I’ve been trying to decide what would be a good subject to blog about as a return to writing here on the blog. This has been a rough year for a number of reasons and, in the midst of everything, blogging has felt impossible. I’ve been doing lots of other writing this year, but somehow the idea of writing something for the blog has felt momentous and weighty. I have started blog posts a dozen times and abandoned them, unable to make it past a few sentences.
It had been months since I had not only blogged, but also since I had visited Pigs Peace Sanctuary. Then, a couple of weeks ago, we went to volunteer at the sanctuary and visit some new piglets who are living there. There’s something about being at a place like Pigs Peace that opens your heart up, even if you didn’t know it was closed off. Sanctuaries are places of healing not only for the animals who live there, but for the humans who volunteer and visit. Being at Pigs Peace again reminded me of the love and light in the world and the enormously moving experience of being in relationship with other species. I felt something shift inside me while I was there.
In that spirit, here are some light-hearted pictures from Pigs Peace – it’s difficult to look at them without smiling.
As a sanctuary, Pigs Peace does not breed animals, so there are rarely, if ever, baby animals at the sanctuary.
Now and then, Judy Woods (the founder/director) will take in an orphaned piglet or two, but this was the first time piglets were born at the sanctuary. Judy recently took in one new mom and her piglets and two pregnant pigs, both of whom have subsequently given birth at the sanctuary.
One of the volunteer jobs right now is to hang out with the piglets and help them get socialized to humans. You can guess where I spent my volunteer hours. That’s right – lollygagging around in the piglet area, covered in hay, letting the babies climb all over me and nibble on my fingers and clothes!
What a treat to see piglets get to play with their siblings and nurse from their mom, knowing that they will get to spend their whole lives together as a family at the sanctuary. Most farmed animals are separated from their siblings and parents just hours or days after birth, so there is a real poignancy in these pigs getting to enjoy being a family.
It’s always hard to leave Pigs Peace – it is such a special place. There is a fundraising drive currently ongoing for Pigs Peace to get a much-needed new van for transporting pigs to and from the vet, and to support other dimensions of sanctuary life like daily piglet care! If you feel so inclined, you can donate here.
I hope you are all doing well and finding things each day to inspire you.
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Katie – I know of you through my husband Josh. I SO enjoyed reading your blog today – I have a fondness for pigs. I’m not quite sure where it came from, but I loved living vicariously through your visit to the sanctuary.
Ginny – thanks so much for reading! If you two make it out to Seattle at any point (I’ve been trying to convince Josh for almost 10 years to come for a visit), we could go visit the sanctuary together! Hope you’re doing well.
What a beautiful blog post. I’m so happy to see a new entry (and I can really identify with your not having been able to write). I am very jealous of your piglet socialization time! Have a lovely day.
Thanks so much! Yes – sometimes it is just so hard to move forward to write (especially when the writing is personal in nature). Hope you are doing well!
So lovely to see you! And those adorable piggies! We’ve been hosting three rams off and on this spring and we are in HEAVEN! Been thinking of and missing you. Hope the summer brings us together again 🙂 xoxo
Hi lovely! So, so nice to hear from you! Let’s definitely try to make a rendezvous happen this summer (perhaps I could make the trek out to visit you for the day?!). Hope you and yours are well and happy and feeling inspired. xoxoxo