Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Animal Wednesday - the two pigs

I was fascinated by these ever-so-pink pigs that we saw on Sunday. I don't often get to see pigs up close, but since we used to live near a pig farm - I recognize the smell of them.


We were riding down the gorgeous bike path and I could smell pig - Whew! I didn't see them at first, and then they erupted from somewhere, running alongside the trail (behind a fence thank goodness) hooting and hollering! I thought that they were chasing us, or barking (in pig-terms) at us to stay away. But really I now think that they were just excited to see a person, and they made noise for no reason. They were very curious about us for a few minutes, you could see them evaluating us in their little pink heads. Then they went back to snorting and snuffling and playing with each other.



The one laying on the ground got a good belly rub from the other one and he (or she) seemed to be enjoying it tremendously; with closed eyes and little satisfied sounds - in a piggy way.

I used to be a vegetarian - it was a long time ago and my scruples were not as strong as my taste for hamburger. But there are times when I wonder how/why we actually still EAT other beings. We probably don't need to anymore, we can figure out how to get our protein from other sources. It's expensive and most important - it's cruel. These guys were happy snorting around, not knowing that the fall butchering time was coming near. I really did feel bad. Frankly, I'm not sure what exactly to do with this feeling - I'm not ready to go back to being a veggie - but I am somewhat heading in that direction a bit more today than I was last week.

Anyway...Happy Animal Wednesday to you all, and if you have a pet pig - give it a hug for me.

13 comments:

ArtistUnplugged said...

Awwwww, what cute little piggies! Apollo's body reminds me of a pig....thanks for the photos!

Teri said...

Oh my, those pigs would be so fun to sketch! Did you?

HAW!

ElizT said...

Yes, Mim; I know those feelings.

soulbrush said...

oh what an adorable post today. i have been a veggie for 31 years and do not miss meat at all... HAW mim, and so glad the books arrived. yahoo.

studio lolo said...

I love pigs!!!

I was a pseudo-vegetarian for 22 years. The only animal protein I ate was fish. Then one day I couldn't drive past KFC! The smell just called me. (Now I wouldn't go inside a KFC because of how cruel they are.) But anyway, I'm with you lately on thinking I want to go back to eating that way. I haven't had beef since 1972!! And do I really need chicken or turkey? I do eat a lot of it though. And honestly, my brain feels better with protien so I'm at a loss. The best we can do if we can't commit to being a veggie again is to eat free-range animals. At least they led a happy life until...

sukipoet said...

they are cute. I too debate. When I lived alone before coming up to Mom's I ate pretty little meat, no beef. But when i came up north, mom wanted meat and so I ate it too. Actually, in the winter i feel i need the extra shot of meat/chicken protein and I am very thin to begin with. Still, I want to veer back to less meat. it does make one think when we see the little animals in their natural surroundings living life.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

The older I get the less meat I crave. It has nothing to do with animal rights, protein needs etc. I just don't want it much. I can't remember when I last had a steak. Pigs are funny animals.

marianne said...

What a sweet post! Love those piggies and your words are food for thought , thats for sure!
HAW!

Katiejane said...

Aww, they look like Babe! And I felt the same way you do after watching that show. But we used to own a pot-bellied pig (for a very short time). We kept it in our garage and outside, and after a month I was so irritated by this animal and its smell that I told my husband if it wasn't gone by Thanksgiving (it was October) we were having holiday ham!

Debra Kay said...

I took Mom to the fair today and we enjoyed the piglets-sooo cute. I know from painful experience, a pig bite is a painful thing-they have really powerful jaws.

I have such dual feelings about animals. I watched baby chickens with delight today-but I have a freezer full of fuzzy yellow chicks (for the snakes not me)....but I also have thighs from several chickens sitting in the freezer for ME-so I'm not blameless by any means.

As long as I have a houseful of carnivores, vegetarian seems like not a viable idea.

PAK ART said...

I can understand because I love animals too, but I'm definately a meat eater and my husband is a hunter. I don't feel the least bit bad if I know they've been treated well and have lived a good life. And their death is quick and painless. But I can respect others who choose not to eat meat. We've all got our own reasons for doing what we do. And it's not alwasy easy to explain to those who don't feel the same way.

Baino said...

We have an enormous agricultural show in Sydney over the Easter weekend and their's always a pig exhibit, enormous sows with little piglets and I swear they've put me off eating pork! Then I saw a doco about fast farming of pigs in Holland and the awful way they're slaughtered. So no pork for moi! Apparently pigs have the intellect of a 3 year old child ..enough to put you off your bacon. I'll stick with fish . . they're pretty stupid, I can catch and gut one and they only have 30 second memories and smoked salmon is delish with an egg and some spinach.

Michele said...

OMG: They are so freaking cute.