Our Newest Addition!

     With the loss of his brother, our little pig Bacon was all out of sorts.  He was squealing and crying all the live-long-day, as he desperately ran around and around his condo, up and down the ramp to the loft, looking for his long lost buddy Munch.  This was just not fair to poor old Bacon... guinea pigs are social creatures and do not like being alone.  As Bacon has always preferred the company of another pig, to that of the human variety, we decided it was high time to find him a companion.  We new that this would be another male (no babies for us please!) and would be a newborn piglet, so "we can raise him up right", as Matt says.  Yesturday I finally drove the 15 minutes into town to scope out the pet stores (we have 2).  At the first store they had many teeny-tinies, but alas, they were all girls.  This would not do.  So off to the second store where, they too, had new arrivals.  And what more?  A mixed batch!  Myself and the kind store employees set about picking up the piglets and inspecting them down-under for some sort of a hint as to their gender.  Now baby piglets are not that easy to sex, so we had to do a lot of comparing and contrasting.  Eventually after looking at enough hinnies, we were fairly certain we had picked out the boys.  I picked one that had a frizzy coat, to add variety to our "herd".  He is very small and very young, we think about 1 month (which is the earliest they can be weaned from their mama).  He is yet unnamed (Hawken will facilitate that task next weekend) but is already settling in nicely.  He follows Bacon all around the cage, hops INTO the feed trough to eat, and has already learned to climb the ramp to the loft.  He's gonna be a good one!  That's for certain!

Little dude is a 'Teddy' Guinea Pig.
This means his hair is all kinky, even his whiskers.
In this picture, you can see how fuzzy he is!

Bacon and the little man meet for the first time.
Bacon is more interested in eating his lettuce.
Little dude doesn't know quite what to think.

Soon the little guy is following Bacon around.
Bacon takes him on a tour of the condo, just like a good big brother! 

After Bacon lets the baby know who gets to eat first,
they quickly become good buddies and enjoy snuggling.

Bacon just loves his new little friend.
Whenever I take the little guy out for some bonding time,
Bacon runs all around looking and calling for his new brother.

Goodbye to our Little Friend

Matt and Munch (eating some parsley)

   This week we lost our little buddy Munch.  He was a great guinea pig, and was a good friend to all of us.  Some people may think, well he's just a guinea pig, but to us, Munch was much more.  Munch was the first pet that Matt and I got together as a couple.  He's been with us through thick and thin.  Matt and Munch had a very special relationship... each morning Matt would call Munch's name from bed and Munch would answer him in very enthusiastic squeaks and squeals from the living room.  Matt would then go give Munch and his brother Bacon, their morning treat.  This was usually a carrot, radish, or some greens, though Munch has been known to enjoy the greatest variety of foods ever known to a guinea pig.  His list of favorites included, but was not limited to, apples, carrots, celery, turnips (raw), radishes, nuts of any kind, crackers, pretzels, blueberries, lettuce, collards, kale, parsley, grass, hay, green peppers, corn, pizza crusts, and many more that I'm sure I forgot.  Munch would always get the larger piece of treat, because he was older, and Bacon would get his smaller piece after Munch.  All this was regulated by Matt each morning as he talked to the pigs and would tell Munch what a handsome fellow he was and that he was daddy's big man.  Munch enjoyed this attention very much and would allow Matt to pet him and tickle him as he ate his treat.

     Munch also enjoyed much time as a free-range pig.  This was almost daily at our old house, and then once he moved into his pig-condo in the new house, as often as we could get him out.  He very much enjoyed these adventures and got mostly the run of the house (excluding bedrooms, where he was known to spend hours under the beds, doing God-knows-what).  As soon as he gets out he heads right for the kitchen and the cat's food bowl.  This has been true ever since he was a wee little pig.  He was never intimidated by our other animals, even the cats.  He could be seen many days, eating right along side our most crazy of cats. (see the somewhat fuzzy picture of this below)  In a nutshell, Munch was a very good pig, and one of our most beloved of pets.  He will be missed greatly.  Even though there is already talk of getting a new wee little pig to keep Bacon company, no pig will ever measure up to the joy we got from our friend Munch.  Rest in Peace little man.

Fuzzy picture of Munch and Kitty Linus sharing a meal

Munch in his luxury guinea pig condo 

Munch chillin with his favorite peeps, Bacon and Moose

Here is Munch getting a bath from Shay and Matt

Jedidiah "Loud Mouth" Kirchner

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Our rooster, Jed, is testing my patience these days.  He is REALLY good at protecting his girls, which I suppose is his job.  He's just taking that job a little to seriously these days... aka: attacking me as soon as I step out of the house, continueing to chase me around the yard as I attend to all the other animals, and then attacking me as I run back to the house.  I swear he would follow me inside if I let him.  Oh and he crows at night (yes I mean like midnight) if he sees a light on in the house or hears us.  And then starts his day bright and early around  5 in the morning.  I've officially had it and lost my patience.  Anyone want a cheap rooster?  I know of one for sale... (remember that book!?)

Oops! Neglectful!

Sorry!  I have not updated this blog in so so long.  But I vow to do better in the new year.  Heck, I'll even add it to my New Year's Resolution List.  The List so far... 1.  Learn to cook. (NOT just spaghetti, venison, and eggs) 2. Learn to Can my produce (other than pickles and pickled eggs, which I've just about got down) and now 3. Update blog.... let's say once a week.  That's reasonable.

I feel better already.  I love lists. (4. Make less lists)

We are settling into January nicely.  I'm getting bombarded, in a good way, with seed catalogs.  Which put off my gardening itch just enough for another month or so when i start some of my seeds under lights indoors.  We lost a few animals this winter, which was sad, but expected.  And are looking forward to our new arrivals this spring (more laying hens, a few experimental meat birds, and maybe even a pair of ducklings)  The garlic is already poking its little necks out of the ground because we've had such a mild winter.  A new chicken water defroster has been installed which means less chipping away at ice for me!  And the bunny is snuggled in to his winter quarters outside and is doing well.  Annie the dog is sporting a lovely new winter coat (which matt calls, her dress), while Moose is sporting a massive load of winter fur that makes him look more like a lion each day (mane and all!)  I'll post some pics soon.  Especially of our holiday fun... keep checking back!