Cookie Dough Can Swim

The other day,  upon letting the gilts out that we have at home, it was discovered that they would chart a different course on their evening walk.  “Cookie Dough” one of the pair of sisters was very interested in what the area around our house was like.  She discovered the swimming pool… here’s the footage I took.  Sometimes it is a miracle that I even have my camera, other times I consider it divine intervention because of the photos that turn out.  This is a divine intervention moment.  Camera + Hilarious activity = Priceless pics.

After a long day of working in our commercial barns and working with other farmers to get their pigs fed right, my husband showers up (to prevent the spread of germs from other sites, though he has showered in and out there too) and changes his clothes again, then takes the kids out to ‘chore’.  His time with the kids in the barn is “everything he ever dreamed of”.  He’s one of those people that genuinely loves working with pigs.  Having these pigs around home has given our kids (our son, mostly) even more confidence around the pigs in our commercial barns and for that, I’m thankful.

On with the swimming!  Here’s Cookie Dough (don’t ask about her name, just another battle I lost with my daughter. Her name was Fancy, in a roundabout ode to Reba’s famous song.  Not any more.)

Cookie Dough was very interested in coming up near the house.  (Sassy, the other gilt was nearby rooting in the grass.)

Cookie Dough found the water in the pool… my daughter is unsure of this.

Cookie Dough loves to blow bubbles in her water pan, it was no different here.  My daughter is saying “Ummmm, Daddyyyyyyy?” with a smile, (as in… is this okay?)

She proceeds to show her how to lap the water up like a cat.  Great idea kiddo.  Now our pig and daughter have shared a communal water dish.  Sweet.

Next question was, “Do you think she’ll get in?”  That was answered quickly when she put in both front feet.  Our daughter hastily took off her boots and asks if she can join in.

And they are swimming together.

Cookie Dough lays in the pool a bit but then she decides to get out…

The pool bottom was slick so my husband is trying to help steady her with the weak piece of plastic pipe.  That didn’t work.  My daughter tried to intervene…

BINGO!  Once she got close to being out, she BOUNCED!

After her swim, she was thinking maybe she’d head down to the pond… no-no Cookie Dough.

Fresh, clean and redirected… heading back to the shed.

We have to lock Annie (our black lab) up when the pigs are out. They don’t get along the best, the pigs are annoyed by her. She stays in their pen and eats their poo.  That makes her happy.

My daughter is good at the obstacle course of getting these pigs back in their pen.  Around the gator, between this… around that…

around this… over that…

And we’re all in… safely.