By Myself a Few Days!

A busy week last week as usual getting ready for hubby to go to the State Fair.  He was there on Friday for the 4-H livestock show, and now left again last night for the State Fair with some pigs to show in the open classes.  He'll be get home late Thursday.  So I have a few days to get some things done by myself.  Don't have to cook for anyone but me - so that means I can eat when and what I want!!!!!  

Every evening he has been letting those pigs out to walk (actually it is called "driving" your pigs).  He uses the small black pvc plastic  stick to tap them on the top of the shoulder to "drive" them where he wants them to go.  The idea is that you work with your pigs every day; he does it in the cooler of the evening, on the East side of the 70' barn in the shade.  The pig then learns to walk at a calm pace and you drive your pig back and forth in front of the judge.  You don't slap your pig on the back "ham" area, or the rib area - as you don't want to damage the good meat areas.  Another little spot you can tap your pig is in the area behind the front legs.  It actually is quite an art to "showing" a pig.  You see alot of kids just letting their pigs out and they RUN all over, with the kids Running after them.  That doesn't happen here. 

We have had many workshops on getting your pigs ready for the fair and "Showing"!  Our girls did an awesome job of showmanship throughout the years.  We have been very proud of them.  They learned from their DAD! 

Have had this on our wall in our back entryway/office.  Stephani, Leah and Jessica each won Showmanship Overall at our Becker County Fair many times throughout their 4-Y years.  The trophy Leah is holding was the "traveling" trophy they each won several times.   This picture was taken in 1997.  They learned well from their DAD!  Like him, they were always "cool ~ calm ~ and collected" out in the showring.  It was so fun watching them.  I really miss those days!  Now Leah and Steve are also at the end of their watching Blake and Amanda showing.  We figured it out one day this summer, that this was the "first" time in 50 years that we didn't have a "Nilson" showing a pig at our county fair.  That is really something.  It started with hubby and his brothers and sisters and through them and our kids, and his brother Don's kids showing right along side of our kids, that we had many years of hard work and enjoyed them all. 

Well, that took me on the wayside of what I'm going to get done this week.  Plans are to get the deck stained - hopefully without Odda getting paw prints all over.  Spose I'll have to tie her up for a few hours.  Also have more sewing to get done, and want to start painting the old pump house.  Brother in law is also coming out one day to help me cut out dead branches of some trees.  So I have another busy week ahead of me before the weekend when I'll be heading to Omaha for a family wedding.

Steve comes home Thursday night, but won't be going to the wedding, as he'll have too much to do when he gets home.  It will be just sister in law and I going. 

Have a great week everyone!