"How old were you when you saw a pig for the first time?" Krysta was chattering in the back seat of the suburban and to be truthful I was not paying much attention until she asked this question.

That started a trip down memory lane . . . when was the first time I met a pig outside a story book? There was that huge pig that Debbie Gingerich allegedly rode. Maybe there was a pig in Grandpa's barn. We butchered pigs one cold winter day with two other families -- kind of our own *Butchering Day* just like Laura and Mary in Little House in the Big Woods -- and no, we didn't blow up the bladder and pretend it was a balloon.

But I'd have to say the first time I met a pig that I remember was way back when Ellis and Jerry managed a hog unit in the 80's. That wasn't just one pig, but hundreds of pigs. Jeremy and I would go along to the barn on weekends and help.

This spring has been a bit like turning the clock back since Ellis and Evan took on the job of doing chores at two hog barns. (I'm so glad we didn't tie into four barns as we planned at first!) This is turning into a family project involving everyone.

Like this evening with Krysta chattering away in the back seat and me driving along unfamiliar gravel roads . . . out to find Evan's barn and take supper to the guys. Evan gave me verbal directions the other day and I think I followed along. Let's see . . . take hwy 35 to 30 and then instead of turning left as we normally do turn right. Okay so far. One mile and there are two barns on the left. That doesn't seem like the right place. It should be only one barn. Turn on that road anyway and start driving west. There off to the right is one lonely barn with a long lane leading to it. The sky is rosy behind it and there will be a beautiful sunset.

Gravel crunches under the tires as we pull in behind the pickup. Supper for the guys can be spread out on the tailgate. They are sorting pigs for the second evening in a row. Krysta thought that was way too many evenings for Daddy to be gone so she jumped at the chance to go with me.

Krysta hopped out and headed for the barn. The curtains were down so she could peer in almost nose to nose with