Hello From The River Murray

Yesterday mum, dad, Uncle Mick & Auntie Sally went for a drive to see some of the River Murray in flood. So myself along with Petunia and Rodney jumped into the back of the Nissan Patrol and off we all went.

Lots of talk about how low the river has been over the years of late. Uncle Mick & Auntie Sally have spent many a weekend or holiday with their caravan camping along the river. So did mum & dad until dad got too sick for it.

We have some cool photos to show you too.

Me first though.........then sis and Rod........

Percy

We had lunch at a lock near Renmark. Both families brought different foods for a share picnic on the lawns near the water edge. No pelicans though? We didn't see a pelican at all for the whole day.




We stopped at Waikerie for a break and another cuppa here. Check out the riverfront, we saw people fishing.



Isn't she a beauty. I found the Murray River Queen in Waikerie while we were taking a break.





That is Terry the ferry operator. He was showing me how to steer the ferry and we had a chat about how the water was really smelly back a week or so ago. Guess what?? Terry is a butcher!!!!

Oink!!! He came over to our car and told us as we were ready to leave. Crikey I nearly wet myself when I heard that. I think if I was told that while sitting on the controls I would not have crossed my legs.....heheheh




We crossed the mighty Murray 5 times over the day and each time the operators were really nice and waved to us as we left. One guy had a beard like the guys from the group ZZ Tops.






Look at all that water.........My mum said the last time she saw water like this was in 1974 (boy she's old) Ouch!! Mum just read that and flicked my ear. Mum and her family did a trip like this one to see the waters.




I wanted to go for a swim, but I got stuck. I thought while I swam they could have had a cuppa.

Petunia.

This is me at Lock 1 at Blanchtown.




Look at all that water behind me. So glad I didn't fall in. The green stuff floating on the water is called "duck weed".



Mum took me up real close to see the water.

Rodney.

Howdy! I'm showing you the Kingston Bridge on the Murray. Lots of water flowing and heaps of back water areas flooding out around the area. Australia sure is a beautiful country.


Here I am at another lock, somewhere. Mum forgot to write down where this photo was taken.

technorati tags: Australia, Murray River, percy, petunia, Rodney,, pigs, soft toys, South Australia,

Announcing An Engagement

Engagement yes you read right.

While the piglets were away Rodney proposed to Petunia and she said yes.

The 3 of them arrived home from their mystery trip away with the news.

I am in shock as they want to get married next week on Tuesday at Dawn's house.

But lets not get ahead of ourselves. First things first, where did they go?? They were in Melbourne for a surprise birthday party and I am trying to get a photo or two of their trip over there.

Now about this engagement. Like all mothers, I am worried that they are rushing into things, but as you know....pigs do grow faster than little people. I can only hope they will be happy traveling the world together.

This works out rather well as Petunia will have all her relatives here for the wedding. Guess this means I'll have to make a veil for Petunia.

Talk of a honeymoon at Stansbury .

Stay tuned.......

technorati tags: rodney, pigs, pigs soft toys, south australia, wedding, petunia

Family Meeting Family

Pat & I took a road trip up to Burra to see my sister and her little dog Jody. So the 3 piglets came along with us. We were hoping to get a look around Burra, but it was raining and very cold.



So the piglets huddled in Jody's basket and played with Jody. She kept sniffing Rodney and was making sure he's going to be a good little pig while visiting Petunia and her family.



Rodney was a bit worried about the licking of his bottom and was going to join us humans in the kitchen.

So far all 3 piglets are getting along okay. At times I feel my sewing room is turning into a pigsty .....chuckle.

technorati tags: australia, animals, percy, petunia, pigs, rodney, south australia

Hello From The Outback Part 3

Dear mum,

I have been such a tired little piggy, so today I spent time looking around the homestead. Here are some photos showing you what I saw.





I got a little sun burnt the other day, so I thought I should wear a hat. Holiday dad got one of his, but it was too big.



Holiday mum had a look in her craft box and found the perfect hat for a little pig like me.



Check out the hanger holiday dad has just finished building. He hopes to bring the plane home soon and has promised me a fly in it when I come up next. Do you think he would let me go bungy jumping?



This is what they use to load the sheep into a truck. The sheep walk up this and then jump into a truck and then head off on a big adventure.



The woolshed and yards are close to the homestead. I have seen lots of sheep but not one wanted to have their photo taken with me.




Hey mum, I'm sitting on a wool baling machine and its used to bale the wool up shearing time. A wool pack is put in the baling machine and then wool is put in there and then a big bit of metal comes down and squashes all the wool to make a bale. There is a wool pack next to me in the photo.



These are the sheep pens in the woolshed. The sheep are asked very nicely to go up into the shed and they all have pens to sit in. Then a shearer grabs them and takes the wool off their backs. I don't think I would like the hair on my back taken off.



All the wool has been taken to market but holiday mum found me some dirty wool to pose in. Yes I know I am so cute.





The shearing-stand is behind me where the sheep are shorn. They can have 6 shearers at a time and counting all the shed staff, at times there are 14 people working at one time in the shed. The poor cook is kept so busy. I'm standing on one of the wool tables where they throw the fleece to then skirt it.


I just had to have a photo next to a sheep and this is all I could find. The tin sheep hangs on the front fence and was made by holiday mum's son.

Mum I have missed you so much and will be home tomorrow. My camera battery has gone flat so no more photos.

I am so excited about having a baby brother or sister, love you lots and see you soon.

Eat more chicken.

Love
Percy.


Dear Percy,

My word you sure look cute in that hat. Thanks so much to holiday mum & dad for taking you into their home and showing you around the sheep station. I do hope you'll be home in time to see your baby sister or brother born. It could be as close as tomorrow afternoon.

Travel safely home.

Love
Mum

technorati tags: animals, Australia, Australian outback, felt toys, holidays, Percy, South Australia

New Meaning To Pickled Pork?????

Dear Mum,


I am having so much fun up here. The weather has been hot and no rain. Here are some more photos of me on my big adventure.



I would like you to meet Fred. He is about 13 years old and has the best life. He has 2 rooms in his house and a real human bath, which he gets in when it is hot. Fred was telling me when the shearers come he gets all their scraps and there is so much that he cannot eat it all.

Fred is part Captain Cook and something else that I can't remember. Anyway we had a good chat and then he went and had a sleep because he is old.




My holiday dad cooked a camp oven. Just so you know mum, a camp oven is a big cast iron dish with a lid that you place on coals from an open fire and you can cook a roast or a damper in it. I have been told they are yummy but he was cooking pork (eat more chicken) so I went down and chatted with my new buddy Fred.





When they had finished I came back and the sun was setting. I sat on the verandah with a bottle of Bundy to watch the sun go down. They drink Bundy out bush!!!





It was a beautiful sunset and I sort of lost count of how much I drank. I passed out on the lawn.



When I came too, holiday mum helped me reach the bucket. I can tell you I won't be doing that again.

Eat more chicken.

Love Percy.


Dear Percy,

Well what can I say???? I'm glad you made a new friend with Fred. I hope your not on medication with your sore foot and having a lot to drink. I guess my baby pig has to grow up some stage. Sounds like the outback was a safe place to do this.

Oh by the way your maternal mum is going to have a litter of little brother & sisters soon. Hope your able to be home when they are born.

Love

Mum (foster)

technorati tags: Australia, Australian outback, felt toys, holidays, percy, South Australia

Hello From The Outback Part 2

Dear Mum,

More photos from the water-run we did the other day.






I would like you to meet Little Lashes. She lost her mum a long time ago and my holiday mum looked after her until she was strong enough to go back out in the paddock. She has had babies and it was fun sitting on her while she was having something to eat. Her hair is sort of soft but she is so dirty.





Look at me sitting on the D4. Holiday mum & dad used this to clear the Boxthorn from the creek so that the water can flow when it fills from rain. I didn't start it up because I was frightened I might not reach all the controls.




Check out the creek mum. It filled up New Year and the water came from just over 100km away. Its so pretty by the water but there are so many mozzies. I remembered to put sunscreen on too.




Can you see me up on the windmill?? I am just under the fan on the ledge.




The wind did blow me off but I am okay, I was still in my safety bag thank goodness. Its so high up there and you can see for miles. I wasn't scared at all and even though I fell off, I was brave enough to get back up there.




We got a flat tyre and the tyre was wreaked. I did offer to change it but it was a bit heavy for me. So I let the big guys do it.




We were nearly home and we came across this leak. Can you see me with my tools ready to fix the leak? I managed it very well and were we then off again.



When we got home I was so tired that I went straight to bed. I didn't think it would be so exhausting out in the country. So much to see and do. I can't wait for tomorrow.

Take care

Love
Percy.

Eat more chicken.


Dear Percy,

Gosh you are seeing the Australian outback for sure. So glad you are okay after the wind blew you off the windmill. Next time though...use a rope and you can add bungy jumping to your list of adventures.

I did notice that 2 photos showed me the power of Mother Nature. A creek full of water on one part of the station and a dam empty at another part.

Can't wait for your next postcard

Love

Mum.

technorati tags: animals, Australia, Australian outback, South Australia, percy, pigs

Hello From The Outback Part 1

Dear Mum,

I am having a wow of a time with my holiday Mum & Dad. This is me arriving on the station. We are so far away from anyone. It takes 1.5 hours to get to the nearest town and the mail only comes once a week.




Can you see my ears bending in the breeze? Yesterday we did a water-run and so much happened. I have lots of photos already so sit back and enjoy them.





On our water-run we checked the solor panel at the house dam to make sure it was on. This is to pump water up to the house at the homestead so that I can have a bath tonight.




Jacky and Jody were my travelling chums on the water-run. My holiday Dad was the driver and holiday Mum was opening all the gates.




This is called a trough and its for the sheep to drink out of when they are in their paddocks. I didn't have a drink because there was green bits in it. I was having fresh water from the ute.




I got out of the ute to help open the gate and I got a nasty prickle in my foot.




It hurt so much, but I felt a lot better once I had a band-aid put on it.

Thank goodness my holiday parents have the internet. I'll email some more photos(about the water-run) tonight and you can post them for me tomorrow.

Love

Percy.

Eat more chicken.


Dear Percy,

Boy for a little pig, you sure do get around. I am so glad you are having a wonderful adventure in the outback. Thanks goodness for the internet, otherwise your postcards would only be sent once a week.

Can't wait to read more about your water-run adventure when your email drops in.

Love

Mum.

technorati tags: Australia, holidays, percy, pigs, pigs soft toys, South Australia, Australian outback