This little piggy went to the New Forest...

Today I went on a search for piggies, armed with my camera. So I walked deep into the dark, terrible woods in order to find the odd Tamworth or old spot. I got to Bartley Water, a river that runs to Eling. If that means anything to you, hurrah. If not, Wikipedia it. I got to the river, and low and behold there was a pig. However, it was on the other side. So I ran to the riverbank, found a place to cross. If you had seen me, I think you'd be impressed. I climbed onto a forked tree over the river (which, is a raging torrent, I may add) and swung myself onto the other bank. By that time however, the pig had disappeared. I thought I saw it going deeper into the forest away from the river. However, I couldn't find it. I thought, well it must be around here somewhere, because it'll be eating the acorns. I hazarded a look skywards to discover that all the trees around me were beech. Rats, I thought. So I found some oaks and sat on a fallen tree and waited. About five minutes the group I saw yesterday emerged. However, I didn't get close enough to get good photos, and the forest was too dark for my camera. Especially as the flash startled the really big grumpy one. So I decided that it was a lost cause.

If you click it you may make out the Tamworth and Gloucestershire Old Spot.

Now, I had to recross the torrent. Okay, it's hardly that, I admit. So I found a place where there was a bank of shingle. I threw my bag across and then realised, that it was actually quite a jump. Like six feet. So I decided to wade in. I took my shoes and socks off and rolled up my jeans. I was about to slip delicately into the water when my trainer rolled off the bank and into the water. So what was to be a graceful slide became a bit of a scramble down into the stream.

After all that and no decent photos. Well, I did see two piggies afterwards. It was getting a bit dark so they weren't that good either. I'm sorry to disappoint but I don't know what breed they are. Perhaps a British Lop.

I've also created my NaNoWriMo kit. It has 30 gel pens, 1200 post-it notes, a bouncy ball, a bag of skittles, a bag of lollipops, notepad, modelling clay, a muesli bar, a rubber, pencils, a pencil sharpener, mini crayons, a pair of headphones, ProPlus and Anadin Extra.

New Forest

Autumn is here and it's time like these when I really fall in love with the New Forest. It's not just because the leaves have turned golden and orange. During autumn you really appreciate that the New Forest is indeed an ancient woodland. The air is filled with the smell of wood smoke, the forest becomes misty, the ground is littered with mushrooms and the pigs are turned out for pannage.

Pannage, for those not in the know, is when pigs are allowed out on the forest to eat acorns, that are poisonous to horse and cattle. Pannage pork is a delicacy, and is darker than normal pork, sometimes nearly black. Today on a walk my mum and I saw a Tamworth, a couple of Gloucester Old Spots, Saddlebacks and possibly a Large White. There is one Saddleback that goes around with her litter of about 8 or 9. They are really cute, although the mum has a bit of a temper.

We've also been forest foraging. We've picked crab apples to make crab apple jelly (it was on that adventure when mummy pig showed her temper, or she just wanted my apples). We've also picked some rosehips for apple and rosehip jelly. I have to say, the crab apple jelly was delicious, the rosehip one was a bit too sweet.

I think I need to go out with my camera and take some photos. I'm thinking of volunteering for the Forestry Commission, once I've got settled into my job.