Happy and Healthy 4th. July from the Piggyville Girls,

Hello. We are the Piggyville Girls and today we are going to give you a history lesson. July 4th. is a special day in the United States of America. It is called Independence Day. On July 4th. 1776, the Declaration Of Independence was adopted. The Founding Fathers declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer under the thumb of Great Britain and were united, free and independent states. Needless to say, King George III was unhappy with the colonists for declaring their independence and not paying taxes to the British Crown. This resulted in the War of Independence that lasted until 1783.

General George Washington wrote that Great Britain would have won the war if the French had not come to the aid of the colonists. Over 90% of the muskets and gunpowder were provided by the French.

Most importantly, the French had developed a crude method to vaccinate against smallpox, a disease that killed over 30% of the people who contracted it and left many people blind. In crowded army camps up to 85% of American soldiers died from smallpox and other diseases rather than from combat wounds. Smallpox was so feared in armies that soldiers were known to "self vaccinate" by using the pus from an infected friend rubbed into a self inflicted wound. These soldiers were using themselves as "guinea pigs".

The great American statesman and scientist, Benjamin Franklin, had learned about vaccination when he was in Paris before the war. He blamed himself for the death of his four year old son from smallpox because he was afraid to have him vaccinated. He encouraged General George Washington to have everybody in the army vaccinated and the general ordered that all members of his ragtag and half starved army be vaccinated.

"With few surgeons, fewer medical supplies and no experience, General Washington conducted the first mass inoculation of an army at the height of a war that immeasurably transformed the international system."

So, today, let us celebrate our freedom by honouring the people who came before us who were willing to be "guinea pigs" for science in order to save their country.

Cheers! Tilley, Shannon and Ceilidh.

Happy Canada Day from the Prairie Pigs~

Hello everyone!  I am Arthur Pendragon, the newest, smallest, fastest and most handsome of the Prairie Pigs and I am here to wish everyone a Happy Canada Day.  It is our national holiday, and since the snow has finally all melted at long last, we are ready to have a party!!!

 

 

 

New Piggyville Girls!!

 

Hi! I am Tilley of the Piggyville Girls. I was lonely when my friends went to the Rainbow Bridge so my Mom and Dad searched far and wide for some piggy friends for me. They brought home two girly piggies, who are about six months old from the Brother Wolf Rescue in Asheville, North Carolina.

Here in the farmlands and mountains of Western North Carolina there are very few piggies at rescues but I got lucky because a very kind human brought in two piggies just for ME!!!

Here I am with my new friend Ceilidh ( pronounce it like Kaylee ). Just between you and me, I think that Ceilidh has wacky hair. She looks like a punk rocker but she is very loveable and likes to cuddle with me.

Hi. I am Shannon also known as Silverstone Shannon, Speedy Shannon and Greased Lightning Shannon. It has taken days for my Mommy to take a photo of me. I love cuddling in her lap with my new friend Tilley.

I have so much room to race around that I even jump over piggies that get in my way but, so far, I have not jumped out of our C&C home.

It is great to be a part of a big loving family that makes us the centre of their attention.

Introducing Coke and Fitz

It is certainly time we introduced ourselves! We are Coke and Fitz, and earlier this year we came to live with Scottie.
 
I, Coke, am the crested guinea pig. Here I am on the floor with one of my feet on the wood that borders the floor area our dad made. I've learned not to go outside that area, and my mom says sometimes I move sideways like a crab so I don't touch the actual wood floor. She thinks that's cute. I think it's great exercise!
 
I, Fitz, am the Peruvian, and as you see, my hair is rather curly. I love to be brushed and petted. Here I am about to drink some water. It is nice to have my A-frame nearby in case I need a quiet place to rest. My mom says I always have a happy look on my face. I like the floor, too!
 
We are about four and a half and four, respectively, so we are older than Scottie, who is two. So, well, I, Coke, thought I should be the dominant one. At first we got along in one cage (house), but my mom realized she had to have two houses for now. Fitz moves between us, so he stays in the cage at night with me and then visits Scottie in the other cage for a lot of the day.
 
Our mom lovingly calls our moving around "the stock exchange," and if she sees that I'm missing Fitz, he'll join me on the floor. When Scottie misses Fitz, she returns him to Scottie.
 
I, Fitz, apparently am very popular! Scottie and I also share floor time, too.
 
Mom still hopes one day we might all be together. If not, we will keep doing what we're doing. We listen well to our mom and know what a gentle "no" means. If we ever do become a trio, we will post it here!
 
We are glad to be here and to say hello.
 
 
 

New Piggyfriend!

Please welcome little baby Oberon, our newest Piggyfriend. He came to us at the end of March when he was only 5 weeks old.

He would not sit still for a photo so we waited until Slave's son came to visit and he held the little fellow for these pigtures.

Here he is from the other side. He is mostly Abby and is very loud. He likes to race around his pen and sit on top of his wooden house to see what is going on. Slave had to move the house to the centre of his pen just in case he decided to take a leap out of the pen into the room.

May Day at Piggyfriends

 It is May Day and one of our girls gets to be May Queen.

We have a lot of May ( hawthorn ) in our garden hedge but it has been cold here and the blossoms haven't opened so Slave walked along our road and found a few flowers in a hedgerow.

Caoimhe did not want to wear any flowers in her hair but was happy to sit with them.

" Can I eat them?" she asked. The leaves are actually edible. Slave said that they are also called bread and cheese trees as the leaves are supposed to taste of these. " Maybe not then." says Caoimhe. 

" I will just admire them from a distance," says Caoimhe." Slave says that the trees have sharp thorns."

Happy May Day everyone from all the Piggyfriends.

It's a White Easter on the Prairies

 Hi there!  I am Attila the Honey, the newest Prairie Pig, and I am here to wish everyone a Happy Easter!  Our snow had all melted but a few days ago, we caught the tail end of a late Prairie blizzard, so our tulips and crocuses will not be blooming for Easter after all.  We  know they are just sleeping under the blanket of snow, though, waiting for the next melt to make their entrance.

We hope Easter is warmer wherever you are, and that slaves and piggies are enjoying sunshine and spring flowers.  And if not, an extra chocolate egg or dandelion green does wonders to lift your spirits!