AND ONE MASSIVE HOG STAYED HOME, UNTIL...

Ta-da! Meet Miss Pickles the HOG, all 415 pounds of her. Yes, my sweet little pink spotted piggy (who weighed only 20 lbs. when I bought her) grew to be 415 pounds when she finally went to market. She lived with us for about two years, and she even had seven little piggies of her own along the way. Miss Pickles made for a lot of fun stories, but she developed a massive appetite, monumental waste products, and a snout that could dig to China if left unattended. Therefore, she eventually went to the auction barn and brought us a pretty penny instead of costing us one.

One of my favorite stories about Miss Pickles occurred when a grass fire erupted on our property during a very dry summer. It burned everything for miles and was heading straight for our house. In the country, folks help other folks in emergencies, and our neighbors all appeared out of the smoky landscape and helped us wet down our house and lawn. Just before I jumped in our car to escape, out of the smoke charged Miss Pickles (all 400+ pounds of her!), snorting and squealing as she ran straight for me - and the men who were helping. They were terrified, and I had to assure them she was my pet and wouldn't harm them before I vamoosed. Miss Pickles proceeded to take cover underneath a shady tree near the house. She knew it was safe, I guess, and she survived the fire (as did our house!).

I can tell you that Miss Pickles, although she proved to be a sweet "pet", was not as smart as a dog. Johnny's claims did not prove to be true in my experience.

I work hard at not being as big as Miss Pickles grew to be! I count my calories and exercise by taking 1.8 mile walks in my neighborhood (check our "Author" tab above for a photo). I try hard not to wallow in the mud too often, I don't eat garbage, and I try not to snort. But I still have fond memories of my pet pig, and to honor her, I chose to use Miss Pickles as my blog name.
~ Miss Pickles (alias Sandra)