12 August 2012
Dear Loved Ones,
It’s been a FAIR-ly great week!
The Weber County Fair has come and gone (August 8-11) and so have two of our lambs, one pig, 10 blackberries, a cluster of green grapes, three plums, four double chocolate chip cookies, an apple tart, three jewelry boxes made from old Christmas cards, a pioneer doll, an “On Top of Spaghetti” cake, and several gallons of sweat.
The lambs both earned red ribbons (too skinny) as did the hog (too fat). All of the produce and baked goods earned blue ribbons. Grace’s boxes also earned a blue ribbon. Tanah’s plums, cookies, and decorated cake were chosen to advance to the state fair. Grace did a fabulous job as a first time pig showman; many of the other pig owners complimented her on how well-muscled her hog was. The judge also said it was very well muscled; he just added a “too fat” clause to his description.
There was a rodeo at the fair but the rodeo that happened in our orchard Monday evening was far more entertaining. That night loading Grace’s hog into the trailer was our Family Home Evening (FHE) activity. All I can say is that it was a good thing we started FHE with a prayer because loading that pig into the trailer required a miracle.
Hogs, unlike sheep, horses, and cows, do not respect fences or humans. In their minds (people say that pigs are smart), if they can see daylight, they can go there, wherever there may be. The hog could see daylight through the woven wire fence so he tried to go through it. A cross wire got caught between his upper and lower jaw (kind-of like a bit on a horse’s bridle), effectively stopping his advance, so that did not go so well for him.
The hog could also see daylight in the gap between Lance’s two legs so he tried to go through them. There was nothing to stop his advance so that did not go so well for Lance. Picture, if you can, a 250 lb. hog pushing its way in-between Lance’s legs. It completely lifted him off the ground and took him for a ride. He was facing backwards, the hog was moving forwards, and both of them were squealing. I still laugh thinking about it.
I don’t laugh when I think about getting the hog up the ramp into the trailer; I pray……..in thanksgiving. The trailer stands 2 feet of the ground. The hog’s legs are only 1 foot long. The board we used as a ramp was too short, too steep, and too flimsy but, somehow, it worked. After giving Lance a ride and me three bruises, the hog calmly walked up the ramp into the trailer. It was the only time it was calm all evening; the moment we closed the trailer door it went hog wild again.
One of Tanah’s Facebook friends said, “Summer should get a speeding ticket; it goes so fast.” My summer has certainly gone fast, so fast, in fact, that it is over. Monday I return to school. wow.
Dear Loved Ones,
It’s been a FAIR-ly great week!
The Weber County Fair has come and gone (August 8-11) and so have two of our lambs, one pig, 10 blackberries, a cluster of green grapes, three plums, four double chocolate chip cookies, an apple tart, three jewelry boxes made from old Christmas cards, a pioneer doll, an “On Top of Spaghetti” cake, and several gallons of sweat.
The lambs both earned red ribbons (too skinny) as did the hog (too fat). All of the produce and baked goods earned blue ribbons. Grace’s boxes also earned a blue ribbon. Tanah’s plums, cookies, and decorated cake were chosen to advance to the state fair. Grace did a fabulous job as a first time pig showman; many of the other pig owners complimented her on how well-muscled her hog was. The judge also said it was very well muscled; he just added a “too fat” clause to his description.
There was a rodeo at the fair but the rodeo that happened in our orchard Monday evening was far more entertaining. That night loading Grace’s hog into the trailer was our Family Home Evening (FHE) activity. All I can say is that it was a good thing we started FHE with a prayer because loading that pig into the trailer required a miracle.
Hogs, unlike sheep, horses, and cows, do not respect fences or humans. In their minds (people say that pigs are smart), if they can see daylight, they can go there, wherever there may be. The hog could see daylight through the woven wire fence so he tried to go through it. A cross wire got caught between his upper and lower jaw (kind-of like a bit on a horse’s bridle), effectively stopping his advance, so that did not go so well for him.
The hog could also see daylight in the gap between Lance’s two legs so he tried to go through them. There was nothing to stop his advance so that did not go so well for Lance. Picture, if you can, a 250 lb. hog pushing its way in-between Lance’s legs. It completely lifted him off the ground and took him for a ride. He was facing backwards, the hog was moving forwards, and both of them were squealing. I still laugh thinking about it.
I don’t laugh when I think about getting the hog up the ramp into the trailer; I pray……..in thanksgiving. The trailer stands 2 feet of the ground. The hog’s legs are only 1 foot long. The board we used as a ramp was too short, too steep, and too flimsy but, somehow, it worked. After giving Lance a ride and me three bruises, the hog calmly walked up the ramp into the trailer. It was the only time it was calm all evening; the moment we closed the trailer door it went hog wild again.
One of Tanah’s Facebook friends said, “Summer should get a speeding ticket; it goes so fast.” My summer has certainly gone fast, so fast, in fact, that it is over. Monday I return to school. wow.
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