you!! hahaha

Pay it forward

The picture is one of Arnold who along with another pig had been sitting in a California LA Shelter pretty much on death row. Started with an email from a gal who used to live here informing me of there story. With some strategic planning and net working and fundraising these two pigs were rescued and driven for miles both by Alexis & Debilyn's to her home in Oregon. We can and will move mountains !! Yes we can!!! Deb sent this one to me with Arnold learning the ropes of life at Eden and the words captioning it were " Well our California rescue guy Arnold is learning the ropes of Eden. First one, "do not stick your head in tight inside the empty feed bucket."



This month has been incredible with so many good things happening here for the animals.

Our November pub night was a blast and brought in much needed funds and two more pigs found a home here. Two pigs also went to the vet and both are doing well and with Paula taking there it removed the stress of me having to ask for time off work for another animal issue.

Last Wednesday night Paula and Jim arrived five minutes after i got home from work and we got Dixie's second shot into her as well as some baby cookies. ;o) While Paula and I went to work doing the horse stalls and then feeding every one Jim was in the house filling out HONS paperwork to get some of our gst back for the last 4 years. And being a Telus employee and working a bazillion hours down here he was able to submit for a offer from Telus for a donation to us for his hours in. So he also came with a cheque, how cool is this!!!!! Thennnnnnnnn they took me out for dinner and we had a hoot!!! It was the best Friday night i have had on a Wednesday night in years!! A much needed break from here, thank you!

Paula had all of the pens done Friday with the families from our Home School project so new comer Chris , my sister and i only had the big pigs to do again. I am in the House on a Saturday by 1:oo huh??? SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!! I should now be able to some much needed paper work done in here!!

Jean from "life with the Critters Blog" is hosting a Fundraiser and it is doing AWESOME!!!!!!!!! This is all too good to be true!!!!!!!!!!!

The Florida Pigs are a constant worry for me and i have been able to do some serious net working to try and bring awareness to the need there. With the support around me right now i am walking so much lighter and i am grateful beyond words. It has allowed me to do more and this is very important to me as it is not just the pigs here who need us, it is pigs everywhere!

Well i best get to my kitchen table , my purse, the counter, my desk and clean up the paperwork trails.LOL

FLORIDA PIGS NEED OUR HELP

Edited : to be updated

So much Action!!!

Yesterday Paula hosted three families here who home school there kids. They worked all day cleaning pens , scrubbed bowls and clean fresh water for all. Thank you everyone!!!
Today wasn't as stressful becuse of the help so Cliff , Pam and I only had the big pigs to do, Tortillas and Jacks. The hay stall got cleaned up, the big pigs got tons of bedding and the guineas had there house cleaned too. And tonight the horses went into there stalls with no fussing from Lacy being apart from Dior. Gosh who would of thought they would of got even more bonded as they have been out since summer. Cliff's community hours are done now but it sure was great to have a man around the farm these last few week-ends.
Penny went half way up the driveway tonight after a little strategic blocking on my part and placement of the food dish lOL. Atta girl Penny , we must do our exercises!!
And here is a picture of our Jack of Hearts who is still in the throws of passion even thought he was neutered on Monday. And isn't that a great picture of Patoo!!! ( Short for Cutie Patootie)
And last is a Fundraiser blog Challenge hosted by my good friend Jean to help with a new space for Penny before it gets too cold for where she is . http://mylifewiththecritters.blogspot.com/

Feed by Moonlight

This is Tippy my triathlon Turtle who swims, climbs and then high dives if i don't see her. The tank is pretty close to the wall so when she gets out and leaps she drops down lightly wedged but not enough for her to free herself and to be found wandering around here . The first time it happened many years ago i thought some one had broke into the house and stole my very valuable turtle LOL When she wants to go back to her pond she goes to the wall beside it and tries to climb back up. Do i have to get a ramp made for a turtle??

Mom stopped in just after lunch today to check on Penny after I called her from work. I had left out a cut up apple at the end of the carport and i like to think she found it and not the squirrels. Her tail..ehem signs were also left about so i know she did get up and move around. Mom had bundled her back up and she looked like an Eskimo when i pulled in.

Black tubs are difficult to see at night so when i head out I strap a LED light on my head. Horses are a little spooky so i know to them i would look like the one eyed monster so i do refrain from wearing it while heading to them. And so once done with the horses i put on my light but there was already a huge light on in the sky for us tonight.

Do you see the moon in the sky everyone i called out , it is beautfiul!! Penny come out and look up come on it is awesome!!

Jack is feeling much better as his appitite is back up and i am happy to report Dixie Chick looks much better too.

Buddy is being a goof and flipping his squeaky toy all over the house right now and i have to go make dinner.

An Extra Day Off

Thank you to all of those who gave of themselves so that i could live the life i am living today. And thank you to those who are fighting for the end of War everywhere.

It took me a while to get moving this morning as it is pouring outside again. I started with coaxing Penny out of her nest by removing her covers. And i am a freak when it comes to putting things back into order so my first challenge was to clean the stall little Jack spent his first week here in. Carefully removing nails from plywood sheets , getting the plywood under cover for its next use and mucking out the stall to ready for Lacy again. Oh and rescue two black beetle bugs and a wood bug from the horses water. Did some manure picking and some wheel barrow tipping and up to the carport carrying a soiled pig crate i go. Why is it everything to do with this place weigh over 50 lbs?? LOL

Thank you to Paula and Jim who took my truck into Poco and filled the truck up with donated pumpkins. I would also like to thank Christine and Art & Knapp's for thinking of the pigs year after year. We had filled up a water tank with pumpkins and it wasn't quite under cover so i moved that but not before i fed the big pigs and cleaned up the bench here. Sawing pumpkins in quarters for all the pots left my bench a pulpy mess. And little Jack who i should of put right back in that stall as he was out getting wet after his surgery. He also found his way threw a hole in the wire and was telling Tortilla off so i went and grabbed a 2x4 and had to get him out twice before securing the fence line.

Three crates had to be disinfected so instead of taking them apart i was crawling into them to wash down. No doubt a sight for passersby with me in the pouring rain and my rear end sticking out of a dogs vari kennel.

Now during this time our Penny had a small breakfast and no pumpkin in her diet. No dancing today but she is quite a sweet pig. Today i told her to come out this way and just to the edge so she can at least smell her new back yard. I reminded her that this place was made just for pigs so although she can't see that well there are no holes she might fall into. Every day she waddles a little further and this is how it will be for a very long time.

I got in the house about 2:30 and finished up two loads of laundry , washed dishes you know the routine. And at the kitchen sink after the counters were wiped down i can't help but smile and say out loud Thank you God for giving me this day and giving me the strength to do what i do. Everything is in its place ,well pretty much as it can be.

Vets and Trips

Paula arrived at 7am this morning as we had planned. Jack of Hearts just wanted his breakfast and as he did circles around me rooting as he went i simply grabbed him up and we got him in the crate. As he was the one furthest from the van we were thankful he was the lightest one of the two.

Sweet not a mean bone in her body Dixie Chick was about as easy. I went in the shed and Paula manned the crate on the outside with it butted right up to the door way. A little push here and there and we got her inside.

Paula , with a couple of blanket replacements and a map she was on her way.

This is one of the most difficult emotionally of the jobs i do here. My heart pumping so fast as it just goes against every fibre of my body to scare them like this. As i closed the gates and watched Paula drive away i want to burst out crying, but i have no time for that as i had to get changed for work.

Jack has been neutered and we moved him into Teddy Bears yard and gave him something positive to think about after his harrowing ordeal. He is deep under the straw with a little sore bum, I hope his sleep gives him a much needed escape from us all.

Dixie Chick came home after being poked and a treatment plan is in the making. Although extremely disappointed that x-rays were not taken as that is what she went there for. I will bite my tongue and move on.

Penny was a little weird tonight in the carport and kept doing this crazy circling thing. I wonder if she is allergic to pumpkin as that is all she had today. She did snap out of it and did some carport wandering so she get some exercise tonight. She was up for over an hour and i cut up an apple for her and we had a little chat . I tucked her in and was able to pull the fat folds back off her one eye and I do believe she saw me. A kiss on the ear and a promise to get her into fine form so she can enjoy the world she deserves. Tomorrow hopefully it won't be raining and i can get her out of the carport and onto some grass.

Carport Penny

Paula, Jim , Cliff and I attacked the carport early this morning. We went back and forth as to where , better, less work, more work and how much time we had to accomplish it all and we devised this temporary piggy run. The weather is mild and she is safe from being bothered by the others until our future piggy yard unfolds. We tried to make it as cozy as can be , as you can see by the red carpet Jim and Paula arrived with.



Amazing enough is her hooves are great, she must of been on pavement on her daily travels. But notice the heavy fat folds closing over her eyes and the amount of fat she is carrying on that little frame and short legs. Disgusting , feeding her until it is killing her.

We finished with her set up at about 12:30 with my truck filled with stuff i saved but need to part with so off to the dump Jim and Paula went. They got back about 4 with my truck piled high with pumpkins.. yahooooooooooooo

Poor Paula has been down here every day working hard. And tomorrow we start early loading two pigs for the vets.. I'll then head to work and Paula will take the 1.5 hour ride to the vets.

Penny is Home

If your here on a Saturday morning before i have had a chance to drink a second cup of coffee do not let me answer the phone. And because our creator has taken care of us every step of the way in this such as: surprise donations, another pig being sponsored, new volunteers coming into our lives and a fund raiser when we need it the most. I however should not expect a piggy yard complete with housing to magically appear when a new pig arrives here.

Paula, Cliff, Susan , Nancy and I were soaked and filthy when the horse trailer pulled up. Thankfully we had just finished what needed to be done and after making sure all the pigs were put away we opened the door. Penny the little perfect pig i remember has been fed so much her body has simply inhaled her. Her beautiful condition has turned into sparse gray patches of bristles with masses of fat , a face unrecognisable and the gait of a sore animal. We have a lot of work to do Miz Penny.

Penny waddled around the carport and no doubt was exhausted from trying to stand up in a horse trailer. No bedding or bales of hay to protectively confine her movement for the ride. She is going to be stiff and tired for a few days while trying to keep her unfit self up right in a moving trailer for almost an hour. Thankfully she didn't really hurt herself in there but honestly we won't know that until the morning.

I had planned to bring Penny directly into the house but in her current condition and after what she just went threw i quickly grabbed a pile of blankets and found a safe place in the back of my carport. She strutted her cute self off to all her admirers and then found that pile of blankets and fell into them exhausted. I have fed them all dinner and she had a big drink and i added two huge lawn chair cushions for under her self and covered her up in wool blankets.

Bringing her into the house is out of the question because she can hardly walk.
She will not be able to manipulate a potty tray or be willing to go out in the morning with any great speed, and i got to go to work every day here.

Now I could make room for her out at the barn but no way is that little fat pig going to find it easy getting out there. And i still have Jack out there who once recovered from his neuter will go in my one empty piggy yard as he will fit into little Teddy Bears of a house no problem.

I need a very large house and a very large portable pen STAT. And I will make her a place in my carport. Me thinks this is my only option until our creator opens that window again and saves us.

I told Penny I should of just brought you here from the beginning and yet as I speak to her out loud what comes into my mind is that she would of missed all of her adventures. Penny seems to have assumed her life has been just that as i don't feel any sorrow or depression. She is a logical pig and my psychology when speaking to them is presented the the same way. Knowing and believing in fate and destiny she is where she is supposed to be now. Still i shake my head as people wonder why we are so strict with our adoptions. Moving from home to home from family to family would leave anyone one with no sense of belonging and that love doesn't last forever. My promise to Penny as I kissed her bristles tonight was that i would love her forever and that I wanted her and no we are not just a place where unwanted pigs come. I assured her that all the best ones simply come here.

Sanctuary rambling..

Jack of Hearts and Dixie have an appointment at the vets on Monday. Jack to be neutered and Dixie Chick to be x-rayed. I must find out what is going on with her spine so we can start treatment stat. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Paula who arrived as a volunteer has not only taken position as my right hand she has become a very good friend to all of us here. If you arrive here on a work day Saturday you will hear me call out to her with my thoughts or worries about something needed or to be added to our list. If gives me comfort to know she is out there and our needs here matter to her. Hopefully we will be able to load both pigs quickly as she has offered to take them in for me so i can go into to work and not loose a days wages.

Poor Jack held captive behind stall doors at the Barn all week. The sooner i can get him out of there the better for him and my horses.

The rain is slowly but surely turning our way to the barn and manure pile into a muddy path. The Farm pigs areas are saturated. With all the creative ditch digging they have done only takes away any hard footing we once had in there yards. Sigh, the big pigs are a ton of work and oh how i wanted to move from here and start over with a better approach for all of us. But we are still here..

I normally get a load of pumpkins after Halloween but the time is flying by and i fear my pigs are going to miss out if i don't find a farmer this week-end. I know there was one out Mission way I wonder if Jean has a number for them.

I have heard from the family who moved into the house with all the abandoned animals and where our Penny is. They called me last week to inform me they had brought her in to there house. Is it possible she also wormed her way into there hearts? Is no news this week good news .. i must call them and see how she is doing , yet if there is a chance she will find real love there i don't want to ruin it for her either. I'll give her a few days more before i call on her.

Another pig needing a home and i have sent them a heart felt letter. This pig lives in the house with his family , it is what i want for all of them. I am trying Lenny, I am trying. I speak for him in my letter to them.

Fund Raiser Wrap Up

Last night was a Party!!!!!!!!!!! And I had a hoot !!!! So many friends and all in one place to support and protect what one little pig started so long ago.

Thank you so much Wendi for seeing the need again, by gving the pigs a voice who so deseprately need to be heard by pulling this party together!!

We had a huge turn out, tons of wonderful donations from friends here and all over the lower mainland. Beautifiul posters , candy place settings and volunteers selling , collecting and a packed house to boot. I even arrived home with a bag full of treats and Cassandra hearings the gates ( now padlocked) was out to greet me and was first to sample them late last night. 'yum'

We grabbed a quiet table and counted our bounty and with donations, ticket sales, silent auctions and draws we brought home $2000.00!!!!!!!

I also would like to thank The Golden Spike and there staff for keeping gigs like this on the table of thier establishment!!

I best get out there and start my morning rituals, feed the big pigs, the horses, the birds and our new arrival Jack of Hearts.

Thank you thank you every one so much!!