Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
9th February 2019
Hogging the Limelight
As well as being my ‘little’ brother’s 50th birthday, February the 5th this year is also the start of the Chinese New Year. It is not a fixed date, so Chinese New Year can range from January 21st to February 20th; this year it is the Year of the Pig.
According to the Chinese astrology, the Year of the Pig is a great year to make money, and a good year to invest. 2019 is going to be full of joy, a year of friendship and love for us all and an auspicious year because the pig attracts success in all the spheres of life.
My own two pet pigs attract lots of attention, and are adored by many, not just me.
When I was rebuilding the dry-stone wall in their field over Christmas, a couple of walkers including a chatty, bright young boy, stopped to ask about the pigs. It was a pleasant interlude and I was heartened by their obvious appreciation of the welcome they had had from my pigs.
A few weeks later I had a remarkable surprise in the post – a lovely letter from Harrison, the young boy, and a poem from his aunt. In a world where we are obsessed with worry and stress, and in a month that is inclined to be less than cheery, it was a wonderfully uplifting gesture, and so I thought I would share it with you.
Harrison’s handwritten letter read, “It was lovely to see you, you made our walk and our day and you’re a very hard worker and polite and lovely and a good nature person. I enjoyed feeding the pigs fruit cabbabs.” (He fed them apples on a stick!)
His aunt, Sian Owens from Penarth, enclosed a beautiful poem and drawing of Harrison with the pigs, which is framed and on my wall. I have to admit to getting a little teary every time I read it.
The Black Pigs of Llangattock
The twenty seventh of December two thousand and eighteen;
A still calm day against a backdrop of gentle grey sky,
Nothing to jar the senses or shock the nerves.
Just a gentle day.
We wound our way up the steep hill.
Two black pigs, waiting for visitors,
Snuffling around in their clodded dry-stoned paddock,
Roughly grunting as they
Treaded and remoulded the mud with their trotters
Like large ladies in stilettos kneading dough with their feet.
Bulky, inelegant, swinging bellies covered in wiry black hairs.
Deeply buried myopic eyes peering out in earnest from their furrowed skin,
Large heads swaying as they tried to make us out while their
Wrinkled snouts twitched in excitement at the smell and sight of
New people
Two yellowed horn teeth pushing out from each side of their mouths,
Ridiculously,
Like a design mistake.
Hairy little tail swinging from their backs
Matted with straw.
Did they ever look I the mirror?
Not sleek like a leopard
Or stealthy like a cat
Nor free like a bird
Or graceful like a stallion.
But there was no embarrassment on their part,
Just humble acceptance and
Gratitude for the apples on sticks they were fed through the gate.
All was well with their souls
And all was well with our souls too
As we drew ourselves away and went on with lighter footsteps and brighter hearts
Knowing that we had been blessed by the
Black pigs of Llangattock.
Food for Thought
It’s a funny old life, as well as being surprised by such a lovely gesture from Sian and Harrison, I have also been rather surprised by a serendipitous event. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Matthew Pritchard, the former front-man of Dirty Sanchez and his reinvention as an Ironman and TV chef, in the BBC’s ‘Dirty Vegan’.
The first vegan cookery series on BBC, ‘Dirty Vegan’, aka Matt, encouraged us all to explore the benefits of veganism, and how, far from the perception of it being ‘rabbit food’, it can suitably sustain people with physical jobs and pastimes.
I haven’t seen Matt for about 8 years and was curious as to the motivation for his huge lifestyle change. Well, now I’ll be able to ask him, as I am interviewing him at The Clarence Hall in Crickhowell on the 20th February. Tickets are available from http://www.book-ish.co.uk and the wonderful ‘Brownies and Brunch Bakehouse’ will be staying open before the event so you can taste, or test, their fabulous vegan food too. Details at www.odonnellbakehouse.co.uk See you there!
Thank you xx
Oh Lynne (and gracious pigs)
What a soul touching, heart opening gift to have received. There is a Beatrix Potter-like quality here – encapsulated not just by their walk, and what they observed and absorbed – but by the evidence, the letter and painting – that they took time afterwards. Time to reflect: time to be grateful. Time to turn their love into art and poetry and connection. Pauses are natural but so rare these days – and in the pause: in the space between actions is a home for more beauty to be shared. Please also – more pig pics!
Warmly
Debs
And there is something to do with meno pause now buzzing in my brain..!